All bike manufacturers have a model/lineup for which they are known worldwide. Ducati has the red-hot Panigale, Suzuki has the Hayabusa, and BMW has the GS. Similarly, Harley-Davidson is known for its Softails. For good reason too, as it is arguably the most popular cruiser lineup and the ultimate goal for most cruiser fanatics. Harley’s increased focus in this area also helps, which is evident in the new engines, more aggressive pricing and inclusion of modern features.
However, amidst all this popularity, there are other cruisers that Softail owners also check out. While Europe now has the bragging rights for it, Japan was the first country to bring the fight to Softail dominance. One of these popular names came to town decades ago, yet it still has the ability to make Harley riders look double.
There’s no shortage of impressive Japanese cruiser bikes
Several years ago, Japanese giants realized the sales potential of cruisers in the West. Then, they started trying to replicate the American cruiser formula by adding their own twists. Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have all stepped into this arena with some spicy creations. Eventually they all gave up to focus on their strengths, but that leaves us with some interesting used machines that are worth taking a look at.
Kawasaki launched the VN2000 some time ago. It followed the American recipe: lots of chrome, larger-than-life road presence, and a huge V-twin engine. Team Green mastered all three things, but the USP was the engine. This 2,053cc mill remains the largest V-twin to power a cruiser today. The large fenders, bulbous tank, and thick wheels helped it become an attraction for Softail owners of the time.
Both Suzuki and Yamaha tried the same approach. But they eventually left to create their own power cruiser line. Suzuki introduced the Boulevard M109R, which featured a powerful V-twin engine, superbike-derived bicycle parts and an aggressive design rather than a retro look. Whereas, Yamaha went all out and created a new V4 engine, giving birth to the V-Max. This Team Blue cruiser was so ahead of its time that it still remains Yamaha’s most powerful and powerful production cruiser. For reference, the current Ducati Diavel V4 RS has about 20 ponies less than the last-generation V-Max.
Finally, there’s Honda, which has a few cruisers to attack Harley. The VTX1800 is probably the most direct attack, thanks to its familiar recipe. It had a large-capacity 1,794cc V-twin engine producing 101 horsepower and 117 pound-feet. That output is still more than some new-age Milwaukee-eight 117 cruisers. The huge proportions and chrome make the mechanical vessel look sweet. However, what may still make HD owners look twice is one of Honda’s most attractive creations to date.
The 2004 Honda Roon still makes Harley owners doubly attractive today
As impressive as all these are, the used Japanese cruiser that makes Harley owners twice (even three times, actually) the Honda Rune. It was a suitably exotic machine with a 1,832cc six-cylinder heart, trailing bottom front suspension and shaft drive. Production was over 120 ponies. All this happened 20 years ago in 2004. For reference, Harley’s 2004 Fat Boy at the time only had 67 horsepower.
Contributing to the pizzazz was a great design. The oval headlights, large fenders (the rear ones covered the entire wheel), the 150-section front tire and endless chrome everywhere ensured that there was nothing like it at the time. So much so that our friends at Cycleworld report an instance in which a Fat Boy rider followed a Roon for miles just to check out the bike. So this is really the Japanese cruiser that makes Harley owners look twice.
The rune is special for several reasons. One of them is that Honda never made a cruiser like this again. And secondly, Honda has reportedly lost money on all the Runes it has manufactured. No one would want to do this again. Why did it lose money, you ask? Because the bike maker went ahead in almost all aspects.
Powered by a flagship six-cylinder engine
Since the Rune was a passion project, Honda put its biggest and baddest engine here. This was the Gold Wing’s 1,832cc, six-cylinder engine producing 118 horsepower and 121 pound-feet. That’s still respectable by today’s standards, considering the most powerful Harley-Davidson Softail in 2026 produces 114 horsepower and 128 pound-feet. Power was delivered to the wheels through a shaft-driven five-speed transmission.
Unique suspension with MotoGP-derived suspensions
Things get more exotic in the underpinnings department. The front end features a trailing bottom-link suspension, which is unique to the cruiser segment. In fact, it’s still rare even in 2026. At the rear, you have a single unit Pro-Link single damper shock – which is said to be derived from the RC211V. There is an adjustment at the rear but not at the front. To top it off there are unique 18/17-inch bright alloy wheels, where the rear is on full display thanks to the single-sided swingarm.
Huge dimensions help with presence on the road
All these parts make the Roon a great motorcycle. Wheelbase is 68.9 inches, rake is 29 degrees. You also have a massive 6.2-gallon fuel tank. Fill that up, add the weight of all the metal parts, and you’ll get a curb weight of 888 pounds. That’s 100 pounds more than the 2026 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy (694 pounds). Meanwhile, the seat height is less than 28 inches.
Old Honda Rune is not easy on the pocket
When Honda launched the Roon, it sold for a base MSRP of $25,499. More than 20 years later, the rune surprisingly still retains its value today. Look at Bring a Trailer and Iconic motorbikes, and you’ll see many examples around $25,000. However, some low-mileage examples can fetch between $30,000 to $35,000. This essentially means you’re looking at spending as much (or even more) than a modern Harley-Davidson Softail. Whether or not this makes financial sense depends from person to person, but we’re sure you’ll agree there’s still nothing like Rune.
Source: Honda Powersports
