8 Super Heavy Motorcycles Only Skilled Riders Can Handle

You wouldn't try to summit a mountain on your first hike, or cook a five-course meal during your first time in the kitchen. Naturally, it's not a good idea to hop on an extra large motorcycle for your first experience on two wheels, either.

Big bikes can be tough to handle, especially for new riders. Maneuvering in tight spaces is especially difficult if you haven't mastered techniques like feathering the throttle or slightly riding the rear brake. Get flustered, forget to keep your head up, or neglect to make the necessary riding adjustments and you could tip a bike over at slow speeds making for an expensive or even painful mistake. And that's just the slow-speed stuff. Riding big bikes at speed requires even more skill, as riders need to properly manage weight and power.

However, big bikes also have some plus sides. They can often carry quite a bit of gear for long journeys, many are set up for long-distance riding comfort, and the expensive ones tend to get the most modern tech that manufacturers have to offer. That appeal might have you gravitating towards some of the heaviest two-wheeled machines on the market, but these bikes are best left for skilled riders with lots of riding time under their belts.

Weight in the motorcycle world is sometimes about putting things in perspective. So, while it might be unfair to call the Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally Adventure "super heavy" compared to the whole market, it's still heavy in the context of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer's overall lineup. According to Ducati's specs, it weighs in at 525 pounds (without fuel). Amongst the heaviest adventure bikes, the Multistrada is actually relatively light — The BMW R 1300 GS weighs 593 pounds and the Harley CVO Pan America weighs 659 pounds — but it's still the heaviest Ducati you can buy today.

The V4 Rally is a heavy duty adventure bike meant to conquer trails and traverse the globe. Naturally, it needs a lot of protection for the engine and underpinnings, there are all sorts of available accessories like engine covers and skid plates to keep things intact should you take a fall on your cross-country journey. Under that protection, the V4 Rally's 90-degree V4 engine puts out 170 hp and 89.2 lb-ft of torque — numbers that aren't exactly approachable for novice riders. It also has a seat height that ranges between 34.3 and 35 inches (a low seat option is available that drops it about an inch), so shorter riders won't be flat-footing it at stop lights. Before adding any accessories, the V4 Rally Adventure has a starting price of $30,595 (not including the destination fee) that might scare off beginners as well.

Triumph recently released a limited-edition Evel Knievel version of the Rocket 3 motorcycle that pays homage to the famous motorcycle stuntman — and it would certainly be a fantastic sight to see this bold-but-very-heavy motorcycle jump over just about anything. What is the Rocket 3? It's an relatively unique motorcycle that uses just three cylinders (not uncommon) but it does so via a massive powertrain producing 2,458cc of displacement. That makes it the highest-cc street legal motorcycle you can buy. The Rocket 3's powerplant genuinely outdoes the engines on most small and midsize cars. It makes near-superbike numbers too, with 180 hp and 166 lb-ft, and acceleration is undoubtedly astonishing. Even without a frame and a seat to sit on, an engine that large would be particularly heavy, but when you bolt everything together it weighs 705 pounds.

Maneuvering a bike that big takes some serious skills. In addition to its weight, the Rocket 3 uses a massive rear tire to put down its power. The rear tire is roughly 9.5 inches (240 millimeters) wide, which is extremely wide in the motorcycle world, so pivoting in tight spaces will likely be a bit of a challenge. With an MSRP of $25,795 (not including destination fees) the Rocket 3 Storm GT should definitely only be considered by riders with some serious experience (and a wallet that can take the hit).

Without badges or logos, you might have a hard time identifying the Boulevard as a Suzuki. It's a massive, classically styled cruiser with swept back handlebars, giant exhaust pipes and blacked-out bodywork to complete the menacing aesthetic. It definitely doesn't look anything like a Gixxer and it's much heavier than some of Suzuki's heaviest sport bikes like the Hayabusa (which weighs a hefty 582 pounds). In total, the Boulevard M109R weighs 764 pounds according to Suzuki but it's one of the most powerful Japanese cruiser bikes you can buy. 

The large 1,783cc V-twin engine that powers the Boulevard M109R contributes in no small part to the significant overall heft — the It has a wheelbase of 67.3 inches which likely leads to improved stability on the highway, but moving it around it tight spaces will be tough. The Boulevard uses a 9.5-inch (240 millimeters) wide rear tire to put down some pretty significant power — 128 hp and 118 lb-ft. According to Suzuki, it's the widest tire it's ever used on a motorcycle. Along with the wide tire, the big engine, and all the cruiser style you can handle, the M109R comes with a starting price of $16,329 (including $530 destination fee). That's much more reasonable than some of the other bespoke cruiser options on our list, but with all that weight and power it's probably best to leave this one to the experts. 

Large and in charge, the Honda Gold Wing is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This super-luxurious cruiser is considered one of the best Honda motorcycles ever made, and for good reason. It can cross continents in relative comfort with features like cruise control, Apple CarPlay, heated seats, and a four-speaker stereo. The feature list honestly looks like it would be better suited to something with four wheels and windows — and so do some of the engine specs. The 2025 Gold Wing uses an 1,833cc horizontally opposed (flat) six-cylinder engine. Honda US doesn't release power numbers on its bikes, but the Gold Wing in the U.K. (often referred to as the GL1800) put out 120 hp and 120 lb-ft.

That Gold Wing's large six-cylinder engine, combined with all the Gold Wing's luxury amenities add up to an estimated curb weight of 856 pounds on the top Tour trim with the DCT and the on-board airbag. To put that in perspective, look no further than Honda's own lineup at bikes like the Rebel 1100 I tested earlier this year — which weighs 509 pounds, 347 pounds less than the Gold Wing. In years past, the Gold Wing was even heavier, tipping the scales at 933 pounds, but it's gone on a diet in the last few years, shedding significant weight. Still, it's a hefty bike and one that should be best left to experienced riders. The top-trim 2025 Gold Wing Tour with all the 50th-anniversary goodies will set you back $29,475 (including $775 destination fee).

Cruisers, it seems, are where some of the biggest numbers show up and that's certainly the case with the Kawasaki Vulcan — specifically the Vulcan 1700 Voyager. Like other cruisers in its weight class, the Vulcan offers a comfortable riding position, modern tech like cruise control, and a big V-twin engine. The Voyager's V-twin specifically, is a 1,700cc engine that produces 107 lb-ft of torque (Kawasaki doesn't list horsepower numbers). Hard saddlebags, a big trunk, and a big front fairing all contribute to the long-distance riding experience of the Vulcan 1700, but they contribute to the heft as well — an overall weight of 895 pounds.

The Vulcan 1700 isn't quite as modern as some of its rivals like the Gold Wing (no Apple CarPlay, a relatively low-tech rider screen, and limited rider aids), but the Kawi certainly has plenty of style. It also has a significantly lower price. MSRP for the Vulcan 1700 Voyager is $21,014 (including $185 destination fee).

Last year's Road Glide Limited checked in at 932 pounds but for 2025, the heavyweight Harley-Davidson crown is split between the Street Glide Ultra and the CVO Road Glide, both of which have a claimed weight of 866 pounds. That's about 170 pounds more than the Harley Fat Boy — so much for that naming convention. The CVO Road Glide uses a larger and more-powerful engine, so it's the heavyweight Harley we decided to focus on. It's powered by a 121-cubic inch V-twin known as the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121. It produces 115 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque — slightly more than the output from the Street Glide Ultra's Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine (105 hp/130 lb-ft).

The CVO Road Glide comes with an impressive set of features like a 12.3-inch rider display, a Rockford Fosgate stereo, and onboard Wi-Fi-based navigation. It also has lots of premium touches like upgraded paint, unique wheels, and upscale LED lighting. It is, after all, part of Harley's upgraded CVO lineup, which means it gets some extra attention from the customizing department before it leaves the factory. The MSRP for a 2025 CVO Road Glide is $45,999 (not including destination) but that's before you include the specialized Blue Streak paint job which costs an extra $5,000. Don't let any newbies ride this one — a scratch to that paint won't be cheap to repair.

Weighing in at nearly half a ton, the Pursuit Elite is one of the heaviest bikes you can buy from Indian. Total weight for this fully kitted out long-distance machine? It's 944 pounds in full running order. Other Indian Pursuit trims like the Dark Horse are only a few pounds off that pace at 937 pounds. Like the Harley CVO and several of the other highly-specialized cruisers on this list, the Pursuit Elite gets to that weight with a combination of big power and lots of features. The Pursuit Elite uses a 112 cubic-inch V-twin engine that makes 126 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque.

For features, it gets a six-speaker PowerBand stereo, a power-adjustable windscreen, and a 7-inch display screen for things like navigation and Apple CarPlay. Like the CVO Road Glide, the Pursuit Elite has a big price tag, with an MSRP of $44,999 (not including destination). The Pursuit Elite is also limited to just 250 models worldwide, so skilled riders who want one should try to grab one before they're all spoken for.

While it might be known mostly for its luxury cars, BMW builds some pretty impressive motorcycles too. Sport bikes, adventure bikes, and even some cross-country touring options like the big-and-plush K 1600. Its largest bike, however, is the R 18 B Transcontinental — an ambitious name but it fits this big bike's attitude and allure. It's a classic cruiser-style bike powered by a 1,802cc twin-cylinder boxer engine that makes 91 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque.

Those are relatively big numbers for any bike but you'll understand why it needs so much power when you see the weight figure. Curb weight for the R 18 B in its Transcontinental trim is a whopping 954 pounds, making it one of the heaviest bikes you can buy from any manufacturer in 2025. Skilled riders that do decide to opt for the luxurious R 18 will get features like a large 10.25-inch rider display, a six-speaker Marshall stereo, and radar cruise control – an added bonus for extra-long rides. The cost for all that power and gear? The R 18 Transcontinental has an MSRP of $25,785 (including $695 destination fee).