Cruisers buying guide. May 09

Depending on your choice of definition, there are many bikes that qualify for the term 'Cruiser'. In Australia alone there are over 50 models of Cruisers sold from American, British and Japanese origins. The market for Cruiser style motorcycles is rapidly expanding, but what exactly constitutes a Cruiser?

Erring on the side of caution, Cruiser is a term for bikes that mimic the design style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s. These include those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson. While this is the accepted era when Cruisers were born, I'd suggest that there are many earlier bikes - such as the BMW flat twin R52 of 1928, Triumphs 1930s 500cc Speed Twin, and the large capacity V-twins produced by Brough and Vincent in Britain. There are many other British brands - most unfortunately long gone - that also produced what we would call a Cruiser today, while the acknowledged 'Cruiser king' is of course Harley-Davidson. Cruisers normally feature a low seating position, feet well forward and hands up with the rider's spine erect or leaning back slightly, providing a comfortable position for long distance riding. All the major motorcycle manufacturers - from Honda, Suzuki to Moto Guzzi have models evocative of the American Cruiser.

A growing Cruiser trend is the development of chopper style motorcycles.