5 Of The Best Non-Harley Cruisers To Consider In 2024

By News Update On Nov 22, 2024

Of the few main types of motorcycles, cruisers are among the most popular motorcycles for long-distance riding. Modern cruiser-style motorcycles feature plush seats with a laid-back, feet-forward riding position. The low seat height makes mounting the bike easier and instills confidence in new riders by allowing all but those with the shortest inseams to plant both feet firmly on the ground when stopping or backing up.

While Harley-Davidson still makes cruiser-style motorcycles, other companies produce competitive models as well. People often associate the Harley name with American-made cruisers, but Indian Motorcycles holds the distinction of being the first American motorcycle company by two years. In addition to the competition between Harley-Davidson and Indian, brands like BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki are determined to carve out a share of the American cruiser motorcycle market.

We’d like to include Yamaha on this list. However, while, technically, Yamaha does still make cruisers, its current cruiser lineup (listed under the Sport Heritage tab online) consists of the small, yet beginner-friendly, V Star 250 (hardly in the running for best non-Harley cruiser) and the Bolt R-Spec, which is more bobber than cruiser.

The BMW R 18 is a non-Harley cruiser that’s neither American nor Japanese

For 2024, BMW offers two cruisers that might make Harley-Davidson fans jealous: the base R 18 and R 18 Classic. For the record, there are three bagger versions of the R 18 as well: R 18 Roctane, R18 B, and R18 Transcontinental. While the BMW R 18 Roctane gets most of the media attention these days, Cycle World says, “the R 18 blew the socks off the cruiser market” upon its 2020 introduction.

Regardless of the model, the 2024 BMW R 18 features an air- and oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke engine with dual chain-driven camshafts displacing 1,802 cubic centimeters. The boxer engine’s 91 horsepower peaks at 4,750 rpm, while its 116 pound-feet of torque occurs at 3,000 rpm. The electronic fuel injection and BMS-K+ electronic engine management work best with unleaded gasoline containing no more than 15 percent ethanol and a 90-AKI-octane rating. Engine power routes to a six-speed transmission via a single-disc dry clutch. The transmission supplies power to the 180/65 B16 rear tire through a shaft drive system.

The BMW R 18 has an unladen seat height of 27.2 inches and weighs 761 pounds ready to ride with fuel but no extra equipment. With standard equipment, the base R 18 is capable of carrying passengers and gear weighing up to 474 pounds combined.

The Honda Shadow Aero is another non-Harley cruiser to consider in 2024

The 2024 Honda Shadow Aero is another iconic cruiser that took the market by storm when it was launched. Two Honda Shadow Aero trims provide a choice between ABS and non-ABS-equipped versions. Motorcyclist Online says the 2024 Shadow Aero remains largely unchanged, other than the addition of a rear disc brake, noting the lack of change is a good thing for the notoriously trouble-free cruiser.

Whether you opt for the ABS or non-ABS Honda Shadow Aero, you’ll get a 745cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin. The Shadow’s four-stroke V-twin has three valves per cylinder (two intake and one exhaust) and a 9.6:1 compression ratio to deliver around 40 horsepower and 40 lb-ft of torque. The Shadow’s 34mm throttle body and automatic enrichment fuel injection deliver the appropriate air-fuel mixture where the digital transistorized ignition with an electronic advance system provides a well-timed spark to create the power. That power then routes through a multiplate wet clutch and five-speed transmission to the shaft final drive turning the 160/80-15 rear tire.

The 2024 Honda Shadow Aero ABS weighs in at 570-pound ready to ride. If you’re opting for the non-ABS version, it weighs 10 pounds less. The Shadow not only weighs less than the BMW R 18, its seat height is lower at 26.0 inches.

The Indian Scout cruiser comes from America’s oldest motorcycle company

The Indian Motorcycle company produced several versions of the Scout for 2024. The 2024 Scout and Scout Sixty models featured classic cruiser styling, while the Scout Bobber and Rogue models presented sportier style and cafe racer-inspired front cowls with short windscreens. For 2025, Indian Motorcycles has revised its cruiser lineup, a lineup which Cycle News says carries the best “balance of technology and tradition” compared to other cruisers.

The 2025 Scout Sixty Classic features a 60-cubic-inch (999cc) 60-degree V-twin providing 85 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque backed by a five-speed transmission with a multiplate wet clutch. The liquid-cooled V-twin makes peak torque at 6,500 rpm.

The 2025 Indian Scout Classic features a larger-displacement (7 cubic inches over the 2024 Scout) V-twin thanks to larger diameter cylinders. The 76-cubic-inch (1,250cc) produces 105 horsepower and 82 lb-ft of torque, and pairs with a six-speed transmission.

For 2025, the smaller Scout Sixty Classic weighs 551 pounds when ready to ride compared to the Scout Classic’s 555 pounds. Both versions have a 988-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), which allows over 430 pounds of passengers and gear. Both models have seat heights measuring 25.7 inches.

The non-Harley 2024 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 cruiser

The 2024 Kawasaki Vulcan offers a range of styles, displacements, and uses, from the beginner-friendly Vulcan S to the long-haul-ready Vulcan 1700 Bagger. Since we’ve previously discussed the best non-Harley baggers for 2024, let’s look at the Vulcan 900. Total Motorcycle calls the 2024 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 a “dynamic fusion of hand-built design and premium fit and finish.”

For 2024, the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 cruiser comes in three trim levels, Classic, Custom, and the dressed Classic LT. All three versions feature the same 903cc (55.1-cubic-inch) 55-degree four-stroke V-twin engine with an estimated 50 horsepower and a torque rating verified by Kawasaki of 58.2 lb-ft. The five-speed transmission is equipped with a positive neutral finder for convenience and feeds a Kevlar-reinforced belt final drive for low maintenance.

As you’d expect, the Vulcan 900 Classic LT is the heaviest of the three, at 657.1 pounds, due to its additional equipment. For comparison, the Vulcan Custom weighs 610.8 pounds and the standard Classic tips the scales at 619.6 pounds. Seat heights range from 26.8 inches for the two Classic trims to 27 inches flat on the Custom.

The Suzuki Boulevard M109R is another V-twin cruiser

With its 109-cubic-inch (1,783cc) engine, the Suzuki Boulevard M109 is the largest Japanese non-Harley V-twin-powered cruiser on our list. Cycle World praises the Boulevard M109R for its V-twin power, classic cruiser style, and “aggressive stance.”

The Boulevard M709R’s 54-degree liquid-cooled V-twin features four valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, dual throttle bodies, and two spark plugs in each cylinder. Power routes through the five-speed transmission and shaft final drive to a 240/40-18 rear tire, the widest rear tire Suzuki has ever used on any of its motorcycles.

With its 764-pound curb weight and tallish (for a cruiser) 27.8-inch seat height, the M109R isn’t going to be ideal for everyone. Fortunately, Suzuki also offers the Boulevard C50 with an 805cc, (50-cubic-inch) liquid cooled 45-degree V-twin. While its 27.6-inch seat height will likely fit taller riders better, its 611 pounds makes it easier for anyone to handle.