Hitting interstate speeds doesn’t mean you have to empty your pockets just to get the right motorcycle. While many riders assume that keeping up with fast-moving traffic requires a massive engine and an equally massive price tag, the modern motorcycle market proves otherwise. Today’s entry-level engineering delivers plenty of punch to merge safely, maintain a steady 70 MPH, and handle extended trips without feeling out of breath. You no longer have to compromise on highway capability just to stay within a reasonable budget. Here are the 10 cheapest new motorcycles that will comfortably get you onto the superslab, all priced under $9k.
CFMoto 450 CL-C
Price: $5,299
The 450CL-C is one of the best cheap and fuel-efficient cruiser bikes for the city today, but its 449 cc parallel twin generates 40 horsepower and 30 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a six-speed gearbox and a Gates belt drive, it has the performance and gearing to deal with highway stints with ease. For the price, it has a number of unique features that include a 270-degree firing order, a 3.6-inch circular TFT instrument cluster, and unique styling.
Kawasaki Eliminator 450
Price: $6,499
The Eliminator is the Kawasaki that debuted the 451 cc parallel twin that we have come to know and love in the Ninja 500 and the Z500. It generates 52 horsepower and 31.7 pound-feet of torque and has a top speed of over 102 MPH. These are figures that show 80 MPH will be possible without breaking a sweat. This performance is backed by a trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member, an 18-inch front and 16-inch rear wheel combination, and pillion accommodation. The Eliminator 450 is one of the cruisers that rewards you with its six-speed gearbox. A unique feature is Kawasaki’s Ergo-Fit system that will ensure the rider is comfortable no matter the height, making it the Kawasaki perfect for a first-time buyer.
Honda Rebel 500
Price: $6,799
The Rebel 500 is the head-to-head competitor of the Eliminator, and it offers similar performance. The 180-degree parallel-twin engine displaces 471 cc and generates 46.9 horsepower and 31.8 pound-feet. A six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch helps it cruise at 80 MPH effortlessly. Honda chooses a 16-inch wheel combination, which is unusual. Another point in its favor is the now-standard ABS, and if you prefer more style, you can opt for the Rebel 500 SE with better colors, fork gaiters, a different seat, and a headlamp cowl – but it costs a premium.
Honda NX500
Price: $6,899
Honda’s parts and component sharing is right up there with the best of them, and the Rebel 500 and NX500 are great examples of that. The NX500 engine is the exact same one as the Rebel and has the exact same output figures. Honda adds switchable traction control to the NX, and features like a five-inch rectangular TFT instrument cluster, long-travel suspension, and, of course, the ability to deal with daily rides and dirt roads with equanimity. If you want to cover lots of highway miles in comfort and with zero reliability worries, this is the solution.
Moto Morini Calibro 700 Bagger
Price: $7,199
The Calibro 700 is one of the best deals on the market today. The cruiser retails for under $6,000, but if you are going to spend highway miles on it, you might as well put in the extra $1,200 and get yourself the Calibro 700 Bagger, which is still an affordable tourer for backroad adventures. That earns you wind protection with the help of a fork-mounted batwing fairing and hard luggage that you can take off if you do not need it. What is common to both is the 270-degree parallel twin with liquid cooling and the six-speed gearbox with the Gates belt drive. The engine generates 69 horsepower and 50.1 pound-feet of torque — more than enough for highway cruising. Standard ABS is a nice touch.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
Price: $7,999
The Super Meteor 650 has a lot of good things going for it. It is one of the best-looking cruisers in the middleweight segment. It has an authentic heft to it when you ride it, and it carries its weight well, which is why it is so good for the highway. Pick the Celestial variant, though, and you get a special touring seat for better comfort, a pillion backrest, and a windshield, which makes long highway days relaxing. The running gear remains the same, with the 648 cc air- and oil-cooled 270-degree parallel-twin engine putting out 47 horsepower and 38.6 pound-feet through a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch.
Kawasaki Vulcan S
Price: $8,099
The Vulcan S and Eliminator both follow the same playbook: take the engine and gearbox out of the equivalent sportbike and naked – in this case, the Ninja 650 and Z650 – and put them into a cruiser chassis. The Vulcan S is legitimately a cruiser that quietly does almost everything right. The 649 cc parallel-twin engine generates 61 horsepower and 46.5 pound-feet of torque. It still sports the analog instrument cluster, and the Ergo-Fit system will ensure that long highway miles will be comfortable. The slight price hike is because ABS is now standard.
Suzuki SV-7GXV
Price: $8,399
Normally our default pick from Suzuki for the highway would be the V-Strom 650, but Suzuki has recently updated its legendary V-twin to meet Euro 5 emission norms, and the first motorcycle it powers is the SV-7GX crossover. For the engine alone, it is the Suzuki worth buying before everyone notices. It generates 72 horsepower and 47.2 pound-feet of torque and has a by-wire throttle. Suzuki has kept things simple with a tubular steel frame, regular forks, and a preload-adjustable monoshock. A smallish 4.2-inch TFT instrument cluster is present, but it does get Bluetooth and navigation, unlike its larger midweight siblings.
Honda Shadow Phantom
Price: $8,699
The Shadow is often recommended as a great beginner motorcycle because of its low seat height and lower maintenance costs, but it is also a fantastic highway motorcycle thanks in no small part to its liquid-cooled V-twin engine that offers big twin vibes without big twin problems. It displaces 745 cc, generates 44.9 horsepower and 47.9 pound-feet, and puts it to the wheel via a wide-ratio five-speed gearbox and a driveshaft. A rear disc brake and dual-channel ABS have been recent additions, and you could put an infinite number of miles on this and only need preventive maintenance.
Yamaha Bolt R-Spec
Price: $8,999
The biggest cruiser in Yamaha’s current lineup, the Bolt R-Spec picks up where the old air-cooled Harley Sportsters left off. While inheriting the Iron 883’s throne, it also inherited the ability to deal with long highway miles with no complaints. This 942 cc air-cooled V-twin generates 65 horsepower and 59.3 pound-feet of torque with the help of fuel injection and puts it to the wheel via a five-speed gearbox and belt drive. It has dual disc brakes, but no ABS, even as an option, and the simple LCD instrument cluster hints at a pragmatic approach to features.
Sources: CFMoto USA, Kawasaki USA, Honda PowerSports, Moto Morini USA, Royal Enfield USA, Suzuki Cycles, Yamaha Motorsports
