Musings on Cruisers

[buellbabe]

I like both... to me my Buell is the sexiest piece of hardware I'll ever need but I still love HDs and have no problem riding one every now and then... As far as the lack of handling etc... of cruisers, well whenever I'm on a HD I have the attitude 'ride it like ya stole it'.!!! I push it just as hard as I would ANY bike...

[Pwalo]

I reckon if you're an older rider it depends if you liked the Brit bikes or the HDs.

When I started riding my Dad (Birt bike rider) encouraged me to buy Japanese as they were a better bet for reliabilty. My brothers and I all rode two strokes, and I guess that meant we all gravitated to the sports side of riding.

No one I knew rode cruisers when I was at school and at Uni. No one that I know now rides HDs or cruisers.

I can understand the attraction (sort of) of cruisers, but I still prefer riding 'naked' sportier bikes - Bandits, Buells, SVs etc.

I have a feeling that cruisers and sports bikes are both as much about image as actual riding.

[Motu]

Well if you are an older rider it was only British bikes - there were a few Sportsters and Sprints brought in around the mid '70's,but Harleys didn't really appear until the '80's.That's why I like a more upright riding posistion and why a dirt bike feels so natural to me these days.

[Pwalo]

Well if you are an older rider it was only British bikes - there were a few Sportsters and Sprints brought in around the mid '70's,but Harleys didn't really appear until the '80's.That's why I like a more upright riding posistion and why a dirt bike feels so natural to me these days.

Spot on Motu. The scary thing is that I've found myself looking at the new XT motard lately and thinking that it looks pretty inviting. Everyone (myself included) seemed to ride trail bikes in the '70's: really good fun.

[Waylander]

you took me on your viagra ooops, viagro.
when peachy was alleged to be too drunk to ride

AS I said, I've never taken a male pillion.

[carver]

AS I said, I've never taken a male pillion.

shit, what gave me away??
wasnt the scooter was it?

[Phoenix]

Hey Crashe,
Your bike does 9000rpm @ 100km/h...
Mine does 6000rpm @ 100km/h

Who's cruising?

I think my dad's Bandit 1200 does 4,000rpm @ 100km/h

[crashe]

Hey Crashe,
Your bike does 9000rpm @ 100km/h...
Mine does 6000rpm @ 100km/h

Who's cruising?

My cruiser doesn't have a rev counter on it........

So I just cruise out there on the roads....... and have fun.....




(The Virago 250cc dont come with rev counters)

[Edbear]

Also, for me, carrying a pillion is just more fun on a cruiser. I can pay attention to the road and my passenger (always female, I've never carried a male pillion) and not have to worry about every little movment she makes moving the bike around even just a little bit.

I would love a sportsbike for weekend playing and trackdays and what not but for me, real life riding is just better on a cruiser.

Can't argue with that at all! As I said previously, I'd like one of each! Another middle-aged mate has just picked up a '96 1200 Bandit so he and his wife can go riding and now his wife is pressuring my wife to get some gear and get on the back of mine again too! I know my bike will handle the two of us, but another mate has just updated his Marauder 800 to a 1500 Beulevard, (sorry spelling), so he can take his Missus cruising! Guess I'll have to think about changing my bike to something abit more suitable for two-up...

[Phoenix]

bandits arent really comfortable being the passenger or rider on, theyre pretty good for out accelerating a lot of things though,with a geared down GSXR 1000 engine bored out to 1200cc

[mooks]

Why? If I read SlashWylde's post correctly, all opinions are welcome, but closed minds are not. Do you have an opinion, or a closed mind?

If you don't like cruisers, no problem. As is often said, you either get them or you don't.

As Slashwylde said, too many people get hung up on the image or (supposed) shortcomings of cruisers, and don't see the wider picture.

Cruiser riding is a state of mind. If you have a closed mind, you'll never get it.

It's like trying to explain the joys of motorcycling to someone who hates motorcycles. Ever been there?

Cruiser riders get it. They love riding, they love motorcycles. Even if they don't like sportsbikes, you won't find them in the sportsbikes forums, spraying scorn and ridicule. That's the difference........

Too many sprotsbikers see a "them and us" division. I don't. But if you want to draw a line in the sand, I know which side I'd rather be on.......

the them and us thing is fascinating .... I picked up a mint fazer fzx750 and have been riding that around rather than either of my hornets at the moment. When sportsbike riders would pretty much always give you the nod - now its very very rare. Suddenly I'm 'different' cause I ride the fazer ... which incidentally corners like rubbish but in town and round the city its bloody easy to ride. I guess even in close knit groups there is a hierarchy .... I just wanna know why sportsbikes are supposed to be 'better'...

[Blue Thunder]

Must be a catching thing! Last run I was on had about 20 bikes and at least half were cruisers, and not all of the riders were yet ready for ZIMMER frames!!!!!!!

[Motu]

the them and us thing is fascinating .... . When sportsbike riders would pretty much always give you the nod - now its very very rare. Suddenly I'm 'different' cause I ride the fazer ... ..

Sportsbike riders are far more ''you are not in my club'' than Harley riders - they say they wave to everyone....what they mean is they wave to everyone on a sportsbike....they don't recognise ''lesser'' bikes.

[terbang]

Hey Crashe,
Your bike does 9000rpm @ 100km/h...
Mine does 6000rpm @ 100km/h

Who's cruising?

Fark 9000 rpm would see me doing about 270KPH. I guess thats not cruising either. Each to their own I reckon.

[terbang]

Sportsbike riders are far more ''you are not in my club'' than Harley riders - they say they wave to everyone....what they mean is they wave to everyone on a sportsbike....they don't recognise ''lesser'' bikes.

Absolute rubbish. Ride one, ride with a lot that do and there is little credibility to such an assumption. There may be ergonomic issues on some sprots that can make it more difficult to wave and also they are often riding bloody fast. But I havn't seen any obvious elitist attitudes out there. I allways wave regardless of what I ride. When riding my shitty old skinny tyred 400 to work every day, I get equal waves returned from all other bikers.