5 Non-Harley Motorcycles Powered By A V-Twin Engine

Randy Lupo October 22, 2024

0 5 minutes read

5 Non-Harley Motorcycles Powered By A V-Twin Engine

Few motorcycle companies have done more to promote the popularity of the V-twin engine than Harley-Davidson. And while we commend their efforts, it’s important to remember that other motorcycles use V-twin power plants and have invested considerable time and money to make them better. Companies like Yamaha, KTM, Ducati, Victory, and Moto Morini deserve honorable mention here, but we’ve chosen to highlight just one model each from brands like Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, Moto Guzzi, and Suzuki. We acknowledge the fact that we are ignoring a multitude of popular non-Harley V-twin motorcycles.

V-twin motorcycle engines differ from parallel-twin and opposed-twin engines based primarily on the orientation of the two cylinders. While that difference is readily evident, V-twin engines themselves have variations to consider. First, most modern V-twins use transverse engine mounting orientation where the cylinders point forward and aft (rearward) while others are mounted with the crankshaft oriented longitudinally and the cylinders sticking out the sides (note: engine orientation terminology is well-established for automobiles, but up for debate in the motorcycle world). Other V-twin differences lie in the degree of the V, ranging from a 90-degree right angle to a more acute 50 degrees. In addition, engine displacements vary wildly as well.

Keep all of that in mind as we walk our way through these five non-Harley motorcycles powered by a V-twin engine, listed alphabetically.

[Featured image by Dbratland via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

Honda Fury

Honda makes a wide variety of motorcycles. While some of its most popular models are sport bikes, the Shadow lineup features classic cruiser style and 52-degree V-twin power. However, the Honda Shadow provides limited power due to its 745cc displacement. Honda’s biggest V-twin comes with the $11,499 Fury chopper.

The Honda Fury shares the Shadow’s transverse liquid-cooled V-twin engine architecture, but with substantially more displacement at 1,312cc. Behind the big V-twin is a five-speed manual transmission and shaft final drive. The stretched frame’s 71-inch wheelbase is complemented by the 26.9-inch seat height and 32-degree rake angle of the front forks to give the Honda Fury its classic chopper style.

Adventure Green is the only color available for the 2024 Honda Fury and the 2023 model came in Pearl Yellow, while other model years came in various colors. Modern features include disc brakes front and rear and standard ABS. The Fury uses a single shock rear suspension with 3.5-inches of travel and 45mm front forks with 5.1-inches to soak up the bumps along the road. Traction is provided by the 90/90-21 front tire and a 200/50-18 rear tire.

[Featured image by Cjp24 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Indian Scout Bobber

The Indian Scout Bobber is another V-twin powered motorcycle that’s not a Harley. Unlike the Honda Fury, the Bobber comes in three trim levels with an array of color options sprinkled throughout. The 2025 Indian Scout Bobber in base trim only comes in Black Metallic and has a $12,999 MSRP. The Scout Bobber Limited, MSRP $13,699, adds Black Smoke and Sunset Red Smoke to the color options. Finally, the $15,699 top trimmed Indian Scout Bobber Limited+Tech adds two additional color options: Nara Bronze Metallic and Spirit Blue Metallic.

All Indian Scout Bobber trims come with a 1,250cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that makes 105 horsepower and 82 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission delivers power to the 150/80-16 rear tire while a 130/90-16 tire handles steering duties, and ABS disc brakes slow things down when required.

The 522-pound Bobber has an unladen seat height of 26.2 inches that settles to 25.6 inches with someone on board. The 61.5-inch wheelbase and 29.4-degree fork angle give it that classic Bobber style. While the rear suspension features a short 2.0-inch travel, dual rear shocks help to soak up the bumps while the 41mm telescopic front forks provide 4.7 inches of travel.

Kawasaki Vulcan

Kawasaki has been producing its Vulcan line of motorcycles since the mid-1980s. The Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 appeared on the market in 2004 and only had a six-year production run. It’s significant because its massive 2,053cc engine was a frontrunner in the battle for V-twin supremacy that was raging among manufacturers at the time.

With three V-twin Vulcan models, there’s a little something for everyone. At the top of the lineup are two 2025 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 models, Vaquero and Voyager. The Vulcan 1700 still boasts a substantial V-twin engine, with its liquid-cooled 52-degree V displacing 1,700cc and producing 107.6 lb-ft of torque per Kawasaki’s specs.

While Kawasaki lists the Vulcan 1700 Voyager as a Touring Cruiser and the Vaquero as a Bagger Cruiser, its Vulcan 900 falls into the Classic Cruiser category, offering three trim levels for 2025. First, the Vulcan 900 Classic, MSRP $9,399, epitomizes the classic cruiser style with chrome pipes and rims and whitewall tires. For an extra $1,000, the Classic LT takes the style further, adding leather saddlebags, an adjustable-height windscreen, and a passenger backrest. The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom, MSRP $9,899, features a Candy Fire Red over Ebony paint scheme with black finishes replacing the Custom’s chrome.

Moto Guzzi V-twins are definitely not Harleys

At a glance, to the untrained eye, it’s easy to see similarities in the previous V-twins on this list with Harleys. If you’re looking for something that won’t be mistaken for a Harley, the V-twin orientation used by Moto Guzzi makes its motorcycles easy to distinguish. While other V-twin motorcycles place the cylinders inline front to back for a streamlined appearance, Moto Guzzi juts the cylinder jugs out either side of the bike.

Moto Guzzi currently lists five V-twin models for sale, three of which are adventure style bikes while the other two, V7 and V9, represent bobber-style motorcycles with trims that lean into cafe racer. The Moto Guzzi V9 comes in three styles, the base Bobber (MSRP $10,490), the Bobber Centenario ($10,690), and the Bobber Special Edition ($10,790).

The Moto Guzzi V7 offers five variations: Stone ($9,190), Special ($9,590), Stone Corsa ($9,690), Stone Ten ($9.990), and Special Edition ($9,990). All V7 and V9 motorcycles feature Moto Guzzi’s air-cooled 90-degree V-twin engines, which the company calls transverse-mounted. The V7 Stone Corsa (pictured above) barely missed our list of inexpensive cafe racer motorcycles for 2024.

Suzuki Boulevard

Suzuki also produces a line of V-twin powered cruiser-style motorcycles under the Boulevard C50 and M109 nameplates. The base model 2025 Suzuki Boulevard C50 carries an MSRP of $9,299 and features a liquid-cooled 45-degree 805cc (50-cubic-inch) V-twin. The $9,779 Boulevard C50T Special uses the same V-twin but adds more chrome touches, a studded dual seat, and a tall windscreen.

At the top of the Suzuki Boulevard lineup for 2025 is the $15,799 Boulevard M109R. However, Suzuki still lists the 2023 Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. (Blacked Out Suzuki Special), one of the coolest looking Suzuki motorcycles of all time, on its website. The Boulevard M109R features a liquid-cooled 109-cubic-inch (1,783cc) 54-degree V-twin engine, a five-speed transmission, and shaft drive. It also has a low 27.8-inch seat height and weighs a relatively lightweight 764 pounds, ready to ride.

While this list falls short of listing every non-Harley V-twin motorcycle (we even ignored the Suzuki SV650), it’s a starting point when considering the array of options that exist. Good luck in your search, safe travels, and happy riding.