Swapped the sport bike for....... | GTAMotorcycle.com

Swapped the sport bike for.......

VT1100

VT1100

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Whats up guys.

Went from small sport bike, to small sport bike (CBR125 - Ninja250 - RC390 - CBR500) then to my first every slow ass cruiser - Shadow 1100.

And you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world.

Ins: $1200 to $200 a year

Gas: $9 a fill to $12 a fill

Comfort: exceptional

Usability: infinitely more

Was I just buying the wrong bikes or is this what everyone finds out when they inevitably buy a cruiser?
 

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Subenz said:
Whats up guys.

Went from small sport bike, to small sport bike (RC390 - CBR500) then to my first every slow ass cruiser - Shadow 1100.

And you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world.

Ins: $1200 to $200 a year

Gas: $9 a fill to $12 a fill

Comfort: exceptional

Usability: infinitely more

Was I just buying the wrong bikes or is this what everyone finds out when they inevitably buy a cruiser?
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Congrats. Glad you found something that works well for you.

I personally can't stand them. I want my feet underneath me and the vast majority of cruisers make standing up awkward to impossible. For most people, most of the time, a sport bike is not a great street bike (but it looks cool). I also prefer something with soul which rules out most(all?) modern hondas.
 
GreyGhost said:
Congrats. Glad you found something that works well for you.

I personally can't stand them. I want my feet underneath me and the vast majority of cruisers make standing up awkward to impossible. For most people, most of the time, a sport bike is not a great street bike (but it looks cool). I also prefer something with soul which rules out most(all?) modern hondas.
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A very fair opinion.

I will admit - the shadow is definitely soul-less. Thats the only thing I don't like - no character to it.
 
You'll never know what you'll like or dislike until you've tried it. Definitely helps to get something that suits your riding style. Could also be the huge increase in engine size - torque is addictive. If you ever miss sporty riding through the twisties, try a naked or supermoto next.
 
I've kind of come to the same conclusion ... started off on cruisers, did the sport naked thing and now have both bikes in my signature in the garage and guess what, I've ridden the cruiser way more than the sport naked since I bought it.

The GSX will be going up for sale in the spring ... bikes like that are great for a **** and giggles ride but when you find yourself taking 1 bike more often than the other, you know which to go and which to keep and the Thunderbird has amazing character and sound, something an inline 4 can't match.

Having said that, if the insurance was cheap, I'd still keep the Suzuki.
 
I went from a 1999 Honda VFR800 to a 2007 ST1300. I was getting a hell of a deal on the ST1300 ( $13,500 + HST brand new) and thought that it would a bigger, slightly less sporty bike that the bigger engine would make up for. I was wrong. Although the ST1300 had some redeeming qualities ( can’t think of any off the top of my head) , I always felt like I was driving my dad’s Buick when I rode that bike.Im talking 4 door Lesabre not a GNX.Made me realize how much I loved that VFR. It was the Pearl Yellow one like they had in the Honda sales brochure that year. Best bike I’ve ever owned.
 
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Subenz said:
Whats up guys.

Went from small sport bike, to small sport bike (CBR125 - Ninja250 - RC390 - CBR500) then to my first every slow ass cruiser - Shadow 1100.

And you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world.

Ins: $1200 to $200 a year

Gas: $9 a fill to $12 a fill

Comfort: exceptional

Usability: infinitely more

Was I just buying the wrong bikes or is this what everyone finds out when they inevitably buy a cruiser?
Click to expand...
By category the bikes you listed (CBR125 - Ninja250 - RC390 - CBR500) are all light Sport Touring (ST) bikes, they're just dressed in Sportbike plastics. STs are way less hairy and way more comfortable than their sportbike cousins.

Congrats on finding a new bike you love!
 
Evoex said:
#bumpstartlife

Also my Grom’s for sale. #shamelessplug
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For how much? The grom as a cheap second bike is appealing. Once so much money gets spent on pimping it out, the value proposition is questionable.
 
Bobo said:
I went from a 1999 Honda VFR800 to a 2007 ST1300. I was getting a hell of a deal on the ST1300 ( $13,500 + HST brand new) and thought that it would a bigger, slightly less sporty bike that the bigger engine would make up for. I was wrong. Although the ST1300 had some redeeming qualities ( can’t think of any off the top of my head) , I always felt like I was driving my dad’s Buick when I rode that bike.Im talking 4 door Lesabre not a GNX.Made me realize how much I loved that VFR. It was the Pearl Yellow one like they had in the Honda sales brochure that year. Best bike I’ve ever owned.
Click to expand...
ST1300 does have some redeeming qualities:
- it's built-in furnace will always keep you warm
- nobody will steal her
- it will run like a swiss watch for 300,000km on tires and oil changes
- outstanding element protection

The biggest disappointments are the goofy front tire and performance -- can't really hang with a Connie, KT or FJR.
 
would you really call them sport bikes? isn't the whole draw of sport bikes the crazy acceleration figures etc, the small entry level ones got none of that so it makes sense why a cruisers more enjoyable you're not really missing out on much and you're gaining the extra usability etc

also it would be hilarious if kawasaki makes a cruiser with the h2 powertrain like they did the for the touring and naked.
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