Thinking of Replacing the Cruiser - Any Suggestions? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Thinking of Replacing the Cruiser - Any Suggestions?

TF3N

TF3N

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I've only ever ridden cruisers, thinking of switching to something a little sportier.

Originally, I was thinking Kawasaki ZRX1200 - after contacting insurance, it's no longer a contender. I'm leaning more towards a Honda 919 (CB900F, Hornet, whatever). Insurance is about par with what I'm currently paying.

Is there anything else I should be considering?

Criteria:
  • Less than 1000cc
  • Upright/standard riding position
  • Suitable for larger rider - 6'2, 220lbs, 36" inseam (Ducati Monster 600, for example, feels too small)
  • "Classic" naked styling. Round headlight, preferably. I'm not a fan of newer naked bikes with the crazy headlights (styling is important to me, I'm ready to be flamed for it)
  • $5000 MAX budget ($4000 is ideal)

I'm just interested to see if there's anything out there I've missed while searching. Any suggestions are appreciated.

ZRX+1200+DAEG+by+Nojima+02.jpg

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Thanks.
 
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I test rode the cb919 a few years ago and loved it. If I was in the market for a naked bike, it would probably be the bike I would buy.

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Just a thought, but does it need to be as close to 1000 cc as possible, or are you open to a 600cc ? I say this as someone who made the jump from cruisers to sport touring/standard bikes a few years ago. I found that my 600 bandit was a good step up in performance from my 1100cc Virago, and I saved quite a bit on insurance vs a larger engine. The cb599 was almost the same physical size/ergonomics as the 919, but you'll save on insurance. The 599 came in matte black one year and was really good looking. I wanted a bike with wind protection and that would look good with givi cases, so I went with the bandit. The cb599 would have been a serious consideration if I'd wanted a naked bike.

When I went from the 1100cc Virago to the 600cc bandit, my insurance dropped significantly and I gained a lot of performance in comparison.

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Morrissey said:
are you open to a 600cc?
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Yeah, for sure. Raw power isn't all that important to me. The size of the bike is, though.

ex. I've been on a ZX6R & Monster 600 - both were too small for my liking.

I don't want the bike to look/feel tiny, like below:
788px-Motorcycle.riders.arp.jpg
 
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It has more to do with the individual bikes than the class of bike. For instance most bikes in this class are approximately 31-32" seat height. Basically no difference in proportion between bandit 600 and the 1200 for instance. The xx6 probably feels cramped because it's a ss bike, performance is all that matters, comfort is barely an after thought. Cb 599 and 919 are probably very similar in physical size. I'm not saying don't get a 919 if that's what you want, I'm just saying it's worth a look. Most naked standard bikes tend to look smaller than they are because they are naked. Park a cb919 next to a cbf1000 (basically different generation of the same bike) and the cbf1000 looks bigger because of the fairing.

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Hmmm... R1200R / RnineT ( even tho it's > 1000 cc I imagine the insurance to be resonable), Bonneville or VFR800?
 
Tam905 said:
Hmmm... R1200R / RnineT ( even tho it's > 1000 cc I imagine the insurance to be resonable), Bonneville or VFR800?
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All of those are way too expensive and the VFR800 isn't the right type of bike for me.
 
919 is a great bike, more then enough power for anything and it pulls no matter what gear your in.

I had one for a few years, never let me down, rock solid bike.

A real question to ask is what are your intentions with a new bike? Just for day rides or zipping around town? Or are you looking to some touring as well?
 
TF3N said:
All of those are way too expensive and the VFR800 isn't the right type of bike for me.
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  • $5000 MAX budget ($4000 is ideal)


Sorry I didn't see this as a requirement :p but that said I was looking at some older R1200R in the 5k range before picking up my current bike. You could always "modify" a bike that you like the great thing about nakeds are that they can be built a lot easier than the faired bikes.
 
B-King is interesting, never heard of it before - I'll have to read up on that.

VMax is out. The whole reason I'm looking at switching is for more sporting handling. Also, the insurance on a VMax is prohibitive.
 
Tam905 said:
  • $5000 MAX budget ($4000 is ideal)


Sorry I didn't see this as a requirement :p but that said I was looking at some older R1200R in the 5k range before picking up my current bike. You could always "modify" a bike that you like the great thing about nakeds are that they can be built a lot easier than the faired bikes.
Click to expand...

Right now I'm just looking for a bike to buy and ride, minimal wrenching.

I may be looking into a custom build over the winter, we'll see.
 
Vmax is a good one. I'm biased but i'd go with a first gen fz1 01-05. Cheap to buy now and cheap to put a single round eye on. Being 998 cc and sport touring makes them cheap to insure. A few tweaks and for 4-5g's (including bike price) you will have a 140hp incredibly reliable bike.
 
SunnY S said:
save up a few more pennies and buy my F800. Its great for taller riders, cheap on insurance, and an absolute hoot to ride.
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No doubt it would be a great bike, but I have no shame in admitting styling is important to me on this one.

Not a big fan of the "boy racer" look that goes along with full fairing sport bikes, much prefer more of a timeless look :thumbup:
 
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