Cruiser bikes have been around since forever, and the market is commonly associated with American brands, such as Harley-Davidson and Indian.

However, in the early 1980s, Japanese companies began making cruisers emulating this American style.

In the years that followed, manufacturers from the Land of the Rising Sun have produced countless excellent cruisers that offer better reliability for less money than their American counterparts — some of them even have more power!

Honda Shadow Phantom

For budget-conscious bikers, the Honda Shadow Phantom may just be the best American-style cruiser bike available. Few, if any, bikes are as reliable, and it even looks great with its simple and classic styling.

Powered by a liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin mill, it’s not the most powerful bike on this list, generating a mere 45 hp and 48 lb-ft of torque. The Shadow Phantom isn’t about speed and power, though; it’s built for laid-back rides.

Yamaha Bolt R-Spec

The Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is like a Japanese version of the Harley-Davidson Sportster, but with better reliability and riding dynamics. It’s a stripped-down cruiser that’s perfect for quick blasts on your favorite stretch of road.

Powered by a 942 cc air-cooled V-twin, the Yamaha Bolt has 65 horsepower and 60 lb-ft of torque, which is comparable to the old 1200cc Harley Sportster, so it’s certainly capable of cruising on the highway if that’s what you need it to do.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700

Kawasaki is known for its extreme and aggressive sports bikes, so it makes sense that they’d go to extremes when building a cruiser bike as well. The Vulcan 1700 Vaquero is a high-performance cruiser, and it looks as mean as it does comfortable.

As its name suggests, Kawasaki’s bruiser cruiser packs a 1,700cc V-twin engine, and with 82 horsepower and 107.6 lb-ft of torque, it has a 115 mph top speed – enough to match the biggest and best American models.

Honda Rebel 1100

Mention the Honda Rebel to older riders, and they immediately think of the old 250cc learner bikes of the past. However, the brand’s Rebel lineup looks very different today, with a 1100cc model at the top of the range.

The liquid-cooled 1,083cc parallel-twin generates 86 hp and can even be ordered with a 6-speed automatic DCT transmission. In true cruiser bike fashion, the Rebel 1100 also has a substantial selection of aftermarket parts and optional accessories for those who want to personalize it.

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S

There’s no doubt that the Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. lives up to its name – this bike means business! Looks-wise, the B.O.S.S. edition (Blacked-Out Special Suzuki) is truly intimidating with its blacked-out exhaust and trim and sleek and muscular bodywork from the headlight cowl to the rear fender.

The M109R has a 109 cubic-inch V-twin engine or 1,783 cc for metric users. It produces a highly respectable 128 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque that goes straight to the fat 240 rear tire.

Honda Rune

Naysayers and negative Nancys will call the Honda Rune a flop and a mistake, but upon closer examination, it may just be one of the greatest motorcycles ever made.

While production numbers aren’t confirmed, it’s estimated that Honda built roughly 3,000 units. Each bike cost over $100,000 to manufacture but sold for less than $25,000. The Rune had the Gold Wing’s flat-six engine and top-shelf components, and today, it’s a true collectors’ item.

Yamaha VMax

Thanks to its liquid-cooled 1,200 cc DOHC V4 engine with 145 horsepower, the original V-Max from 1985 was a huge hit with bikers worldwide. There’s no denying that the bike could be a handful to ride, though.

A few decades later, Yamaha gave us the new and improved VMax (no hyphen this time). It still has a V4, but it now measures 1,700cc and produces 200 horsepower. The new VMax also offers improved brakes and handling, making it one of the best power cruisers money can buy.

Yamaha V-Star XVS1100

Yamaha introduced the XVS1100, also known as the V-Star 1100 in North America and DragStar 1100 overseas. This midsize cruiser uses a reworked version of the Virago 75-degree, air-cooled v-twin engine, and its 62 hp is transferred to the rear wheel via shaft drive.

The XVS1100 offers near bullet-proof reliability, it’s fuel efficient, handles great (for a cruiser), and looks awesome. It even enjoys a vast selection of aftermarket parts, so owners can turn it into whatever they want.

Yamaha XV1700 Road Star Warrior

As far as old-school power cruisers go, few bikes measure up to the incredible Yamaha XV1700 Warrior. It can keep up with Harley’s V-Rod in a straight line, and in the corners, it would leave it for dead.

That’s right, in terms of handling, this is no ordinary cruiser, as it uses the legendary R1 superbike’s forks and brakes. Even the Warrior’s wheels are made the same way as the R1’s, and they’re wrapped in fat, low-profile Dunlop D207s, with the rear tire being a 200 section.

Kawasaki Vulcan VN 2000

Speaking of massive Japanese power cruisers from the mid-2000s, we must include the Kawasaki Vulcan VN 2000. It’s an absolute behemoth of a bike with a 2.0-liter V-twin SOHC engine churning out more than 100 hp. At the time of its release, it was the biggest V-twin engine ever used in a mass-produced bike, and the two pistons were the largest in the entire motorcycle world.

Unlike the Yamaha Warrior, that’s built to handle the twisties, the Vulcan’s suspension is low, and the footboards will scrape at the mere mention of a mountain road.