10 Powerful Cruisers Beginners Should Be Afraid Of In 2025

Cruiser bikes are quite appealing, mostly due to the combination of heritage, big V-twins, low-slung, relaxed charm, and lots of chrome. However, today we also have another side to the cruiser bike landscape—a fast and grin-worthy one. Some of the most powerful cruisers today easily put track-ready sports bikes to shame. In fact, the most recent hooligan from Ducati packs the same ferocious V4 as the Panigale sports bike. Then there’s also the niche bunch of specialized cruiser bikes from America that pack burly V8 engines. Yup, you heard that right. Here is a list of ten cruiser bikes that beginners should avoid.

Harley-Davidson Breakout

Power: 104 Horsepower

Harley-Davidson

The Breakout is one of the coolest custom-styled cruiser bikes of 2025, and it slays with its cool stance courtesy of a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear wheel. It is low and wide, with a wheelbase of over 66 inches. The curb weight is also on the heftier side at 681 pounds. All of these features make the Harley Breakout a motorcycle that is well-suited for the hands of an experienced rider. Moreover, its Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin is also an eager one, producing 104 horsepower and a substantial 126 pound-feet of torque. Hence, twisting the throttle should also be well monitored.

Specs And Price

Indian 101 Scout

Power: 111 Horsepower

Indian Motorcycle

The 101 Scout is the most powerful Indian cruiser bike today. It is powered by a beastly 1,250 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that produces 111 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque. The performance numbers are grin-worthy, but what makes the 101 Scout truly worthy of experienced riders is its impressive power-to-weight ratio, courtesy of a curb weight of just 549 pounds. Features like Brembo brakes and adjustable suspension help tame the riding dynamics of this fast Indian.

Specs And Price

Harley-Davidson Low Rider S

Power: 114 Horsepower

Harley-Davidson

The Low Rider S is now the most powerful Harley-Davidson Softail cruiser. This is thanks to its most influential 2025 MY update, featuring a larger Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, specifically the High Output version. While it shares the same ‘base’ engine configuration as the aforementioned Breakout, the Low Rider S boasts more power and torque, thanks to various internal enhancements. This cruiser bike’s packaging is made even more grin-worthy with a lower curb weight of 670 pounds, resulting in an impressive power-to-weight ratio. While the set height is low with a relaxed rider triangle, this Harley’s athletic performance is what makes it a tough pill to swallow for beginners.

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Harley-Davidson Sportster S

Power: 121 Horsepower

Harley-Davidson

The Sportster S boasts a distinctive custom styling inspired by flat-track racing. At its heart sits a versatile 1,252 cc V-twin engine, also utilized in the do-it-all Pan American 1250 Special. This mill, on the Sportster S, produces 121 horsepower and 93 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful Harley cruiser bike today. While it is compact enough to be a daily urban runabout, its sportier stance and impressively low curb weight of 502 pounds give this Harley one of the best power-to-weight ratios. This essentially makes riding the Sportster S a tricky affair for new riders.

Specs And Price

Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Power: 128 Horsepower

Suzuki

This metric cruiser bike, despite being close to 20 years old, still packs a lot of punch in 2025. Credit goes to theformidable 1,783 cc V-twin engine that produces 128 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful cruiser bike available for under $20,000 today. Making this Suzuki challenging for new riders is its gigantic dimensions and weight, with a wheelbase of 67.3 inches and a curb weight of 764 pounds. Moreover, the lack of sophisticated or common safety features that are common on many all-new, more affordable cruiser bikes today makes the M109R a cruiser bike that mere mortals can’t tackle.

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Ducati XDiavel

Power: 168 Horsepower

Ducati

A famed and sought-after exotic power cruiser today, the Ducati XDiavel V4 is in a league of its own. This is a cruiser bike that balances design, performance, comfort, and technological appeal equally. Powering the XDiavel is the same V4 Granturismo engine from the Multistrada ADV. The power-to-weight ratio is exceptional here, courtesy of its 538-pound curb weight. While the rider triangle is relaxed, the aggressive nature of this Ducati makes it unsuitable for newbies to tame. Additionally, a price tag of around $29,000 is not particularly beginner-friendly either!

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Buell Super Cruiser

Power: 175 Horsepower

Buell Motorcycle

This all-new American power cruiser is slated to be the most powerful V-twin motorcycle from America. It is powered by a feisty 1,190 cc V-twin that produces a whopping 175 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. Even its extremely low curb weight of just 450 pounds makes its “cruiser” tag questionable. Yes, it has a relaxed riding triangle like a cruiser should, but the extreme nature of its performance and subsequent dynamics makes it a big no-no for beginner riders.

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Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R

Power: 180 Horsepower

Triumph

The Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R packs a 2,458 cc triple, the biggest production-spec engine on a motorcycle. And with a whopping 166 pound-feet, the low-end surge is technically neck-snapping, if the rider is not careful. The rider triangle is on the sportier side with a slight forward lean. However, for those who are mad enough to tame this beast, Triumph also offers a more relaxed and touring-ready Rocket 3 Storm GT. However, either way, beginners should steer clear of a motorcycle this vast and powerful, to say the least.

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Ducati Diavel V4 RS

Power: 182 Horsepower

Ducati

This is a Ducati Diavel V4 on steroids. The ‘standard’ XDiavel mentioned above is already quite the handful, but the RS treatment dials things up to 11. The most powerful Ducati Diavel ever made is powered by a Panigale-shared 1,103 cc Stradale V4 mill. It produces a whopping 182 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque, and boasts an impressive compression ratio of 14:1.

It achieves 0–60 mph in a claimed 2.5 seconds, which is remarkably fast. Top-spec hardware, such as Brembo Stylema brakes, Ohlins suspension, and forged and lightweight components throughout, tells us that the most comfortable Ducati RS still means business. Forget beginners, even seasoned riders will need a moment before taming this beast!

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BossHoss Classic Cruiser

Power: 430–563 Horsepower

BossHoss

This is an all-American creation that makes even the mighty Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R feel puny. You get a massive big-block V8 engine that produces up to 563 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque. While these performance numbers are produced linearly, it is still a lot for a two-wheeled setup. Furthermore, the ultra-sturdy chassis and robust components required to secure the Classic Cruiser’s burly V8 in place add considerable weight. To such an extent that the dry weight exceeds 1,000 pounds. This custom-designed big-daddy of cruiser bikes is not for the faint-hearted, and clearly not for beginners.

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