10 Discontinued Cruiser Motorcycles We Wish Were Still Around

Before we begin, let's first understand what a cruiser motorcycle is — a task that is more complicated than it may seem at first, because there's no set definition of what makes a motorcycle a cruiser. Common characteristics of modern (post-1990) cruisers are a low-slung chassis, feet-forward riding position, enormous engines that rumble with a satisfying grunt, and (usually) enough chrome to blind a fighter pilot. You'll never see a cruiser motorcycle on a racetrack — but that's quite alright, because that's not what these bikes were built for. They were made to gobble up mile after mile of open road, all the while making you feel like you're barely putting in any effort doing so. But here's the problem: manufacturers have lost touch with what made these machines special. 

As a result, today's cruisers are sanitized, computer-controlled shadows of their former selves. The golden age of cruisers — roughly from the 1980s through the 2000s — gave us machines that were pure, unadulterated, and admittedly, some of the most dangerous motorcycles ever built. However, the engineer understood that sometimes the best technology is no technology at all — just a massive engine and two wheels. These bikes rewarded skill and punished stupidity in equal measure, and we're here to show you what we're missing out on, with ten discontinued cruisers that we wish were still around.

Remember how, in the intro, we said that a cruiser would never be seen on a racetrack? If there ever was a cruiser that could give sportbikes a run for their money, it would be this one — the Moto Guzzi California Touring 1400. It is one of the fastest cruiser motorcycles ever produced, with an estimated top speed of 110 mph, depending on the rider's height and weight. 

For the uninitiated, Moto Guzzi is to bikes what Ferrari is to cars, and they discontinued the entire big displacement California range in 2021 after the engine failed to comply with emissions standards. And what an engine it was – a 1,380 cc four-stroke, four-valve V-twin mounted at 90 degrees, replete with dual ignition and both air and oil cooling. 

This powerplant pushed out 96 hp and 89 lb-ft of torque from 2,750 RPM, giving it plenty of grunt. As you would expect, there was plenty of chrome everything, and the Touring model came with several accessories over the base California Custom 1400 variant that it was based on. This gorgeous head-turner was available new in the U.S. until 2020, though don't expect to see a lot on the roads, especially given its base MSRP of $18,490. To that end, it seems like the Touring 1400 is just another case of emissions standards making motorcycles slower, and then snuffing them out entirely.

If there was one motorcycle that would never need an introduction, it would be the Harley-Davidson Softail line of bikes. The name comes from its unique suspension layout, with the rear shock absorbers hidden beneath the frame, gearbox, and other paraphernalia. This gives the Softail the appearance of a hardtail, but with the comfort of a bump-absorbing rear end for the rider — literally a soft-tail. For years, the Softail Standard used to be the cheapest entry-point to the Harley-Davidson world and the classic 107-eight engine from Milwaukee House — with a 2024 base MSRP of $14,999 — but in 2025 this is no longer the case, as Harley recently removed the Softail Standard from the 2025 roster, though other Softail models are still available. 

As a result, the most accessible Harley model is now the Street Bob that retails for an even more eye-watering $17,199, but that price jump is at least somewhat justified. For your extra $2,199 (minus destination), you get a much newer design alongside the newer Milwaukee Eight 114 engine, with more torque and horsepower. However, one can't help but lament what we've lost: one of the most iconic motorcycles — perhaps the most iconic — and a cruiser that could handle any stretch of highway you threw at it with ease. However, dealers around the country likely have unsold inventory that should get some discounts, especially around the festival season, so keep your fingers crossed.

The next discontinued cruiser on our list also comes from House Milwaukee, though its death isn't so recent, having been discontinued a decade ago. And while it might look like a weird amalgamation of sport bike and tourer, this masterpiece was amazing to ride. It had the agility of an Aprilia and the powerful grunt of a Harley — what more could you want? It was a hybrid between a naked and a cruiser, with the best of both worlds built into it. Certainly one of the more unique models on our list, the XR1200 came with the 1,202 cc (73.3 cubic inch) V-twin engine that was pretty famous at the time, paired to a five-speed gearbox. 

Introduced in 2009, this powertrain pushed out 74 lb-ft of torque at a respectable 4,000 RPM alongside 91 hp at the rear wheel. Note that the 68 kW (91 hp) figure is only for later model years, as the introductory power plants made about 18 horsepower less than the final-generation XR1200X range. The tank was standard-size, able to hold 3.5 gallons of fuel; that translated to an okay-ish 154 miles between fill-ups thanks to the XR1200s combined economy of 44 mpg. Also, with its not-insignificant weight of 573 pounds (wet weight, including all fluids), this model was always going to be a bit polarizing — it was too much of a sportbike for the cruiser market, and just a little bit overweight for the likes of sports aficionados.

Initially introduced way back in 1986 as the Suzuki Savage LS650, and was the first cruiser that Suzuki ever made. It debuted with a massive (for the time) 652 cc single-cylinder engine that was initially paired to a five-speed transmission, though it did get an additional fifth gear in 1993. This engine setup produced 29.5 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque — both respectable numbers for an air-cooled engine that only displaced 40 cubic inches. To be clear, this motorcycle was not special in any way, but that's what made it unique: it was a bog-standard frame with an unremarkable engine and zero creature comforts — in other words, it was the perfect beginner cruiser motorcycle. 

The launch price tag of $1,999 was also accessible to many people even in developing markets, further enhancing the Savage's appeal. Later on, about three decades after it first came to market, Suzuki renamed the entire lineup, and that's how the Savage became the Boulevard S40 on a random day in 2005. While the 2019 discontinuation is undoubtedly sad, this was a death we all saw coming, especially given that Suzuki simply didn't bother to update this model (for the most part) since 1986. Eventually, it wasn't competitive on price or performance, so sales died out; however, it was a real vintage looker with a lot of history behind it, and we would love to see it make a comeback as a revised Model.

It was big, long, and comfortable, with a large fuel tank and an even larger engine to assist with the quick drainage of the aforementioned large fuel tank. In other words, it was everything a cruiser motorcycle should be, loved by everyone who ever rode one — which of course means that Yamaha would discontinue it in 2014. It is one of four Yamaha cruisers that we wish would come back, because it was truly one of the better models that the big Y offered. Debuting at the turn of the century in 1999, it initially came with a 1,602 cc (98 cubic inch) engine that was later upped to 1,670 cc (102 cubic inches) in 2004, which was also the year that tubeless tires and cast aluminum wheels were introduced for the model. 

In 2008, fuel injection was added, bringing the bike up to modern standards, and it was also at this point where Yamaha decided to bifurcate the 1700 into two distinct models (cosmetically), which were called the Road Star 1700 Silverado S and Road Star 1700 Midnight S respectively. The Silverado would keep the chrome accents and other shiny bits and bobs, while the Midnight was to be a fully blacked-out, menacing version of the bike. By the time it was axed, the 1700 made a whopping 75 hp and 83 lb-ft of torque. Also, with an MSRP of $14,990, the 1700 was one of the biggest yet most affordable cruiser motorcycles you could buy.

Suzuki has built their reputation on making motorcycles that have the lowest maintenance costs and amazing performance. However, occasionally they come out with something flamboyant like this — the Boulevard M90. Just like the S40 we covered above, this is another Suzuki that was discontinued in 2019, though it feels like just yesterday I was looking at a new one at a Suzuki Dealer. You have to see it in person to appreciate it – the thing was very long (8 feet!) and was called the Boulevard M1500 Intruder in other parts of the world. 

Launched in 2009 as a successor to the Boulevard M109R that debuted in 2006, the M90 came with a 1,500 cc (92 cubic inch) two-cylinder, four-stroke engine with liquid cooling and single overhead cams. This beauty of a rumbler was paired to a five-speed constant-mesh gearbox — a setup that managed to extract 79.10 hp and 93 lb-ft of torque from the engine. All in all, this cruiser intended to make a statement, with its neo-retro design and massive 200 mm rear tire that was the widest in its class. The efficiency of the Japanese engineers is clearly visible, with the M90 being the first bike on this list that has a higher torque output (93 lb-ft) than its engine displacement (92 cubic inches) — a remarkable feat, especially since the model is 17 years old at the time of writing.

John Wick's preferred car is a 1969 Ford Mustang, and in "John Wick 3: Parabellum", we see Keanu Reeves on a Yamaha MT-09, but the Victory Vegas should have been his ride of choice — no questions asked. It's just got that assassin vibe, with its minimalist styling and muted yet aggressive road presence, thanks in no small part to the massive 1,634 cc (100 cubic inch) engine that can be heard from a mile away. This 1,634 cc engine would be upgraded to a 1,731 cc (106 cubic inch) unit for later model years, and would remain the default engine into the Vegas' sunset days. 

By the time it was discontinued, the massive rumbler made 87 hp and 110 lb-ft of torque, all of which it needed because it weighed 655 pounds dry and 682 pounds when all fluids were added. However, as far as top-of-the-line cruiser motorcycles go, the Victory Vegas was priced pretty fairly, coming in with a base MSRP of $13,999, a far cry from the most expensive cruiser motorcycles of the time (looking at you, Harley). This one was a tragic loss to the motorcycle world at large, as the Vegas was an amazing value cruiser that could keep both Japanese and American legacy makers awake at night. However, in 2016, the parent company (Polaris) announced that the entire brand would be discontinued in 2017 due to it becoming a money pit.

This is the beast that emerges when Japan wants a piece of the pie being hogged by House Milwaukee. Discontinued in 2005, it is reported (unverified) that Honda lost $75,000 on the sale of each Rune — as each unit cost $100,000 to make and sold for a fraction of the price, coming in with a base MSRP of $27,699 in 2005, up from $24,499 in 2004. When you look at the cost of development and production, and then spread those costs out across an upper limit of just 3,000 units sold, the price really does add up — easily earning the rune a spot among the ten rarest Honda Motorcycles ever made. 

The astronomical price tag (the MSRP one) also makes the Rune one of Honda's most expensive creations. For that, you would get the same massive 1,800 cc (111 cubic inch) engine that was found on the legendary Honda Goldwing, making about 118 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque from no less than six cylinders, mated to a five-speed gearbox and a shaft-powered final drive. It was heavy, weighing about 811 pounds dry when rolling off the factory line, so even despite that relatively high horsepower figure, the Rune was not a particularly performant motorcycle. Even with its limited and dismal sales, it is a truly amazing bike that can and should be scooped up now for around $19,000 on the used market, if for its history alone.

A fact that not a lot of people pick up on is that the Honda Rune we just discussed was not its own model but a special edition cruiser built on the popular Honda Valkyrie platform. It's just that the Rune was so uniquely styled, it ended up overshadowing the Valkyrie during the early 2000s. As far as the Valkyrie 1500 goes, it was a neo-retro cruiser with a massive engine and an upgraded suspension for better handling and comfort, which, let's face it, are the only things someone looks for in a cruiser bike. The Valkyrie 1500 Cruiser was being delivered with a 1,520 cc (93 cubic inch), six-cylinder engine that produced 100 hp and 96 lb-ft of torque. 

The engine was a standard liquid-cooled four-stroke borrowed from the Honda Goldwing, but the interesting bit is that each cylinder had its own carburetor attached, something that was pretty rare. That said, the performance figures for the GL1500C were not too shabby for the era, with zero to 60 mph taking 3.9 seconds, zero to 100 mph coming in at 10.7 seconds, and topping out at a theoretical top speed of 130 mph — not bad at all for a leviathan that weighed 739 lbs dry. Sadly, with declining sales, Honda removed the upmarket trims from its line in 2001 and axed even the standard model in 2003.

Before people get all up in arms to tell us that the Road Glide is still being sold — yes, it is — but those are units from the previous production run. The Road Glide Limited with the 114 Milwaukee-Eight is no longer being manufactured, meaning that once the current inventory sells out, that's it — no more Road Glide Limited. Some people may also point out that the Road Glide configurator now has a "Limited Upgrade Package," but readers should be advised that this is simply an accessory pack that will turn your Road Glide into a full dresser. No matter how you spin it, the Road Glide Limited is well and truly dead. 

However, the good news (somewhat) is that, just like with the Harley-Davidson Softail Standard that we talked about at the beginning, the discontinuation should mean that you might be able to pick up 2024 models for a bit cheaper on the used market, now that they've been sitting on dealer lots for a while. So, especially with season discounts, it could be a great chance to snag that massive 117 cubic inch, 107 hp, 130 lb-ft, V-twin layout throbber for yourself for under its base MSRP of $27,999 — but that's if dealers don't get greedy and start jacking up prices. And with that, we come to the end of our list of discontinued cruisers that we sorely miss and would love to see back, however much of a pipe dream that may be.