The 10 Biggest Motorcycles You Can Buy

In recognition of this moto magnificence, we present to you the biggest-bore bikes you can buy on the big-bore bruiser market. Read on and enjoy, then figure out a way to attach a trailer hitch to these things and maybe haul something, just to prove you can.

The Triumph Rocket 3 is the biggest engine in a production motorcycle at almost 2.5 liters.

Triumph Rocket 3 – 2,458 ccs

Let’s start with the king-daddy of displacement, the 2500-cc Triumph Rocket 3. Nothing else comes close. Take the biggest-displacement motorcycle motor you can imagine and add another several hundred ccs to whatever that is and you have the Triumph Rocket 3. Did we say it was big? Each of its three cylinders is over 819 ccs. Total displacement is 2458 ccs, bigger than almost all compact cars!

The engine is laid out in a line, north-south, liquid-cooled with dual overhead cams, fuel injection and a ride-by-wire throttle. A six-speed manual parses the throttle out, as if a transmission is even necessary when you’re riding something with 163 lb ft of torque. Yes, 163 lb ft. Behind that is a shaft drive connected to the rear wheel by a bevel gear because anything else would just leave parts all down the highway. 

It all sits in an aluminum frame with the engine as a stressed member, helping keep weight down to an impressive – for the displacement – 642 pounds. With a fuel tank holding 4.8 gallons and a listed mileage of 32.4 mpg, working out to 155 miles between fill-ups. 

But does big necessarily mean ungainly? No! Those Brits have managed to make mega manageable. Twist the throttle and all you get is torque, rolling on easily and in a perfectly progressive prance up to its peak at 4000 rpm. That has to be enough for even the most whiny moto-complainer, right? Well, if you want to complain you could say there are many sport bikes that beat the Rocket 3 when it comes to peak horsepower, which is “only” 165 at 6000 rpm. But 200+-hp sport bike engines, while mighty in their own ways, are more pure performance machines, achieving greatness up on the top end of the tach, whereas the Rocket 3 makes its torque in the useable lower half of engine speeds. 

Between these two bikes there is almost 5,000 ccs of displacement.

But surely this thing must handle like a sinking barge in the River Thames, right? I’ll admit I was expecting it to feel like a Penske Rental truck, but it was surprisingly agile for its 1/3 ton of throw weight. The new aluminum frame and other efficiencies shave 88 pounds off this new Rocket compared to  the previous Rocket 3. The 35-inch-wide handlebars were surprisingly well-connected to the fully adjustable Showa front forks without being at all harsh. Rear single swing-arm suspension is also fully adjustable. Play around with it and you’ll find the right setting for your riding style. A video on the Triumph website shows a “professional rider on a closed course” doing that knee-scraping apex-bombing thing, so aggressive riding is within this bike’s capabilities, at least for that guy. While I didn’t try pushing it that hard during the time I had mine, I felt much more comfortable pushing this large motorcycle than I did on other big bikes like the BMW R 18 flat twin, the new Honda Goldwing flat six or the Indian Scout. 

This big bike’s biggest drawback might be its sticker price, starting at $21,900 for the Rocket 3 R and $22,600 for the Rocket 3 GT. It is a great city bike and even useable for longer rides, if you can get by without a big, blast-blocking windscreen. While I put a few hundred miles on it, and enjoyed every one, there are other bikes to consider for really long touring, many of which are down below. It’s also more competent than some of the style-heavy bikes like the Indian Scout Bobber. The displacement, largely competent handling, and massive, massive torque put this into its own class. You will want to enroll next semester, for sure.

Harley-Davidson CVO bikes are custom-made from the factory.

Harley Davidson CVO Models – 1,923 ccs

Next-biggest on our list of big bikes are the Harley-Davidson CVOs with 117 cubic inches, or 1,923 ccs of displacement. The Milwaukee-Eight 117 is Harley’s biggest engine, and it appears exclusively in the CVO line of fully customized, limited-edition motorcycles coming straight from the factory. CVO stands for Custom Vehicle Operations, the Milwaukee motorcycle maker’s in-house tuning arm. CVO started operations a bit more than 20 years ago, and larger displacements were just one of the upgrades found on these bikes. 

There are four CVO models in the Harley lineup: Limited, Street Glide and ROad Glide and Tri Glide. Each has unique paint finishes, wheels and accessories. All three come with the mighty Milwaukee-Eight. That big V-Twin makes 126 lb ft of torque (hp is not listed) thanks to unique camshafts, intake and a higher 10.2:1 compression ratio. Check out more info here.

The Indian in Jack Daniels trim.

Indian Thunderstroke 116 – 1,890 ccs

The Thunderstroke 116 is Indian’s largest engine, a V-Twin displacing 116 cubic inches, or 1,890 ccs. It’s available in select Roadmaster, Chieftain and Springfield trims called Limited and Dark Horse. So you can get a Thunderstroke 116 on a Roadmaster, Chieftain and Springfield if you order the Limited or Dark Horse trim levels of those models. Chances are you won’t be disappointed if you do. The big twin offers an 11:1 compression ratio, split dual exhaust with crossover and closed loop fuel injection good for 92 hp and 126 lb ft of torque. As Butch Cassidy said to the Sundance Kid when they loaded up that rail car with dynamite, “That oughta do it.”

The torque hits its plateau at just 2900 rpm, too, so the six-speed manual is almost unnecessary. You’ll need them all to haul these bikes’ hefty curb weights, ranging from 790 pounds to 823. 

Bikes at this end of the displacement wars ain’t cheap, these Indians range from $22,499 to over 30 grand. 

The Harley 114 is the second-biggest engine you can buy from H-D.

Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight 114 – 1,868 ccs

The biggest non-CVO engine from Harley Davidson is the Milwaukee-Eight 114, available in many Cruiser and Touring variants. This V-Twin is good for 1,868 ccs of displacement, offering from 119 to 122 lb ft of torque. Curb weights of the bikes in which it rides range from the Softail Standard model at 679 pounds wet to the Touring Ultra Limited at 917 pounds, so performance and handling will obviously vary a lot based on how much weight each bike has to move around. Check out the many models with Milwaukee-Eight 114 power here.

If that's not enough, consider swapping out your stock engine for the Harley Screaming Eagle 131 crate engine. It offers 131 cubic inches of displacement - 2,147 ccs - and makes a peak torque of 131 lb ft. Get it installed at your Harley dealer and the warranty remains intact. 

The new Honda Goldwing has an 1833-cc flat six.

Honda Goldwing – 1833 ccs

The Honda Goldwing is an icon of cruiser comfort in the motorcycle world. In addition to such smoothness-producing tricks as a double-wishbone front suspension and an available automatic transmission (!), the Goldwing comes with a unique flat-six engine displacing 1,833 cubic centimeters.

The whole bike, including the liquid-cooled flat-six, was new just two years ago. The new six is one inch shorter front to back, 13.7 pounds lighter, has four valves per cylinder instead of two and is more fuel-efficient than the previous flat-six. It sits a little farther forward on the 66.7-inch wheelbase for better balance and sportier handling. There’s no 0-60 time listed, but the 1833 cc six does a remarkable job moving those 800 pounds off the line. It’s not fully in the sport tourer class, and subsequent rides on my favorite twisty two-lane mountain road showed its handling limitations, but on days-long stretches of any other roadway, the Goldwing is nearly unmatched for comfort, while the flat six is pretty much the king of smooth. 

Like other Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, Honda doesn’t list horsepower or torque, but internet speculation says it’s 125 hp and 125 lb-ft. Honda does give the range of curb weights as 787 for the base Gold Wing with the six-speed manual on up to 842 pounds for the Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT, about within the range of the class of big-bore bikes. Prices range from $23,800 to a bit more than 30 grand.

BMW R 18 is big and loaded with heritage from over 100 years of Bimmers.

BMW R 18 – 1802 ccs

This is in many ways the all-time definitive BMW motorcycle. It draws on the company’s 100+ years of history, much of that spent making motorcycles, while including the most modern technologies. The great BMW bikes of yesteryear all came with flat twin engines – that is, one cylinder on each side poking straight out sideways from center – and this one is the biggest Beemer ever at 1802 ccs of displacement. 

As Harley-Davidson’s share of the cruiser market continues to shrink, competitors like BMW and Indian are riding into the segment with new bikes heavy on style and rife with technology. The R 18's big-block makes 91 hp and 116 lb ft of torque, but does it with a Newtonian whomp reminding you with every piston-fire every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You really feel those two huge pistons slapping sideways as you ride, and the bike’s 761 pound curb weight doesn’t feel light. The best and smoothest setting is in sixth gear at 80 mph at about 4000 rpm. It works well as an urban cruiser bike, less so for long distances (for that BMW makes the excellent K 1600, see below). This is not a beginner’s bike, nor is it one for noodle-armed choir boys. You’ll need some upper-body strength, back strength and even leg strength to feel comfortable and secure on it, and it’ll take a while to get used to carving canyons, too, but it ultimately rewards you with an experience unlike any other out there. 

Pricing is lower than many entries at this end of the moto range, starting at $18,190.

The Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. offers 1,783 ccs of displacement.

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. 1,783 ccs

The basic Boulevard has been around the block several times, but this one has some new treats. The 109 in M109R stands for 109 cubic inches of displacement, working out to 1,783 ccs. The B.O.S.S. stands for “Blacked-Out Special Suzuki,” as near as we can tell. Indeed, many, many parts are blacked out on this model. But the blacked-out engine is the biggest draw, making 128 hp and 118 lb ft according to published figures. The aluminum alloy pistons are wide, maybe the widest in the industry at 4.4 inches, or 112 mm. A dry-sump lubrication system helps keep the engine profile low. All this for $15,594 including destination.

The Kawasaki Vulcan comes in two models.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1,700 ccs

You can get a Vulcan Vaquero cruiser starting at $16,999 or step up to a “touring cruiser” Vulcan 1700 Voyager for $17,699. The Vaquero has a fairing but no windshield while the Voyager has the tall windshield and a few other amenities. Both come with a liquid-cooled digitally fuel-injected 52-degree V-Twin making 108 lb ft of torque at a low 2,750 rpm. Making it comfortable over the long haul are cruise control, integrated luggage, a backrest for your passenger and a fairing that has been sturdily mounted to the bike’s frame. 

Yamaha VMAX has been around the block many times, each lap very quickly.

Yamaha VMAX 1,679 ccs

The VMAX sports a uniquely cool, transverse-mounted V4 displacing 1,679 ccs, enough that you could call it a 1700 if you were in the marketing department. Published figures say it makes 174 hp and 113 lb ft at the wheels, more than enough to move its 683 pounds around wherever you want to go. The bike hasn’t been overhauled since about 2009, making it what you might call a classic by now, but a fairly high-tech classic, with adjustable-length intake runners, 11.3:1 compression and direct ignition coils similar to those on the R1. Sticker price for this enduring heritage is $18,424.

The BMW K 1600 GTL is the cruiser of choice among those crossing countries.

BMW K 1600 GTL 1,649 cc

When you think of crossing continents, you have to think of the BMW K 1600 GTL. It is perhaps the ultimate country-crossing conveyance for your hard-earned deutschmark. It has an inline six-cylinder distributing all 1,649 ccs equally among six cylinders – six! With two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and electronic fuel injection they all combine to make 160 hp at 7,750 rpm and 129 lb ft of torque at 5,250 revs. Top speed is more than 125 mph. All that and 40 mpg (at least on the WMTC standard, which may be optimistic). Of course it has ABS, cruise control, dynamic traction control, dynamic electronic suspension adjustment, heated seats and Bluetooth audio. Pricing might knock you right off your kickstand at $27,640, but that includes destination. Add a really nice Aerostich riding suit and you will be ready to roll for about 30k. 

Moto Guzzi MGX-21

Moto Guzzi MGX-21 1,380 ccs

Moto Guzzi is a brand loaded with style and driven by torque. In the mighty MGX-21 and a few of Moto Guzzi’s other larger models, the torque comes from 1,380 ccs of uniquely transverse-mounted V-Twin, with one head poking out on either side of the frame. The pair make 96 hp at 6500 rpm and 89.2 lb ft at a low 3000 revs. The bike weighs a pesante 785 pounds wet, but the relatively large 5.4-gallon tank will get you from one piccolo citta to the next without worry, indeed, with a look of joy on your-bug-encrusted grille. Price? Just $21,990. Andiamo amici!