bigpoppa
Well-known member
Was browsing the used market, and cruisers are almost always priced dirt cheap...they dont seem crashed or poorly maintained either...what gives? Just lower demand?
Why are cruisers so darn cheap?
- Thread starter bigpoppa
- Start date
AllistonGT
Well-known member
Old riders leaving ownership and younger riders not wanting a cruiser. I'm 61 and I don't want a cruiser.
Maybe like luxury cars those who want them can afford and want new. Used ones become super cheap.
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Glenn/RZ500
Well-known member
For at least 15 years, from the mid to late 70`s (remember the `76 KZ900 LTD)? and on the big 4 from Japan sold boat loads of cruisers. Their lineups were loaded with `em. Now owners are finally getting around to selling them, probably years after moving on to something else. Cruisers never really encouraged a hooligan riding style and most had an easy life. I`d figure there`s lots out there with lots of life left in them for cheap if that`s your thing. The only one I ever rode was a Suzuki GS1000 Low Slinger,.. not for me thanks. And thankfully I haven`t seen a Suzuki Madura in decades,...look it up kids...and bring your eye bleach. 
LMAO, my kid brother had a Madura, first time I took it for a ride I almost sheet myself.For at least 15 years, from the mid to late 70`s (remember the `76 KZ900 LTD)? and on the big 4 from Japan sold boat loads of cruisers. Their lineups were loaded with `em. Now owners are finally getting around to selling them, probably years after moving on to something else. Cruisers never really encouraged a hooligan riding style and most had an easy life. I`d figure there`s lots out there with lots of life left in them for cheap if that`s your thing. The only one I ever rode was a Suzuki GS1000 Low Slinger,.. not for me thanks. And thankfully I haven`t seen a Suzuki Madura in decades,...look it up kids...and bring your eye bleach.
Glenn/RZ500
Well-known member
Private sale used H-D`s can be had for a reasonable-ish price. Gotta` watch for issues with some model years that can add bucks into the purchase. Used HonYamKawSuz cruisers are a comparative bargoon. And some of them had issues too, the interwebs and owners forums are a help.
Now get an insurance quote for a 1300cc Honda VTX.
Insurance doesn't care VTX sips gas from a single carbureted that has to feed two big ol' jugs.
Insurance doesn't care the bike can't handle and can't get out of it's own compared to a street bike.
Insurance just sees 1300cc and is like "Must charge all the money. More cc's = bad."
Now ride circles around the VTX on a 20 year old SV650 you picked up for $8 and a pack of chewing gum, while paying less insurance. Why? Who knows... Not even the insurance companies do.
Insurance doesn't care VTX sips gas from a single carbureted that has to feed two big ol' jugs.
Insurance doesn't care the bike can't handle and can't get out of it's own compared to a street bike.
Insurance just sees 1300cc and is like "Must charge all the money. More cc's = bad."
Now ride circles around the VTX on a 20 year old SV650 you picked up for $8 and a pack of chewing gum, while paying less insurance. Why? Who knows... Not even the insurance companies do.
Glenn/RZ500
Well-known member
I mentioned a while ago I can insure a `26 Hayabusa and a `26 H-D Road Glide for the same coin. Big cc and HP difference and out the door cost too . And I wouldn`t leave either outside a movie theater for a couple hours thinking it would be there when I returned.
For some reason insurance on my 1200cc T120 has been okay despite it's size. I have no idea why. It's part of why I keep hanging on to it even when my gaze meets other shiny bikes.
I think maybe it's because the only people who have a T120 are like seven old white guys who only take it out thrice a year, and me.
I think maybe it's because the only people who have a T120 are like seven old white guys who only take it out thrice a year, and me.
Relax
Well-known member
It's not just the engine size and class, claims history on the specific model and even year has a lot to do with it as well. Perhaps like the Tuono V4 (at least when they were less affordable), it's attractive to more mature or experienced riders who are less likely to make a claim. Or just not common enough to have a lot of riders making claims.
The ironic part of that was while the Kawasaki LTD flew out dealership doors, you couldn’t give away the ‘78 Kawasaki Z1R’s.They languished on the showroom floors.At least in the US, not so much Canada. Now they are highly desired by collectors. They had so many of them in the US that a company called American Turbo bought up the surplus bikes, installed turbos on them, painted them black and resold them as ‘79 models, without a warranty I might add. Those are very rare and desirable.For at least 15 years, from the mid to late 70`s (remember the `76 KZ900 LTD)? and on the big 4 from Japan sold boat loads of cruisers. Their lineups were loaded with `em. Now owners are finally getting around to selling them, probably years after moving on to something else. Cruisers never really encouraged a hooligan riding style and most had an easy life. I`d figure there`s lots out there with lots of life left in them for cheap if that`s your thing. The only one I ever rode was a Suzuki GS1000 Low Slinger,.. not for me thanks. And thankfully I haven`t seen a Suzuki Madura in decades,...look it up kids...and bring your eye bleach.
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Glenn/RZ500
Well-known member
I had a brief rip on one of those ATP Z1R TC`s...exciting. The Suzuki GS750 was the first Japanese bike where handling caught up to horsepower.(awesome bike btw). Bikes like the TC forced the evolution and gave us rides like the GS1000 and GPz900 Ninja, I owned both, they were great bikes.
Me too, I’m from the old world of UJM’s (Universal Japanese Motorcycles). If you want to go touring you put on a set of saddlebags, if you want a sport bike you put on a set of low bars and a header, either way you were relatively comfortable.
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