Cruisers for a novice, any advice?

joejoe87 · 10-01-2014 12:08am #1

Looking for my first bike, interested in a Marauder 125, is this a good bike? I'm 26, not looking for anything fast.. just reliable and comfortable. Any advice?

RosieJoe · 10-01-2014 12:11am

A lot of people will suggest getting a bigger bike In case you get bored of a 125.

And as I said in the other thread if you go for a small engined bike you'll need to hire a bike to do your A test on

minidazzler · 10-01-2014 4:53am

I'll say it now, and I hope you listen to me, I really do. Do NOT get a Marauder, any other bike in the world would be better. They are a piece of utter ****. They may seem inexpensive looking at prices on Donedeal.... but they aren't inexpensive, they are cheap. which is a bad thing.

Also, do your IBT etc first, then test out a few different cruisers. Since cruisers tend to be quite slow you might be comfortable on a bigger bike. I guarantee you that a 125 cruiser will bore the fcuk out of you after a few days;

Doylers · 10-01-2014 12:58pm

im going to echo what other have said, do not go 125. I did and was bored after the first 2 months. Dont be afraid of big engine bikes im on a suzuki gs500 now and I even think thats a slow enough bike. Your money is much better spent on a bigger bike and restrict it.

RosieJoe · 10-01-2014 1:00pm

Doylers wrote: »

im going to echo what other have said, do not go 125. I did and was bored after the first 2 months. Dont be afraid of big engine bikes im on a suzuki gs500 now and I even think thats a slow enough bike. Your money is much better spent on a bigger bike and restrict it.

He'll have no need to restrict is as he is over 24 and going for the A license.

Doylers · 10-01-2014 1:01pm

RosieJoe wrote: »

He'll have no need to restrict is as he is over 24 and going for the A license.

Sure makes even more sense then doesnt it to go bigger

galwaytt · 10-01-2014 1:03pm

Well I rode a 750 Shadow lately and I found it very civilised a nice bike to ride. I assume the likes of the Dragstar 650 would be similar. They all seem reasonably priced these days.

illeagles_mcc · 10-01-2014 1:03pm

shadow 600/750, dragstar 650, vn800, all fine bikes, enough power that u wont get bored but wont pull your arms off either. i used to have a suzuki intruder 400, couldnt fault it

blu3r0ri0n · 10-01-2014 4:16pm

I started off on a Dragstart 250, 3 months later went for Dragstar 650 and it was a great decision.

goodlad · 10-01-2014 4:33pm

I started on a restricted bandit 600. I absolutely loved the bike from day one. Nice seating position for learning too.

joejoe87 · 10-01-2014 7:27pm

I guess I'm thinking about Insurance too, Maybe get a big bike and restrict for insurance and until I'm confident and then unrestrict??

joejoe87 · 10-01-2014 8:43pm

I don't want to spend too much, maybe 1500 for the bike.

joejoe87 · 10-01-2014 8:46pm

goodlad wrote: »

I started on a restricted bandit 600. I absolutely loved the bike from day one. Nice seating position for learning too.

It's a nice bike, looks comfortable too. What was the insurance like?

joejoe87 · 10-01-2014 8:55pm

goodlad wrote: »

I started on a restricted bandit 600. I absolutely loved the bike from day one. Nice seating position for learning too.

Here's a link to a MINT one, looks lovely. http://www.biker.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=188548

goodlad · 10-01-2014 10:27pm

joejoe87 wrote: »

Here's a link to a MINT one, looks lovely. http://www.biker.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=188548

That is lovely man!
Im trying to think back to my first years insurance.. I think it was about 1000. Your best bet is to just give liberty a call and get a quote, or do it online for a better idea.

Personally i found the bandit great to start on. I always see a fz6 recommended aswell as a starter.

daveyjoe · 11-01-2014 1:04pm

joejoe87 wrote: »

I don't want to spend too much, maybe 1500 for the bike.

Maybe have look at a virago, you can pick them up quite cheap. Engine and main parts keep quite well but look out for rust, I'd recommend the 535 or bigger because they have more chrome and less cheap rusty metals than the 125/250. Also the 125/250 has a crap clutch cable mechanism that keeps breaking.

KTRIC · 11-01-2014 5:27pm

I bought a new Marauder 125 as my first bike, what a waste of money, ****e handling and spent more time on it's side than upright !!

Muahahaha · 13-01-2014 6:04pm

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

I started off on a Dragstart 250, 3 months later went for Dragstar 650 and it was a great decision.

I also own a Dragstar 650 and love it. It's my first proper bike after a few years of mopeds. The 650 has good power in it for a first bike without being too powerful and throwing you off. Parts for them are plentiful and inexpensive, not that they need many- apart from a tyre I haven't replaced anything in two years of ownership which I'm quite happy with given my bike is now 11 years old.

joejoe87 · 13-01-2014 9:55pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

I also own a Dragstar 650 and love it. It's my first proper bike after a few years of mopeds. The 650 has good power in it for a first bike without being too powerful and throwing you off. Parts for them are plentiful and inexpensive, not that they need many- apart from a tyre I haven't replaced anything in two years of ownership which I'm quite happy with given my bike is now 11 years old.

wow, sounds like a really reliable bike

bluefinger · 14-01-2014 11:28am

If comfort is one of your main criteria for choosing a bike I would not go for a cruiser personally. I find having to have your arms raised slightly to ride something like the marauder uncomfortable and tiring. It's been said above too that you should go for a bigger bike. Its not just about novelty or getting tired of the small engine. This should factor into your thinking on comfort as something bigger will generally be more comfortable to drive. It can be tiring riding a bike that cannot get away from traffic easily or struggles when on faster routes. For comfort I would be looking at the upright type bikes, such as your bandits, hornets, etc.

daveyjoe · 14-01-2014 12:35pm

bluefinger wrote: »

If comfort is one of your main criteria for choosing a bike I would not go for a cruiser personally. I find having to have your arms raised slightly to ride something like the marauder uncomfortable and tiring.

It's really just a case of getting used to it. I know people who ride cruisers that say they find riding UJM/naked/modern bikes really uncomfortable, they say their hands get tired because of the constant downward pressure on their hands. Really it's just a case of getting used to it.

Cruisers for a novice, any advice?

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