Topic: Cruisers That Can Corner?

[Justin]

I'm so out of touch with the current, new motorcycle marketplace that it's not even funny...hopefully someone here is a bit more knowledgeable that I.

I may be incredibly misinformed when it comes to this, but it seems to me that cruisers, in general, are pretty horrible at running down backroads at any decent velocity given their abysmal cornering clearance, etc, etc.

Are there any new cruisers on the market that can actually run down a backroad like a "standard" or "sporty" bike?
Or maybe I should ask if there are any cruisers out there for sportbike guys that don't like riding sportbikes?

[Uncle Ernie]

Depends on what you mean by cruiser- not a Gold Wing, ST1300, BMW etc. Assume you mean the laid back chiroprator special that keep your boots cool?  The Honda Rebel 450 used to be kind of fun, if you don't mind punching yourself in the chest on hard turns.  Moto Guzzi has a couple of cruiser-types that handle OK. BMW had one I hear they just quit making. Both of those brands' "cruisers" are an acquired taste (visually), though. The Victory is supposed to be a good handler for what it is.  You could do "period modifications" and take your 750 and put highway pegs and high bars on it...

[Mark M]

The thing is while by standards of, say 20 years ago, modern 'cruisers' handle let us say twice as well. By the same yardstick a sportsbike handles 20 times better. Looking at it another way, say if your last idea of a sports bike was a Z1a then just about any cruiser built in the last 3 years will seem soooooooo much better. On the other hand if you try this experiment from recent sports to 20 year old cruiser, you may decide to retire before you get hurt. 

[Mark M]

Ixion,
That rings a bell - didn't you write tech stuff for some brit bike mag?

[SteveD CB500F]

And tell us the story behind your avatar.

[mode12]

My buddy has a Kawi Mean Streak...it handles pretty well all things considered.

[kghost]

Can a colonist write for Brit rags? 

Where are you Settling? Did you mean Colonialist? 

Hell yes you can write for a British rag. You don't think they'll point out errors or problems do ya? Too polite for that rubbish.

[Mark M]

Considering the avatar I was happy to accept the intestinal version 

[Uncle Ernie]

Try the last Cycle World 10 Best Bikes ish. They're mainstream, but I like a lot of their approach to things- like they loved the W650.

Curious if you're deciding anything...

[Caferacernoc]

I agree with the comment about cruisers riding position. Yes, the geometry is bad on cruisers for quick manuevering. And the ground clearence is usually poor. But the real problem, in my opinion, is the riding position. Riding a bike fast is like riding a horse or downhill skiing. And you can't do either of those laying on your back. We all know that you a control a bike at speed with countersteering and weight shift on your feet. On a cruiser you can't easily apply forward pressure on the inside bar to innitiate a turn. You end up pulling on the ouside bar to maintain lean angle. It's just wrong and hard to make any corrections once commited to the corner. And you obviously can't shift you weight when it's all on your ass. Well, that's my take on it anyway. I love the choppers for the art and craftsmanship, but I hate how the trend has people jumping on the "cruiser" bandwagon and buying into the idea that a Yamaha V-star or Harley Fat Boy is a good "easy handling" bike because it seems good sitting on it in the showroom. Or the idea that a V-Rod, with forward controls and that stupid raked out front end, is a sporty Harley. Ugghhhh

[phylo101]

Ney guys - like ALL bikes all that even "factory customs" need doing to them to make them handle is a little enlightened TLC. In the last six months Ive proved my case to friends with TWO of the said 20-yr old cruisers, an old Yamaha 550 Maxim and my personal fave a Kawasaki Z550LTD-FII
All the Maxim needed as good tyres, the rear shox setting right, and replacing the fork oil with a REALLY heavy 10w/40 motor oil. Now she really swings bends.
A year or so ago i picked up my Z550LTD-FII and just cudnt get on with it - handled fine in the dry, but even with precise setting up and quality tyres was a killer- literally - in the wet. The ONLY change ot needed was the fork legs and wheel from my Z550-G( or GT550 as we called it in the UK) which lowered the front end by an inch and with twin discs meant the bugger wasnt pulled out of line on braking. Now she's fast and a great handler.
Ive always found customs whether home- or factory-brewed to be great handlers IF set up right.They ride easier, its just a case of body english and steering it with yer arse, far more than on sports bikes. Just like trailbikes but with nowt bwetween your legs, so to speak lol lol

Phylo

[soiltron]

My vote is with Phylo.  I had a Suzuki Savage that I actually preferred over my CB900F.  The Savage sucked stock, but with some flat, wide drag bars, and a few other tweaks, not to mention how light the bike was, it was a lot more fun in the canyons than the SuperSport was.  Until you REALLY wanted to go fast, of course.  It's fun to steer with yer "cheeks."  It is true, however, that you can't get down and scrape your knees on a cruiser.

[Terry in Australia]

I think you guys are either forgetting the modern crop of "Sport Cruisers" or maybe aren't aware of them. Here's a pic of Yamaha's latest creation, if one of these bad boys is following you through a bend, the only reason he's going so slow is because you're holding him up, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/newsandupdates/mt01tease/

[Bob Wessner]

Hmm, looks like something I could kill myself on in a heartbeat.