There is something utterly sexy about cruiser bikes. They are big, have dollops of chrome and are designed in such a way that they can be ridden endlessly and gobble up distance easily. The characteristics of a cruiser bike are that the riding position is relaxed, the handlebars are higher than on normal motorcycles and legs are placed forward. These motorcycles usually have engines which provide with low end torque and place more importance on relaxed riding rather than mind-numbingly fast. India is a big market for cruiser bikes and with manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Indian, Triumph and our very own Royal Enfield, aspiring cruiser bike buyers have a lot of options to choose from. We list down some of cruiser bikes available in India and have sorted them according to manufacturers so as to make it easy for you.
(2016 Harley-Davidson Street Glide)1. Harley-Davidson: Harley-Davidson is one of the oldest and the most famous motorcycle manufacturers. It started manufacturing motorcycles in 1903, in USA. Harley-Davidson first entered India in the year 2009. Its product portfolio consists of 13 motorcycles and has 20 dealerships across the country. The models that are available in India are the Street 750, Iron 883, 1200 Custom, Forty-Eight, Roadster, Street Bob, Fat Bob, Fat Boy, Heritage Softail Classic, Road King, Street Glide Special, Road Glide Special and the CVO Limited.
(Indian Roadmaster)2. Indian Motorcycles: The Indian Motorcycles is also a US based company and one of the most iconic motorcycle manufacturers in the world. 1901 was when the first ever Indian Motorcycle rolled off the assembly line. Indian motorcycles started their India operations in 2013 and have nine models on offer at present, starting from the Scout sixty, Scout, Chief Dark Horse, Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Springfield, Chieftain Dark Horse, Chieftain and the really, really big Roadmaster. You can read the review of the Roadmaster here.
(Triumph Rocket III)3. Triumph: Triumph is one of the few motorcycle manufacturers who make all sorts of motorcycles right from retro classics, naked sportsbikes, faired sportsbikes, ADVs and cruisers too. Triumph has the Thunderbird, Thunderbird LT (Light Touring) and the Rocket III cruisers on sale in India. The Thunderbird and its LT variant have the biggest parallel-twin engine in the world at 1,699cc while the Rocket III is the motorcycle with the world's biggest production capacity engine at 2,294cc. Triumph started its operations in India in 2013 and has quickly become one of the most likeable performance motorcycle manufacturers in the country.
(Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500)4. Royal Enfield: One of the most loved motorcycle brands in India, Royal Enfield has been in India for a long time and has a pulse on the finger of long distance riders in India. Royal Enfield has a broad range of product portfolio in India and has started exporting to as well as setting up showrooms in other countries. The Thunderbird 350 and its elder sibling, the Thunderbird 500 are the two popular Royal Enfield cruiser bikes in India and are available across the country.
(The Ducati XDiavel will be launched in India soon)5. Ducati: Yes! Ducati might be synonymous with making red-hot motorcycles, but the Diavel, in essence, is a sports cruiser. The Diavel, with its quirky looks and a powerful engine is the perfect bike, should you want quick-fire performance and riding comfort as well. If you wait for a little longer, you can get your hands on the XDiavel as well.
(Suzuki Intruder)6. Suzuki: When it comes to cruiser game, the Japanese manufacturers are not left behind. The Suzuki Intruder is one such example. It is available in an 800cc variant and a 1,800cc variant. Both the engines have the inherent smoothness of a Japanese motorcycle engine and are liquid-cooled as well.
(Yamaha Vmax)7. Yamaha: Speaking of Japanese cruisers, Yamaha has one too, the Vmax. It has a 1,700cc engine and is shaft-driven. This means that the engine uses a shaft rather than a chain to transfer power to the rear wheel. The Vmax is available in the bigger cities across India.
(Hyosung ST7)8. Hyosung: Hyosung is yet another manufacturer which offers cruiser motorcycles in India. The Cruiser bike portfolio of DSK Hyosung in India has the Aquila Pro, the Aquila 250 and the ST7.
(Bajaj Avenger Street 220)9. Bajaj: Lastly, but definitely not the least, we have the Avenger Street 150 and the Street 220 and the Cruise 220 from Bajaj Auto. While these might not be the super sexy cruiser motorcycles that will drop jaws and make others drool, these are the most affordable cruiser bikes in this list which makes them important for the market.
