Ten of the gnarliest pavement-shredding cruisers for this year.

cycleworld.com

Used to be that power cruisers were defined by a single attribute: raw output. That often came at the expense of pesky little details like comfort, handling, and, er, decent stopping power. The class of 2026, though, has (for the most part) evolved with the times, and these days power cruisers have a lot more going for them, though the most sought-after quality is still prodigious power. But now you can add upgraded suspension, more powerful braking arrangements, and even better ground clearance on some of the newer models—and riders will find more overall refinement trickling down to even the most hardcore rippers.

Manufacturers have switched up lineups too, with Ducati’s newer XDiavel V4 cruiser and Harley’s Sportster S joining a couple of first-timers in the form of the Buell Super Cruiser and Indian Chieftain PowerPlus 112. But our lead bikes haven’t changed at all; around the office, the Triumph Rocket 3 still pulls rank as the quintessential production power cruiser, due mainly to its spec sheet, but also its surprising handling and overall level of refinement. We still have some classic old-timers in the mix too, with Suzuki M109R retaining membership in the 120+ horsepower club.

Related: 2020 Power Cruisers By The Numbers

2026 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R

Engine: 2458cc liquid-cooled inline triple

Horsepower: 179.5 hp @ 7000 rpm (claimed); 166 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm.

Wet Weight: 699 lbs (claimed)

If pure, unmitigated power is what you’re after, look no further than Triumph’s eye-watering Rocket 3 Storm, a machine that brings an insane 180 horses to the table (stable?). Displacing 2,458cc, Hinckley’s three-cylinder power cruiser is the largest-displacement mass-produced motorcycle in the world—and in the power-cruiser space, displacement and power are the coins of the realm. Over the last two decades the Brits have turned a high-powered beast of a bike into a motorcycle that’s easily rideable, able to corner at speed (despite a 240 mm rear tire), and cruise in comfort. Last year’s updated tune increased the Rocket’s output from the previous 165 hp to 180 hp, with 166 lb.-ft. of torque on tap as well, and you still get adjustable suspension, cornering ABS and traction control to boot.

The R model is the Roadster, which means mid-mounted controls and a more aggressive look, while the GT is the Grand Tourer, with different handlebar placement and forward foot controls, with more touring and passenger provisions. Either way, this monster is sure to turn heads wherever you ride.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4

Engine: 1158cc liquid-cooled V4

Horsepower: 168.0 hp @ 10,750 rpm (claimed); 93 lb.-ft. @ 7500rpm

Weight: 505 lbs (no fuel, claimed)

As the most cruiser-y of the Diavels, we’re going with the XDiavel, which employs more laid-back ergos and a feet-forward riding position. For 2025 the V-4 update is top-line news, with that 1,158cc Granturismo engine packing a rip-roaring 168 hp and 93 lb.-ft. of torque, packaged into a sporty chassis with a wide 240mm rear tire. The new update also lays on upgraded electronics, a 6.9-inch TFT display, and the XDiavel V4 is also lighter, which explains why it allegedly goes 0–60 in just three seconds. Four riding modes and a six-axis IMU are there to manage things like cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, Power Launch, up-and-down quickshifter, and cruise control. In short, it’s a cruiser that combines Italian style with superbike performance, but if that’s still not enough punch for you, no worries; the range-topping, MotoGP-inspired Diavel V4 RS pushes out a ridiculous 182 horsepower from its Desmosedici Stradale engine and boasts a claimed 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds. Ans yes, Ducati says it’s track-ready.

2026 Harley-Davidson Sportster S

Engine: 1,252cc liquid-cooled V-twin

Horsepower: 121.0 hp @ 7500 rpm (claimed); 93 lb.-ft. @ 6000 rpm

Wet Weight: 502 lbs (claimed)

You can easily slot a couple of different Harley models into this class—the Low Rider S and the Breakout come to mind, thanks to their High Output Milwaukee-Eight 117 engines pumping out 111 hp and 104 hp, respectively—but for us, the Sportster S is the one that really epitomizes raw, in-your-face musclebike attitude, with the requisite beefy aesthetics to boot. This all-American hotrod is the most powerful Harley-Davidson cruiser you can get from the company’s mainline, and it’s built around the powerful liquid-cooled Revolution Max 1250T engine that’s rated for a claimed 121 horsepower and 93 ft-lb of torque, enhanced with variable valve timing, lean-sensitive rider-assist electronics and a lightweight frame (“lightweight” is their words, not ours, because, 502 pounds of Milwaukee iron). The fat front tire high mount exhaust and quasi-retro styling really sell the musclebike attitude, while modern tech like cornering traction control and cornering ABS give it an edge in spirited riding scenarios.

Related: Hod-Rod Hearts: Musclebike Motorcycle Shootout

2025 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide RR

Engine: 131c.i. (2,153cc) liquid-cooled V-twin

Horsepower: 153 hp @ 5750 rpm (claimed); 150 lb.-ft. @ 4750 rpm

Wet Weight: 785 lbs (claimed)

No, we didn’t forget about the most powerful production motorcycle Harley’s ever offered in its 122-year history, the CVO Road Glide RR. 131 cubes. 155 horsepower. $110,000. Although this Best Cruiser winner is technically a 2025 model, the new RR is so audacious, we had to include it. With a Screamin’ Eagle 131 Milwaukee-Eight engine at its core, the limited edition bagger borrows elements developed by Harley’s Factory Racing Team in the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series, combining serious performance chops with the attention to detail that is a hallmark of Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operation (CVO) machines. The main event is the Screamin’ Eagle 131 Milwaukee-Eight engine, but other components designed for KOTB racebikes make the cut here too; things like a race-spec chassis and brakes, billet-aluminum clutch basket, and the SE Racing King 6 transmission to name a few. These are surrounded by all the creature comforts of a CVO model such as a top-end stereo, plush seating, and a bevy of electronic bells and whistles. In our review, we even called it “ the best Harley-Davidson that we’ve ever ridden.”

2025 Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Engine: 1783cc liquid-cooled V-twin

Horsepower: 128.2 hp @ 10,430 rpm (as tested)

Wet Weight: 764 lbs (claimed)

Carrying the old-school torch highest for this class would have to be the Suzuki M109R, a blast from the not-so-distant past that’s also refreshingly(?) pretty much unchanged in the 20 or so years it’s been in production. That means there’s a minimum of tech aboard the big Boulevard model; you get no cruise control, or even ABS. But for some riders, those things don’t matter anyway, and the M109R’s raw character and big power is what attracted them to this quintessentially Japanese power cruiser in the first place. The muscular (though dated) design continues to turn heads, and with a 1,783cc 54-degree V-twin engine still churning out a claimed 128 hp and 118 lb.-ft. of torque, the M109R has maintained its status as one of the most powerful metric cruisers currently on the market. And that low-slung profile, swoopy front fairing, 240 mm wide rear tire, and aggressive stance will definitely stand out from the crowd.

2026 Buell Super Cruiser

Engine: 1190cc liquid-cooled V-twin

Horsepower: 175.0 hp @ 7750 rpm (claimed); 94 lb.-ft. torque @ 8500 rpm

Wet Weight: 485 lb. (no fuel; claimed)

We’ve been subjected to pre-order announcements, funding releases and even a ride on a preproduction model over the last year and a half, but Buell is now officially assembling the Super Cruiser in its Michigan factory. The production bike still shares most of its guts with the current-gen Hammerhead 1190RX superbike and its 72-degree Rotax Helicon V-twin-derived engine, but gone are the perimeter brakes and Öhlins suspension of the earlier machine, now replaced with dual-disc Brembo braking components and Fox suspension. The FXR vibes are still front and center though, with blacked-out components, tall bars, and cafe-style quarter fairing, with a tall-bolster Saddlemen seat offering support for when you wind out the throttle. The spec sheet lists the ET-V2 V-twin’s claimed output at 175-hp (though torque drops a bit to a peak of 94 lb.-ft.), and MSRP holds at $25,900. However you feel about its design, with a claimed weight of around 485 pounds, the Super Cruiser’s power-to-weight ratio looks impressive indeed.

2026 Indian Chieftain PowerPlus 112 Dark Horse

Engine: 1834cc liquid-cooled V-twin

Horsepower: 126.0 hp (claimed); 133 lb.-ft. @ 3600 rpm

Wet Weight: 844 lb. (claimed)

How could we not include the bike with a powerplant so inextricably linked to the King of the Baggers championship-winning machines? Indian’s new PowerPlus 112 engine is a 112ci version of the PowerPlus mill used in the MotoAmerica Baggers series since 2021. Indian touts the 112 as producing an additional 4 hp and 5 lb.-ft. of torque over the PowerPlus 108, for a claimed peak of 126 hp and 133 lb.-ft. of torque. We’re talking about the Chieftain PowerPlus 112 Dark Horse here, which in addition to all that power, gets a robust electronics suite featuring a six-axis IMU enabling lean-sensitive traction control and ABS, with drag torque control and three ride modes included as well. The 112ci engine spec also includes the Rider Assist package which adds hill hold control, electronic linked braking and radar to enable blind-spot detection and tailgate warning, which is all really nice—but you had us at 126 horsepower.

2026 Benda Dark Flag 950

Engine: 948cc liquid-cooled V4

Horsepower: 108 hp @ 9000 rpm (claimed)

Wet Weight: 533 lb. (claimed)

The most prominent Chinese firm rolling out classically-styled cruisers with lofty power claims is Benda, which just released the Dark Flag 950. The oddly-monikered bike claims to be “China’s first near-liter V4-powered cruiser,” and it sure looks the part, with a wide teardrop tank, fat wheels and blacked-out, stacked mufflers. The in-house developed liquid-cooled 948cc V4 features forged pistons and a 12.1:1 compression ratio, and although claimed output is “just” 108 hp at 9000 rpm (with 62.7 lb.-ft. of torque at 7000 rpm), Benda also claims the bike is capable of a 0–-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds and a 118 mph top speed. To be fair, the 2025 Indian 101 Scout gets 111 horsepower and 82 lb.-ft of torque from its 1250cc liquid-cooled V-twin, so if you’re looking to buy a similarly-specced American machine, there are options.

Boss Hoss Classic Cruiser / 383 Stroker

Engine: 6,300cc liquid-cooled V8

Horsepower: 430.0 hp @ 8000 rpm (claimed); 450 lb.-ft. torque

Weight: 854 lb. (wet, claimed)

It’s not mass-produced, but you have to admit the Boss Hoss Classic Cruiser just might be the ultimate of the class, pumping out an astounding 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque (give or take) from its small block V8 engines. Exact specs vary by year, engine option and tune, but Boss Hoss models with the 383 Stroker (a 6.3 liter/383ci Chevy V8 engine) come with a 2-speed semi-automatic transmission with reverse, inverted forks, dual rear shocks, a 300mm rear tire, 8.5-gallon fuel tank, and a dry weight of approximately 1100 pounds, depending on the engine option. Other engine choices include a 454 Small Block and a 496 Big Block V8, with output ranging up to 563 horsepower and a shoulder-destroying 545 lb-ft of torque. The massive power comes with classic-ish, almost cartoon-like cruiser styling, and there’s no question the Boss Hoss’s outsize presence and stratospheric numbers make for a head-turning machine.