A Cruiser - How big is enough??

[dangerman]

I would like to buy a cruiser one day to compliment my Yamy TX600.

Cruisers range from 250cc to 2000cc plus, but how big is big enough??
All I want to do is travel at the speed limit with a bit of spare Oomph for passing and head winds etc. Comments appreciated

Also, what's the best measure of cruiser bike performance cc or hp ???

[HanaBelle]

I would like to buy a cruiser one day to compliment my Yamy TX600.

Cruisers range from 250cc to 2000cc plus, but how big is big enough??
All I want to do is travel at the speed limit with a bit of spare Oomph for passing and head winds etc. Comments appreciated

Also, what's the best measure of cruiser bike performance cc or hp ???

IMO, what matters is *where* the power is? - ie passing power means the need for a power band when you need it in fourth/fifth travelling 100kmph (which the Vulcan has). Check out www.motorcyclecruiser.com for reviews, road tests etc. Personally, I want a VTX1300. Anything bigger is, well, some kinda comment on your head, not your bike. Your milage may vary.

HB

[Addition: one review addresses the size issue: http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roa...e//index.html]

[jrandom]

Just do the rounds and test-ride as many as you can. You'll find one that feels right. No real point asking for others' opinions, I think; it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Peak power ratings in horsepower or kilowatts will tell you something about how an engine behaves; a dyno chart showing the power output throughout the rev range will tell you more. But if you're buying a cruiser, you're not buying it for the wanky numbers on the spec sheet. Right?

Ride 'em and see...

[White trash]

2.3L is almost enough. With a turbo.

[jrandom]

2.3L is almost enough. With a turbo.

Bollocks. I didn't want to say this for fear of hurting people's feelings, but let's face it; 8L is a requirement. And all those pansies with less than 10 cylinders between their legs can just go home and cry themselves to sleep on their frilly pink pillows.

[dhunt]

And all those pansies with less than 10 cylinders between their legs can just go home and cry themselves to sleep on their frilly pink pillows.

As in 10 of your bike strapped together????

[Two Smoker]

. And all those pansies with less than 10 speeds between their legs can just go home and cry themselves to sleep on their frilly pink pillows.

ooohhhhh ive got a ten speed..... its a beast with tiny tyres.....

But agree with everyone, test ride is the best answer....

[Omega1]

1340 plus a few mods......

[idb]

2.3L is almost enough. With a turbo.

Can we assume that you're heading for a Triumph?

[Jackrat]

Don't think the CC matters much.
You ride on Tourqe not HP,so that's what you should be looking at as a power guide.If your going to be doing big Kms look for something that ain't working at your highway speeds.For me anything between 750-1000cc would be heaps.
but more is always fun too.

[Motu]

Yep,you can feel torque,not HP - way back when the Japs first hit the cruiser market the Honda Shadow was the best of the bunch...made more horsepower,quicker 1/4 mile and highest top speed - but it didn't sell,they found the potential buyers didn't ''think'' it was powerfull enough.So...they retuned the engine to give kick in the pants grunt like a Harley,so instead of 100hp at 9500rpm it now gave 60hp at 4500rpm (just a guess but it's close to what happened) Wow! now the things got some grunt,must be bloody fast eh? So the bike started to sell - seat of the pants is so much more exciting than figures in a road test.

[muppitt]

BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER ,torque is a wonderfull thing. but if you plan on riding two up on a regularly take your pillion with you for some demonstrator tests . alot of cruisers are bloody uncomfortable on the back ,and loads of torque means kicks in arm pits.
sissy bars and a new seat can be costly.

[Motu]

Well,bigger is more torque,simple as that.

[Skyryder]

Go for a test ride. If you are looking at cruisers a test ride is 3 hours in the saddle minimum. You can have all the power/torque or whatever else you want to call it but but if your but is in agony it aint no fun. Then again you may be able to put up with the pain and then customise the seat. Look for how good are the controls, do the foot control fit. In short does the bike fit or do you have to fit the bike. You are about to spend some serious money if they want to sell they fit your needs not the other way around.

Skyryder

[marty]

there's a good write up in one of the old bikepoint about a marauder 800 - they look like pretty well put together machines. there was a comparison with it's bigger brother in a later mag too

http://www.bikepoint.co.nz/portal/al...opDefault.aspx