There’s not much you can learn about a brand-new motorcycle in an hour’s ride on strange roads to an unknown destination. Add in the fact that you’re on arrow-straight Florida tarmac in the midst of the chaos that is Daytona Bike Week while riding a preproduction model, and you come to realize that any kind of in-depth evaluation is wishful thinking. And, because this is the not-yet-validated version of Buell Motorcycle’s 2025 Super Cruiser, any discussion of final specification, finishes, or mechanical gremlins is pretty much a non-starter; you’re told to focus more on just what kind of riding experience the Super Cruiser is expected to offer. All right then; rather than a serious, deep-dive analysis let’s jump right into our initial impressions about the ride on Buell’s latest model.
Super Cruiser Concept
In case you missed the unveiling, the new Roland Sands–designed Super Cruiser was revealed to the public back in February of 2023. Sands says he was tasked with “using as much of the standard Buell rolling kit” as was possible in initial meetings with Buell CEO Bill Melvin, so everything from the 1,190cc liquid-cooled ET-V2 V-twin to the adjustable fork to the 17-inch alloy wheels with signature perimeter braking system appears on the Super Cruiser. The challenge was in mashing those bits into cruiser-style packaging, and Sands had to engineer his own steel tube frame while getting the chassis to sync with the Buell 1190 platform’s swingarm, fork, wheels, and brake system.
If there’s any question about where the Super Cruiser’s styling inspiration comes from, think FXR. The Super Cruiser takes the profile of Harley-Davidson’s iconic model and adds a West Coast cruiser aesthetic to create what Sands calls “a superbike-powered high-performance club-style bike.” The blacked-out components, tall bars, and quarter fairing hint at that club vibe, but the Super Cruiser—at least in current form—is nearly mechanically identical to the current-gen Hammerhead 1190RX superbike, which itself is largely based on Erik Buell’s 1190RX from 2014 (there have been significant updates to the 72-degree Rotax Helicon V-twin-derived engine since then). Buell/RSD’s concept bike was a big hit, and preorders topped $120 million.
Super Cruiser now
Melvin, the CEO of Buell Motorcycle, takes me through a preproduction model walk-through before we head out on our ride in the quieter countryside far away from the clamorous crowds.
Cosmetically, the Super Cruiser’s FXR influence is abundantly clear, with a aerodynamic quarter fairing, a wide, shapely fuel tank (holding 4.5 gallons), raised handlebars, and tall, one-piece seat. This version looks damn close to the concept RSD bike, though it’s worth pointing out that the ET-V2 motor takes up a lot of real estate in the frame, and forgoes traditional cruiser aesthetics of machined fins and chrome covers. We expect that the hose and wire routing will be cleaned up before production, but it’s not the most stylish engine in the segment.
Buell wisely chose to go with a black radiator cover on this bike rather than the aluminum RSD piece seen on the concept, and the preproduction bike also wears the same exhaust system used on the 1190 platform, with similar intakes; Melvin says there’s just slight differences in the tune due to the fact that the Super Cruiser will have the main port injectors but not the secondary shower head injectors seen on the Hammerhead superbike. In the grand scheme of logistics, that decision makes sense as it saves the fledgling company lots of R&D time and production costs.
Super Cruiser front uses RSD risers that have standard spacing patterns. These are the same as those found on many H.D. models, so customers can choose to use aftermarket parts compatible with it. The bike we rode also had adjustable Öhlins front and rear suspension, though Melvin hinted that those might not appear in the final version; only that the suspension “would have a few adjustments so shorter and taller riders” would be able to dial in settings.
Super Cruiser on Road
Jumping on the Super Cruiser sure doesn’t feel like saddling up a standard low-rider True to the marketing, you feel a bit more badass when you climb aboard, whether because the bike sits higher, or your hands reach out to a taller narrow-ish bar, or your feet fall onto mid-mount controls. You’ve got a commanding view with ergonomics that are upright but not necessarily relaxed in a classic cruiser-y sense, your arms just slightly bent at the elbow.
Our test mule also wears a one-piece Saddlemen seat with a sharp right-angled bolster in club-style fashion, and it’s on the tall side for my 30-inch inseam, but plenty manageable at stops, and gives me plenty of support on quick launches. Melvin says the company is also working on a seat that will be more narrowly tapered at the nose to make the rider’s reach to the ground that much easier.
The beastly motor will roar and pop under you as soon as you press the starter. It idles impatiently, then quakes off idle, begging you to rev it out, and there’s never any doubt you’re sitting on a walloping engine. As you feed in the throttle and revs come up, the engine responds with a hint of growl in the midrange; there’s power everywhere, but you really don’t feel the rush until somewhere north of 5,000 rpm, when you hit the meat of the torque curve. Somewhere past 8,000 rpm, you’re really feeling the thunder and still only in third gear—but already rapidly approaching triple-digit speeds.
This mill makes more sense when you realize that it is a by-product of the 1190RX. The 2014 EBR model produced 158.2 hp and 87.1lb.ft. (8100 rpm) on the Cycle World Since then, the dyno was updated. We’re told the Super Cruiser in current form makes a claimed 175 hp, and while torque numbers weren’t yet available, we assume it’ll likely be close to the 100 lb.-ft. number quoted on the brand’s superbike. Super Cruiser’s high-revving engine produces more than enough torque for the average road.
Back on the highway, the bike’s an easy operator, with a wet, hydraulically actuated clutch that engages progressively and a gearbox that shifts smoothly and positively. Melvin has confirmed that a quickshifter is also available. The bike’s suspension feels firm but compliant, and there’s adjustment available on either end of the baseline settings so you can soften things up if need be. The roads we were on were in fairly good shape but unfortunately they were super straight, so we can’t tell you if the bike absolutely rails corners; let’s just say we didn’t spend a lot of time on the side of the tire.
For what it’s worth, the bike feels nimble thanks to its 450-pound weight and light 17-inch wheels, and we can confirm it stops on a dime; those EBR rim brakes offer prodigious stopping power and the rear brake is a competent performer to boot. (There’s no ABS though.)
Super Cruiser Ergonomics
As for creature comforts, that’s not what this bike is about; the cockpit is compact with the narrow bars holding fairly generic switch gear and a clunky TFT display giving you basic info with a bar-type tach and simple digital numbers for speed. The mini-fairing gives a decent amount of protection to the torso, but you’ll still feel the wind blast at helmet level. If you’re looking for a hooligan, you’ve come to the right place.
A less than 100-mile half day on straight roads doesn’t come close to revealing the SC’s capabilities, but we did get a small window into what’s possible.
The Super Cruiser is a superbike with cruiser-style ergonomics. However, it comes with some compromises. For one you can’t ride it like a cruiser; the 1190 mill lives at higher revs and only really starts to come alive at about 7K and up. And because many parts are sourced from the 1190RX superbike, they don’t necessarily lend themselves to cruiser styling. A 17-inch wheel and swingarm combination, for example, are struggling to match the size of that massive rear fender. The Super Cruiser, on the other hand uses all the parts from the 1190RX except the frame, tank and fenders. This reduces the production costs as there are less new parts needed. The wheels are standard 17-inch sportbike size, so you can easily find go-fast tires.
And while it may not be traditionally “pretty,” the SC is more than 100 pounds lighter than most other bikes of this type with close to twice the horsepower, so it’s instantly intriguing. Seriously, for comparable matches of power-to-weight ratios, you’d have to tread far outside the V-twin cruiser world and look at something like the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S or Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory. Of course, those aren’t V-twins, nor are they cruisers…
Melvin said that additional testing and validation is still needed before the final EPA approval. However, things are on schedule for a 2025 production start. Last year Melvin quoted mid-$20K as a price target and he’s sticking to that same MSRP, with the caveat that some of the components such as the suspension, stabilizers, etc., may change on the production model. The company plans to produce 2,000-5,000 bikes in the first year. They will all come with a 175-hp map and a 50 state exhaust. All bikes will be available in just the black color, and Buell plans to have showrooms and service centers deployed in major metropolitan areas by year’s end.
You can also read our conclusion.
Buell’s ability to maintain the hype around the Super Cruiser, and deliver a reliable (and viable) product remains to be seen. According to the crowds at Daytona, the comments and traffic online and the number of people who have already purchased the motorcycle to test it out, many are willing to spend the money to find out. On buellmotorcycle.com, you can find more information, including some specs and preorder details.
Others will complain about the Super Cruiser’s riding position. Still others will trash the bike’s lack of electronics, but those people miss the point: The Super Cruiser is unlike anything else we’ve seen in what’s an admittedly niche-y market. We can say that despite our short time with the Super Cruiser it was an exciting ride.
