#cruiser

I just rode two motorcycles with fork gaiters within a one-week period. Nooo, they weren’t vintage 2-stroke MXers. Both were 2024 models, street bikes, cruisers at that. The first was Kawasaki’s new Eliminator, and the second was Honda’s reworked (I refuse to use “updated” and “fork gaiters” in the same paragraph) Shadow Phantom.

The Vulcan S Now Has A Sibling

The 2024 Shadow Phantom also gets a new handlebar and handlebar clamp that positions the grips higher and further forward compared to the previous model. The 3.7-gallon fuel capacity remains unchanged, but the tank-mounted instrumentation has been updated.

Last month, Kawasaki announced a new Eliminator for Asian markets, a 398cc model that essentially serves as a smaller Vulcan S. Equipped with a version of the Ninja 400's Parallel-Twin engine, the Eliminator looks to be a potential rival to the Honda Rebel 500. While we were waiting to hear whether Kawasaki would import it to the U.S., we've uncovered evidence that the Eliminator will be coming as a 2024 model, and with a larger engine to boot.

The Honda Rebel 250 is probably the bike many of us rode when we were taking our Basic Rider Course. Even though I didn’t know what I was doing back then, when I rode the bike while trying to get my license, I could still tell it was a bit of a turd. A lack of experience meant I couldn’t put my finger on exactly why, though I chalked it up to being used and abused after having gone through the hands of many new riders.

Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel’s have once again partnered together for a limited edition model. Developed once again in partnership with Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, the latest model is based on the Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse, and will be limited to a production run of just 177 motorcycles worldwide.

Victory had enough staying power that I actually thought it was going to give The Motor Company something to worry about. With the might of Polaris behind it, that theory actually had a little weight to it. We all know how that turned out, though one can make the argument that the challenge is stronger than ever with Polaris resurrecting Indian.

Five years on from the 2018 launch of its first ever twin-cylinder models to be made in India, since when over 400,000 examples of the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have been sold around the world, Royal Enfield has now added the first of a much-anticipated series of spinoff models to its range.

We’re just a few days into the new year, and Harley-Davidson has already started shipping 2023 models to dealerships. These are mainly carry-over models, returning for 2023 with new colors, which should prepare dealers ahead of Harley-Davidson’s launch event on Jan. 18.

Man, it’s been a while since we managed to get seven baggers together for a real-live comparison, but last time we did, in 2018, this BMW won it against the usual suspects from Harley-Davidson, Indian, et al. They’ve all received upgrades in the ensuing years, but nothing earth shattering to upend the pecking order. And nothing to upset our earlier, semi-collective conclusion that a bagger does not have to be built in America or powered by a big V-Twin.

Royal Enfield announced a new cruiser model featuring the 648cc Parallel-Twin engine that also powers the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. The new Super Meteor 650, and the Super Meteor 650 Grand Tourer variant,

As we reported last month, Honda is introducing a new bagger version of the Rebel 1100. The 2023 Honda Rebel 1100T adds a fork-mounted fairing and color-matched hard panniers. For the U.S., the bagger model will only be offered with DCT, while some markets may offer a manual transmission option.

Ducati announced a brand new Diavel V4, replacing the previous 1,262cc V-Twin model with one powered by its 1,158cc V4 Granturismo engine.

Honda is preparing to launch new touring variant for the Rebel 1100 and Rebel 1100 DCT. The proof comes to us via vehicle emissions data from the California Air Resources Board and vehicle certification data from Switzerland.

Harley-Davidson unveiled the latest member of its Icons Collection with a devilish take on the Low Rider ST. Limited to a production run of just 1,500 models, the 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider El Diablo introduces a custom red paint job and a factory-installed Rockford Fosgate audio system for a price of $27,999.