Cruiser

The riding position places the feet forward and the hands are up relatively high so that the spine is erect or leaning back slightly.  At low to moderate speeds, cruisers are more comfortable than other styles, but riding for long periods at freeway speeds can lead to fatigue from pulling back on the handlebars to resist the force of the wind against the rider’s chest.  Cruisers have limited cornering ability due to a lack of ground clearance.

Peter Fonda rides a chopper used in Easy Rider.

Choppers are a type of cruiser, so-called because they are a “chopped”, or cut-down, version of a production cruiser. Choppers are usually custom projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner’s ideals, and, as such, are a source of pride and accomplishment. Stereotypically, a chopper may have raked-out forks, small fuel tanks, and high handlebars. Choppers were popularised in the Peter Fonda film Easy Rider. Being designed primarily for visual effect, choppers will not usually be the most efficient riding machines.

Related to the chopper motorcycle is the bobber which is created by “bobbing” a factory bike by removing dead weight and bodywork from a motorcycle to reduce mass and increase performance. A common element of these motorcycles is a shortened rear fender that creates a “bobbed” look.

A Ducati Diavel power cruiser

Power cruiser is a name used to distinguish bikes in the cruiser class that have significantly higher levels of power. They often come with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or non-traditional styling.