Cruiser is the term for motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

s that mimic the design style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...

, Indian

Indian (motorcycle)

Indian is an American brand of motorcycles. Indian motorcycles were manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Manufacturing Company in 1928. The Indian factory team took the...

, Excelsior

Henderson Motorcycle

Henderson produced 4-cylinder motorcycles from 1912 until 1931. They were the largest and fastest motorcycles of their time, and appealed to sport riders and police departments. Police favored them for traffic patrol because they were faster than anything on the roads...

 and Henderson

Henderson Motorcycle

Henderson produced 4-cylinder motorcycles from 1912 until 1931. They were the largest and fastest motorcycles of their time, and appealed to sport riders and police departments. Police favored them for traffic patrol because they were faster than anything on the roads...

. The market for models evocative of the early cruisers has grown to embrace 60 percent of the U.S. market, such that a number of motorcycle manufacturers including BMW

BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim....

, Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

, Moto Guzzi

Moto Guzzi California

The Moto Guzzi California is a motorcycle manufactured by Italian company Moto Guzzi since 1971, bringing together the company's heritage, their iconic air-cooled 90° V-twin engines and styling that evokes the classic American...

, Star

Star Motorcycles

Star Motorcycles is a US-specific brand of cruiser motorcycles. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Company and is used on Yamaha's current cruiser motorcycles.-History:...

, Suzuki

Suzuki

is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

, Triumph

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd

Triumph Motorcycles Ltd is the largest surviving British motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in 1984 by John Bloor after the original manufacturer Triumph Engineering went into receivership...

 and Victory

Victory Motorcycles

Victory Motorcycles is a motorcycle manufacturer based in Spirit Lake, Iowa, United States, which began production of its vehicles in 1998. Its parent company, Polaris Industries, created the firm following the modern success of Harley-Davidson...

 have currently or have had important models evocative of the American cruiser.

The riding position on a cruiser usually, but not always, places the feet forward and the hands up, with the spine erect or leaning back slightly. Many "power cruisers" and Japanese cruisers of the 1980s have featured more neutral riding positions.

Many cruising motorcycles have limited performance and turning ability due to a low-slung design. Riders who enjoy cornering at higher speeds may need to customize to enhance lean angle, or start with a performance "power cruiser".

Cruisers are often custom motorcycle

Custom motorcycle

A custom motorcycle is a motorcycle that is highly stylized or which treats aspects such as frame geometry, engine design, or paintwork in an unusual way compared to standard manufacturing. Custom motorcycles are unique or individually produced in a very limited quantity, as opposed to "stock"...

 projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner's ideals, and as such are a source of pride and accomplishment.

See also

• Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
  Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
  The following outline is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:Motorcycle – single-track, engine-powered, two-wheeled motor vehicle...
  
  
• Chopper (motorcycle)
  Chopper (motorcycle)
  A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design or built from scratch to have a hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end...
  
  
• Bobber (motorcycle)
  Bobber (motorcycle)
  A bobber is a custom motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender "bobbed" or made smaller, and all superfluous parts removed to make it lighter.- History :...