The front wheel of the Buell Super Cruiser left the asphalt more often than I planned. Three weeks of testing produced a lot of accidental wheelies. It is a quick, slightly unruly machine, and I liked it for all of those reasons.
Buell loaned me a 2027 hybrid Super Cruiser with the S1 suspension planned for the 2027 base model, that model’s plain tank paint, and the Saddlemen seat that stays on the premium bike. The 2026 version’s Fox suspension moves to the 2027 premium version.
Park it, and the look explains the brand’s return better than any press kit could. A steel trellis frame sits exposed, paired with a small café-style fairing, a round headlight, and a stance that looks like it is already up to something; it measures 90.75 inches long, 34.25 inches wide without the mirrors, and 52 inches tall.
Buell Super Cruiser Origins and Design
The Buell Super Cruiser started in February 2023 as a collaboration with Roland Sands Design. Buell wanted a cruiser that could run with a sportbike, and Sands, who had spent more than 20 years on similar builds, took the job. Working around Buell’s V-twin, he recalled, “it was as if the bike designed itself.”
The concept used parts Buell already built: the V-twin, a perimeter braking system, a structural swingarm, forks and 17-inch wheels. That left Sands free to work on geometry, with ground clearance, bar position, seating and peg positions all set for a cruiser look and sportbike handling. It was also his first chance to build a performance cruiser without the usual V-twin penalties in weight and engine size.
The first production Buell Super Cruiser, VIN 0001, was finished on September 26, 2025, and made its public debut that October. Each bike is assembled by hand in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the ramp-up has been slow on purpose.
Buell Super Cruiser First Ride: Power and Handling
The engine is Buell’s liquid-cooled 1190cc V-twin, and Buell lists 175 horsepower with 94 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm. I cannot vouch for a dyno sheet. I can tell you how it pulls. There is plenty of torque, and it shows up without any warning, which is why the front end kept lifting (definitely not a complaint).
Underneath, the engine has a 106 mm bore and 67.5 mm stroke, 13.4:1 compression, dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and dry-sump lubrication. The tach turns orange at 10,500 rpm and red at 11,500.
Default traction control was set to level 4. The system runs from 1 to 20 plus off, and 1 is the least intervention, so level 4 is a light touch and probably explains some of the wheelies.
The delivery of power is the standout feature of the Buell Super Cruiser. Its looks come in a close second. Its power is what turns an ordinary bit of road into an extraordinarily good time. Once the bike is up to speed, it settles in with stability and balance.
The numbers fit the way the Buell Super Cruiser behaved. Wheelbase is 62.75 inches, rake is 27 degrees and trail is 4.9 inches, on 17-inch wheels that are 3.5 inches wide in front and 6.0 inches wide in the rear. Ground clearance is 4.75 inches, and the lean angle is 50 degrees. And this bike leans.
The gearbox is functional. It is a six-speed with a hydraulic slipper clutch, and the final drive is a 520 chain on 16 and 44 teeth. It does the job with no issues.
Brembo handles braking duties, with Brembo master cylinders for both the brake and the clutch. Up front, four-piston calipers grip dual 320 mm discs, and a 220 mm disc handles the rear. The tires are Dunlop Sportmax Q5As. There is no ABS, so the right hand deserves respect.
Buell Super Cruiser Seat, Pegs and Dash
I am 6 feet tall and weigh 250 pounds, well inside the 545-pound load capacity. The seat sits 32 inches up, and on the Buell Super Cruiser I was flat-footed at stops with my knees locked. And the diamond-stitched seat stayed comfortable once I was moving. It is a tall seat, though, and I would not assume it suits shorter riders. Sit on one before you commit.
The footpegs are the odd part and perhaps my only real issue with the bike. Their placement is unconventional, and my heels rubbed against the frame rail because there is not much room back there. Not the end of the world. I just had to adjust my normal riding foot positions. A heel guard might fix the matter.
The dash is simple and adequate. A TFT screen shows the tach, speed, gear, and traction control level, and the menu holds a lap timer. It also carries a clock and trip meters, and the low-fuel light comes on with 0.8 gallons left in the 4-gallon tank. It’s not winning any awards in the screen category, but it gave me what I needed. Your eyes should be focused on the road, anyway.
Buell Super Cruiser Verdict
Fun, spirited, and a spoonful of hooliganism is the short version of the equation. The Buell Super Cruiser has the torque to make an ordinary road feel like a dare, a seat that treated me well, and a few quirks I could live with once I knew where they were. The pegs and the heel room would be my first fix.
The bike is refreshingly singular. It’s a must-ride for me. And if you get the chance to demo the Buell Super Cruiser, do it. More likely than not, you’ve never ridden anything like it.
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