Picking a mid-size cruiser - VTX, C90, V-star or Vulcan? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Picking a mid-size cruiser - VTX, C90, V-star or Vulcan?

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ViperZ

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Hi all, looking for some first-hand experience on a mid-size cruiser. Looking at ~2004-2008 bike. Will do occasional rides up north to Muskoka, boot around town, ride to work a couple of times a week in a city traffic.

Choices are as follows:
1). Honda VTX 1300 - the only carbureted bike on the list.
2). Suzuki C90 1500
3). Yamaha V-Star 1300 - no hydraulic valve adjusters? The only bike with belt on the list.
4). Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
5). Kawasaki Vulcan 1600

I'm looking for a reliable and comfortable bike. Personal preference, don't like to work on carburetors, but VTX reviews all rave about reliability and longevity of the bike.

Thanks!
 
These Honda NM4s are unusual, but I bet they are really practical.

la-fi-hy-first-ride-honda-nm4-20141003
 
I just spent the last 6 months looking at the same bikes.

I just purchased a Suzuki C90T I was debating between it and the Vstar 1300. Spec wise the Yamaha was slightly better but I preferred the look and ergonmics of the C90T. All the others I found individual issues with that I wasn't interested in
 
rbjeepthing, what year did you get? What was the problem with Vulcan? Thanks!
 
ViperZ said:
rbjeepthing, what year did you get? What was the problem with Vulcan? Thanks!
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I bought a 2013 brand new non-current for a really good deal with thousands off a new 2015 one. My father inlaw has a 2011 C90 and i've ridden it a few times which I enjoyed. In my opinion really the only thing it's missing is cruise control but there are options there to add different forms of it after the fact.

Funny you ask about the Vulcan as my father inlaws brother owns one which I could have purchased last fall. His was a 2008 1600 Nomad. I just didn't like the look or the fit and finish of the bike. I also felt the steering was slightly heavier then the C90. The color scheme wasnt my cup of tea either. To be honest I have never really been a Kawasaki fan and that ended up coming through when looking and riding the bike.

Lets be honest a big part of cruising is the look and I personally love the look of the C90T BOSS...lol

This is a great video comparison of bikes in that market
[video=youtube;rFPFwsvi810]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFPFwsvi810[/video]
 
Thanks! I'll try to get some seat time on these bikes. Kinda hard to do when most of your friends ride sport likes...
 
ViperZ said:
Thanks! I'll try to get some seat time on these bikes. Kinda hard to do when most of your friends ride sport likes...
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Ya it's tough especially with them trying to talk you out of it...lol. They do tend to be easy to test ride at demo days though as most people are more inclined to go after the performance models first. It's going to be my first full year without a SS so we will see how she goes.
 
rbjeepthing said:
It's going to be my first full year without a SS so we will see how she goes.
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I couldn't do it so I went back to sport. Now I have one of each.
 
RedDogDarren said:
I couldn't do it so I went back to sport. Now I have one of each.
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I just sold my F4i and there is only one spot for bike in the garage (the other is taken by strollers).

Looking forward to the upcoming demo days for sure! I think I'll try to go to every single one at Brampton Powersports this year.
 
My buddy traded in his Vstar, last season for a sport touring. I have the bigger Road Star 1700. Don't be concerned at all about it being belt driven the belt will likely outlast the bike..lol Then there is the whole not having to lube part as well.

But most of the bikes you have listed are decent. My buddy found his Vstar, (he had the 1100), rather under powered compared to my roadie when he rode it. But he is also a BIG guy. He was always happy with the Vstar until he felt how much less my roadie motor worked on the highway..lol
 
I was doing the same comparisons last year.

I ended up with a good deal on both a VStar 1100 and Roadstar so I get to determine which I like better. Thus far the 1100 is more nimble yet the Roadie is more highway friendly. I traded from a new-model Star 950 which was a GREAT bike - FI, belt and enough highway gearing to gobble up the miles. The plan is/was to own 1 cruiser and 1 sport bike.

I didn't go with the C90 at the time as read too many articles about the stator issue for bikes older than '07 - which was about the years I was looking for. Always though be wary of what you read. 10 people have stator issues and it's all over the place - there is of course the other 9,990 who didn't.

I've previously owned a Star 1300. Similar enough to the Roadstar, I'd say it's the update with FI & liquid cooling, but the non-hydraulic lifters are a bit of a downer.
 
I switched from a sport touring bike to a '06 Vulcan Meanstreak 1600 two years ago. The Meanie is a bit of a different beast than the average cruiser. I find it very comfortable and it handles and brakes much better than the average cruiser. If you can find one it's worth a look.
 
ViperZ said:
I just sold my F4i and there is only one spot for bike in the garage (the other is taken by strollers).

Looking forward to the upcoming demo days for sure! I think I'll try to go to every single one at Brampton Powersports this year.
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I wound up making the front brakes the highest priority for cruisers after living with sub par braking on a Volusia. Many of these cruisers have an old tech caliper pinching a single disc on a heavy bike. I eliminated those from consideration first. The 2000, as heavy as it is, has awesome brakes. After the power of your F4I, are you sure you don't want to consider a 2000, or VTX1800? Sadly they are battleship heavy. You can't have the sport handling but you would at least retain a semblance of powerful acceleration.
I think the 1300 is the best compromise in your list.
 
RedDogDarren said:
I wound up making the front brakes the highest priority for cruisers after living with sub par braking on a Volusia. Many of these cruisers have an old tech caliper pinching a single disc on a heavy bike. I eliminated those from consideration first. The 2000, as heavy as it is, has awesome brakes. After the power of your F4I, are you sure you don't want to consider a 2000, or VTX1800? Sadly they are battleship heavy. You can't have the sport handling but you would at least retain a semblance of powerful acceleration.
I think the 1300 is the best compromise in your list.
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Oh, I am sure I'll miss acceleration and cornering, but I still want a bike that I can feel - these bikes are already heavy as they are. Most of them do have double calipers in the front. I think VTX 1300 has a single caliper. Damn, all this writing makes me tingle. I really need a demo.
 
I have a VStar 1300 (09), and love it. After I did a few upgrades, the engine woke up and is now one of the best I've ever owned. Cobra slipon, airbox drillout, and CObra FI2000R FMS, and it is extremely torquey (not SS torque, but much better than stock). I would buy another in a heartbeat if anything were to ever happen to it.
 
bbbwood said:
I have a VStar 1300 (09), and love it. After I did a few upgrades, the engine woke up and is now one of the best I've ever owned. Cobra slipon, airbox drillout, and CObra FI2000R FMS, and it is extremely torquey (not SS torque, but much better than stock). I would buy another in a heartbeat if anything were to ever happen to it.
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And if you do your own valve checks/adjustments you are laughing. Nice looking bike but I hate how small those factory saddlebags are inside.
 
For the money you can't beat the Yamaha. They are bullet proof and super low maintenance. I have a Virago 1100 in my garage with 98,000 km on it and the only mechanical repair I've done is the swing arm baring and the steering head baring. Bullet proof. They Yamaha has amazing aftermarket support and because the bike hasn't changed since 2007ish, they are fairly cheap used.
 
Morrissey said:
For the money you can't beat the Yamaha. They are bullet proof and super low maintenance. I have a Virago 1100 in my garage with 98,000 km on it and the only mechanical repair I've done is the swing arm baring and the steering head baring. Bullet proof. They Yamaha has amazing aftermarket support and because the bike hasn't changed since 2007ish, they are fairly cheap used.
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Thank you! That's actually what I notice with a lot of the bikes I am looking at - the mileage is 45-100K and they're still running fine.
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