10 Best Cruisers That Can Commute, Tour, And Explore

Today, we live in a world where we are blessed with some incredibly versatile motorcycles. As traveling on a motorcycle becomes more popular than ever, the touring and ADV segments have pretty much exploded with a host of different options. With so many bikes now on the market, there really is something out there for everyone, including cruiser fans.

While there is a wide variety of big, expensive baggers that will be able to tour and explore, commuting on a bike that weighs as much as 800 pounds is far from ideal. Not to mention the initial financial outlay. If you are after a bike that you can actually also use as a commuter, the landscape becomes distinctly more metric. Not only are these cruisers versatile, but they are also affordable.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Kawasaki USA, Harley-Davidson, and Honda. The motorcycles on this list are rated according to MSRP.

Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster

MSRP: $13,995

Ok, so we might be stretching the term “affordable” here, but this still costs less than the cheapest air-cooled Harley. For anyone who plans on doing more touring, this is a fantastic option thanks to its punchy parallel-twin. The Speedmaster combines timeless design with a handful of modern features in a package that offers a lot of bang for your buck.

Specifications

Harley-Davidson Nightster Special

MSRP: $12,499

With the base model Nightster now selling for under $10k, you could make a pretty good argument for opting for that and spending some of the budget on luggage. We feel that added features like the smartphone-compatible TFT dash and the passenger seat make the Special a degree more practical. Both bikes get the same potent Revolution Max 975T V-twin, ABS, and traction control.

Specifications

Honda Rebel 1100T DCT

MSRP: $11,499

Honda offers the DCT transmission on a wide variety of motorcycles, and it certainly adds a lot of value in the Rebel 1100T. The added weight of the DCT is easily offset by the added convenience, which will take the stress out of the daily commute. The latest Rebel 1100T also comes with a host of standard features, including ABS, traction control, and a TFT dash.

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Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT

MSRP: $10,399

For those after a bagger with a more old-school design, the chrome-heavy Vulcan 900 Classic LT might be the ticket. By modern standards, its V-twin is starting to look a little down on power, though, especially when you factor in the added weight you need to deal with here. It is the only bike on the list that weighs more than 600 pounds, which equates to a pretty poor power-to-weight ratio. To some, this touring package will be worth it, but for those accumulating more miles commuting, it might not be.

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Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

MSRP: $7,899

Royal Enfield made a fairly bold move with the Super Meteor cruiser, the brand’s most expensive bike available in the U.S. So far, it has proven to be a worthy option, with several great features and an efficient parallel-twin engine. The big concerns with budget-friendly alternatives like this revolve around build quality and reliability. So far, the bike has held up better than any of the doubters expected.

Specifications

Kawasaki Vulcan S ABS

MSRP: $7,899

The Vulcan S is a deceptively sporty little cruiser. The Ninja-derived engine works surprisingly well in this application, largely thanks to its versatile nature. Reliability is not an issue, and Kawasaki’s ergo-fit system helps tailor the bike to your weight and height, which is an underrated feature if comfort is a priority. Naturally, commuting is not an issue, but you will need to add some saddlebags if you want to tour and explore.

Specifications

Honda Rebel 500 ABS

MSRP: $6,799

Honda puts this engine in pretty much every kind of motorcycle there is, and it is as ubiquitous as it is reliable. While a little down on power compared to the direct competition, the dependability factor is well worth it for most buyers. The build quality of the Rebel 500 is also impeccable for a budget-friendly option, but just like the Vulcan S, you will have to spend some cash on luggage if you want to do some touring.

Specifications

Kawasaki Eliminator ABS

MSRP: $6,799

Much like the Vulcan S, the ergo-fit system helps this smallish bike fit a wide variety of riders, no matter their shape or size. It gets the smaller Ninja engine, but is no less sporty thanks to how light it is. The Eliminator will make for an exceptional runabout, but you will lose out a bit in terms of touring capability.

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Moto Morini Calibro 700 Bagger

MSRP: $6,799

Yet another cruiser with a Ninja engine, the Moto Morini Calibro 700 Bagger is just an older version that has been stroked out a little, but will be no less mechanically reliable than the Japanese competition. Build quality, on the other hand, is far from perfect, but you really do get a lot of bang for your buck. This is by some margin the cheapest factory bagger, and is certainly better suited to long rides than any of the cheap and cheerful 500s.

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CFMoto 450CL-C

MSRP: $5,799

Unlike several other Chinese options, the CFMoto 450CL-C is very much an original creation from top to bottom. This 450cc powertrain has been doing duty all over the world for quite some time now and has proven reliable, even under the harshest conditions. CFMoto always offers a lot of features, and that theme continues with this entry-level cruiser, which has a tasteful TFT and belt drive.

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