nuke'em ttg Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 whats the best value cycle out there ta travel and don't even mention Harley that won't be an option or Victory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Are you discounting Victory because of price? Very nice bikes. My friend has a Cross Country Tour, and it gets decent gas mileage and has the most storage of any touring bike built in. Well engineered, too. I am heavily looking at this bike myself and may buy one in the next year. Starting at like $22,000 new I have owned a Kawasaki cruiser, and have looked at their touring bike. I like it a lot, but the gas tank is comparatively small, and considering the gas mileage it gets, it would have to stop with (what I would consider to be) annoying frequency to fill up. 18,000ish new The BMW K1600GTL is a different animal from the V-Twin stuff, but it's getting rave reviews from the people that drive it. 26,000ish new. This is the other bike I am looking at heavily. $26,000ish Star Motorcycles Royal Star Venture is a V4, and something that I have also looked at a bit. It has a nice combination of features, but is still carbureted. $20-21,000ish. Watch for the 2013s as people have been pining for fuel injection for a few years with this model. And there is always the goldwing. What are you looking for. V-Twin? Not? New? Used? Touring alone or with the wife? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Used Victory too expensive alone always been a Honda guy, whats below a Goldwing or is that the ticket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 (edited) Used Victory too expensive alone always been a Honda guy, whats below a Goldwing or is that the ticket Used goldwings are easy to find and you can get a great value. They don't really have a 'touring bike' below it, but you can get a VTX1300 and put a bunch of bags on it. EDIT: But if you are going alone, then you can dress up just about anything by tying down some luggage to the bike. EDIT: You might also try and hunt down a Honda Valkyrie. Great bike! Edited September 13, 2012 by Caveman_Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 My hobbies are fast cars and fast women. That's why the guys in my car club call me The Cruiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WashingtonD Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 False advertising - I thought this was going to be a thread on the strengths and weaknesses of Pampers Cruiser Diapers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Amazing how disappointed I was when I found you were talking about motorcycles instead of these. Hey, Yo, I need to get this thing registered somewhere where they're not killing me on taxes. I know you deal with bigger problems but some pro bono advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I have a VTX1300 and love it. You'll need to spring for a Mustang seat if you want to do serious touring, but as CN said adding bags and such is no biggie (I have to mine, and have plans for hard bags in the future). Oh, and my bike was $8900 brand new. That's the only reason I didn't buy a Harley - price. And the Honda will go 50K miles w/o breaking $10 worth of parts. Don't get me wrong - if money were no object I'd have a Harley Road Glide. But the metrics are good bikes. How big a guy are you? I only ask because weight will dictate engine size on a v-twin. Are you looking for long distance or a bike for day trips or less? If you're looking for a good cheap cruiser for trips around town I'd recommend a Honda Shadow 1100 or one of the V-star 900 bikes. If you're a big guy or want a little more oomph then a VTX 1300 or V-star 1300 is a great bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 . How big a guy are you? I only ask because weight will dictate engine size on a v-twin. Are you looking for long distance or a bike for day trips or less? If you're looking for a good cheap cruiser for trips around town I'd recommend a Honda Shadow 1100 or one of the V-star 900 bikes. If you're a big guy or want a little more oomph then a VTX 1300 or V-star 1300 is a great bike. Personally I care a bit more about fuel capacity and MPG...if I am doing distance riding I hate to have to get gas every 2-2.5 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Personally I care a bit more about fuel capacity and MPG...if I am doing distance riding I hate to have to get gas every 2-2.5 hours I can understand that point, but I like to get off the bike every 150 miles or so anyway. I get the feeling Nuke isn't doing much distance work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Good advice thanks.....ya i'd like ta stretch my legs every couple hours. Right now only have time for 2hour trips on the outskirts, planning a 3 hour on the super slab with my 85 Shadow 700....some old dude has a 2005 750 for 4k not sure how much difference that wood make. Bought mine for 1600 and put 900 into it cause i couldn't do the work tires, fork seals, carbs. Whats a good highway RPM ta look for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I have a VTX1300 and love it. You'll need to spring for a Mustang seat if you want to do serious touring, but as CN said adding bags and such is no biggie (I have to mine, and have plans for hard bags in the future). Oh, and my bike was $8900 brand new. That's the only reason I didn't buy a Harley - price. And the Honda will go 50K miles w/o breaking $10 worth of parts. Don't get me wrong - if money were no object I'd have a Harley Road Glide. But the metrics are good bikes. How big a guy are you? I only ask because weight will dictate engine size on a v-twin. Are you looking for long distance or a bike for day trips or less? If you're looking for a good cheap cruiser for trips around town I'd recommend a Honda Shadow 1100 or one of the V-star 900 bikes. If you're a big guy or want a little more oomph then a VTX 1300 or V-star 1300 is a great bike. 5'9" 210 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrab Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Don't know much about the crusiers, sport bikes, sport touring etc. are more my thing. I agree on the no H-D unless money is no object, or status/image is most important new bikes are getting way too expensive, find a good used one if you can range / fuel mileage - this is going to be an issue on most of the smaller cruisers, as you move up to bigger ones more suited to touring it may get better but not sure I'm not sure how much the shadows have changed. I know a guy with an 80s era model (not sure of engine size, want to say 1100), and he rides that thing like an animal with our sport bike group (he also has sport bikes). Enjoy whatever you get, don't overspend and if possible test ride it before you buy it. One last thing the GoldWing was tossed out and somebody asked about a turing model below that, on Honda's line that would be the ST1300, a very nice bike from the people I know that own them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 5'9" 210 OK, unless you really don't mind riding an underpowered bike, you need something bigger than a 750cc v-twin, IMO. Now the shadow you have is a great bike, but there has been sooooo much done to make them better in the last 20 years. The shafts are way more balanced so you don't get near the torque steer you used to get when you get on the throttle, and the brakes tend to be much better. And that '05 750 is too much money. You can get a 1300 for that all day long. Check out Cycle Trader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 OK, unless you really don't mind riding an underpowered bike, you need something bigger than a 750cc v-twin, IMO. Now the shadow you have is a great bike, but there has been sooooo much done to make them better in the last 20 years. The shafts are way more balanced so you don't get near the torque steer you used to get when you get on the throttle, and the brakes tend to be much better. And that '05 750 is too much money. You can get a 1300 for that all day long. Check out Cycle Trader. yep Craigs list is blowin that away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Craigslist is full of dumbasses who bought a bike because of a mid-life crisis, rode it less than 3K miles, and then came to their senses and list it. No way would I ever buy a bike new. Got mine that way with 3500 miles for $2500. It was in mint condition. It's only a 550cc, but that's fine with me because it gets over 45mpg and I almost never hit the road for an all day trip anyway. It's plenty comfortable for getting around town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 If I was forced to get a touring bike of any kind it would be a Kawi Concourse. I know plenty who have modified their ZX14"s for touring. Best of both worlds IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 If I was forced to get a touring bike of any kind it would be a Kawi Concourse. I know plenty who have modified their ZX14"s for touring. Best of both worlds IMO. tbimm can you come up and spend quality time with my wife so i can ride in peace TIA din't think there was anything worse then FFB on a marriage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 So, Nuke... A few more questions/things to think about... Are you looking for something with a fairing, or is a windshield fine for you. Are tunes important, cruise control, heated seats/grips, etc. Just curious so it gets easier to point you along. If you are looking for just a decent size machine with a windshield and bags, then I think you probably have some good answers already. I would put you in the 1100-1500 engine size range. You could probably get away with something like a Vulcan 900 Classic, but it might be a little bit underpowered for highway riding. I am on a BMW R1200C, and am about your size (I might make you look a slightly thinner than you are ). I find the power on it is enough. If you are only going a few hours either direction, then I think spending money on a touring bike is overkill. I think your best used options are going to end up being: Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic Honda VTX 1300 Star VStar 1100-1300 All quality bikes. At that point, as long as it has bags and a shield then it's just a matter of taste. The size/seat height will be good for you on any of those. If you can find a used one priced right with an aftermarket seat, then that is a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 All pretty good advice from captain caveman. Only thing I'd change up is my preference for the yamaha or honda over the kaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 (edited) All pretty good advice from captain caveman. Only thing I'd change up is my preference for the yamaha or honda over the kaw. I rode a kawasaki vulcan 800 classic for many years. Still have it. They are great bikes, great fun, and a good size fit for people built like Nuke (EDIT: And are roughly equivalent to the 1500 in physical dimensions). IIRC, you are quite a bit taller. Reliability is not an issue between the three. They will all be reliable. You will probably get better fit and finish on the Yamaha and the Honda, but I'll bet your grin would be bigger after riding the Kawasaki. Edited September 14, 2012 by Caveman_Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I rode a kawasaki vulcan 800 classic for many years. Still have it. They are great bikes, great fun, and a good size fit for people built like Nuke (EDIT: And are roughly equivalent to the 1500 in physical dimensions). IIRC, you are quite a bit taller. Reliability is not an issue between the three. They will all be reliable. You will probably get better fit and finish on the Yamaha and the Honda, but I'll bet your grin would be bigger after riding the Kawasaki. I tried Harleys, Suzuki's, Kaws and Hondas this last time. I wanted a Harley but the price was just ridiculous. If I was going to spend that much I'd just buy a newer truck (but I'm cheap). I've always been a Honda guy, but after I bought it, I started really looking hard at the Yamaha product, and I think it's really the most "harley-like" of the metric cruisers out there. I love what they're doing with their bikes, and most of the engines are air cooled. And man, they make way better power per cubic inch than the Harley does too. If I had to do over again, I'd have a Yamaha/Star probably. But I don't begrudge a man his favorite brand even if he's wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 So, Nuke... A few more questions/things to think about... Are you looking for something with a fairing, or is a windshield fine for you. Are tunes important, cruise control, heated seats/grips, etc. Just curious so it gets easier to point you along. If you are looking for just a decent size machine with a windshield and bags, then I think you probably have some good answers already. I would put you in the 1100-1500 engine size range. You could probably get away with something like a Vulcan 900 Classic, but it might be a little bit underpowered for highway riding. I am on a BMW R1200C, and am about your size (I might make you look a slightly thinner than you are ). I find the power on it is enough. If you are only going a few hours either direction, then I think spending money on a touring bike is overkill. I think your best used options are going to end up being: Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic Honda VTX 1300 Star VStar 1100-1300 All quality bikes. At that point, as long as it has bags and a shield then it's just a matter of taste. The size/seat height will be good for you on any of those. If you can find a used one priced right with an aftermarket seat, then that is a bonus. Ya i think touring is overkill, i like the windshield on mine and it has cruise, love the looks and ride around town but i'd like to go to Naw Orleans for Thanksgiving and i think that wood be like you givin me a piggybrack ride up steps on that engine, not sure we'd make it. I do wanna stick with Honda WV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAYER Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 tbimm can you come up and spend quality time with my wife so i can ride in peace TIA din't think there was anything worse then FFB on a marriage My feeelings are hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Ya i think touring is overkill, i like the windshield on mine and it has cruise, love the looks and ride around town but i'd like to go to Naw Orleans for Thanksgiving and i think that wood be like you givin me a piggybrack ride up steps on that engine, not sure we'd make it. I do wanna stick with Honda WV. OK? So you want me to come spend some quality time with your wife so you can come down here and hang out for Thanksgiving? I have a better idea though. You send your wife down here for Thanksgiving and I will spend that same quality time with her. Bonus for me is I don't have to deal with your cold weather. Bonus for you? You don't have to watch my dogs while your here since you will be there. Again Kawi Concourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.