Starter Cruiser Bike?

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catzo said:
Why do you say that? There are always tons of buyers for smaller bikes. If you buy the bike in the fall/winter and sell it in the spring the following year youre almost guarenteed to get your money back. Plus insurance savings.
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Once you round in the cost of ownership including the taxes paid on the purchase, the certification (and any work required to get it to certify), plating, and upkeep, I can't really expect people to pay for all that, so yes, there will be *some* loss. I'll have increased the value of the bike somewhat by having installed new rubber (which will likely still be certifiable when it comes time to sell it unless my wife puts a ton more miles on it than I expect, or the tires are particularly crappy), so in the end, if I break even I'll be happy.

But in the end, unless you get one heck of a deal on a starter bike, one can't expect to recoup their entire investment, especially after you add miles to it which adds depreciation.
 
Drennan57 said:
Personally i don't think cruisers require the same beginner treatment that sportbikes get.

:)
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Agreed

canuckerjay said:
Personally I totally agree, most on this forum will always say to start small. I started on an old Seca 750, then bought v-star 1100, then GSX1250.
I could have started on the 1100 v-twin no problem.
IMHO I was tempted to get the V-star 650, but I'm glad I went to the 11.

I'd say do the mature thing and know yourself as a rider. Consider experience and how you're honestly going to ride that thing. If you're going to hold back until you can handle the machine's potential, then maybe going bigger is ok. That's how I did it, but my perspective isn't for everyone. If you are at all worried, maybe start smaller. Though consider that there's tons of smaller cruisers on kijiji. . . . .I found most got sick of the v-star 650 (just one ex) after like, one season. Just very little power there. If memory serves, I believe the Shadows were lower in power compared to the v-stars. . .though it's been a while since I checked numbers.

Anyway not hating on those who like/recommend starting small. Just found it to be not as necessary a step for everyone....
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Personally I want a bike that i can keep around for a while(2-3 years). Ideally it would be nice to start on a 600 Cruiser, then move up to something bigger(900 or 1300). However money is always a strong consideration, Id have to try and sell the 600 while im still making payments towards it(not sure how that would work) so i feel like if the 900 cruisers arent too crazy/unwieldy like the 1300 seem to be, i should be OK riding a 900, as long as i am cautious riding it, and take the time to get to know the bike(keep in mind im most likely going to get a vulcan S or a Shadow/phantom, i just want to keep the door open to the possibility of getting a 800-900 cruiser)
 
PrivatePilot said:
Once you round in the cost of ownership including the taxes paid on the purchase, the certification (and any work required to get it to certify), plating, and upkeep, I can't really expect people to pay for all that, so yes, there will be *some* loss. I'll have increased the value of the bike somewhat by having installed new rubber (which will likely still be certifiable when it comes time to sell it unless my wife puts a ton more miles on it than I expect, or the tires are particularly crappy), so in the end, if I break even I'll be happy.

But in the end, unless you get one heck of a deal on a starter bike, one can't expect to recoup their entire investment, especially after you add miles to it which adds depreciation.
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For sure, its probably not realistic to assume you can get your money back. But if you only spend a couple hundred bucks to own a bike for a year thats not too bad.

Still, I did make back all the money put into my bike. Including all maintenance and taxes and everything. Maybe a got a good deal though. I bought the bike in the winter from a guy that was desperate to sell, it was a very clean bike, didnt need much. I put 5k kms on it and I sold it in the spring when demand was up. And my insurance was a grand less than on my current bike, so theres that.

So its not impossible
 
Drennan57 said:
Personally i don't think cruisers require the same beginner treatment that sportbikes get. If you are a bigger guy i wouldn't recommend starting on a 250cc paint shaker.
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I agree. But I started on a 600cc sport bike. So this exception I believe applies to any type of bike.

canuckerjay said:
Personally I totally agree, most on this forum will always say to start small. I started on an old Seca 750, then bought v-star 1100, then GSX1250.
I could have started on the 1100 v-twin no problem.
IMHO I was tempted to get the V-star 650, but I'm glad I went to the 11.

I'd say do the mature thing and know yourself as a rider. Consider experience and how you're honestly going to ride that thing. If you're going to hold back until you can handle the machine's potential, then maybe going bigger is ok. That's how I did it, but my perspective isn't for everyone. If you are at all worried, maybe start smaller. Though consider that there's tons of smaller cruisers on kijiji. . . . .I found most got sick of the v-star 650 (just one ex) after like, one season. Just very little power there. If memory serves, I believe the Shadows were lower in power compared to the v-stars. . .though it's been a while since I checked numbers.

Anyway not hating on those who like/recommend starting small. Just found it to be not as necessary a step for everyone....
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Exactly. The person riding the bike should have a very good understanding of inertia. Its the riders responsibility to understand the weight of the bike and how it will behave during its use. This usually involves lots of practice, and patience. Taking advanced riding classes also helps to close the gap quickly if you don't feel like learning slowly.


supernova12034 said:
Personally I want a bike that i can keep around for a while(2-3 years). Ideally it would be nice to start on a 600 Cruiser, then move up to something bigger(900 or 1300). However money is always a strong consideration, Id have to try and sell the 600 while im still making payments towards it(not sure how that would work) so i feel like if the 900 cruisers arent too crazy/unwieldy like the 1300 seem to be, i should be OK riding a 900, as long as i am cautious riding it, and take the time to get to know the bike(keep in mind im most likely going to get a vulcan S or a Shadow/phantom, i just want to keep the door open to the possibility of getting a 800-900 cruiser)
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You will be fine. It's all in your own hands. Just set aside time to raise your skill level. I personally took courses locally and abroad. I never understood the baby steps thing people do. I don't have anything against it, but it certainly is not necessary. It's precautionary. The only thing I would really caution you on is insurance prices. That is like a cheap shot to your nuts for no good reason.. :D
 
supernova12034 said:
Agreed



Personally I want a bike that i can keep around for a while(2-3 years). Ideally it would be nice to start on a 600 Cruiser, then move up to something bigger(900 or 1300). However money is always a strong consideration, Id have to try and sell the 600 while im still making payments towards it(not sure how that would work) so i feel like if the 900 cruisers arent too crazy/unwieldy like the 1300 seem to be, i should be OK riding a 900, as long as i am cautious riding it, and take the time to get to know the bike(keep in mind im most likely going to get a vulcan S or a Shadow/phantom, i just want to keep the door open to the possibility of getting a 800-900 cruiser)
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dude, you don't know what you are talking about. I give you credit for posting and asking.

If anyone reading this thinks a 650cc cruiser has more power or is faster than a 600cc ss has no clue about bikes.
A 600ss is a formula 1 race car next to a 1300 cc cruiser. A cruiser is like a steam train where as a 600ss is like a bullet train...we won't discuss what a 1000cc ss is.

You did not state your age and driving record but cruiser insurance tends to be cheap.
Any bike you get, go practice in a large parking lot a few times BEFORE you go out riding.
Take a friend (they drive), setup some course for stopping, turning, braking.
Get to know how that bike handles BEFORE you go out on the road.
IF you can ride that cruiser in a slow and tight circle about 3-5 times around in each direction then you have demonstrated good control and use of your eyes/hands to control the bike.

*I am not talking about the sport cruisers like a meanstreak or vrod. That's a different type of machine.

Good luck, gear up, take your time, respect the machine because it can kill you in 1 second.
If you are not in the spirit to ride or tired/angry/super elated then do not ride.

Go find yourself a 2004+ Kawi vulcan 900, you will thank me later. That is a long term bike too. The Suzuki is also a decent bike but I believe Kawi has a better hardware package.
 
-JERICHO- said:
You will be fine. It's all in your own hands. Just set aside time to raise your skill level. I personally took courses locally and abroad. I never understood the baby steps thing people do. I don't have anything against it, but it certainly is not necessary. It's precautionary. The only thing I would really caution you on is insurance prices. That is like a cheap shot to your nuts for no good reason.. :D
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Yeah if there isnt a huge jump in insurance from 600 cruiser to 900 cruiser and they feel good after a test drive im probably gonna get the 900 cruiser(vulcan maybe) if not, im just gonna go with the Vulcan S(600 cruiser) or phantom(750 cruiser?)


my record is pretty clean, and im 26 going on 27
 
supernova12034 said:
Yeah if there isnt a huge jump in insurance from 600 cruiser to 900 cruiser and they feel good after a test drive im probably gonna get the 900 cruiser(vulcan maybe) if not, im just gonna go with the Vulcan S(600 cruiser) or phantom(750 cruiser?)

my record is pretty clean, and im 26 going on 27
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Look at the M50 Boulevard as well if you are going that route. It's right in the middle at 800cc and known to handle well.
 
The Yamaha Bolt, although falling in the 'cruiser' category, is like the HD Sportster, a skinny , bare-bones, v-twin motorcycle, which I'd sugget is more at the bottom end of the 'muscle bike' category.

You have to decide if you just want a v-twin basic bike, or something with a wider seat, more comfortable for passengers, more comfortable on longer trips, etc.

Not knowing yourself, it's another reason folks are recommending buying something used, small, cheap so you can get a year or two learning basic riding skills and some personal experience on what features you'd like in a bike in the future. And if you dump it, less $$$ impact on you.
 
supernova12034 said:
my record is pretty clean, and im 26 going on 27
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Pretty clean? Define?

You have called for insurance quotes, right? Settle on a bike and call before you buy it. Blemishes on your driving record can make a big difference on insurance for new riders.
 
supernova12034 said:
Not sure if your serious or not, the bolt is a 950 cc cruiser, although it weighs less than 550, and looks SICK! Can anyone comment on this? Thoughts?
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It's a copy of H-D's Iron 883. Which is an entry level bike.

The bolt would be fine but again are you willing to spend the extra money on insurance.
 
Rick CH said:
The torque on the 900cc bikes will be a bit milder than the 1300s, so it would be a better choice for a starting bike (but not the best). There are times when I'm riding my Stryker where the throttle gets tweaked because of bumps in the road jerking your bike and entire body (it'll happen because of the cruiser seating position and limited rear suspension travel), and I wonder how badly a noob rider would react to that kind of incident. I've also ridden all of the bikes you've listed for consideration (except the Vulcan S) and they wouldn't get squirrelly as quickly as a 1300, but certainly have enough power to get you into trouble. In the end, it's your choice and you've got to respect what any bike can do.
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Your squirrely issue is a fuel injection issue. The 950 bolt has the same incremental throttle jack effect. The 900 Vulcan doesn't due to a more refined EFI paired with effective secondary throttle body butterflies.
My V2K has FAR more torque than any bike mentioned and it's SMOOTH on throttle transitions. It wasn't when I removed the secondary butterfly plates as an experiment. More fun for me but rotten for my wife.
 
supernova12034 said:
Not sure if your serious or not, the bolt is a 950 cc cruiser, although it weighs less than 550, and looks SICK! Can anyone comment on this? Thoughts?
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I've had seat time on a bolt, what do you want to know?
 
PrivatePilot said:
Pretty clean? Define?

You have called for insurance quotes, right? Settle on a bike and call before you buy it. Blemishes on your driving record can make a big difference on insurance for new riders.
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I was waiting to finish my MSF course and get my M2(Early April im booked for it) before i started calling for insurance, should i start calling now?

in 2010 i was in a car accident(taking a left on a T junction) when a cabbie(in downtown) just gassed and hit me even though i had right of way(I didnt make a claim), but that was 6 years ago and iv been clean since then, no accidents, no speeding tickets. My understanding is for each year after an accident you remain clean your premium goes down, and after 6 years it drops off your record entirely, and your squeaky clean.
 
-D- said:
Kawasaki Vulcan 900
Try the cruiser style as there are 2 styles.
2004 and up, nice bikes.
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I had a 2009 Custom ... grew out of it in a year but agreed it's a good starter cruiser.
 
RedDogDarren said:
Your squirrely issue is a fuel injection issue.
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True, and the Stryker has an ECU flash (one shop in the US) to smooth it out. But for a noob, the potential problem I was addressing was more about a powerful engine, a rider's brain that won't react to the anomaly in an immediate and correct fashion, and a right hand that's been cranked hard and fast unintentionally.
 
supernova12034 said:
I was waiting to finish my MSF course and get my M2(Early April im booked for it) before i started calling for insurance, should i start calling now?

in 2010 i was in a car accident(taking a left on a T junction) when a cabbie(in downtown) just gassed and hit me even though i had right of way(I didnt make a claim), but that was 6 years ago and iv been clean since then, no accidents, no speeding tickets. My understanding is for each year after an accident you remain clean your premium goes down, and after 6 years it drops off your record entirely, and your squeaky clean.
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Ya, might as well wait until you finish the course and get the m2 before you start looking at quotes.
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