Large-Displacement Cruisers for Fun in the Fast Lane 

An engine defines a motorcycle. Character, response, feel and aesthetics all depend on the engine’s performance, sound and configuration. And when it comes to engines, American riders know that bigger is better. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the all-American genre of heavyweight power cruisers.

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Big is truly the operative word with these machines—big engines cranking out effortless torque, with big frames, long wheelbases, wide rear tires and curb weights in excess of 600 pounds.

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We rounded up some of the largest of the large in this category, with V-twins from Kawasaki, Big Dog, and Victory. To this traditional mix we added the 6-cylinder, automotive-styled, retro-futurist Honda Valkyrie Rune. Shown originally as an F6 Goldwing design concept in 2000, it was then called the Neo-Retro.

Honda spent about three years bringing this ultra-show custom to the street, virtually unchanged from the original styling exercise. With the exception of the genre-bending Rune, the V-twins appear to be nearly identical; there is little in the way of styling cues to directly tie any of them to a specific manufacturer. Each has the low Barcalounger seating position, with forward pegs or floorboards and heel/toe shifting.

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With muscle-bound monikers like Vulcan, Bulldog and Kingpin, the look of these bikes is Arlen Ness by way of Willie G—a curved fuel tank, massive forks and a valanced rear fender covering a fat tire. The trademark V-twin engines have a cylinder angle ranging from the traditional 45 degrees on the Bulldog’s S&S, to the 52 degrees of the Kawasaki Vulcan’s massive power unit. Here, the traditions of the cruiser niche dictate the configuration, rather than the latest in current engine design.