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Cruiser + Touring Motorcycles

Cruiser + Touring Motorcycles includes two of the most popular motorcycle categories, accounting for nearly three out of every four on-highway motorcycles sold in the United States. According to sales data from the Motorcycle Industry Council for 2012, motorcycles classified as “Cruiser” accounted for 32.3% and those classified as “Touring” accounted for 41.9% of total on-highway units sold. As discussed in Cruiser motorcycle guides, most cruisers are classically styled motorcycles that highlight the exposed engine–usually an air-cooled V–twin–and metalwork such as chrome exhaust pipes or heavy fenders. They typically offer a relaxed, feet-forward riding position favored by riders who, as the name implies, enjoy cruising down Main Street or their favorite back road. Touring motorcycles, which includes some cruisers as well as other types of bikes, are designed for long-distance travel. Touring motorcycle reviews look for typical details like a windshield (and sometimes a fairing) to protect the rider from wind, a comfortable seat and attached luggage, such as hard or soft saddlebags and possibly a trunk. Baggers, a nickname for motorcycles equipped with saddlebags, straddle the cruiser and touring categories and they’re very popular today.

2012 Victory Hard-Ball – First Look

2012 Victory Hard Ball

Greg Drevenstedt
December 28, 2011

After presenting R. Lee “Gunny” Ermey, the former Marine Corps drill instructor best known for his roles in Full Metal Jacketand on History Channel’s “Mail Call,” with a custom USMC-themed High Ball on December 9 at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, California, Victory Motorcycles... Read more »

2012 Indian Motorcycle – First Look

Indian Chief Dark Horse

Rider Magazine
November 29, 2011

The first Indian motorcycles were built in 1901, and bikes were sold to the public in 1902, making it one of America’s oldest motorcycle brands. Indian Motorcycle was once the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, and claims many firsts: production V-twin, fully adjustable front suspension, electric... Read more »

2012 Victory Cross Country Tour Road Test

Victory Cross Country 2012

Bill Stermer
November 17, 2011

photography by Kevin Wing [This 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour Road Test was originally published in the December 2011 issue of Rider magazine] 2012 Victory Cross Country Tour A year ago this fall, as I was riding a 2011 Victory Cross Country to New Mexico and back from Southern California, I wondered,... Read more »

2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback Road Test

2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback right side action

Mark Tuttle
October 21, 2011

[This 2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback Road Test was originally published in the November 2011 issue of Rider magazine] Helmet: Nolan N103 / Jacket: Cortech Piuma / Pants: Tourmaster Decker On the face of it, the central feature of Harley’s new 2012 Switchback seems simple enough. A quick-release... Read more »

2012 Star Motorcycles – First Look

2012 Star Raider SCL

Rider Magazine
September 21, 2011

2012 Star Raider SCL is the first model in the Star Custom Line. For 2012, Yamaha’s Star Motorcycles division is launching a factory-custom line, called SCL (Star Custom Line). The first model will be the Raider SCL, featuring chrome wheels and drive belt pulley co-designed by Star and Performance... Read more »

2012 Harley-Davidsons – First Ride

2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback

Rider Magazine
August 19, 2011

Spanning six model families plus the Custom Vehicle Operations division, the 2012 Harley-Davidson lineup is jam packed with more iron than a steel mill, 32 models in all. The big news, literally, is that the Twin Cam 103 V-twin, which boosts displacement by 7 percent (to 1,690cc) and claimed torque by... Read more »

2012 Harley-Davidson CVOs – First Look

2012 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Custom

Rider Magazine
July 20, 2011

Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) unit designs limited-production factory customs. CVO bikes are decked out with bold paint, gleaming chrome, high-output audio and Harley’s largest-displacement production V-twin, the fuel-injected Twin Cam 110, rated at 122 lb-ft of torque. 2012 Harley-Davidson... Read more »

2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster, Touring & Trike – First Look

Rider Magazine
July 7, 2011

Harley-Davidson has begun delivery of all 15 models in the 2012 Touring, Trike and Sportster lines to its U.S. dealers. These motorcycles will be available for sale immediately. Additional 2012 models will be announced in July. 2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom The six 2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster... Read more »

2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe vs. 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero Road Test

2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe vs. Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero left side action

Rider Magazine
June 21, 2011

photography by Rich Cox [This 2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe vs. 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero Rider Comparison Test was originally published in the July 2011 issue of Rider magazine] Above: A larger fairing and standard fairing lowers give the red Vaquero more wind protection than the Stratoliner Deluxe.... Read more »

2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe Road Test

2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe right side action

Rider Magazine
June 21, 2011

photography by Rich Cox [This 2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe Rider Test was originally published in the July 2011 issue of Rider magazine] A large chunk of American motorcyclists are beholden to the past. For years the highest percentage of motorcycle sales has been accounted for by cruisers, classically... Read more »

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Cruiser + Touring Motorcycles, Who Uses Them?

Because America is renowned for its wide-open spaces and we love the open road, Cruiser + Touring Motorcycles are very popular in road tests. The cruiser style was invented in the U.S. in the early 1900s by companies such as Harley-Davidson, Indian and many others. Even today, the three major U.S. motorcycle manufacturers–Harley-Davidson, Victory and Indian–build cruisers and touring motorcycles exclusively. In an attempt to capture some of the American cruiser market, all four major Japanese manufacturers–Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha–as well as European manufacturers such as Triumph and Moto Guzzi, build cruisers. Most motorcycle guides suggest that Cruisers appeal to motorcyclists who place a lot of importance on style and, due to their limited cornering clearance and laidback riding position, less importance on performance. Cruisers often have low seat heights, allowing riders of all sizes to put both feet firmly on the ground when stopped. According to the reviews and road tests, Touring motorcycles appeal to anyone who wants to ride comfortably all day or for days on end.


Cruiser + Touring Motorcycle Standouts

The brand most associated with cruisers is Harley-Davidson, a company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that has been building motorcycles since 1903. Harley-Davidson has several model families, including Sportster, Dyna, Softail, V-Rod, CVO and Touring. Victory Motorcycles and Indian Motorcycle, the other two major American motorcycle manufacturers, are both owned by Minnesota-based Polaris Industries. Victory builds cruisers (Boardwalk, Judge), baggers (Cross Roads) and touring bikes (Cross Country Tour, Vision), and Indian builds very classically styled cruisers (Chief Classic) and touring bikes (Chief Vintage). Cruisers are also manufactured by Honda (Fury, Shadow), Ducati (Diavel), Kawasaki (Vulcan), Moto Guzzi (California), Suzuki (Boulevard), Triumph (Speedmaster, Thunderbird) and Yamaha/Star (V Star, Raider). Road tests can be found for most Touring motorcycles, including variations on the models listed above with windshields and saddlebags, as well as more performance-oriented models like the Honda Gold Wing GL1800 and BMW K 1600 GTL.

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