| WINNER’ S CIRCLE |

The Motorcycle of the Year award is reserved for the machine that does more than simply perform well. It has to represent something meaningful about the future of motorcycling. That could mean an entirely new chassis, a breakthrough in suspension design, a significant change in engine performance and technology, or sometimes a combination of familiar ideas assembled in a way that changes what riders expect from a production motorcycle. This year, we chose the Buell Super Cruiser. At first glance, that might seem like an odd choice. After all, the Super Cruiser doesn’ t introduce some never- before- seen technology. It doesn’ t have an electric powertrain, radar- guided cruise control, or a TFT display that requires a computer science degree to operate.

What it does have is 175 horsepower – and a cruiser chassis. Rolling on 17- inch wheels with serious suspension, the Super Cruiser is outfitted with Brembo brakes and a liquidcooled 1,190cc V- Twin, and it weighs less than 500 pounds.

In other words, somebody finally asked a very good question: What happens if you take the basic proportions and attitude of an American cruiser, give it the chassis dynamics of a sportbike, and then bestow it with enough power to make the whole thing completely ridiculous? The answer is the Super Cruiser.

Familiar, Not Retro

The Super Cruiser looks familiar for a reason. Its silhouette recalls one of the most beloved performance- oriented American motorcycles ever built: Harley- Davidson’ s FXR. The compact chassis, triangular under-seat frame section, low- slung stance, and relationship between the seat, tank, and engine immediately trigger that familiarity. But this isn’ t an FXR with a modern engine dropped into it.

Photos courtesy of BUELL

The Buell Super Cruiser has rearranged the pieces of the motorcycle puzzle in a way that is both familiar and far fetched.

36 / NOVEMBER 2026 / RIDERMAGAZINE. COM