Top 5 Best Cruisers for Beginners in 2025

If you are new to motorcycling, make sure you know what the best bike for you is before buying one. Most beginners are seen making the wrong choice when it comes to their first motorbike. As of now, there are many entry-level options available, making it difficult to find the best cruiser motorcycle that suits the beginner's needs.

We will make it easy for new riders, especially those who are about to start their motorcycling career in 2025. In this article, we are going to list down the five best cruisers for beginners so you can pick the best one.

This article will highlight the best features and pros of the best starter cruiser motorcycles to make it easy for new riders to compare them.

If you are a beginner and dream about cruising down scenic highways with the wind blowing past your face, a cruiser motorbike is the best bike to start with. Cruiser bikes are well-known for their following features:

• Comfort

• Relaxed riding position

• Stability

• Low seat height

• Manageable power delivery

• Iconic styling

• Affordability (Especially the Used Beginner Models)

Cruiser bikes have many qualities that make them ideal for beginner riders. However, there may be many riders who don’t recommend a cruiser bike for a beginner. This is true to a certain extent because cruiser motorbikes are quite bulky and heavyweight.

The engine size of cruiser motorbikes may seem large, but they are not tuned for high-speed performance. Instead, the power offered by cruiser bikes is quite manageable and forgiving. The cruiser bikes’ engines are tuned for better torque rather than top-end horsepower.

Well, it is not true for all cruiser bikes. To make cruisers suitable for novice riders, almost all motorbike brands also release beginner-friendly starter cruiser bikes to cover the entry-level market.

The Honda Rebel 500 always tops the list of the best cruisers for beginners since its release in 2017. This bike has many ideal features, including a great balance of power, comfort, and overall performance, making it the best beginner cruiser motorcycle.

Despite a very tough competition in this category, the Rebel 500 stands out. Let’s list down some very notable features of the Honda Rebel 500 that make it the best starter cruiser motorcycle :

• The Honda Rebel 500 is a sport cruiser motorbike, ensuring a lightweight design.

• Being a sport cruiser, it has ideal ergonomics for comfortable urban commuting and daily riding.

• The Rebel 500 is one of the easiest-to-ride cruiser bikes thanks to its minimal bobber styling.

• The 471 cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine ensures a sporty vibe, making it good for versatile riding, including city traveling and highway cruising.

• Beginners can use the Rebel 500 for years without feeling the need to upgrade to a more powerful bike.

• The 2 7.2-inch seat height feels quite low and accessible for all riders.

• The Rebel 500 weighs only 408 lbs, making it perfect for most riding situations.

• The Rebel 500 is one of the best beginner cruisers for easy handling and maneuvering.

• What makes it perfect for beginners is its superb fuel economy of 67 mpg.

• Cover as many miles as you can while staying within your budget on the Honda Rebel 500.

• The Rebel 500’s lightweight frame and low seat height make it easy to handle for even shorter beginner riders.

• It offers a smooth power delivery, providing confidence to novice riders.

• Despite some bobber features, the Rebel 500 has a modern vibe, attracting new and younger riders to start motorcycle riding.

• The Rebel 500 has programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI) and Slipper & Assist clutch, ensuring a top-end performance.

• The 46.9 hp of horsepower and 43 Nm of torque ensure beginner riders have fun while riding the Rebel 500.

The Honda Rebel 300 cruiser bike may sound the same as the Rebel 500 with only a difference of 200 cc. Both bikes also look quite similar to each other from a distance. However, both the Rebel 300 and Rebel 500 are quite dissimilar in terms of performance and abilities.

The Rebel 300 is only good for those beginner riders who are totally new to bike riding. If you want to learn from the very basics of motorcycling, including clutch control, gear shifting, throttle control, and balancing the bike on two wheels while riding, the Honda Rebel 300 is a good beginner cruiser motorcycle.

Being a small and lightweight bike, the Rebel 300 is not suited for highway cruising. It will become unstable as soon as you hit the open road or freeway on the Rebel 300.

If you are a big and heavy rider looking to buy a beginner cruiser bike, the Rebel 500 is a better option than the Rebel 300.

For a more detailed comparison between the Honda Rebel 300 Vs Rebel 500, read the attached article. This will help beginner riders make an informed decision.

• Being equipped with a small 286 cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, the Rebel 300 is ideal for novice riders.

• It is a low-powered bike, making it a very easy-to-handle bike.

• The Rebel 300 ensures a great fuel economy of 78 mpg, even better than the Rebel 500.

• It is lighter than the Rebel 500, making it easily manageable in most conditions.

• The low seat height makes it easily accessible for all riders.

• It is a highly affordable good starter cruiser motorcycle, especially if you are looking for a used Rebel 300.

• The Honda Rebel 300 is good for daily commutes and short-distance rides.

The Yamaha V Star 250 may be too small for most American riders due to its 249 cc engine. American bike riders have different definitions of beginner bikes. Some riders consider a 250 cc an ideal beginner cruiser motorcycle for learners. Meanwhile, another group of riders recommends even 800 cc cruiser bikes to new riders. These are the two extremes of riders found in the US.

For those beginners who love the iconic and classic cruiser look, including the long wheelbase and spacious ergonomics, the Yamaha V Star is a good option. The Yamaha V Star 250 is one of the very few 250 cc beginner cruisers with a V-Twin engine and proper classic cruiser styling.

Despite the small engine size, the V Star 250 doesn’t look like a small bike. It is a full-size cruiser bike.

If you want to choose between the Yamaha V Star 250 and the Rebel 300, read our detailed comparison of these two bikes to find out which one suits you best.

• The V Star 250 is fitted with a small 249 cc beginner-friendly V-Twin engine, making it best-suited for beginners while maintaining a V-Twin vibe.

• Despite its full-sized cruiser bike look, the V Star 250 only weighs 324 lbs.

• A low seat height of 27 inches makes it easy to ride.

• This bike ensures a claimed fuel mileage of 78 mpg, which is ideal for beginners.

• The lightweight cruiser design makes the V Star 250 easy to handle.

• The classic cruiser styling provides a timeless appeal to this bike, making it an attractive option for beginners.

• The V Star 250 is an ideal choice for learners who want to start from the basics.

• Good for daily commuting and light cruising.

Though the Kawasaki Vulcan S is a middleweight cruiser bike, the power is manageable enough for beginners to use it. However, riders must treat the bike with respect. They must possess the basics of riding a motorcycle before getting on this bike for a ride.

What makes the Vulcan S stand out in the best cruisers for beginners category is its perfect balance of power, comfort, and control. It is a mix of both traditional and modern cruiser styling.

Despite the sporty look, the Kawasaki Vulcan S ensures a comfortable riding position that is also customizable. The smart Ergo-Fit feature aids beginner riders in customizing the ergonomics according to their height and size.

Are you confused between the Honda Rebel 500 and the Kawasaki Vulcan S? Read our detailed comparison of these two bikes to find out which suits you the best.

• The 649 cc mid-weight category engine is more than enough for beginners to ride this bike for years without feeling the urge to upgrade.

• Despite being slightly bigger for beginners, the Vulcan S produces manageable and predictable power delivery. This makes it good for beginners with basic know-how of motorbikes.

• With the customizable ergonomics feature, the beginner rider can make the Vulcan S fit his size.

• Though the Vulcan S is slightly heavier for a pure beginner, having a wet weight of around 500 lbs, it offers stable rides on highways.

• Unlike traditional cruiser bikes, the Vulcan S offers a modern vibe.

• The parallel-twin engine instead of a V-twin gives this bike a sportier performance.

• The Vulcan S can handle both city roads and highways.

• The Kawasaki Vulcan S’s most unique feature is its ability to decelerate quickly when the throttle is released. Though it ensures a safety element while riding, riders must get used to it before taking it out on the busy road.

Royal Enfield is one of the most emerging brand names when it comes to producing the most affordable, best beginner cruiser motorcycles. It features a quite comfortable and classic cruiser design, which is ideal for city traveling.

For those who may hesitate while buying a Royal Enfield bike, this brand is making waves when it comes to sales, thanks to models like the Meteor 350. Also, there is no compromise on the quality.

The RE Meteor 350 offers responsive power, high-spec suspension, and decent braking ability, making it perfect for city cruising. It is perfect for those beginners looking for a classic-looking cruiser bike.

• The Royal Enfield 350 is the most affordable beginner cruiser motorcycle on this list, with a starting price of $4,699.

• The RE Meteor 350’s 349 cc single-cylinder engine is ideal for new riders.

• It also features the standard dual-channel ABS.

• The low power and torque figures, including 20.2 bhp of horsepower and 26.98 Nm of torque, make it easily manageable for beginner riders with no prior riding experience.

• The Meteor 350 has a decent curb weight of 421 lbs, making it good for both city traveling and light highway cruising.

• The Meteor 350 offers a great fuel economy of 70 mpg, attracting beginner riders.

• This bike ensures smooth power delivery, making it easily manageable for novice riders.

• It is a great choice for those beginners who want a retro-styled beginner cruiser bike at an affordable price.