Motorcycles are contrary forms of transportation. People who ride them, by and large, don't want to be confused with SUV owners. They're bikers. And a beefy V-twin cruiser dripping with chrome and oozing machismo is the poster child for that rebel attitude. It's no surprise that cruiser sales represent the lion's share, about 50 percent, of a booming motorcycle market. But an old-school (read: modestly performing) cruiser just isn't edgy enough for some. Enter the power cruisers: a rowdy group of muscle bikes that takes cruiser-style riding to an exhilarating new level. These bikes are one part hot rod, one part sportbike -- and several buckets of attitude -- wrapped in taut, muscular bodywork. Power cruisers blast down the dragstrip, leaving regular motorcycles sniffing tendrils of tire smoke. We gathered the latest of the breed from Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha and spent a week with them -- in the city, on the highway and in the canyons near Los Angeles. Since all-out acceleration is priority No. 1 for these machines, we also had professional test rider ­Danny Coe blast each one down a dragstrip 2800 ft. above sea level. (Our times would have been even quicker at a sea-level track.) Here is what we learned.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$16,495

1130cc, liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin

SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

4.26 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$14,849

1795cc, liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin

SOHC, 3 valves per cylinder

4.45 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$12,999

2053cc, liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin

Pushrod, 4 valves per cylinder

4.98 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$12,599

1783cc, liquid-cooled, 54-degree V-twin

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

3.89 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$14,999

2294cc, liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

3.66 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$19,747

1634cc, air-cooled, 50-degree V-twin

SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

4.53 sec.

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Price

Engine

Valvetrain

0-60 MPH

$12,549

1670cc, air-cooled, 48-degree V-twin

OHV, 4 valves per cylinder

4.56 sec.

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Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special

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Specifications

Price: $16,495

1130cc, liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin

11.3:1

SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI

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5M

Belt

49mm forks/dual shocks, preload adjustable

4.0 in./2.9 in.

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Dual 300mm discs/300mm disc

120/70-ZR19/240/40-R18

67.2

26.3 in

643 lb.

The Night Rod is the rock star of this group. It's mean and menacing and it made us feel cool just standing next to it. Its intoxicatingly techy baritone V-twin growl and seamless acceleration curve come courtesy of engine design help from Porsche. The Night Rod was the third quickest bike at the dragstrip. Even though Harley is known for low-tech, comfy cruisers, the Night Rod has a sophisticated powerplant bolted to a rather uncomfortable chassis. The riding position requires arms stretched forward, a bit like doing a lat-pull exercise at the gym. That makes the Night Rod the most difficult bike to corner at slow speeds, so this is not our favorite bike for a long-distance cruise or a trip through the canyons. But more than one buyer is willing to make the compromise. Because, wherever the Night Rod shows up, people just stare. This Harley is the second most expensive bike here. That money brings near custom- quality construction, the inimitable Harley-Davidson cachet and a bike that's as much fun to look at as it is to ride.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.86 sec.

4.26 sec.

2.78 sec.

12.47 sec. @ 108.86 mph

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Honda VTX1800F

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Specifications

Price: $14,849

1795cc, liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin

9.0:1

SOHC, 3 valves per cylinder

EFI

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5M

Shaft

Suspension F/R: 45mm inverted forks/dual shocks, preload adjustable

4.3 in./3.9 in.

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Dual 296mm discs/316mm disc

130/70-R18/180/55-R18

67.5 in.

27.6 in.

743 lb.

If we had to ride one bike year-round, this would be it. The VTX1800F is the teacher's pet in this classroom of hooligans. It's so easy to ride and so well-mannered that even a green rider could probably handle it. The Honda's size and seat height made it the favorite for our shorter testers. It's great for weaving through traffic and carving corners. Like most things Honda, the VTX feels like it was relentlessly massaged by nit-picky engineers. Every switch and lever moves as if Teflon-coated. And all this is amazing considering the bike's design debuted in '02. But don't be misled by the Honda's persona: Danny Coe ran the quarter-mile in 12.90 seconds at just over 102 mph, only a bike length behind the Harley. As much as we like the Honda mechanically, its look is a bit vanilla in this group of extroverts. Without our bike's bright red paint and splashy graphics, the VTX would blend into the cruiser landscape. Still, this is a fantastic piece of engineering and it feels as though it would run like new for decades.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.64 sec.

4.45 sec.

3.23 sec.

12.90 sec. @ 102.17mph

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Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic

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Specifications

Price: $12,999

2053cc, liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin

9.5:1

Push­rod, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI

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5M

Belt

49mm forks/single shock, rebound and preload adjustable

5.9 in./3.9 in.

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Dual 300mm discs/320mm disc

150/80-R16/200/60-R16

68.3 in.

26.8 in.

750 lb.

At first glance, the Vulcan 2000 Classic seems out of place here. It just doesn't have that power cruiser look. Heck, this thing has floorboards and a rear pillion large enough for Santa Claus. But the Vulcan has the largest V-twin in the group. And that engine sends giant dollops of low-end grunt to the back tire. In fact, though the Vulcan's quarter-mile time of 13.30 at 100.51 was the slowest in the test, its 0-to-30 time was the fourth quickest. That means more than a few very sporty bikes will be surprised when this big Kawasaki leaves them at a stoplight. The Vulcan certainly doesn't pretend to be a handling machine; it's really at home gobbling up the miles on secondary roads and freeways. This Kawasaki is comfy, stable and a great muscle bike for flying below the radar.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.78 sec.

4.98 sec.

3.46sec.

13.30 sec. @ 100.51mph

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Suzuki Boulevard M109R

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Specifications

Price: $12,599

1783cc, liquid-cooled, 54-degree V-twin

10.5:1

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI

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5M

Shaft

46mm inverted forks/single shock, preload adjustable

5.12 in./4.66 in.%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">Dual 310mm discs/275mm disc

130/70-R18/240/40-R18

67.3 in.

27.8 in.

703 lb.

The M109R is the newest member of this club. And Suzuki has done its homework: The M109R was the second quickest bike at the track, pounding out a blistering 12.08-second quarter-mile at 110.53 mph, or nearly a half-second quicker than the next quickest bike. And more important, the Suzuki had the quickest 0-to-30-mph time of all the bikes here. The accolades belong to Suzuki's engine designers. The all-new engine is an animal. It thrusts the bike forward with so much power, we needed to gather our thoughts before deciding to crack that throttle wide open. And it's not a bad idea to practice First-to-Second shifts: The Suzuki's otherwise smooth gearbox is notchy in the lower gears. Though the Suzuki feels large, this bad boy likes to corner. Blessed with big brakes and an inverted front fork, the M109R can be throttled up to hyperspeed and brought down below the legal limit in a very short distance. It's incredible to ride hard on twisty roads--just point, shoot and reel in that sportbike rider. In fact, the more we rode this bike, the more we wanted one in our own garage. The only thing holding us back is the fussy, "Jetsons" styling and inexpensive-looking plastic bodywork. We'd like actual metal--and better-quality chrome, too. Still, the M109R exemplifies the modern power cruiser.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.53 sec.

3.89 sec.

2.52 sec.

12.08 sec. @ 110.53mph

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Triumph Rocket III

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Specifications

Price: $14,999

2294cc, liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder

8.7:1

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI

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5M

Shaft

43mm inverted forks/dual shocks, preload adjustable

4.8 in./4.2 in.%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">Dual 320mm discs/316mm disc

150/80-R17/240/50-R16

66.7 in.

29.1 in.

704 lb.

If ever a bike lived up to its name, it's this beast. The Triumph's engine delivers 140 hp and 147 lb.-ft. of torque. Woof! It was the only bike to run in the 11-second quarter-mile bracket. Be warned: This is not for the novice. The Rocket III isn't forgiving and it doesn't coddle. Quickly cranking the throttle wide open in just about any gear results in an accelerative force that is downright frightening. But for the skilled, experienced rider, the Rocket is one fun and rewarding ride. It's neat to know that the Triumph can bury anything on the road. In day-to-day riding, the Rocket handles pavement irregularities nearly as well as the cushy Kawasaki. Bend the Rocket into a corner and the bike feels big and heavy. On a tight mountain road it takes some muscle to tackle quick transitions. The Triumph has the tallest seat height of the bunch, too, so shorter riders need not apply. Like the Honda and Harley, the Rocket III exudes quality, and it feels much more expensive than its price tag suggests. When raw muscle matters most, the Triumph is the undisputed heavyweight champion.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.56 sec.

3.66 sec.

2.42 sec.

11.99 sec. @ 111.00mph

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Victory Hammer S

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Specifications

Price: $19,747

1634cc, air-cooled, 50-degree V-twin

9.8:1

SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">5M

Belt

43mm inverted forks/single shock, preload adjustable

5.1 in./3.9 in.%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">Dual 300mm discs/300mm disc

130/70-R18/250/40-R18

65.7 in.

26.4 in.

657 lb.

When pushed to select the bike they would own, most of our riders pointed to the Victory. Next to the Harley, the Victory is the toughest looking of these roughnecks. The Hammer S has the most comfortable riding position for actual cruising. Its laid-back handlebars, eye-level analog gauges and well-placed, wide footpegs drew praise from everyone. Yet despite the relaxed riding position, once the road turns twisty, the Hammer S takes a set and hangs on as long and as deep as any bike here. Even with its massive 250mm rear tire, the Hammer, with its well-tuned suspension, is easy to ride fast. Downside: On longer freeway rides, that relaxed riding position is exactly perfect to catch the pounding wind. At the heart of the Hammer S is its strong, torquey motor, though it certainly isn't the most muscular in this test. Only the Kawa­saki was slower in the quarter-mile. The six-speed transmission has a double overdrive--great for cruising. But the transmission feels like it belongs in a tractor, not a sophisticated, modern motorcycle. And the Victory is the priciest bike here by a wide margin. Writing a check to Victory buys exclusivity: There aren't many Hammers parked at the usual biker haunts.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.88 sec.

4.53 sec.

3.34 sec.

13.17 sec. @ 99.34mph

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Yamaha Star Warrior

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Specifications

Price: $12,549

1670cc, air-cooled, 48-degree V-twin

8.3:1

OHV, 4 valves per cylinder

EFI%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">5M

Belt

41mm inverted forks/single shock, rebound and preload adjustable

5.3 in./4.3 in.%" valign="top" style="text-align:left; padding:1px;">Dual 298mm discs/282mm disc

120/70-ZR18/200/50-ZR17

65.6 in.

28.7 in.

613 lb.

The Warrior is lighter and more nimble than the rest of these bruisers. Its riding position is upright and reminiscent of a traditional standard bike's. No surprise the Warrior is a favorite for both canyon work and the daily commute. The Yamaha builds confidence in its rider. Between its frame rails sits an air-cooled V-twin that rumbles and shakes like a true hot rod--the bike pulsates with every revolution of the crankshaft. And that direct connection to the engine gives this bike a lot of its personality. At the strip, our test bike was handicapped by the fact that it was built mere days before our test and wasn't yet broken in. But wind the throttle wide and the Yamaha lets out a satisfying bark and leaps off the line. Though this isn't the sexiest bike here, the Yamaha has a subtlety that appealed to our most seasoned riders. Plus, it's the least expensive bike of the group. If the cruiser of your dreams has some sportbike DNA, slide a leg over a Warrior and hit your favorite section of snaky two-lane blacktop.

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Track Times

0-30 mph

0-60 mph

40-70 mph

1/4-mile

1.83 sec.

4.56 sec.

3.35 sec.

13.01 sec. @ 100.63mph

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Our hired gun, professional test rider Danny Coe, unleashes the awesome power and torque of the Triumph Rocket III on his way to a blistering 11.99-second quarter-mile run at L.A. County Raceway.

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