Buell Super Cruiser Wins Rider's 2026 Motorcycle of the Year
Rider Magazine's award recognizes a cruiser that departs from existing designs rather than iterating on them.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Motorcycles
Rider Magazine named the Buell Super Cruiser its 2026 Motorcycle of the Year, succeeding the Can-Am Canyon Redrock, which won the 2025 award. The award has been presented by the magazine for 36 years.
Why it matters
The honor signals that Rider's judges valued a motorcycle built around a new steel-tube chassis and a distinct American cruiser stance over an incremental update to an existing model. It spotlights a design approach that moves forward from established platforms.
The Buell Super Cruiser pairs a 1,190cc liquid-cooled V-twin producing 175 horsepower with 17-inch wheels and Brembo brakes, and weighs less than 500 pounds. Its specifications place it among the lighter high-output cruisers recognized in the award's 36-year history.
The players
Rider Magazine
A long-running motorcycle publication that has presented its Motorcycle of the Year award for 36 years, using it to highlight notable new models.
Roland Sands Design
A custom motorcycle design company known for building bikes, which developed the new steel-tube chassis used on the Buell Super Cruiser.
The details
Roland Sands Design developed an entirely new steel-tube chassis around the Buell powerplant, giving the bike the stance and visual language of an American cruiser. The motorcycle does not include an electric powertrain, radar-guided cruise control, or a TFT display.
Timeline
2025: Rider Magazine named the Can-Am Canyon Redrock its Motorcycle of the Year.
November 4, 2026: Rider Magazine named the Buell Super Cruiser its 2026 Motorcycle of the Year.
Roadmap
The award continues Rider Magazine's 36-year practice of recognizing new models, and this year it went to a bike built on a fresh chassis rather than a revised version of an existing platform. The selection of the Buell Super Cruiser follows the 2025 win by the Can-Am Canyon Redrock and reflects a judging preference for original engineering over incremental updates.
For riders weighing a new cruiser, the Super Cruiser's sub-500-pound weight and 175-horsepower output offer a specific performance profile to compare against other models. The bike's Brembo brakes and 17-inch wheels are concrete hardware details that buyers can evaluate when shopping.
The takeaway
Riders looking at the 2026 lineup can use the award's focus on original chassis design as one signal when comparing cruisers, alongside weight, horsepower and braking hardware. Checking Rider Magazine's published review for the Super Cruiser will give the most complete picture of how it rides.
Further reading
Explore more Motorcycles coverage to see how new models are shaping the category.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Powersports Business.
