Japanese motorcycles originally won the hearts of riders not just because they were affordable compared to European and American brands, but because they were also easy to maintain, and above all, reliable. That meant that they would keep performing flawlessly under various conditions. The Japanese have also been avid participants of motorsport, which helps develop not just performance, but reliability as well. Like the old saying goes, “to finish first, first you must finish”.All of this research, development, and continuous evolution of products over the decades has led to some unbreakable Japanese motorcycles, most of which are spread over the cruiser and dual-sport segments. That’s not their only good quality, either. They have reliability in addition to other good qualities like good power, fuel efficiency, or being fun to ride. There’s one last aspect that is needed to have a product that lasts a very long time: good after-sales support. The manufacturers of these products, for one reason or another, have kept customers happy with a steady supply of spares over a long period of time.To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Honda Powersports, Yamaha Motorsports, and Suzuki Cycles. We’ve ordered them by price to give the list some order. Yamaha V-Star 250 Price: $4,799 Yamaha MotorsportsThe V-Star 250 has been around for an extremely long time, and it doesn’t seem likely that it will go off sale at any time soon either. It has one of the cheapest and most characterful engines – you get an honest-to-goodness Japanese V-twin for the price of a single-cylinder engine. Even if you choose to go slightly bigger, you won’t get the feel of a V-twin, since all the other Japanese bikes have a 180 degree firing order for their parallel twins. The V-Star 250 isn’t just unique, it is reliable as well. Yamaha TW200 Price: $4,999 YamahaThe TW200 doesn’t look like a bike that you should take seriously, but this is the epitome of ‘never judge a book by its cover’. It is the kind of motorcycle you should get if you want something that will last forever, and you’d like to maintain it yourself. The TW200 has an air-cooled thumper with a carburetor supplying it fuel, and there isn’t even a fuel gauge, just a petrol cog that you turn to reserve when the fuel level falls. The instrumentation is all analog, LEDs light up the warning lamps on the dash, and there is nothing electronic on it other than the ignition. Kawasaki KLR650 Price: $6,899 KawasakiThe KLR650 is like the Honda Shadow in the sense that it has been around for a very long time, and it hasn’t changed much, other than the bits that are absolutely necessary. It received fuel injection and then ABS at different points in its life, and Kawasaki has realized that people have been taking it very seriously as an adventure bike – so has provided it with a few things necessary to make it a better touring motorcycle from the factory. But the fact that it is the default choice for those who want to ride to the back of beyond tells you a lot about its reliability. Honda XR650L Price: $6,999 HondaThe XR650L is the first motorcycle on this list after the two small-displacement Yamahas to have carburetion as a fuel delivery system. It is a large dual-sport like the Kawasaki, with similar legendary reliability. Like the KLR, it is great in the dirt and capable on the highway – although a sixth speed in the gearbox would have made things a lot easier on long tarmac runs. Still, we can’t complain about it when its competition has also stuck to five speeds despite other upgrades coming in over the years. Suzuki DR650S Price: $7,199 SuzukiThe DR650S is the third of the 650 cc trio of Japanese dual sport machines that are unbreakable, along with the Kawasaki and Honda. Like the Honda, this is carbureted as well, so like the former, it can be serviced by yourself at home if you are the wrenching kind. The XR is a little more complex than the Suzuki in that it stores its oil in the frame, but the Suzuki is conventional, with a sump and a radiator for the lubricant. The Suzuki also has compression damping adjustment for the rear shock unlike the other two machines. A lowering kit widens its appeal further. Honda Shadow Price: $7,949 HondaThe Shadow has been in production for over four decades, and it has had many different displacements in that time. However, the 750 cc one has been on sale for a while in the US, and it is so popular that Honda saw fit to upgrade the braking system just last year. It got a rear disc brake and dual-channel ABS, making it far more useful in daily life. The shaft drive is also something that allows for maintenance-free operation. The low-stress engine and gearbox add to the legendary Honda reliability. Suzuki SV650 ABS Price: $8,149 SuzukiThe SV650 looks like the poor man’s Ducati Monster, and it might have been that once upon a time. Today, it is its own brand, with a history spanning a quarter of a century. It is the only product in its segment that offers an authentic V-twin engine, and of the best kind: the 90-degree V-twin. It has liquid cooling, ABS, and even some tech like anti-stall and low-RPM assist that make it easier to ride for beginners. An LCD screen rounds out the features. Yamaha Bolt R-Spec Price: $8,999 YamahaThe Bolt R-Spec was conceived to be a low-cost Japanese competitor to the Sportster, just like the SV650 was supposed to be the practical person’s Monster. And just like the Suzuki, the Yamaha has long outlived the product it idolized. The V-twin engine utilizes air cooling, a downtube frame, and braking offers disc brakes at both ends. Suspension consists of conventional forks in the front and twin rear shocks with preload adjustment at the rear. Its indestructible nature has also made it a favorite with the customization community. Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Price: $9,399 KawasakiThink of the Vulcan 900 as a slightly larger Honda Shadow, and you won’t be far wrong. Like the Shadow, it has been around for a long time in its current guise, and it remains appealing to a section of the motorcycle-buying public who want a cruiser that is both a V-twin as well as easy on the pocket. It doesn’t have ABS like the Shadow, but it does offer a couple of different variants like the drag-bike-type Vulcan 900 Custom with its huge 21-inch front alloy wheel, and the Vulcan 900 LT modified for touring with a windshield and soft luggage. However, the Vulcan 900 Classic with its spoke rims, whitewall tires, and lots of chrome has everything good about retro cruisers with none of the reliability issues. Suzuki Boulevard M109R Price: $15,799 SuzukiA lot of these products here are given a pass for being old or lacking features because they’re reliable. The big Boulevard M109R doesn’t get a pass because it is reliable; it gets a pass because of the kind of insane performance it offers despite being reliable. The value it offers at the price seems to be an incidental thing once you experience the kind of acceleration it offers. This is the kind of engine that should be in a hall of fame somewhere, and it only gets better because it is mated with a GSX-R’s front suspension and brakes. Oh, and it remains the most powerful cruiser under $20,000 – while being among the oldest!