What's up with the general population of cruiser riders?

**heyjoe** · 4th February 2008, 23:49

hey there Ixion,
Thanks for the clarification and no offense taken.
I guesss we just have to take the roads as we find them and exercise our skills the best we can.

**biggerbud** · 5th February 2008, 07:33

I'm safe cause I travel at 120 - 140 kph, he's not cause he brakes on the corner, cruisers are not made for NZ roads...BOLLOCKS
Ride your own ride and stop bloody winging like an old woman.
Sports, cruisers, tourers, scooters, gettin passed, wobblin on the corners, who gives a toss cept those with a small penis syndrome....YOU!!...LMAO

**idb** · 5th February 2008, 07:44

Originally Posted by Ixion

Hm. My bad. 'twas not meant to be perjorative.

I was addressing the proposition that , because of strict speed policing etc, the crusier type was inherently more suitable than others to NZ conditions.

Which I don't agree with . But I wasn't aiming to bag crusiers or their riders.

What I was trying to put across was that people that prefer crusiers do so , not because they have found them to be particularly suited to NZ roads (as was argued) , but because the like the crusier 'thing'. Appearance, 'message', 'statement' (help me with this). They rider crusiers because they like the 'image', the 'message' that a crusier sends, not because the crusier riding dynamics have an inherent advantage on our roads .

I guess the attenuated Ozzie would say that crusier riders ride crusiers becuase crusiers are 'cool'. But if considered purely in terms of riding dynamics , given our roads, they are less 'suitable' than a lightweight semi-sports bike (I don't think the full blown sprotsbike is very suitable for our roads either)

Hmmm...I didn't choose my bikes for practicality.
They're toys so there are all sorts of reasons why I have the bikes I do, practical transport certainly ain't one of them.

**toycollector10** · 7th February 2008, 13:37

I think the way the cruiser guys ride in a group could be part of the problem. They seem to have protocol for leaving as a group and maybe they have a thing also about arriving en-mass. This could mean that if someone at the front wants to show off and ride hard, maybe some of the guys behind can't keep up.If they are keeping up, they're probably not riding their own ride and are at their limits. Next thing to happen is an accident.

**Headbanger** · 7th February 2008, 19:57

Originally Posted by toycollector10

I think the way the cruiser guys ride in a group could be part of the problem. They seem to have protocol for leaving as a group and maybe they have a thing also about arriving en-mass. This could mean that if someone at the front wants to show off and ride hard, maybe some of the guys behind can't keep up.If they are keeping up, they're probably not riding their own ride and are at their limits. Next thing to happen is an accident.

I'm struggling to fathom why you would link only cruiser riders with people riding above their limits in a group scenario, I see groups of bikes on the road everywhere I go. Leaving in groups, riding in groups, and ....not surprisingly...arriving in groups.

**johnnyflash** · 7th February 2008, 20:22

Originally Posted by toycollector10

I think the way the cruiser guys ride in a group could be part of the problem. They seem to have protocol for leaving as a group and maybe they have a thing also about arriving en-mass. This could mean that if someone at the front wants to show off and ride hard, maybe some of the guys behind can't keep up.If they are keeping up, they're probably not riding their own ride and are at their limits. Next thing to happen is an accident.

what a lot of BOLLOX.

**Mythical007** · 7th February 2008, 20:24

I ride a cruiser albeit a small one and do you know why i ride it because it fits me, that bike is the perfect size for me and I feel very comfy on it, why am I cautious on corners? I'll tell you why because I had my big accident on a corner and it sticks ya know that little thought in the back of your mind but I work through that. I never chose a cruiser because it was a cruiser and I'm into that image... NO WAY I chose my precious baby because we were made for each other yeah!

**T.W.R** · 7th February 2008, 20:29

Originally Posted by biggerbud

Ride your own ride and stop bloody winging like an old woman.
Sports, cruisers, tourers, scooters, gettin passed, wobblin on the corners, who gives a toss cept those with a small penis syndrome....

Small Penis syndrome is an affliction of those who go like a shower of shit in a straight line then can't handle getting around corners to save themselves, putting others near by unduly at risk or in a situation where they have to clean up the mess of SP sufferer as he/she is a crumpled pile of crap parked in the undergrowth or smeared over the front of an on coming vehicle.
Yeah ride your own ride but when it fucks up other road users it shows who the

are

**scumdog** · 7th February 2008, 21:27

Originally Posted by idb

Hmmm...I didn't choose my bikes for practicality.
They're toys so there are all sorts of reasons why I have the bikes I do, practical transport certainly ain't one of them.

I lean a bit that way too (especially when drunk

)

But the bikes CB and I ride are comfortable cruisers that we can cover a fair distance CRUISING -not racing - and arrive feeling fine and not tied up in a knot or in a lather of sweat.

Often I go quite a distance through windy road without using the brakes, I judge the corner and use the gears and have my speed sorted before I get to the corner.

If ya want a slow, safe and comfortable ride with time to look at the scenery then follow us on a trip......

**Mythical007** · 7th February 2008, 21:38

Originally Posted by scumdog

Often I go quite a distance through windy road without using the brakes, I judge the corner and use the gears and have my speed sorted before I get to the corner.

Great way to ride... personally i would rather have a super comfortable maybe little slower ride than to be super quick and feel like crap because I was trying to hard or something along those lines I dunno... You should enjoy riding and thats what I do.

Love my cruiser don't care what anyone thinks of her

**Rotor** · 7th February 2008, 21:48

Don't ride with crusers if they up set you that much.
I've riden with a few fast (but safe) harley riders and a few f%#ked straight line poser sports bike riders.
Its not the bike its the rider (most of the time)
Just do what Copper Reid says and "Harden the Fuck up"

**kiwibryn** · 7th February 2008, 21:51

Cruiser rider here... I had a very interesting experience the other day when a mate turned up on a Virago that he'd just bought. Now, he is used to his 900 Hornet and reckoned there was something wrong with the Virago... so I took it for a run, and there was nothing that I could find except that the bars were a wee bit skew-iff.
Anyway, we took off for a punt round the block, Pahaitua to Palmy via the track, then over to Woodville via Ashurst and the Saddle.
So here's me on the CX, riding a little harder than I normally do cos I am used to him pwning me over the hills... and bugger me if I don't pwn HIM!! He reckoned he was pegging on every corner and had to get used to it.
Fair enough, I said and remembered my own experience on the Hornet where he was out-cornering me on MY bike...
Two totally different riding skills. So, I watch my mirriors LOTS, and give way to people behind me (unlees they're acting like half-wits... then I act like I ain't seen 'em)...

**biggerbud** · 7th February 2008, 22:04

Originally Posted by T.W.R

Small Penis syndrome is an affliction of those who go like a shower of shit in a straight line then can't handle getting around corners to save themselves, putting others near by unduly at risk or in a situation where they have to clean up the mess of SP sufferer as he/she is a crumpled pile of crap parked in the undergrowth or smeared over the front of an on coming vehicle.
Yeah ride your own ride but when it fucks up other road users it shows who the

are

Bollocks once again but hey, cheers for quoting me, awsome....LOL

**Ixion** · 7th February 2008, 22:22

Originally Posted by kiwibryn

Cruiser rider here... I had a very interesting experience the other day when a mate turned up on a Virago that he'd just bought. Now, he is used to his 900 Hornet and reckoned there was something wrong with the Virago... so I took it for a run, and there was nothing that I could find except that the bars were a wee bit skew-iff.
...

My very limited crusier riding experience is on a Virago 750. Admittedly, a 27 year old one (I think) so that has to be taken into account.

The handling I thought was OK. It didn't "inspire confidence", none of the sports "Whee that was fun, bit faster next time" feeling. But not frightening, or scary. Just different. Took the corners slowly, and they felt "right"

The bike felt like it handled much better than Petal, also a 750 and probably the nearest thing to a crusier before they were invented, a Grand Tourer , with her flexyframe and boingboing suspension (admittedly, 7 years older), But also a lot slower through the corners. The Virago felt slow to turn in, and instinctively one approached the corner slowly. But once committed it was stable enough. A nice slow sedate wouldn't scare Granny sort of ride. Yes, bits scraped, but that doesn't much bother me, I come from the era when every bike did that it was normal.

Petal in comparison is SCAREY. Faster , but every corner is an 'event' - "OMG what's it doing now!? EEK where did that bump come from. Oh Gawd how should I deal with this. Phew , made it. Well, that was an interesting experience. Maybe I was a bit timid, after all I'm still alive, I'll try harder next time" Sort of fun, if you like challenges. And being terrified. But interesting.

I can see learners in countries where they don't have to start on small bikes , really liking crusiers. I think it would be quite difficult for even an inexperienced rider to get into difficulties cornering on a crusier, even a biggish one. If , of course, the Virago is any guide. Which it may not be.

(The thing that really impressed me about the Virago was how small and light it felt for a 750 - once again, good for a beginner, and a real difference to Petal - which is HUGE and HEAVY)