Jap cruisers

[FROSTY:Me]

Which of all the jap cruisers do you rate as the best.
Me I've been lucky enough to ride a few -along with some outa here sports bikes.
Of all the cruisers ive ridden the virago 1100 rates my vote. Twin disks on the front a v twin -preferably with slightly loud pipes and a comfortable riding position if ya wanna get spirited with ya riding.

[Holy Roller]

the XVS Dragstar 1000 is an awesome looking bike
but may trade up to an VN, VL, VZ 800 or larger one day

[madandy]

Suzuki Intruder( shudders at name) reads pretty well but to be honest the only cruiser I've ever ridden was a sr 250

[marty]

i tested a kwaka vulcan a few months ago. 1500cc, and a beast. too easy to scrape the pegs though. i also rode a polaris v-twin, nice and smooth it was, but the finish on it was pretty shady. virago is too short for me. i reckon the closest i'd get to being happy with a cruiser is a cb1300 or bandit 1200

[Motu]

I haven't ridden any modern cruisers,just the 80s stuff like Viragos,Savages and Intruders,they're ok and it's kinda fun to scrape along at low speeds.

I was unfortunate enough to know Judy Volare - I'm a short arse but could tuck her under my armpit.She rode a Virago 1100 around Australia,well she started on a Suzi 250 but soon dumped it for the Virago.Her husband Mack had a XJ750 or maybe 850 triple,they got so used to them they brought them home.We had to sit through an evening of a ''this is me'' slide show,but I wasn't bored - bloody hell,she took this thing up the Birdsville Track,a lot of young guys have trouble there on all out dirt bikes.Just goes to show that arogance can over come the short comings of your bike.

[White trash]

Best Jap cruiser.........hmmmmmmmm.

I'd say it would have to be the Suzuki LC1500. Awesome, imposing bike that makes a fatboy look like a scooter. Lovely ride too.

The Valkyrie looks cool but I haven't ridden one yet.

[James Deuce]

I like the Yamaha Road Star Warrior - naff name, but I like its looks. I also like The Kawasaki Mean Streak (which there is a Suzuki version thereof), and the Valkyrie also. The Honda VT750DC looks like a good deal at the moment.

Mrs Hitcher has a Suzuki 800 Volusia (sp.?) which is very good looking too.

[Hitcher]

Mrs H rides a Suzuki VZ800K3 Marauder. At first glance there is a lot of choice in "metric" cruisers, but the possibilities start to constrict once some selection criteria are applied (funny that).

No spokes: There goes the Kawasaki VN800, the Honda 750 Shadow, the little Suzuki Intruder and the god-awful Suzuki Savage 650. That leaves the Marauder as the only contender in the "entry level" class.

As size increases to 1500cc or larger, you can impose selection criteria based on drive train -- do you want chain, belt or shaft? Given that shaft effects are more pronounced on a cruiser (thanks to shaft length and softer suspension), you need to think carefully as to how much brown you want in your pants when throttling off in corners that you're already leaned over in...

[toads]

this is awesome, reading your responses to this thread, I confess to complete ignorance about this subject except to say I just totally LOVE big cruiser bikes and one day....., oh well, I've got to say to have one of those big marauders or intruders would be heaven, not that I've ridden one, they just look and sound fantastic, keep the opinions coming, I'm saving them for future reading when I win lotto!!

[pete376403]

Unless it is wanted for a totally form-over-function purpose, Id say avoid the Yamaha Royal Star (car). With a totally emasculated V-max engine, the starter motor on my GS has got more grunt that these things

[jrandom]

Only cruisers I've ridden, both jappas of course, were a GZ250 and a Virago 250.

The Virago felt like it made about 10hp. It was just *wrong*. Wheezy pretentious little motorcycle. The GZ, as far as I can tell, is just a half-pint VS (Intruder) wrapped around a GN250 engine, neither of which are bad bikes at all, in spite of the opprobrium cast toward GNs by people with Respectable Motorcycles. I had it for three days on loan from Holeshot and TBH I developed a sneaking affection for it in spite of its inability to negotiate a roundabout without dragging pegs. I wouldn't discourage a learner from a GZ if they liked cruisers and wanted to get a big one with their full 6 license.

Also, Bandits and CBs are not cruisers. They're 'standards'. Like XJRs. As opposed to 'nakeds' (eg, a Z1000, SVwhatever, or Brutale) which are unfaired sprotbikes. Got all that?

[Hitcher]

The best of the 250 cruisers is the Kawasaki Eliminator. These are a great ride. They haven't got forward pegs but have a reasonably upright riding style thanks to the "Jesus bars". Six-speed box with lots of lug from the in-line twin. Quite flickable and a low seat height makes these an ideal entry 250 for lady riders. Great gas mileage too.

[marty]

they are a 'close' as i'd get to one i reckon......

the missus has just put a VN1500 on my trademe watchlist though...grrrrr

http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/a...sp?id=11100988

[SPman]

Honda VT1100 has got a good rep. Mates got a VTX1800, which replaced a Valkyrie and he reckoned his VT1100 is a better all round bike than any of them.
But of course, this is just hearsay, not haven ridden any of them.

[scumdog]

Suzuki Intruder( shudders at name) reads pretty well but to be honest the only cruiser I've ever ridden was a sr 250

A few of my riding mates have Intruders and the biggest fun shit fight is when two of them get to the next pub- they keep the rest of us in stitches laughing at them arguing who was faster and why - you have to be there