Usually, when you think cruiser motorcycles, Harley-Davidson comes to mind, but there are other excellent non-Harley-Davidson cruisers out there. Honda, Kawasaki, BMW, Triumph, Indian, and others make great bikes.
However, not all of them are great bikes. I’ve put together a list of the best non-Harley-Davidson cruisers out there. Here are my picks.
1. BMW R 18
BMW just recently revealed this bike, and it has enraptured my mind. I think the design is timeless and beautiful, and I applaud the company for crafting such a good-looking motorcycle. If this is how BMW does cruisers, I hope they do many more. The bike gets a 1,802cc boxer twin engine that makes 91 hp. There are all sorts of parts for you to customize this ride, too.
- Company Website
- Price: $19,870
2. Honda Rebel 300/500
Disclaimer here. I own a Honda Rebel 300. I recently reviewed the bike, and I honestly do think it’s one of the best cruiser motorcycles out there. You can do what you want with the bike, and it’s a fantastic little motorcycle for commuting or getting out on the weekend. The 500 is the same bike as the 300 but with more power, so if you need more get that. The 300 comes with a 286cc single-cylinder engine. The 500 gets a 471cc parallel-twin engine.
- Company Website
- Price: $4,499 – $6,199
3. Triumph Rocket 3
Ah, the Triumph Rocket 3. An insane power cruiser from the UK. The company has a new Rocket 3 and it’s more powerful than ever with the biggest darn three-cylinder engine on any motorcycle out there. This new Rocket 3 comes in two trim levels R and GT. Both get the same 2,458cc three-cylinder engine that makes a whopping 165 hp. The R version of the bike is a little more sporty, whereas the GT is more focused on touring.
- Company Website
- Price: $21,900
4. Yamaha Bolt
The Yamaha Bolt lets you live out your bobber fantasy from the factory. The bike is excellent for just about every rider. It’s not too large of a bike to be unwieldy for beginners or intermediate riders and it offers a powerful 942cc air-cooled V-twin engine that makes 65 hp, which is enough to keep even experienced riders interested. The Bolt is also a great option for the person who wants to customize their ride.
- Company Website
- Price: $7,999
5. Indian Challenger
The entire lineup from Indian Motorcycle is very good. The Scout was my first thought here, but the motorcycle company came out with the Challenger recently and the bagger is by far one of the best cruiser motorcycles out there, taking it to Harley-Davidson in a big way. The motorcycle features a 122 hp 108 cubic-inch V-twin engine, a unique fairing, and some spacious hard bags. It’s a fantastic bike, and something that Harley probably wishes didn’t exist.
- Company Website
- Price: $21,999
Other Options?
Are these the only non-Harley-Davidson cruisers out there? Of course not. There are plenty more and many of those bikes are genuinely good motorcycles. However, I have to be clear that I think these are the best options.
There are other good options but they got bumped out due to the fact that they are older motorcycles or just not the greatest. Suzuki is a company that springs to mind here.
The motorcycle company has cut back on its Boulevard line of cruisers, but it still has some fantastic options. While these bikes aren’t the most advanced, they do offer a good group. Kawasaki is another company that has a great offering in the Vulcan line, but it comes up short when compared to the competition.
Also, as I said above, many of the machines sold by Indian Motorcycle would qualify. I kept the Scout, Roadmaster, and Chief out of this list simply because I only wanted to showcase my top five options. These bikes are all good options, but in my opinion not quite as good as the five motorcycles showcased above.
