Cheap cruiser: A bad joke. Maybe not. Although many believe that the more expensive the bike is, the better the quality, that’s not always the case. Some of the cheapest bikes are also among the most excellent beginner motorcycles. Additionally, some of these badass cruisers featured here are just as powerful and excellent on the road as their expensive counterparts.

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When hunting for a cheap cruiser, it is good to start by looking at some of the most trusted brands; Brands well-known for quality and durability. Companies like Honda and Yamaha are famous for being reliable. Harley-Davidson is popular for having excellent aftermarket service and is an icon in the cruiser bike market. The classic Royal Enfield also plays a massive role in the cruiser market, although most of its models are neo-retro café racers.

Featured here are some of the most budget-friendly cruiser bikes in the market. And while the numbers matter a lot, the most affordable cruiser is the bike that strikes an excellent balance between price, power, comfort, specs, and of course, looks. Read on for ten of the best and most affordable cruisers in 2022.

9 Royal Enfield Classic 350 – Above $4,000

To the few who got to ride the classic G2 model, the all-new Classic 350 takes a quick tour down memory lane to bring to life the good old days of the G2. First introduced in the 1950s, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 continues to be an attestation of the timeless design that left the world mouths agape back in the peak days of British motorcycling.

Among the outstanding components of the Classic 350 include the hallmark headlamp and the classic teardrop fuel tank. They all harmonize as one to joyfully deliver one of the most entertaining bikes in the market. And with a price slightly above $4,000, the Classic 350 is one of the best cruiser bikes to buy on a budget.

8 Royal Enfield 350 Meteor – $4,549

It’s the year 2022, and probably many riders from the 1980s are already retired. Even so, they can attest that times have changed. The modern bike market is filled with different types of motorcycles, unlike in the 1980s when the most popular bike was the cruiser, one of which was the Enfield City Bike.

The Royal Enfield 350 Meteor is the purest representation and definition of the eternal essence of cruiser riding. And the new model brings back to life the spirit of the cruise, with the timeless styling cues and classic contours. Built ready for any challenge, city, or road trip, the 350 Meteor is one of the best new touring motorcycles for the open road, and it is available for only $4,549.

7 Honda Rebel 500 – $6,399

Honda Rebel 500
Via honda.com

The all-new 2022 Honda Rebel 500 takes every desirable component of a suitable cruiser bike and puts them together to bring to the road one of the most irresistible motorcycles of 2022. Talk of performance, style, agility, the Rebel 500 got it all, and more. Equipped with a lean 471cc engine and an intuitive powerband, this bike is guaranteed to offer nothing but pure enjoyment through the city streets and on the open roads.

Related: 10 Cruiser Bikes You'll Most Likely Regret Buying

Honda Rebel 500.
Via honda

The blacked-out engine and the wide front wheel give the Rebel 500 a head-turning beauty to match the modern innovation every enthusiast should demand. The high-tech features of the 2022 Rebel include the optional ABS brakes and full LED lighting. Also available is the famous Honda slipper clutch, designed to make every cruise more fun. Accompanying the base Rebel 500 is the ABS SE model with a Black Diamond-Stitch Seat, among other excellent features.

6 Kawasaki Vulcan S – $7,449

Many have tried it, but no bike gets the perfect cruiser feeling like the Vulcan S. The bike is designed and built to ship riders into new levels of riding – sporty realms in edgy styling. The perfect combination of aggressive ride, vintage styling, and a potent 649cc engine ensures that the Vulcan S kicks any riding experience into a higher gear.

Featuring Ninja-derived power and performance and adjustable riding postures, as well as sporty handling, Kawasaki developed this bike to be perfect for all events. Whether riding to the office or enjoying a road trip on a day off, the Vulcan S adds confidence-inspired performance to every cruise.

5 Harley-Davidson Street 750 – $7,599

Harley-Davidson is the ultimate definition of the American cruiser bike. The company has been providing Americans with excellent thrills through city streets and the open roads since 1903. The Street 750 is an accessible bike that serves perfectly well across riders of all experience levels – seasoned and beginners.

Powered by a blacked-out liquid-cooled V-twin, the H-D Street 750 is built to conquer the heavy traffic jams of urban roads. Its progressive throttle provides smooth response and offers enough pick power to push through any opening during hot traffic. The Street 750 comes equipped with a factory-installed ABS that gives riders the confidence of knowing that it’ll behave when needed.

4 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec – $8,599

Yamaha’s Bolt from the Star cruiser lineup is an excellent little bobber that perfectly combines old‑school soul and modern form. The bike features a stylish high tank, a classic solo seat, and a short wheelbase. Enter the Bolt R-Spec space and meet the dressier model of the Yamaha Bolt. This bike is every bit snappy and fun to ride, and with its torquey V‑Twin engine, the R-Spec keeps begging to be taken out to the road.

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The all-new R-Spec 2022 model comes stripped down with minimal chrome to give it the perfect appearance of an urban performance Bobber. And utilizing Yamaha’s advanced technology, the 2022 R-Spec is tuned to offer a riding experience way superior to other bikes of its size. Fuel injection and ignition timing mapping have been done perfectly and explicitly to give the R-Spec a class-leading performance with strong low- and mid-range torque. With a starting price of only $8,599, Yamaha developed this bike with one intention, to bring a smile to everyone who sits on it.

3 Benelli 502 C – $9,790

The Benelli 502 C is an excellent bike for $9,790. It looks good from most aspects and has just the road presence to command attention and curious stares. It comes across as a beautiful, well-rounded cruiser for the under $10,000 price bracket.

The 502 C is easy to ride, relatively affordable to live with, and fairly practical. Additionally, it is more fun to ride than many would expect. There’s a lot going for the 502 C, and all Benelli needs to do is maintain long-term reliability and good after-sale support.

2 Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber – $11,090

Innovative, aggressive, and irresistible; that is the V9 Bobber, a machine built with an imposing personality that makes itself felt in quintessential cruiser style. The bike features innate purity of style and design expressed via the steel body, the shaft drive transmission, and the spectacular tires constantly begging to be admired.

The Moto Guzzi V9 is an excellent cruiser, a masterpiece of design that features meticulous attention to detail that’s impossible to miss. The new V9 Bobber features a removable passenger saddle that transforms this incredible Bobber into an impressive single-seater cruiser. Its excellent ground clearance of 30.9 and curb weight of 462.9 lbs ensure that the rider has total control of the machine both on busy streets and narrow roads.

1 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 – $10,749

Harley-Davidson Sportster 883
Via oldgloryharley.com

The Sportster 883 is an excellent introduction to the Harley-Davidson lineup of cruiser bikes. The bike features incredible agility, and it’s easy to maneuver and not too intimidating to handle. Although its performance might seem overwhelming for beginners, that is just on paper. The Sportster is an excellent cruiser that serves across all experience levels.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 883
Via oldgloryharley.com

It features authentic H-D styling through and through, and the rubber-mounted 883cc engine runs hard and rides smooth. The seamless combination of a lowered front and rear suspension and a low, narrow solo seat offers comfort and confidence to riders of all heights and experiences.