7 Best Motorcycle Tires For Cruisers | Aftermarket Harley Tires

The easiest way to undermine your cruiser is to put the wrong tires on it.

Your cruiser motorcycle is designed for long, powerful, and comfortable rides: and the tires play a vital role in giving you just that.

The best cruiser tires will literally hug the road, even when it’s raining, and give you sharp handling cornering grip. It goes without saying: but who doesn’t like big fat tires with a good-looking, lug-y tread pattern?

We’ve tested out a whole range of cruiser tires and narrowed them down to the top 7 best performing wheels that are great overall choices, with special emphasis on certain prime features. Look out for the category winner title on our product reviews: makes it easier to choose the best tire for your riding style (touring, wet grip, or dual sport?)

These are the best motorcycle tires for cruisers in the market, but if you’re looking for a quick recommendation? I’m confident that it doesn’t get much better than the Bridgestone Tire Exedra.

Top 7 Best Motorcycle Tires For Cruisers 2022

1. BRIDGESTONE Tire Exedra G704R

Our Top Pick

I had to choose this Bridgestone tire as my top pick because of its excellent tread compound and long-term performance. These tires are a super popular choice for cruiser motorcycles, especially for bikers on the lookout for a good touring tire.

I got a chance to test these tires out when it was raining, and the wet grip performance was super impressive. It even has a center traction grip that would perform well in sandy and wet situations. So impressive that I decided to swap out the old tires on my Honda Goldwing for these. The steering and handling are incredibly stable and give you a really smooth ride.

I loved that these tires don’t need too much effort to break in — they’re great from the moment you start using them. Bridgestone actually engineered this tire for Honda Goldwing motorcycles specifically. With regard to performance, the Bridgestone Exedra G704R offers fantastic footing control abilities. These tires are made for significant distances and can run many miles with no observable wear or tear. I’d say you can expect upwards of 10,000 miles (with a maximum of 20k) with these bad boys.

This Bridgestone tire is considerably higher-end than regular touring bike tires, but for the mileage, it’s definitely worth the investment.

Pros:

• Great wet grip
• Bias-ply construction
• Smooth ride
• Best touring tires
• Unilateral tread pattern
• Low tread noise
• Impressively high mileage

Cons:

• Not affordable for everyone

Suitable for:

This is the best motorcycle tire if you want a long and comfortable highway touring experience. It’s also the perfect pick if high mileage is your biggest requirement.

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2. Dunlop Sportmax Q3 Tire

Best High-End Premium Cruiser Motorcycle Tires

There might be slight controversy surrounding whether the Dunlop Sportmax Q3 is a cruiser tire or a Sports tire. I tested these on my Harley Davidson LiveWire electric cruiser, and I was floored. The super aggressive tread pattern gives you an incredible steer feel, accurate feedback, and complete control.

Here’s what makes the tires so great: Dunlop’s Carbon Fiber Technology (CFT). Using carbon fiber to reinforce the tires was a great decision: since it’s both strong and lightweight. These hypersport tires are made with the same tire equipment and tech that Dunlop uses in their racing tires. These All-American tires are tested out in Dunlop’s Huntsville Proving Grounds and other racetracks. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call the Dunlop Q3 race track tires, it’s definitely a beast version of sport cruiser tires.

I like that the tread grooves are minimal but long in length. This design results in great wet weather performance with good grip on the road.

As long as your cruiser is compatible with these tires, I think it’s a no-brainer. The Dunlop Sportmax Q3 could let you down if you’re looking for tires with any off-road functionalities. These tires will get absolutely ruined if you ride them on anything but pure asphalt — and it would be a waste of money to do so if you ask me. If you’re looking for tires that can take a beating off the road, check out these dual-purpose tires.

Pros:

• Intuitive Response Profile technology
• Aggressive tread pattern
• Sidewall reinforcement
• Solid grip
• Good steering
• Great cornering ability
• Excellent traction control

Cons:

• Not affordable for all
• Not good for off-road applications

Suitable for:

These are the best tires for your cruiser if you’re tired of going through budget tires multiple times a year. The Dunlop Sportsmax Q3 is a great high mileage option that delivers the kind of premium performance any cruiser biker wants.

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3. Shinko Dual Sport 705 Series Rear Tire

Best Budget Motorcycle Tire for Cruisers / Best Dual Purpose Tires

These Shinko Dual sport tires aren’t just the winner in the budget cruiser tire category, they’re also the best dual sport tires I’ve come across. This best-of-both-worlds 4-ply tire is perfect if you’re looking for wheels that take you from asphalt to gravel without any compromise on performance.

The versatile tread pattern also means that these tires are all-weather ones. There’s plenty of wet-grip and dry grip, and the rubber compound with radial construction is practically tear-proof.

The cornering grip is great, and you get excellent traction control. Of course, these high-quality tires are DOT-approved.

I did notice that the off-track riding isn’t as shock-absorbing as it could be. There’s quite a bit of vibration and low volume road noise: but I expected that for this price range. You’d definitely get a more silent and smooth off-track ride with a more premium pair of off-track tires.

Pros:

• Affordable budget cruiser tires
• All-weather tires for wet surfaces
• Dual-purpose tires
• Reliable traction
• Great cornering
• Traction control
• Unique tread pattern

Cons:

• Tread noise during off-track riding
• Mileage is under 5,000 miles

Suitable for:

It’s unlikely that you’ll find dual-sport tires of this quality at a lower price. Even if you’re not keen on off-track riding, these are the best tires to pick up if you’re looking for budget cruiser tires.

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4. MICHELIN Commander II Tire

Best Touring Tires for Cruisers

Got a V-twin cruiser? You’ll probably fall in love with the Michelin commander ii tires. These tires are the gold standard for touring tires. One of the shining features of these tires has to be the wet grip. Most tires claim to have a wet grip, but the tread pattern on these tires is especially grippy on the road when it’s raining. You’ll feel the difference.

These Michelin tires use a tech called Amplified Density Technology (ADT). The result? Tires that are highly dense (25% more than regular tread ply) with enough rigidity to give you the right amount of feedback, without being heavy. These tires are actually pretty lightweight, which you wouldn’t expect, judging from how heavy-duty they look.

Aramid tread plies on the rear tire are responsible for the high stability. These tread plies resist centrifugal growth, which definitely helps in those sharp highway corners.

I think the Michelin commander ii are also some of the best-looking tires in the market. I know V-Twin riders need a good-looking tire on their majestic motorcycles, which is one of the reasons why I recommend this one!

Pros:

• Designed for V-twin motorcycles
• High-Density tires
• Aramid tread piles for high stability
• Resists centrifugal growth
• Attractive tires
• Lightweight tires

Cons:

• Have to break them in for the first 100 miles before cornering

Suitable for:

These are incredible touring tires if you’re looking for a long-lasting durable option for your cruiser. You can expect anywhere between 15,000 to 20,000 mileage on these reliable, high-quality tires.

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5. Heidenau K60 Scout Motorcycle Tire

Best Off-Road Aggressive Tire

One look at the tread pattern and you know this wheel is designed for some tough love.

These Heidenau K60 Scout Motorcycle Tires are the best off-track aggressive tread pattern tires I’ve seen in a long time. Heidenau is one of the top reliable brands for motorcycle gear, and these German manufactured wheels do not let down. They’re the ultimate trail choice: but still, are street riding legal so you can use them for your daily commute.

These tubeless tires are in the chevron style, which means shorter lug depth and better grip for cornering: but mainly serve the purpose of giving your tires enough space for sand, or mud/gravel build-up while being completely skid-free.

I really liked how the tread noise is significantly less when you are riding these tires in off-track trails. The Shino Dual Sport Tires, by comparison, were far louder with much more vibration: so if you’re looking for tires that are premium and specially made for off-track, look no further.

Here’s where you might want to watch out for tire performance: these tires don’t perform the best when they’re on asphalt in the rain. They don’t have the best-wet grip on smooth and wet surfaces, particularly if you’re going somewhere above 80mph. I’m not too bummed out about this, since these tires aren’t designed to deliver in pure wet grip applications, but it could be a deal-breaker for you.

Pros:

• Designed for off-track cruiser motorcycle tires
• Tubeless tires in chevron style
• Low tread noise
• Street legal
• Heavy-duty tires
• Last upwards of 15,000 mileage

Cons:

• Not the best in wet applications on street

Suitable for:

Amongst tires that can stand up to the most extreme rough terrain opposition, Heidenhau is a clear winner. This is the best cruiser motorcycle tire if you’re into adventure and spend most of your time off the asphalt.

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6. MICHELIN Anakee Radial Tire

Best Wet-Grip Tires

These tires are built for incredible wet grip. The silica tread technology used in these tires gives you a better grip than you’ve ever had when riding down slippery streets. There are few things more dangerous than riding really fast on the highway and losing control while maneuvering. If you live in an area with predominantly inclement weather, tires with great wet-grip should be at the top of your list of requirements.

The Michelin Block Technology coupled with the Michelin 2CT gives enhanced street steadiness: and this is an improvement that you can tangibly feel as soon as you swap out your old tires for these.

These tread patterns aren’t just built for rainy streets: they’re also 20% dual-sport tires. That means you can safely get away with using these tires on off-track trails… 20% of the time. This ratio is perfect for someone who needs great cruiser tires and wants to be able to go on the occasional adventure or two.

The enhanced profile of the tires ensures your safety and makes for a dependable ride.

While these are dual-sport tires, they’re more suited for rough terrain than sandy or muddy applications.

Pros:

• Great wet grip
• Suitable for inclement weather
• Dual sport tires
• Absorbs the shock of rough terrain
• Michelin Block Technology for street steadiness
• Enhanced tire profile

Cons:

• Not the best for sandy/muddy applications

Suitable for:

These are the best cruiser motorcycle tires for wet grip. Riding fast on rainy streets isn’t a problem for these grippy tires — and they can take a beating in rough terrain as well.

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7. Dunlop Harley-Davidson D402 Tire

Best Cruiser Tires for Harley-Davidson bikes

These tires are specifically designed to be used by Harley Davidson motorcycles. These tires are arguably better than Harley OEM tires: and I love the cornering grip it gives you.

If we’re getting specific, it’s the lateral grip in the shoulders of these tires that really contributes to the grippiness. These touring tires aren’t the widest tires: but are super high on performance. The tire tech utilizes a 3-employ polyester packaging and 2 fiberglass belts: guaranteeing that it can handle heavy motorcycles.

These are also incredibly durable tires. You can expect upwards of 15,000 mileage with these wheels: as well as great wet-grip, as always.

Of course, these tires are not designed for off-track applications or even rough terrain. Using it for anything but asphalt on streets will reduce the tire lifespan and mileage that you can get from it.

Pros:

• Great wet grip
• Great cornering abilities
• Lots of stability
• High mileage
• Designed especially for Harley Davidson motorcycles

Cons:

• Not meant for rough terrain

Suitable for:

If you have a Harley Davidson and want a step up from the OEM tires, you should seriously consider these Dunlop tires. While they may not look as heavy-duty as other alternatives, they definitely pack a punch in durability and stability.

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Motorcycle Tires For Cruisers: What To Look For

1. Tread

The part of the tire that comes in direct contact with the road is called tread. It is the most significant aspect of tires. All in all, it is proven that a smoother tread performs better on smooth and dry surfaces, like the city streets and the expressways. But again, substantial or fat tires are the best for a 4×4 romping.

Some tread designs are engineered for wet surfaces, while rough terrain tires are created for an assortment of surfaces.

2. Bead

Bead is the part of the tire that accompanies the wheel. It is commonly a steel wire that is shrouded in substantial elastic. It must fit well into the tire to prevent it from slipping on the wheel while rotating.

3. Carcass

The carcass is the body of the tire, which is under the tread. Bike tires are commonly bias-ply or radial, which denotes the making of the tire. Outspread tires have strengthening belts (which are mostly made of steel) running from dot to dot over the track of the tire.

However, bias-ply tires have belts that are fibrous cables and run from dab to dab at an extremely limited edge of 30 to 40 degrees. This is known as the bias of a wheel, and this is the fundamental difference between radial and bias-ply tires.

4. Sidewall

This is the region of the tire that connects the track and dot. The sidewall is generally a little piece of the tire when contrasted with different parts. However, it is crucially significant. It determines the load capacity of the tire. This is the referenced piece of any tire and assumes a significant job in deciding the reference stature, profile, and angle proportion.

Ordinarily, a shorter sidewall yields a stiffer sidewall, which will in general flex less. To a rider, this implies better turning, poor knock retention, and troublesome mounting. This segment has a significant job in the suspension of a tire and is one of the most significant suspension segments.

Choosing The Proper Cruiser Tire

1. Game Tires

Game tires are explicitly intended for the most extreme footing while turning or cornering. These tires have delicate, clingy track mixes and shorter lives when compared with other tires.

Their fantastic footing works excellently while slowing down on a run-of-the-mill cruiser, which comes up short on the cornering leeway or capacity to use it in different motorcycles.

Be that as it may, they are famous among riders who love an energetic look and need to include a touch of execution and appeal to their rides.

2. Economy Tires

These tires are the specific inverse of game tires. They are modest, low-tech, and unobtrusive as far as foothold and control are concerned.

Economy tires tend to have a shorter life expectancy. In this way, it is fitting that you don’t invest in these, you’ll be back in the tire shop at some point or another, attempting to mount another pair on your ride.

3. Touring Tires

With regards to offering high mileage and longevity, touring tires are the best in business. Although these tires can be very costly, they are an unquestionable requirement to have on the off chance that you have to travel long distances.

These tires usually offer nearly 20,000 miles, which is better than many tires. These tires are recommended by riders and veterans around the world because of their capacity to provide wet and dry footholds over the OE cruiser tires.

4. Game Touring Tires

The trade-off of cornering hold and voyaging mileage might be advantageous on a cruiser with tremendous cornering leeway. Most cruisers get all the foothold that they require from a high mileage cruiser tire.

For most cruiser proprietors, game touring tires are the best parity of cost and usable execution. These tires perform similarly well in all conditions and are significantly better looking and structured.

FAQs On Motorcycle Tires For Cruisers

1. Can I Use Two Different Kinds Of Tires On My Cruiser?

We would not recommend mixing two types of tires as it affects the grip and handling. It is better to stick to a single type of tire. If you’re in a situation where you absolutely have to use a different kind of tire, try to choose tires with similar capabilities in grip, cornering and stability. Choosing tires with the same specifications in sidewall and width will be useful as well.

2. Is It Safe To Use Tubes In Tubeless Tires?

It is not risky. But adding a tube would induce more friction and, as a result, more heat. Most tubeless tires are not designed to be used in such a way. It’s always recommended to stick to the tires that are required for your motorcycle.

3. How Often Should I Change My Motorcycle Tires?

There is no straightforward answer to how often you should change your motorcycle tires. As a general rule, your front tires can last double the mileage as the rear tires, since the rear tires do most of the hard work. Touring cruiser tires can last almost 20,000 miles while regular OEM tires generally last less. There are plenty of signs that it’s time to change your tires: usually when you can see visible wear and tear on your tires, or the tread pattern is starting to fade away. If your tires have cracked or have tears in them, it’s a good idea to change them right away.

4. How Much Do Motorcycle Tires Generally Cost?

Motorcycle tires have a large range in prices depending on the brand and built quality. An affordable budget tire could be around $100 while highly durable and premium tires can go up to $600 or more.

5. Should I Change Both Front And Rear Tires Together?

Regular OEM front tires usually last around 3700 miles while the rear tire can last around 1800 miles. Depending on the kind of tires you’ve fitted to your motorcycle, this number can vary. It’s a good idea to consider that your front tire can handle twice the mileage of your rear tire. You should change your front tires with every second rear tire change, for the mileage to match up.

Conclusion

You’d think all cruiser tires are built equal, but this is far from the truth. Your cruiser motorcycle has a lot of options for tires, depending on what feature you’d like the most from it. Making a choice between touring tires, hyper sport tires or gaming tires entirely depends on your riding style.

With so many choices and products with improvised technologies flooding the market, it becomes difficult to make the ideal choice. However, after this crash course, we hope that you make an informed decision and choose the best as per your suitability.

If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, you can’t go wrong with the Bridgestone Tire Excedra.