For those who've switched...

TekNinja81

TekNinja81

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Hey all,

I've been thinking lately about what I want my next bike to be, and I've been bouncing back and forth between a few ideas. Coming from sport-touring style bikes (Ninja 250R & 650R, now V-Strom DL650), I've thought about a Triumph Tiger or a Kawasaki Concours if I were to continue the sport-touring line, especially as I prefer to be able to carry a fair amount of luggage at times. But the idea of a cruiser of some sort has always been there for me. This is especially true as I find myself more and more enjoying longer touring-style rides, casual rides around the city etc; and as my bike is my only vehicle, having a comfortable ride to work every day is also important.


Maybe not so much of a "which one should I get" question here, but more of a "what differences did you notice" for those who switched from sport/sport-touring to a cruiser?

I'm wondering more specifically about the following (but please feel free to add your own considerations):

  • handling differences in rain/cold weather (braking/acceleration, traction etc) and just in general conditions as well
  • effects of stronger winds -- buffeting more or less of a problem?
  • gas/mileage considerations: tank size, MPG, gas type (am I wrong to assume most take 87?)
  • ease of maintenance -- easy to access oil/filter? any maintenance needed for shaft/belt drive?
  • if you ride with sport/sport-touring owners, how do you find the experience now on a cruiser?
  • any "necessary" add-ons/modifications one would generally want? (aside from loud pipes, air horn, heated grips)
  • engine displacement needs: what size is ideal balance between price and performance? i.e. I definitely do long stretches on highway and would like to be able to comfortably cruise at 120-140 at times.
  • do you have any regrets since switching, or ever miss the sport style bikes?


Hoping your input will help me make a decision, or at least give me more to consider if I do decide to make a big switch. May not be this year even, as I don't intend to rush nor do I really have the funds anyway, but perhaps in the not too distant future!
 
I've ridden both Tiger 1050 and Connie 14.

Both have lots of jam. Tiger has high heels and a cool look, and european flair, and a cool sounding triple. Connie has comfort and legs in spades.

Both have ABS available etc......but the Connie is a 700 lb whale by my standards. The Tiger would easily win that vote for me.

I rode sportbikes for 20 yrs straight...now switched to more upright seating and luggage, but still look for sportbike quality suspension, wheels, tires and brakes. I won't go back to a sportbike on the street.
 
Geez a Vstrom 650 kitted out for touring fits that bill pretty well in my view unless you are doing two up.

some good ideas here and there a aftermarket seats for the V-Strom.

http://www.jackphelps.com/vstrom/dl650.htm

I'd take that over any cruiser for all around useful machine that can go anywhere and handle well.
You already have a world spanning ride...tweak it up.

•••
I used to ride full cafe style drop bars etc, Love the upright seating on all three bikes now.
I put a Sargent on the KLR and made a huge difference in long ride comfort.
My current rides.

KLR650 can be toured with and is better for dirt track but not for North America given you already have a decent dualie.

The Burgman 650 is cruiser style with sport tourer handling, brakes etc and is my choice to distance. I've put 1,000 km days on it, nimble around town and a pleasure in the twists. You'll be surprised if you take the time to read here and talk with owners who have switched.
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/index.php?sid=cf62635e268bf4464fc988403a0a64e0
Very quick up to 110 or so - will cruise at 130= but eats gas with all the upfront tupperware.
Sweet spot for touring is 100-110 - good gas mileage when it gets into overdrive.
Terrific as a "only vehicle" machine with the storage and weather protection and weight down low.
Small tank, harsh suspension but bike is very stable at all speeds and road conditions.

The ST1100s are one of the more desirable and durable used sport touring machines around and very reasonable price. If you want the bigger displacement give it a serious look.
Chat with some owners.
http://www.st-owners.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?73-ST1100-Tech
It has about the same luggage capacity as the Burgman - 110 litres.
With the touring screen on it has the same upfront protection - legs and upper body.
Way more top end. You do not have to stir the gears much and it's rock solid in wind or turbulence at speed. One reason the cops all over the world used them. The cops I talked with preferred the ST1100 over the newer 1300.
Weight is down low on it - super smooth durable V4. 1/4 million mile motor or more.
Weight is about 45 lb more than the Burgman 650 - mid 600 lbs.
Effortless at 130 =Huge tank for range - and decent suspension

Way clunkier around town. Top heavy
Does not handle the twisties as well as the Burgman. ( or your Vstrom ) but superb in sweepers.

My take tho would be to tweak yours or move up to ABS on the V-Strom. Really good all around bike with upright seating and lots of after market stuff available.
 
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I went from a Katana 750, to a Bouleverd C50 this spring and I'm very happy with the decision. (The DR 650 is for fun). I always had a 'prejudice' against metric cruisers, but decided to see what they were all about. No regrets.

It's so comfortable once I got the handlebar position sorted. With a windshield, a good set of tires and Isogrips, I can ride all day and it handles the curves as well, although it will scrape the floorboards from time to time when agressive.

My switch had to do with the fact that I'm....ahem...older, and my shoulders and wrists would suffer on the Katana.


A lot of your questions are specific to the model of bike you want.
 
I went from a Ducati 900 to a BMW 650 Sertao. Big difference? Well, not really; it's not like you can hammer through the gear in rush hour traffic on the 401 during the week then drag knees over the same couple twisty roads Ontario has to offer without eventually losing your license.

I miss the sexiness of the Ducati but, for usefullness, very little can approach a sport tourer or dual sport; comfortable, lots of mods/upgrades, and tons of luggage options.
 
I made the opposite switch. After 14yrs of riding cruisers (Yamaha Virago, Kawi Vulcan) I switched to a Bandit 600. Cruisers have their good points, but if you want a bike to be your only transportation and you want to do longish rides and carry luggage, cruisers can be very limiting. The handling on any cruiser is completely numb feeling compared to even the most antiquated sport touring bike and the breaks are adequate at best. Luggage options tend to be on the small side (as looks always trump function in the cruiser world) and unless you go with hard luggage, its all leather with no locks and they let water in if it rains. I find for me, on a long ride I used to get way more sore and uncomfortable on my cruiser. You sit on your tail bone on cruisers with your arms (and usually legs) stretched out in front of you. It took a toll on my shoulders and upper back riding like that. 87 octane is fine for most cruisers. If you ride alone, I find 1100cc is perfect. Lots of power when you roll on the throttle but the bikes aren't huge heavy pigs. If you ride 2 up, 1300cc-1500cc is best. The only thing I miss about my cruiser is the shaft drive. I LOVED my shaft drive. Basically you open it up about every 30,000km and re-pack it with grease. No lubing every 1000km or after a heavy ride in the rain. No chain to adjust, no sprockets to wear out, it was awesome for ease of use.
 
I've had a CBRf4i, SV650 and VFR800. Now I'm on a Versys, which imo for now it does pretty much everything I want on a bike.(don't have car either) Amazing in the city and commuting(I commute daily), great for long trips as well and two up with a top box(for gf back support), twisties, etc.
When I got it I was looking at the V-strom as well, but just can't stand the look of that bike, so I ended up getting the Versys.
 
I have been on almost every bike at some point in time or another. I work very hard to see the plus side in every bike, however sometimes it's impossible. Coming off the bikes you have ridden in the past the inclination is to stick with the sport-tourers etc. The ride comfy, tons of power and very convenient for longer rides. They do tend to lock you into one riding position, and though it is comfy it can get tiring after a while. Cruisers typically leave a little more wiggle-room if you have to stretch a little while on the road.

The plus side to the cruisers is the lower height. Super easy when in traffic you don't have to stand on your toes etc. They don't handle the same way, more effort in the corners and longer braking distances etc. but that is not why you would buy one.

The adventure touring bikes seem to be a good mix of performance and capability. The tiger 800 is one of the nicest bikes I have ridden in a long time. The downside to these bikes is they tend to be a little too tall. If you are not planning on going off-road... don't buy an off-road equipped bike. Buy the street version with slightly lower suspension and nicer tires for the pavement.

As far as accessories go: good set of bags (removable so you don't have to take them if you don't want), fairing for the wind maybe,... most have a pretty large catalog of stuff available.

If most of your riding is in the city you can sacrifice a little displacement for easier handling in tight areas. There are some excellent cruisers in the 950 cc range. If you want more: 1300 or bigger. When you get up to the big leagues (1700+ cc) the bikes are more of a handful but they are awesome on the highway. Effortless when they are moving, just don't plan on enjoying the downtown traffic.
 
I currently own a Tiger 800 and boy do I like it. I also have a DR650 for my off-road adventures and the Tiger is now my sport touring bike. Still need to add luggage but boy is it smooth. A ton of aftermarket accessories together with OEM stuff and I'm sure you would prefer it over your DL650.
 
Morrissey said:
I made the opposite switch. After 14yrs of riding cruisers (Yamaha Virago, Kawi Vulcan) I switched to a Bandit 600. Cruisers have their good points, but if you want a bike to be your only transportation and you want to do longish rides and carry luggage, cruisers can be very limiting. The handling on any cruiser is completely numb feeling compared to even the most antiquated sport touring bike and the breaks are adequate at best. Luggage options tend to be on the small side (as looks always trump function in the cruiser world) and unless you go with hard luggage, its all leather with no locks and they let water in if it rains. I find for me, on a long ride I used to get way more sore and uncomfortable on my cruiser. You sit on your tail bone on cruisers with your arms (and usually legs) stretched out in front of you. It took a toll on my shoulders and upper back riding like that. 87 octane is fine for most cruisers. If you ride alone, I find 1100cc is perfect. Lots of power when you roll on the throttle but the bikes aren't huge heavy pigs. If you ride 2 up, 1300cc-1500cc is best. The only thing I miss about my cruiser is the shaft drive. I LOVED my shaft drive. Basically you open it up about every 30,000km and re-pack it with grease. No lubing every 1000km or after a heavy ride in the rain. No chain to adjust, no sprockets to wear out, it was awesome for ease of use.
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Ditto. Rode cruisers (Honda Shadow, Suzuki Volusia) for 5 years and found sitting on my butt to be really painful, even with the mustang seat/windshield/isogrips/backrest I had on the Volusia. I switched to sport tourers and am on a VFR800 now and don't see myself going back. I prefer the slightly more aggressive seating position on the VFR and actually find it easier on my back and butt.

OP: It depends on what fits you, try and hit some of those demo days and test ride a bunch of bikes until you find something that fits.
 
I swapped bikes with a buddy for a few hours. He rode my FJR1300 and I rode his Japanese cruiser bike (it was around the 1500cc size I think.) After an hour, I couldn't wait to get back on to my own bike. It felt quite uncomfortable having all my weight on my tailbone and my legs stuck out in front. It also handled poorly - required a lot of countersteering effort to get it to lean into a corner. Also, with cruiser bikes it is generally impossible to get "up on the foot pegs" to ride on rough roads... your spine takes a pounding.

IMHO, cruiser bikes may look good, but they aren't my cup of tea. All that being said... I was chatting with a Harley rider that rode in from Alberta the other day. He loves his bike (it was like a chopper - not a touring bike) and experienced none of the stuff I described on his trip. To each their own, I guess!
 
OP
Best all around bike I've owned in 40+ years is the Suzuki Burgman 650 Exec and it covers off an awful lot of your requirements in particular a super easy commuter and one up tourer.
105 litres of storage without having side bags. - just a 50 litres top case and the underseat space.
Ask here
http://burgmanusa.com
You'll be surprised by the breadth of riders and the bikes they end preferring the 650 Exec over.
Power screen, heated grips, ABS and surprisingly agile in the twisties. This is the review that got me into the category
http://www.onewheeldrive.net/2006/10/04/scoot-touring-the-honda-silverwing-and-suzuki-burgman/

and you won't be embarrassed riding with litre bikes thanks to the ECVT
This rampant "scooterism" has a sure-fire cure when riding the 650 Burgman hit the power button and nail it the millisecond the lights go green.The get-up-and-go of the Burgman over the first 50 metres embarrassed a couple of litre-plus bike riders and positively humiliated a Harley Sportster rider who rode through a red light rather than face the Burgman a second time.
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http://www.gizmag.com/futuristic-650-scooter/1909/

This is especially true as I find myself more and more enjoying longer touring-style rides, casual rides around the city etc; and as my bike is my only vehicle, having a comfortable ride to work every day is also important.
Click to expand...

Loads of protection up from the weather ( I ride mine 9 months and had a great few days in January this year - I'm in Australia the other 3 months) and sooooo easy in traffic. For the first time my kid was envious when we were crossing the border on the long weekend - his hand was getting sore clutching.
I feel the same way riding the ST1100 in Aus.....buddy has a Burgman 650 there and he has it so much easier at times.

There is almost nothing out there that will give you the ease of commute just about year around and still the touring capacity ( did the James Bay Road in 2011 - 900+ km days ) for one up.
Some do two up but that might be a stretch ( that applies to all the middle weights) tho but for the solo tourer, commuter with the occasional play in the twisties.....great ride.
Outstanding lights as well ( I ride at night a lot - love the quiet roads )

This is very handy commuting or touring - all the upfront storage.

1909_09.jpg


Seating is a more upright than a cruiser or a sport tourer - closer to a dual sport ( I have a KLR650 as well )

1909_01.jpg


60,000 km on two different ones and not one single failure beyond a dead battery ( was due ).
It's a coming category in North America tho in Europe you'll see them by the hundreds in any city. So much useable space....girl at the grocery store is always shocked at what I get into the bike.

BMW has a similar offering but too new on the market tho a nice ride. Once you lose shifting/clutching you'll wonder why the attraction to it....
Roll and go. :D

It was the performance in the twisties that surprised me and the reviewers in the Canadian article.
As the race rider on the VFR800 commented after a stretch of the twisties pushing the two test machines hard against his own ( the other was the Honda Silverwing ) .
"if this were a race there would be no losing the Burgman"

There are a few riders on the board here but best is chat with the huge group at BurgmanUSA - they just leave their other bikes or cars at home...;)

Here's a thread with riders like you where it's the only vehicle
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/12-general-discussion/55730-my-scoot-my-main-ride.html
 
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Morrissey said:
... The only thing I miss about my cruiser is the shaft drive. I LOVED my shaft drive. Basically you open it up about every 30,000km and re-pack it with grease. No lubing every 1000km or after a heavy ride in the rain. No chain to adjust, no sprockets to wear out, it was awesome for ease of use.
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I lube my chain with every tank of gas and after every ride in the rain (and never clean the chain.) This takes about 10 seconds on the centerstand. The last chain I replaced was at 74,845 km and it was not adjusted at all until well past 50,000 km. My current chain on my 2012 has over 58,000 km on it (It is the OEM chain) and was adjusted for the first time around 50,000 km.

Seems like a lot less work than re-packing a final drive, and replacing the chain and sprockets takes Rosey Toes about 20 minutes; probably less if I didn't help.

I have had shaft before but can't really see any advantage especially given some of the horror stories about shaft drive failures that circulate the web .

..Tom
 
I like the enclosed drive on the Burgman and ST1100 - one less thing to do but nothing wrong with a maintained chain and hellishly less expensive if something does go and they do require some of the more expensive maintenance. Burgman is set up to change the final gear drive oil as regular bit of fluid change so no repacking etc

The regular transmission oil change interval for the Burgman 650 as recommended in the service / owner's manual is every 7k miles, after the initial 600 miles service.

I change my Final Gear oil along with every engine/transmission oil change, just a bit of added security.

Performing this maintenance task is rather simple and any owner with a bit of patience and some basic tools can do it.
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https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1sMlyu0kY_FG74fNWPoCPpoz92JUx2eg7IgfjRTstGJI
 
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