Eight Cruiser Alternatives to Harley-Davidsons 2024

Say the word “cruiser” and most minds will snap right to Harley-Davidson, which is completely understandable. After all, the Bar & Shield brand has been cranking out motorcycles since 1903, so it knows a thing or two about the genre, owning the lion’s share of the US market.

But the Bar & Shield brand has pretty much abandoned the middleweight classic cruiser category, with the only option in its portfolio under 1,700cc being the Nightster—a 975cc water-cooled V-twin. That makes for a mighty big gap, but fortunately other major players have stepped in to fill the hole, and in 2024, there’s a diverse selection of cruisers to choose from sporting everything from classic V-twin to sporty V-4 engines, in displacements of 900cc and up. Royal Enfield has a vast stable of options too, but none are V-twins and they’re all under 700cc, so we’ll tackle that end of the market in another post. Here we’ve gathered up some long-running classics as well as a couple of fresh new competitors; all prices listed are for the base models.

Related: 9 Alternative Cruisers to Harley-Davidson (2022 Update)

The horizontal jugs sticking out on either side instantly mark the 2024 R 12 as a BMW. That 1,170cc air/oil-cooled boxer twin derived from the R nineT serves up 95 hp at 6,500 rpm (claimed), but the aesthetics help this bike stand out from the crowd too, with a new one-piece steel-trellis frame carrying a shapely steel tank. An upside-down 45mm fork, a low 29.7-inch seat height, short fenders, and a cruiser-appropriate 19/16 wheel combo. The R 12′s feature set includes a six-speed transmission and shaft drive, with two ride modes, along with dual 310mm discs and four-piston caliper brakes up front.

If you want to go mano a mano with the big H-Ds, however, you can always level up to BMW’s truly burly and classically styled cruiser, the 1,800cc R 18.

We can’t think of a more extreme alternative to Harley cruisers than a Ducati Diavel, and even then, we’re not even sure we can call this a cruiser. Polarizing looks aside though, the thing is an absolute power monster, thanks to the formidable Granturismo V-4 engine, which at just 1,158cc cranks out a claimed, eye-popping 168 hp and 93 lb.-ft. of torque. Take that, Milwaukee. The Italian stallion also gets the latest generation of electronics, using a six-axis IMU to monitor the roll, yaw, and pitch angle of the machine. The feature menu includes four riding modes, traction control, cruise control, cornering ABS… The list goes on, so if you’re in the market for a ridiculously sporty, high-tech cruiser and you’ve got a fat wallet, step right up.

The biggest Rebel is a bike that somehow manages to mash the classic lines of lean bobber style with a surprisingly robust set of modern features and make it all work. We’re talking throttle-by-wire with traction control, cruise control, four ride modes, automatic dual-clutch transmission (as an option), ABS, and so on—stuff you don’t associate with a badass stripped-down rig. Count on ample power from the liquid-cooled 1,083cc parallel twin, which is good for around 80 hp, stuffed into a nicely styled package with a blacked-out style, low seat height, and mid-mount controls.

Looking for a more outrageous profile with a V-twin vibe? Check out the awesomely stretched chopper-style Fury, back in Honda’s cruiser lineup for the 14th year.

If you’re one of those riders searching for a classically styled, American V-twin cruiser that’s not from Milwaukee, Indian’s Scout has to be in the conversation. That’s especially true this year, as Indian’s bestselling series underwent a massive overhaul for the 2025 model year, getting the all-new liquid-cooled SpeedPlus 1250 V-twin engine—which Indian says outputs a peak of 105 horses—a new steel frame, and a host of other upgrades. There are five models for 2025 and most should be available now, but the heritage-inspired Scout Classic is the chrome-wearing version that will appeal to a large portion of American cruiser riders, with its flared fenders, low seat height, wire wheels, and relaxed ergonomics.

Want more beef? There’s always Indian’s bigger and more powerful V-twin cruiser, the Chief, which also got a major revamp back in 2022.

A couple of old warhorses that first came on the scene back in the noughties, Kawasaki’s Vulcan 900 Classic and 900 Custom are great examples of the no-nonsense V-twin style, with their solid 903cc V-twin doling out waves of low-down power. The Vulcan 900 Classic is the classier of the two, rolling on spoked wheels with whitewall tires and featuring things like wide bars, floorboards, and two-tone paint. The Vulcan 900 Custom, on the other hand, goes for a more streetwise attitude, bringing a set of drag bars on risers, twin slash-cut pipes, a taller, skinnier front tire with a unique spoke design, and a darker, more intimidating paint scheme.

Another survivor of the metric cruiser wars of the mid-2000s, the long-running Suzuki Boulevard M109R represents the muscle cruiser part of the genre, both in appearance and in performance. There’s not much that’s traditional about it, that’s for sure, with its swoopy front headlight nacelle and seat cowl, backed up by a ripping 1,783cc 54-degree V-twin engine that we can confirm is a real stump puller. The 240mm rear tire is just icing on the cake.

But if all that seems like overkill to you, Suzuki’s much more docile middleweight, the Boulevard C50, will deliver a more relaxed ride in a decidedly traditional package. Its classic style is exemplified by cues like valanced fenders, buckhorn-style handlebars, floorboards, chunky tires, and a stout fork.

There are other bobbers out there but Triumph seems to have nailed the performance-meets-style formula better than the rest. We’ve said many times in the past that the Bonneville Bobber is a joy to ride, thanks in equal measure to its accessibility (low seat), well-sorted components (Showa fork, Brembo brakes), and high-torque liquid-cooled 1,200cc parallel-twin engine, which doles out equal parts horsepower and torque, but in an oh-so-smooth fashion. The styling is bang-on, slammed, and minimal, and thanks to a floating seat, it sports a back end that’s wonderfully uncluttered. Chunky black rubber mounted on wire-spoke 16-inch wheels seal the deal. You’ll have to leave your passenger at home though…

Is this the last remaining Yamaha cruiser? If you’re not counting outdated, woefully underpowered 250cc beginner bikes, then we’re gonna say yes—the Bolt R-Spec soldiers on as the proud sole survivor of Yamaha’s once-robust Star cruiser division. That said, the Bolt has managed to hang around for good reason, with its cool V-twin styling, low seat height, punchy, air-cooled 942cc V-twin engine and a reputation for being very easily customized. The 2024 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec also brings LED lighting, piggyback shocks, 12-spoke cast alloy wheels, and a solo seat, as well as a good dose of street attitude, plus if you hadn’t noticed, it’s pretty affordable.