Are Cruiser Motorcycles Good for Long-Distance Touring?

Cruiser motorbikes are often mentioned alongside touring bikes for their long-distance abilities. They are known for providing comfort while cruising down highways and open roads.

Cruiser motorbikes are also among the most loved motorbike types in the US. Americans just love the classic outlook and the attitude these bikes carry. Cruiser bikes are the most fav of most Americans because if you have ever been to the US, the country is full of highways and countryside roads. There is no better bike than cruiser bikes for such infrastructure. Also, most motorcyclists prefer comfort over anything else.

Nonetheless, the question arises, “Are cruiser motorcycles good for long-distance touring?” The answer to this question is straightforward but includes some ifs and buts.

To learn in detail whether cruiser motorbikes are suitable for long-distance touring, continue reading this article. Many bike riders want to know whether to take a cruiser bike for a long-distance motorbike ride.

Cruiser bikes are comfortable motorbikes with spacious ergonomics, but not ideal for long-distance touring. It also depends on the comparison, whether you are comparing cruiser motorbikes with touring bikes or other types of motorbikes.

Cruiser motorbikes are not the most plush long-distance capable bikes compared to touring bikes. They lack many essential touring parts responsible for making long-distance rides pleasant.

On the other hand, cruiser bikes are pretty plush compared to other motorbike types, including standard bikes or adventure bikes.

Let’s first talk about cruiser bikes. What are cruiser bikes? What makes them a cruiser bike? Then, we will discuss why cruiser motorbikes are not ideal for long-distance motorbike riding.

• A cruiser motorbike is basically a slightly stripped-down version of the touring bike.

• It is built for cruising down highways and open roads.

• Cruiser motorbikes ensure a raw bike riding experience.

• Despite being built with large engines, cruiser motorbikes are less quick than sport bikes or naked bikes.

• They feature pleasant ergonomics.

• Riders can sit comfortably on cruiser bikes with an upright riding stance.

• However, it still doesn’t make them ideal for long-distance touring.

• The large engines installed in cruiser bikes are built to provide greater torque than horsepower.

• Despite being lighter than touring bikes, cruiser motorbikes are still much heavier than most bikes.

• Harley Davidson makes the most notable and popular cruiser models worldwide, especially in the US.

• Cruiser motorbikes usually feature pulled-back handlebars, falling within easy reach of riders.

• The legroom in cruiser motorbikes is also spacious for riders to place their legs comfortably.

• In cruiser motorbikes, the seat height is usually low, making them very stable for straight road or linear conduct.

• Cruiser motorbikes are not ideal for quick handling and superior maneuverability.

• They are also not the most suitable bikes for riding on twisty roads or tight corners.

• Having torquey engines and good passenger space, cruiser motorbikes are good bikes for two-up riding.

Being a stripped-down and lighter version of touring motorbikes, cruiser bikes mostly don’t feature standard wind protection. They lack a fairing and windscreen for wind protection.

If you have ever been on a long-distance bike tour, you will know how important wind protection is. The ride will be highly uncomfortable without the wind protection installed on your motorbike. Without the windscreen on your bike, you will start feeling tired sooner as the air drag puts too much pressure on your body.

The ride can also become unstable without proper aerodynamics, especially while riding at high speeds. Almost every touring bike features a stock windscreen, usually mounted to the fairing or installed as a separate windshield.

If you love going on long-distance bike journeys and cruising down highways and backcountry roads, having wind protection is essential. There is no need to worry, even if you have a cruiser bike. The best thing about cruiser bikes is that they are highly customizable.

A cruiser bike can be easily transformed into an ideal touring bike by adding a few aftermarket parts. To make your cruiser bike a perfect tourer, install a windshield or a fairing with an integrated windscreen.

Unlike touring bikes, cruiser bikes don’t feature standard storage space. There are only a few cruiser bike models that come with standard storage space, like saddlebags and even stock windscreen. However, such cruiser bikes are usually on the premium side of the market. These cruiser bikes are one of the very few exceptions.

Generally, cruiser motorbikes don’t have standard storage space. If you love to go on long-distance touring, your bike must have a decent luggage-carrying ability.

Touring bikes feature loads of storage options for long distance touring. Similarly, if you want your cruiser bike to become an ideal touring machine for long-distance riding, it is possible. You need to simply invest in some good-quality luggage bags. These include Viking Bags saddlebags, tank bags, backpacks, sissy bar bags, trunk bags, and much more.

With these high-quality luggage bag options, riders can improve storage space on their cruiser motorbikes. On top of providing improved storage space, these Viking Bags luggage options also make your cruiser motorbike look like a dapper.

Another reason why cruiser motorbikes are not considered ideal for long distance touring is because they are slightly sluggish. It is not true for all cruiser motorbikes, but generally, cruisers don’t produce top-end horsepower.

The engines installed in cruiser bikes have long strokes, meaning they are built to produce better torque than horsepower. Cruiser bikes are purposely built for comfort rather than sportiness and aggression.

Considering their engine sizes, cruiser bikes are considered slow. They are not quick and agile. Another major reason why these bikes feel slightly sluggish is because they are quite heavyweight. Cruiser bikes are bigger in size. They have a longer wheelbase to ensure low seat height and wider ergonomics.

Take the example of the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 and the Sportster Iron 1200. Despite having engine sizes of 883 cc and 1200 cc, they are comparatively slower than other bike types with even 600 cc engines. In fact, the Iron 883 is considered to be one of the ideal beginner Harley bikes.

Cruiser motorbikes are well-known for their pleasant ergonomics. However, being too much plush can be a bit painful, especially when touring long distances. This is quite ambiguous, considering cruiser bikes are designed to be plesant.

Not all cruiser motorbikes, but most of them offer laid-back riding stance. A laid-back riding position may sound like a very plush sitting stance, but for long-distance, it can get very painful. Sitting in a laid-back riding stance means the rider is most likely to sit on the motorbike with a slouched back. When you continue to ride with such a back position, your back will start to hurt after a while.

Therefore, according to expert bike riders, if you want to ride continuously for hours on long distance rides, you must sit in an upright back stance. The upright riding posture is considered to be the most cozy as it keeps your back straight. You don’t feel strain and pain in your back even if you ride long miles.

To keep your back straight and ride with ease, you can install a sissy bar and a backrest on your cruiser bike. These aftermarket parts will help you recline against them during the ride.

Not every cruiser motorbike, but most of them are usually equipped with low-mounted handlebars. Though these low-mounted handlebars on cruiser bikes are decently pulledback, they are still not the ideal choice for long distance touring. In fact, with these wide and low-positioned handlebars on cruisers, long distance riding can be quite painful for riders.

Riding a cruiser motorbike with such a low arm position can put too much stress on your wrists, arms, and shoulders. It can get quite uneasy for riders to continue riding for long distances.

Another major drawback of riding a cruiser motorbike with low-positioned handlebars is the bad riding posture. Due to such low-mounted bars, riders are urged to sit in a slouched riding posture, which makes long-distance bike riding quite painful.

Therefore, installing medium-sized mini-ape hanger handlebars or handlebars with decent-sized risers can make riders sit with an upright back posture. Such taller handlebars are the ideal options for plush long-distance motorbike touring.

There are many advantages of cruiser motorbikes that make them a decent option for long distance riding. It may sound a bit contradictory, considering we have established that cruiser bikes are not ideal for long-distance riding. However, if we can overcome these areas that are lacking in cruiser motorbikes and make a few changes, they can become highly suitable long-distance touring options.

Let’s talk about the pros of cruiser motorbikes, which make them good for long distance touring.

The biggest advantage of cruiser bikes is that they are highly customizable. They can be easily modified to become an ideal touring bike. All you need to do is to find the good-quality aftermarket parts and luggage options you need for long distance touring.

Riders can also make changes to the ergonomics by installing aftermarket seats and handlebars. You can also make cruiser bikes more suitable for passengers who want to ride comfortably two-ups.

Cruisers are ideally designed for comfort. If you can make a few modifications or changes to the cruiser bike, they can become a perfect option for long distance motorbike touring. In certain cases, cruiser motorbikes can even become a better touring bike option than most touring bikes due to being lighter and less expensive than touring bikes.

Apart from a few Harley Davidson cruiser bikes, like the Harley Davidson Fat Boy and the Harley Heritage Classic, cruiser bikes are lighter than touring bikes. This provides several advantages over touring bikes. Cruisers are more easy to handle and maneuver than tourers. They are also good for beginners and average riders who want to go on long-distance bike tours.

Though lighter than touring bikes, cruiser bikes are heavy enough to stay stable and planted while riding at highway speeds. This makes them best suited for highway cruising and winding down twisty roads.

Another good thing about cruiser motorbikes is that they are available in all sizes and ranges for all riders. There are:

• Lightweight, beginner-friendly cruiser bikes.

• Middleweight cruiser motorbikes for average riders.

• Heavyweight cruiser motorbikes for experienced riders.

Other than the skill level, cruiser bikes can also be classified based on their abilities and class. These include:

• Sport cruiser motorbikes.

• Classic cruiser bikes.

• Performance cruiser motorbikes.

• Touring-oriented cruiser motorbikes.

Cruiser motorbikes have low seat height, which ensures a low center of gravity. This not only makes them plush and easier to ride and handle, but it also ensures better linear stability. Cruiser bikes tend to stay planted or upright while riding.

Most cruiser motorbikes feature wide tires, especially a wide rear tire. This allows better stability and linear conduct.

Other than Harley Sportsters and other sport cruiser bikes, cruisers usually have large fuel tank capacity for long distance bike riding. You can go for long motorbike rides without worrying about running out of fuel before reaching the gas station.

Cruiser bikes feature long-stroke torquey engines. These engines may not ensure top-end horsepower and top speeds but are torquey enough for long-distance touring.

If you are considering going on a bike tour with loads of luggage, it is important that your cruiser bike’s engine produces good torque. High torque figures ensure good thrust and driving force while riding long distances and experiencing different riding conditions.

Touring bikes are among the premium class of bikes. Due to being highly well-equipped bikes, they are also quite expensive. If you cannot afford a touring bike, it doesn’t mean you should give up riding long distances. You can buy a cruiser motorbike; even a used one will work. Invest a little in some aftermarket touring parts that fit your particular cruiser's make and model.

Cruiser bikes are also easier to maintain than touring bikes. This is mainly because most bike parts are easier to access on cruiser bikes than on touring bikes.