Buell’s 175-horsepower Super Cruiser takes top honors, proving that American cruiser styling and serious sportbike performance can make one impressive combination.
The Buell Super Cruiser has earned a major industry honor, taking home Rider Magazine’s 2026 Motorcycle of the Year award.
The recognition puts Buell’s performance-focused cruiser in the spotlight, celebrating a motorcycle that combines classic American V-twin styling with the kind of power and handling more commonly associated with high-performance sportbikes.
According to Rider, the award isn’t simply about horsepower, technology, or flashy new features. Now in its 36th year, the publication’s Motorcycle of the Year recognition focuses on motorcycles that bring something meaningful to the future of motorcycling.
And the Buell Super Cruiser certainly makes a statement.
175 Horsepower Meets American Cruiser Attitude
At the heart of the Super Cruiser is a liquid-cooled 1,190cc V-twin producing an impressive 175 horsepower.
That’s serious muscle for a cruiser.
The motorcycle features 17-inch wheels, performance suspension, Brembo braking components, and a total weight of less than 500 pounds. The combination gives the Super Cruiser a performance package that goes well beyond traditional cruiser expectations.
Rather than simply dropping a powerful engine into a familiar cruiser frame, Buell worked with Roland Sands Design to develop an entirely new steel-tube chassis built around the powerplant.
The result is a motorcycle designed to accelerate hard, handle aggressively, and deliver the kind of stopping power riders expect from a modern performance machine.
A Nod to American Motorcycle History
The Super Cruiser’s styling also pays tribute to one of America’s most recognizable performance-oriented motorcycles: the Harley-Davidson FXR.
Its compact proportions, low stance, triangular frame structure, and overall relationship between the engine, tank, and seat bring back memories of that legendary platform.
But this isn’t a retro motorcycle simply trying to recreate the past.
The collaboration with