The 15 Best Cruiser Bikes to Try Out in 2023

Starting with the 1930s, the troubled times of the Great Depression, average Joes started looking at bikes as more than a means of entertainment at the track, and began purchasing them. This led the many bike makers that sprung as a result of the German invention to pay closer attention to design and engineering.

Over in the U.S. the scene was dominated back then by two big names, the only companies in this industry to have survived the Depression: Harley-Davidson and Indian. And it's the bikes they made from the 1930s up until the 1960s that act as inspiration for the booming cruiser segment of our modern age.

What is a cruiser bike today? Generally speaking, a modern-day cruiser comes with classic styling harkening back to the aforementioned decades, wrapped around a lightweight frame, and easy to ride, even in the hands of less experienced people. They are also among the most affordable bikes in the world, making them a great choice for anyone who likes to experience the thrills of motoring on just two wheels.

And it's cruisers we're here to honor today by having a look at the most important bikes of this segment in 2023. Although they are all inspired by American-made bikes, you'll find in our 15 Best Cruiser Bikes of the Year list machines made elsewhere in this world, simply because almost anyone who's someone in this industry is now making them. Even custom shops, as you'll clearly see below.

15. Benelli 502 Cruiser

The purpose of this Italian-made machine is so clear it even made it into the bike's name. The only problem is this is not necessarily a full-blown cruiser, but one designed mostly for urban use. At least, that's what the company behind it says.

Providing the same riding position as many other models in its segment (feet forward, hands up, straight back), the 502 is basically naked, with no body parts pulled over the 500cc inline two-cylinder engine rated at 47 horsepower and 46 Nm of torque.

Part of the same range as the Leoncino and TRK, the bike is built around a tube trellis frame with steel plates and relies for suspension needs on an upside-down fork at the front and a swingarm at the rear.

The bike is available in only one version and three colors (Matte Black, Matte Red and Gloss Black), but not everywhere in this world (Americans can't have one, for instance), and that's why it ranks so low on our list.

You can get one in the UK, however, and there the Benelli 502 Cruiser is quite affordable: 5,999 pounds, which is about $7,600 at today's exchange rates.

14. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

Almost as old as the motorcycle itself, the name Royal Enfield is present these days in most of the industry's segments, in some of them (especially in the world of dual sports and classics) more visibly than in others. As far as cruisers are concerned, the company claims six decades of experience with these machines, so it had little problem calling dibs on the "quintessential cruiser."

It did so earlier this year, when the Super Meteor 650 was introduced in the bike maker's favorite markets. Packing a 648cc parallel twin engine it cranks out the same amount of power as the Benelli above, 47 hp, and slightly more torque, 52 Nm.

Just like the 502 Cruiser we discussed in 15th place, the Super Meteor 650 is not available in the U.S. either. It does sell in the UK though for a slightly higher price, 6,799 pounds ($8,700). Like most other bikes in its class it too can be greatly accessorized, and that starting price is bound to get bigger fast.

13. Evoke 6061 GT

Had we compiled this list based on how impressive the cruisers' names are, then the Evoke 6061 GT would have probably made it at the very top of the charts.

Evoke is a name you may or may not know. It's one of the many motorcycle startups that popped up (in China) thanks to the electric revolution, but one of the few that have ventured into making a cruiser electric bike.

The 6061 GT is the most potent of the products in the company's portfolio (which also includes the Urban Classic and Urban S) and, as per Evoke's own claims, the electric motorcycle with the largest lithium-ion battery pack in the world: 29.7 kWh.

That's enough to keep it going for as much as 410 miles (660 km) in city riding mode, while needing just half an hour to get to 80 percent capacity.

The electric motor that powers it is one to match, being rated at a breathtaking 120 horsepower. It can push the motorcycle to a top speed of (124 mph) 200 kph.

It's because of the above numbers that the Evoke 6061 GT made it into this list, but also because of the incredibly appealing design it has.

The price of the bike starts at $24,995, making it one of the most expensive rides out there in this segment.

12. ARCH KRGT-1

There are many motorcycle startups out there, but to my knowledge, none of them, except one, is owned by an A-list Hollywood star. It is called ARCH, and it was founded by none other than Keanu Reeves.

The company made it into our list thanks to something called KRGT-1. Presented in overhauled form (it was originally launched in 2004) at the 2019 EICMA show in Milan, the bike is a performance American cruiser built in-house and cradling in its steel tube frame a 124ci engine made by S&S.

Unlike pretty much all of the motorcycles included in our list, this one is not exactly mass-produced. I mean, it is meant for whoever wants it, but each of the bikes made comes with unique features, tailored to the desires and physique of the owner.

That's why the company doesn't list a starting price for the model, but the world knows it can easily go into the $80,000 range.

11. Boss Hoss Classic

Of all the bike makers included in our list Boss Hoss is perhaps the most extreme. That's because this crew started out in the 1990s as a business that fitted Chevrolet V8 engines inside motorcycles. And they keep doing that, as you'll see in the lines below.

At the time of writing Boss Hoss is selling a total of three motorcycles and no less than six trikes (it's probably easier to fit such large engines in a trike). Of interest to us today is the Classic, the company's offering in the cruiser segment.

The monstrosity is offered in three engine variants, namely a GM LS3 (376ci, 445 hp), a 383 Stroker (430 hp), or a 454 small block (563 hp). All engines are controlled by means of a 2-speed semi-automatic transmission.

The humongous engine seated in the frame alters the riding position to such a degree that it doesn't really resemble what a cruiser does to a body. It's also true that a V8 on a bike should make said bike enter a category of its own, but we'll let his one slide and call the Classic just like its maker does: a cruiser. One that will set you back no less than $68,900.

10. Buell Super Cruiser

Back in March 2023, during the Daytona Bike Week, the Super Cruiser was unveiled. Put together by one of the most promising (relatively) new names in the industry, the bike is nothing more than a re-iteration of an existing bike, but exciting nonetheless.

The Super Cruiser is derived from the existing 1190 and comes with an improved steering angle and rake. Changes were made to the wheels, tires, and brakes, but also to the chassis, in a bid to make sure the bike feels and reacts like a true cruiser.

Buell describes the two-wheeler as the fastest cruiser on the market, and although that's debatable (especially because of the lack of additional data), the numbers are not something to be easily overlooked: the V-Twin engine in the frame is good for 175 hp, and on a bike that weighs just 450 lbs (204 kg) that's quite the punch.

This is the only bike on our list that's not available to own at the moment, and it probably won't get here until next year. Buell does take pre-reservations for it though, and anyone can get in line for just $50.

9. Ducati Diavel V4

From this point you should get ready for the heavyweights of the cruiser segment, because they are all included in our list. And the hostilities open with the Italians from Ducati and their mighty Diavel muscle cruiser.

In its current incarnation, the monster on two wheels packs an incredible punch for a bike of its kind, and it's all thanks to the V4 Granturismo engine that spits out a huge 168 hp and 125 Nm of torque.

Together with the monocoque frame and all the rest of the hardware that makes up the bike the Diavel tips the scales at just 491 pounds with no fuel (223 kg), and that makes the power levels mentioned above even more impressive.

The 2023 version of the bike can be had in the U.S. for $26,695, so it's not exactly the most affordable of the bunch. Yet, for the league it plays in it comes across as a potent choice for a cruiser.

8. Triumph Rocket 3

You've seen already in our list that there are a lot of various cruisers out there, different in style, power, and price. Had our list been structured to show an order based on engine capacity and speed, the Triumph Rocket 3 would have certainly made it to the top.

The monster of a production bike is powered by an engine more suitable for a European car, a 2.500cc beast that makes this model wear the "world's largest production motorcycle engine."

Despite its size, the unit is not a lot more powerful than some other of the bikes listed above, delivering a rather shameful 165 hp and 221 Nm of torque. Those are still numbers worthy of the most powerful Triumph ever made, and more than enough to make the Rocket 3 speed at 225 kph (140 mph) and reach 60 mph in 2.73 seconds.

The gargantuan two-wheeler can be had in its 2023 incarnation for prices that start at $23,895, but with six versions to choose from one can easily go past that.

7. Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.

The name is a mouthful, and so is the bike itself. Born in the Suzuki stables back in the mid-2000s as a means for the Japanese to tap into this very lucrative segment of the motorcycle industry, the M109R is today one of the most solid choices for no-nonsense riders.

The bike's 190ci liquid-cooled V-twin engine uses "some of the largest pistons in the industry" (4.4-inch/112 mm forged aluminum pieces), and by industry the carmaker means not only the moto, but the auto one as well.

The engine sits in a steel double cradle frame to which an inverted front forks and a cast aluminum alloy swingarm were tied. This one supports a low-profile 240 mm wide rear tire, the widest of its kind ever used on a Suzuki motorcycle.

And the thing is a real treat to look at, too, with a choice of two color schemes elegantly dressing a body with lines softer (yet still powerful) than you'll see anywhere else.

And it's not that expensive either, as at just $15,299 the Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. makes for one of the most solid choices for a cruiser in our list.

Oh, and if you're wondering what the B.O.S.S. stands for, it's not only the role the bike dreams of having in its segment. It's also short for Blacked Out Special Suzuki.

6. Kawasaki Vulcan S

The Vulcan S is not a name one comes across very often, but even if it seems like the neglected child of the cruiser family, the bike is still one so impressive it can easily place high in a "best of" list of this kind.

Overall this model is one of the oldest Japanese cruisers, having been introduced by Kawasaki back in the 1980s, when the 750 Series reigned supreme. As of 2015, the breed wears the official designation of Vulcan S, and comes into the world in two variants, S and S Café.

The Vulcans are also some of the cheapest cruisers on the market today (and that's one of the main reasons it made it so high up our list), selling from just $7,349 for the S version with no ABS. At opposite end, the strain the bike will place on your bank account is not greater than $8,099 for the Café.

For that money riders get the thrills of a 4-stroke 2-cylinder 649cc parallel engine that delivers 46.3 lb-ft of torque at 6,600 rpm. Not that many styling options are available, but for this kind of money one can't (and shouldn't) be very picky.

5. Honda Fury

Ending our trip into the world of Japanese cruisers is the Honda Fury, one of the most American-styled cruisers made outside of the U.S., if you ask me. Looking a lot like what Harley is making, the bike couldn't be more different in terms of, well, pretty much everything else.

Recently refreshed for the 2023 model year, the Wild Child as its maker calls it remains powered by the usual 1312cc V-twin engine tied to a five-speed transmission. The engine spins wheels sized pretty much the way you get them from custom shops, 21-inch at the front and 18-inch at the rear, and so beautiful in design from the factory floor that you don't even need to change them.

In its 2023 incarnation the Fury makes it easy for the buyer to decide on what to get, as there's only one version available, the ABS in the stunning Pearl Yellow we're so used to by now.

How much for this two-wheeled beauty? Just $11,499, thank you very much.

4. Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

We all know we could run a very lengthy "best of" cruisers list and populate it solely with Harley-Davidsons. So imagine what a hard time we had choosing only two of them to be included here.

The first, and coming fourth in our list, is the mighty Fat Boy. We chose it not only because it is one of the quintessential cruisers of American bike making, but also because it's extremely present in our daily lives thanks to the many custom projects based on it that pop up on a constant basis.

Part of the Softail family of Harleys, the Fat Boy is also one of the longest-running models in the current lineup. It first came to be in 1990, and burned through pretty much all the engine variants Harley released since then.

As it presents itself today the Fat Boy is animated by a Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine that spins in stock form Lakester disk wheels. A lot of chrome, in the purest Harley style, is on deck to make sure the bike does not go by unnoticed.

Compared to some of the Japanese bikes we've mentioned earlier the Fat Boy is a lot more expensive, selling from $20,199. It does however offer not only the thrills of a cruiser, but the chance to experience them on an American-made machine.

3. Indian Sport Chief

Of all the bikes you've read about so far, the Indian Chief is the oldest. In fact, with a bloodline dating back to 1922 (made back then by the Hendee Manufacturing Company), it's one of the oldest motorcycles of any kind on the planet.

Given how in 1923 Hendee became Indian it's not a stretch to say the Indian Chief is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And that why in February the American bike maker let loose the Indian Sport Chief, the seventh model of the current family.

Described by its maker as the "most aggressive iteration" of the bike ever made, it comes with new and more powerful styling, while retaining the handling and rider position that made the breed famous over the years.

Built around a steel tube frame, the Chief is powered by a Thunderstroke 116 engine that breathes through a dual exhaust system and pumps out 120 lb-ft of torque.

Available in four color choices for a few months now, the Indian Sport Chief can be had for a bit less than what the Fat Boy is going for, but a lot more than what the regular Chief retails at. The sticker on this still-new bike reads $18,999.

2. BMW R 18

You may have noticed how our list so far has included mostly American and Japanese bike makers. That's because overall the others don't matter all that much in this segment, and there are even nations, like Germany, that are completely absent from this market. Oh, wait, they're not, because there's that R 18 piece of wonderful engineering BMW is now making.

Three years ago, at the time when the world was fighting the biggest pandemic of its history, BMW let loose the R 18 as its return to the cruiser segment after a very long absence. Not only that, but the bike also featured the "most powerful 2-cylinder boxer engine ever used in motorcycle series production." That's a 1,802cc chunk of metal capable of returning 91 hp and 158 Nm of torque.

The move proved insanely successful, as from that single R 18 model shown in 2020 the range presently comprises no less than six distinct models, each catering to different needs of riders. And they've even started to become solid basis for the custom industry, challenging Harley-Davidson's supremacy.

Depending on which R 18 one feels the need to enjoy, the bike is selling for anywhere between $14,995 for the entry-level model and $23,995 for the Transcontinental.

1. Harley-Davidson Breakout 117

"A raked-out cruiser dripping in chrome." One doesn't need more words than that to describe the newest and most impressive cruiser on the market in our view.

The Breakout model has been around in Harley's portfolio for a while now (since 2013), but it had somewhat of a troubled existence, and for a brief period was pulled from the American market. It returned at the beginning of the year, packing inside its frame a new kind of engine.

Until now powered by a Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin, the new Breakout now offers a 117ci engine from the same family, rated at 101 hp and 123 ft-lb of torque. Boasting a new and larger fuel tank (5 gallons/19 liters), a new handlebar, and 26-spoke wheels shod in Michelin Scorcher tires, the bike should be at the top of the shopping list for any cruiser rider out there.

Harley is offering the 2023 Breakout in four color choices (the most impressive is in my view the Baja Orange one) for prices that begin at $20,999.

So there you have it, autoevolution's list of 15 Best Cruiser Bikes to Get Hold of in 2023. We can only hope it helps you have a clearer look at things if you're in the market for such a ride.