If you know how to drive a car, you probably already know what cruise control is. You get up to your desired speed, set the cruise control, and allow the vehicle to do the work. There's no need to step on the gas, and it makes cruising more enjoyable by reducing the work and helping you achieve better gas mileage.
What if you could have these benefits on your motorcycle? Fortunately, with some modern motorcycles, you can. These bikes come ready for cruising and long-distance riding on the highway thanks to cruise control being included as a standard feature. Try it for yourself with these fifteen motorcycles, or check around for yourself and find a model that you like. There are numerous bikes that have come out for the 2023 model year that have this feature built in.
Updated April 2023: A substantial number of bikes on the market have cruise control as a standard or offer it as an optional component, so it is hard to write about just a few. That is why it was decided to add a few more to a list that needed updating anyway. So, below, you will find the original ten motorcycles with cruise control and a few new ones that have been added.
15 Cruiser: Harley-Davidson Sportster S
The Harley-Davidson Sportster S is the bright shining star of the Harley lineup, yt may not be the biggest bike produced by Harley, but it is definitely the sportiest. This punchy little bike is incredibly popular because it offers the perfect combination of performance and comfort. It has a surprising amount of agility for a cruiser. You may not use the cruise control while cruising around town, however, it will come in handy when you get out on the open roads on the weekend. The Revolution Max 1250T engine powers the Sportster outfitted with traction control, drag-torque slip control, wheel lift mitigation, and cornering enhancement.
14 Cruiser: Indian FTR
The cruiser title is a bit unfair for the Indian FTR, as it has a 1,203cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that packs plenty of punch. Cruise control is only a natural addition; as Indian claims, this is the "do anything" bike. Thanks to improved rider ergonomics, you can comfortably and confidently cruise around town, commute to work, or conquer the mountain twisties. The base FTR model is pretty bare-bones, however, the FTR Sport and FTR R Carbon have ride modes, lean-sensitive stability control, cornering pre-control, and wheelie mitigation.
13 Cruiser: Ducati XDiavel
The Ducati XDiavel is the Italian version of a cruiser, the overall riding position is more upright and relaxed, a departure from the traditional forward tuck we typically see on a Ducati. However, the XDiavel doesn't tread too far from Ducati tradition regarding technology and performance. In addition to cruise control, it has a ride-by-wire system, power launch, and Bosch IMU.
12 Cruiser: Honda Rebel 1100
The Honda Rebel is one of the most popular cruisers on the road today, it is low and light, and the engine is lively with plenty of torque. Your body will relax into the saddle as you make your way around the back country roads. The Rebel has a fresh new take on cruiser motorcycles with a blacked-out style. It comes equipped with cruise control, anti-lock brakes, and wheelie control. There is even a USB-C port under the seat, making it easy to charge your devices while on the go.
11 Adventure Bike: BMW R 1250 GS Adventure
It should come as no surprise that the BMW R1250 GS Adventure comes with cruise control. This is just one of many technology features that BMW has packed into the bike, for example, the headlights fully swivel to be adaptive for maximum road illumination. What makes BMW adventure bikes so popular is their rider comfort. You can customize the seat height, adjust the handlebar height, and there is a selection of seats that you can choose from. The increased comfort instills confidence in the rider. In addition, the comfortable riding position and engine reliability allow riders to travel further.
10 Adventure Bike: Yamaha Super Tenere
The Yamaha Super Tenere is a legendary adventure touring motorcycle that has proven itself year after year, while you probably won't use cruise control during the off-road stints, it will be handy on the pavement. The Super Tenere shines when you challenge it with an epic cross-country trip. Powering the bike is a cross-plane crankshaft engine designed to withstand rugged riding conditions. Yamaha ensures riders are ready with included cruise control, electronic suspension, traction control, advanced fuel injection, and rider-friendly ergonomics.
9 Adventure Bike: Ducati Multistrada V4 S
The radar adaptive cruise control takes a little getting used to when first driving this bike because when it senses that you are within a specific distance of another vehicle, it will automatically back off the throttle. Yes, it makes it safer for you while on the roads, but it can sometimes become frustrating when trying to reach your destination.
8 Naked Bike: Yamaha MT-09 SP
You wouldn't expect the Yamaha MT-09 SP to have cruise control. However, this gritty inner-city prowler has this convenient feature and much more. The MT-09 SP is like a new era for Yamaha, Yamaha engineers put in some serious work revamping this bike, and thankfully, they listened to the people. The result is a bike that has a lighter and more powerful engine. The torquey response will make you smile as you remember how fun motorcycles can be. There are three ride modes, plenty of rider aides, and cruise control.
7 Naked Bike: CFMoto 700CL-X
This Chinese-engineered bike is relatively new to the States, but the CFMOTO 700 CL-X has been overseas for more than a few years. It is a motorcycle designed with all the tech that could be imagined at a surprisingly low entry-level price. It has a 74 horsepower liquid-cooled engine that can push out up to 50.2 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 RPM.
6 Sport Bike: Kawasaki ZX-10R
The Kawasaki ZX-10R may stem from Kawasaki's years of racing experience, but it shines on the road too, this liter bike has a laundry list of features, making it a great value. In addition to the electronic cruise control, it comes with launch control, engine brake control, cornering management, and traction control. These rider-assist features help the bike perform better while riding on the street or testing your skills on the track. Twist the throttle and feel the smooth power delivery from the 998cc engine.
5 Sport Bike: Aprilia RS 660
Sport bikes are not as popular as they once were, but there are still a number of bike enthusiasts out there that will ride nothing but a sport bike. One of the best sports bikes to hit the market in the last decade or so has to be the Aprilia RS 660 that brings all the available technology to the table, including cruise control and a powerful 100 horsepower 660cc engine that delivers an incredible experience.
4 Touring Bike: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring
The Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring is a bike that may not turn heads, but what it lacks in style, it makes up for in performance. Built for riding long distances, cruise control is a natural feature to include. It is just one of the many creature comforts that make this a luxury motorcycle. The saddlebags boast an impressive 9+ gallons of storage. Then there is the smartphone connectivity that lets you view the bike's data with a tap of a finger.
3 Touring Bike: Honda Gold Wing
Since the early 70s, the Honda Gold Wing has been one of the premier touring bikes on the market. Since the 80s, it has been one of the few bikes that always offered cruise control as a standard feature because the people at Honda knew how important comfort is to consumers when cruising across the country on a motorcycle. The new Gold Wing will continue with this tradition with an optimized cruise control function, along with other innovative technology such as four ride modes, a smart key for keyless access to saddlebags, a tire pressure monitoring system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto integration, and more.
2 Sport Touring Bike: Yamaha FJR1300
The Yamaha FJR1300 proves you can still have fun riding a touring bike, the cruise control feature is one of the simpler features on this bike. For example, it has lean angle-sensitive LED lighting, traction control, and advanced ride-by-wire fuel injection. In addition, you and your passenger can adjust the seats for maximum riding comfort. The integrated luggage system has a quick-release system, making packing and traveling easier. A nice touch is the fairing glove box. This hidden compartment also has a 12V outlet inside. This makes it perfect for charging electronics or plugging in your heated gear while you ride.
1 Sport Touring Bike: Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Arguably one of the most commonly known sport bikes from decades past is the Kawasaki Ninja, and even today, it is one of the most talked about models around the campfire. The Ninja 1000SX is a newer model that offers you, as a rider, numerous creature comforts such as cruise control, traction control, power modes, ABS, smartphone connectivity, traction control, and more. To top that off, the inline-four 1043cc engine offers 124.3 horsepower at 9500 RPM and 75.4 pound-feet of torque at 8000 RPM. That gives the bike a 0 to 60 time of 2.99 seconds and a quarter-mile sprint of 10.9 seconds.