10 Cruisers That Outmuscle Harley’s CVO Lineup

Harley-Davidson is one of the first brands that comes to mind if you want a premium touring motorcycle. It is, in fact, the default brand if you want a cruiser that is powered by a V-twin engine – and there are many that will argue that that should be the only engine that powers a cruiser. However, even in the Harley lineup, there is a hierarchy, with the CVO models sitting at the summit. These are the Custom Vehicle Operations models, and they offer the best of everything that Harley-Davidson has to offer.

Of course, this means that there are a fair number of cruisers on the market that can outdo the CVO models not just on price, but in performance. With this in mind, we’ve taken the 115 horsepower Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide as a baseline, and have formed a list of ten cruisers that outmuscle Harley’s CVO lineup.

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 Ducati USA, Triumph Motorcycles, and Buell Motorcycles. They have been arranged in increasing power to give the list some order.

Indian 101 Scout

Power: 111 HP

The 101 Scout has a name with a lot of history; this was the fastest Scout in history, and the current 101 Scout has taken the mantle from it. The 111 horsepower figure is less than the CVO Road Glide’s figure, but this is a smaller, lighter motorcycle with fully adjustable rear suspension and a pair of massive 320 mm Brembo front brake discs. It doesn’t skimp on the features, either, with a touchscreen TFT with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, traffic and weather alerts, and a vehicle locator.

Harley-Davidson Sportster S

Power: 121 HP

If you want to beat a Harley-Davidson, you’re going to have to get yourself a… Harley-Davidson! The Sportster S takes its name truly seriously, with a steel trellis frame and a wholly liquid cooled V-twin engine with a short stroke and variable valve timing on all valves. It feeds its power through a six-speed gearbox, and a six-axis IMU helps to extract maximum performance from the package. You get cornering-enabled ABS, traction control, and drag torque slip control. Additionally, you also get enhanced wheel lift mitigation, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Power: 123 HP

The Boulevard M109R has the largest displacement engine in Suzuki’s current stable of two-wheelers. Despite its chromed and finned look, it is a very modern engine with liquid cooling and fuel injection. It has been the same for over 25 years, and this might sound unbelievable, but it remains the most powerful Japanese cruiser on sale today. That means not only does it put out more power than a Harley CVO, it almost certainly is more reliable as well.

Verge TS Pro

Power: 137 HP

Verge is a Finnish that makes some of the coolest motorcycles you’ll ever see. If you’re a fan of the Tron movies, you’ll know why the hubless rear motor of the TS Pro gets us excited. There is no final drive, so there are no transmission losses, and that means you get 737 pound-feet at the rear wheel. It is also equipped with AI tech and gets OTA updates via its ‘Starmatter’ system. Some might argue that it is a standard motorcycle, but truthfully, it lies somewhere in the gray area between a standard and a cruiser.

BMW K 1600 B

Power: 160 HP

BMW’s K series of motorcycles have been around for a very long time, but haven’t changed much. There isn’t much that can be improved anyway; the inline six cylinders is the smoothest engine on two wheels even today, and generates a stonking 160 horsepower. On the K 1600 B, you also get auto-leveling suspension, heated grips and seats, and adaptive and cornering LED headlamps. If the standard equipment isn’t enough, then the accessories list is extensive as well, and includes things like a two-way quickshifter, keyless ignition, and central locking.

Ducati XDiavel V4

Power: 168 HP

The XDiavel V4 is a conundrum for those who think cruisers should be low-revving torque-rich beasts. This is one cruiser that loves to rev, and even can attack corners with gusto. It sports a V4 engine with a counterrotating crankshaft like a sports bike, has a twin pulse firing order for great torque spread, and runs on valve springs.

That means incredible valve service intervals – and it will even save you fuel whenever possible by shutting off the rear cylinder bank. You get a set of premium electronics, this being a premium Ducati, and attention you wouldn’t believe when you’re out on the road.

Ducati Diavel V4

Power: 168 HP

The Diavel V4 is the sportier version of the XDiavel. It has more aggressive footpegs, and a much bigger potential to surprise the unwary. It does this by adding a powerful, high-revving engine, adding a dollop of premium electronic wizardry to keep everything in control, and then, for good measure, giving it good looks that any power cruiser would be jealous of. If you liked the Yamaha V-Max, you’ll love the Diavel V4, and for all the same reasons. It only makes things better for the vast majority that it has conventional valve springs for the engine.

Buell Super Cruiser

Power: 175 HP

Buell keeps surprising the world. This time, it is the turn of the Super Cruiser, its version of a cruiser. Designed with the help of Roland Sands, it looks unique and in a good way. Underneath those looks is a V-twin taken from Buell’s naked bike, the 1190 SX, and it hasn’t been watered down for the cruiser. You get the full 175 horsepower, meaning you get a hooligan of a cruiser that can lift the front wheel or smoke the rear if you were so inclined. We also love the star-spoken wheel design and oddities like the rim-mounted front brake.

Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT

Power: 179.5 HP

The Rocket 3 is a bike synonymous with superlatives. It has the world’s largest displacement engine ever fitted to a production motorcycle, and that translates to a 180 horsepower output. That’s a figure that most sport bikes would be proud of – only the Rocket 3 GT backs it up with 166 pound-feet of torque. Thankfully, Triumph has given it a full electronics suite to keep the madness under control, along with fully adjustable Showa suspension and Brembo brakes worthy of the quickest track specials.

Ducati Diavel V4 RS

Power: 180 HP

If you thought the Multistrada V4 RS was a crazy product, meet the world’s fastest cruiser: the Ducati Diavel V4 RS. It copies the Multi V4 RS’s playbook, utilizing an engine with Desmodromic valves to put out 182 horsepower. In fact, it generates a little more power at lower revs compared to the adventure bike, and has equally good electronics backing up this power. This translates to a 0-60 MPH time of 2.43 seconds – which is quick, to put it mildly.