I'm in the market for a new bike. These days I tend to like long rides, several hundred miles a day, plus I'm thinking about some long cross-country trips. So I thought I'd look at big cruisers--Honda VTX, Kawasaki Nomad, Yamaha Road Star, etc. (Not Harley. Too expensive.)
Well there are any number of these big metric cruisers on Craigslist, but what strikes me is that most of them have 10k miles or less, often less than 1000 miles per year.
There are big BMW tourers too, for not much more than a big metric cruiser, but these always have 60-70,000 miles, some of them over 100,000 miles! Likewise big 'standards' like Yamaha FJR, etc. Everything that's not a cruiser has lots of miles.
So why is it that someone would spend $10-12k for a big cruiser, and usually another $3000-4000 on accessories and chrome bits, and then just leave it in the garage for years and years? It actually worries me a little that people buy these bikes and then don't ride them! Why is that?
BQ Do you have a big metric cruiser? What is it and how do you like it?
CB2013-07-20T12:01:29Z
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I have a VT1100 (shadow) and used to ride a lot of long distance trips (week long two up), but that is not how most cruiser owners use their bikes - they aren't really designed for this type of riding - you can do it but there are better options. Cruisers are designed to look good on short rides and that is what most people do who own them. So low mileage is common.
I have moved to a VStrom 1000 because it is more comfortable (for my size) holds more gear and easily runs dirt/gravel roads as they are encountered. I am not even interested in riding anymore unless the ride is 200 miles or more.
If you want to go long distance day riding a cruiser is doable but you get so much more from a bike designed for longer stretches ( better brakes, power, luggage and windshield options, and the biggest thing handling),
I have a 2005 Harley Road King the police model. Purchased it 2 years old with 2200 miles on it. It now has 53000 miles with another 5 or 6K before the year is up. I have had cruisers just about my whole life (34 years on 2 wheels). I have wanted a HD for a long time but putting the kids thru collage and all that life stuff I wasn't able to do it. Oldest daughter had just gotten married and son in law had a sportster and needed to get a larger bike. Walked in to look at the eye candy and there it was, $7000 less than what I was looking to spend. Checked with the wife and got the go ahead. Been all over the east coast Maine to Tampa FL, west to Detroit. I even joined the Iron Butt Riders, those guys think putting 1000 miles on in 24 hours is just a good start to the day. Guys who spend tons of cash on a bike and then don't ride it are just trying to impress the neighbors with there wicked flashy ______ motorcycle. Back in 07 I was also looking at the VTX 1300 good looking and plenty of go to ride on the highway. It all boils down to buy what you want. You know what your needs are, if you buy something else it will be a bummer. You will be unhappy till you get what you want, so suck it up and spend the $$ and get what you want.
The lower mileage the bike the better as far as I'm concerned. I've bought low millage bikes that were sitting for years and a couple that have been sitting for decades, clean the tank and carbs (if they have em) and wham! back in business. Many people get the urge to buy a bike and quickly realize it's not for them or that they are too busy to ride much. I have a neighbor who had one of the high-end Harley's, he paid $17K (and insisted it was a fantastic deal), I lived next to him for four years and he's take it out of his shed and ride it around the block a couple times each summer, I kid you not. I think I only saw him actually go out and ride with friends one time. There are MANY people like him and MANY deals to be had. If you take a low mileage bike for a ride and it runs good, then I wouldn't worry about a thing, I'd be happy I got the bike I wanted with low miles for a good price.
That being said, I wouldn't buy a cruiser for long trips, not the most comfortable seating position. Though I have never owned a cruiser, a lot of riders say that feet-forward riding position puts a lot of pressure on the tailbone after a while. Ride safe.
In motorcycling there are two kinds of people, owners and riders. The low mileage bikes you see are more likely than not owned by owners. The other term I usually use although it's not kind in some peoples eyes would be posers. I have a dim view of someone that would take that kind of money from their family, then not bother to ride it the way it was designed and intended.
Even on the smallest bike I've ever bought a 500cc machine, I've put some good miles on it. When you find something online that you think is pleasing, buy it and enjoy it. I've used every bike I've ever owned as a long distance cruiser. I can tell you I'm a big fan of floorboards.
I agree with the general consensus that it shouldn't matter what you ride, ride what you like and don't worry about anyone else. I ride a 110cc Honda scooter because of back problems, I can't be bent over like on standard cycles, and will say that the Harley & Cruiser riders have been nothing but respectful of me. A lot of them have even complimented the bike etc, it will do 55mph so its not a slouch. Anyway the sportbike riders I've come across make the comments and sneers etc, but most not all are 20 something yr olds that egos are bigger than their riding capablilities. My point is who cares what others think. We scooterists are the most ridiculed bunch on two wheels and we don't care.