Our riders ranged in height from 5 foot 8 to 6 feet and 135 pounds to more than 200. Except for the V-Rod, the super cruisers will work best for an average or above average size pilot. The V-Max, for example, needs a fairly long-legged rider, even though it's the flyweight of this group. The Rune and Vulcan have low seats, but the heft at parking lot speeds is a factor. In fact, all three heavyweights are made for an owner who is large-in both size and spirit. The V-Rod is the one bike in this group that is universally rider-friendly, though a seat change is in the cards if you want real comfort. And if you're under 5 foot 8 you might want to check out the Reduced Reach Footpeg Kit our unit was equipped with, which brings the bar and pegs closer to the rider. All testers preferred the stock setup, however, and felt the nonoriginal bar was too close, and only the shorter riders valued the closer peg placement.
Go Figure
While these bikes are undeniably interesting, they're certainly not for everyone. Also, we realize someone shopping for a V-Rod might not be at all smitten by the Rune. They are undeniably the power brokers, however, the celebrities of the cruiser set. Human nature makes us curious about their inner workings and personal habits.
On the flip side, many of the bikes in this mix are real-world winners and not just fantasy fare. The Vulcan, for example, is as classically styled as a cruiser can get, and decently priced, too. It just happens to have the biggest production V-twin in history, which in our book also classifies it as exotic.
The Rocket and the V-Max are bikes we have long intended to compare. Both are brutish muscle bikes in both stature and engine performance. The V-Max, already a legend, has awaited a real contender for ages. Between the two, all but one tester found the V-Max is still king of the hot rod cruiser class. It's manageably sized, steers well and has great ground clearance and decent manners at everyday speeds. Plus that crazy V-boost still has us dithering 20 years later. It's also a hell of a deal at only $10,099. The Rocket, in contrast, is just a different kind of winner, and many will choose it for its "biggest" appeal and open-road capabilities. To date, Triumph has sold every Rocket it's made in the first run, even though it costs a pretty penny at more than $15K.
The Rune, of course, is pretty exclusive and very expensive. But how could a buyer go wrong with this purchase? We're surprised at how many of these fantastic machines are still on dealers' floors. One factor, without a doubt, is that people need to actually ride the Rune to understand how incredibly valuable it is.
Our group of five fun-loving, style-savvy testers came up with a surprise "overall favorite," however. It's our practice to write notes directly after the group riding experience and hand them in, secret ballot-style. When the votes were counted, four out of five picked the V-Rod as best all-around power cruiser, the bike they'd jump on first. They cited good looks, nice package size, great engine, decent chassis setup and strong brakes as some reasons. However, almost all said they probably wouldn't buy the V-Rod if they were writing the check because of the almost $17,000 hit. Three of the four said they would choose a Yamaha V-Max for a more justifiable punch for the price ($11,099). One tester was a Rocketeer all the way, and would settle for no more, no less.
It doesn't really matter, we suppose, which of the bikes is bigger, baddest, best. What matters is that all these companies had the ingenuity and bravado to build such perfect beasts. Variety is the spice of life. And motorcycles are the main dish.
Best Thrill Per Dollar
V-Max
Vulcan
Rocket
Best Power
Rocket
V-Max
Rune
Showstopper
Rune
Rocket
V-Rod
Best Everyday
V-Rod
Vulcan
V-Max
Testers' Picks
V-Rod
V-Max
Rune
Rocket
Vulcan
Super Cruisers
Harley-Davidson V-Rod
Suggested Retail: $16,995 (Base)
Quarter-mile acceleration: 11.32 @ 114.85 mph 60-80 acceleration: 4.05 sec.
Horsepower: 109.3 @ 8250 rpm
Torque: 74.3 ft.-lb. @ 7000 rpm
Link to full test:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/vrod01/
Honda Rune
Suggested Retail: $24,500 (Base)
Quarter-mile acceleration: 12.42 sec. @ 107.23 mph
60-80 mph acceleration: 5.20 sec.
Horsepower: 100.4 @ 5250 rpm
Torque: 110.9 ft.-lb. @ 2500 rpm
Link to full test:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/runetest/
Kawasaki Vulcan 2000
Suggested Retail: $14,499
Quarter-mile acceleration: 12.43 sec. @ 104.2 mph
60-80 top-gear acceleration: 4.10 sec.
Horsepower: 96.8 @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 121.4 ft.-lb. @ 3250 rpm
Link to full test:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/v2ktest/
Triumph Rocket III
Suggested Retail: $15,999
Quarter-mile acceleration: 11.45 @ 118.10 mph
60~-80 top-gear acceleration: 3.28 seconds
Horsepower: 132.4 @ 6250 rpm
Torque: 141 ft.-lb. @ 2500 rpm
Link to full test:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/r3test/
Yamaha V-Max
Suggested Retail: $11,099
Quarter-mile acceleration: 10.87 @ 124.0 mph
60-80 top-gear acceleration: NA
Horsepower: 116.5 @ 8500 rpm
Torque: 80.3 ft.-lb. @6250 rpm
Link to full test:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/Vmax99/