Cruiser bike for beginner

FrankC21 · 09-04-2021 11:20pm #1

I am planning on buying a motor bike specifically a cruiser budget is 1-2k just going to use it probably 2-4 times per month, if weather permits, just use it for commute to work like 110km round trip.

Really newbie therefore no idea what best cruiser

lalababa · 09-04-2021 11:33pm

Anything that's not too heavy or big dragstar types ( difficulty cornering for beginners).
So 125 to 500cc lightish.
Virago, GZ,( 250dragstar ok too)elim, intruder...all of them really.
Any 125 to 250 cruiser or road/cruiser like gn250/tux.
Ideally for beginners a 250 but also up to 500 that's light. like the virago 400 and 535 are nice and light.

zubair · 09-04-2021 11:52pm

What age are you? Do you have a permit yet?

listermint · 10-04-2021 1:32am

Cruiser 110km commute to work.

Nah, thanks but no thanks. I can't recommend them for that journey.

Flash on a Sunday. Short spin to work . But not that length.

Mjolnir · 10-04-2021 2:15am

lalababa wrote: »

Anything that's not too heavy or big dragstar types ( difficulty cornering for beginners).
So 125 to 500cc lightish.
Virago, GZ,( 250dragstar ok too)elim, intruder...all of them really.
Any 125 to 250 cruiser or road/cruiser like gn250/tux.
Ideally for beginners a 250 but also up to 500 that's light. like the virago 400 and 535 are nice and light.

125/250 cruiser for a 110km journey? Are you cracked I couldn't imagine much worse in relation to bikes than a 125cc doing a 110km trip.
Theres 50kg in the difference in a 535 and a dragster 650, if it falls you won't notice the 50kg cause both will be a giant pain to get up.

He'll also be sick of being underpowered, unable to over take in most situations, and slow as all hell within a month too.

Virago 535
Xvs 650
Vn900
Shadow 600

No ape bars, or ape hanger style bars full stop.
Avoid cheap looking led indicators, they may eventually be a bain of your existence.
Get crash bars if it hasn't got any.

GBX · 10-04-2021 9:53am

I'd agree with Listermint. Most cruisers won't offer any protection from the wind and rain and on a commute that length you're gonna get tired of it fairly lively.

hedzball · 10-04-2021 10:12am

Has anyone actually commuted 110km on a 125 in the past 10 years??

Max Headroom · 10-04-2021 10:22am

110 is only roughly wicklow to dublin...2-4 times a month ?
I'm sure theres a few commuter bikers doing this every day....
I know what yez are sayin about a 125 cruiser for the journey , unless he keeps off the motorway/dueler...

karlitob · 10-04-2021 10:23am

hedzball wrote: »

Has anyone actually commuted 110km on a 125 in the past 10 years??

In my youth I bought a 125 dragstar. Oh how I loved it. I still pine for it. I’m a big boy and 125 was sufficient - ish spins around town etc

I drove Limerick to Kerry a few times and Limerick to Dublin. I don’t know what I was thinking really. I remember when going to Dublin I had to stay in 4th gear cos when I went to fifth the wind being strong that day made me slow down a lot.

And the wind, the rain!!!!

Jesus I knew nothing. And sometimes I think I know less now.

XsApollo · 10-04-2021 10:27am

I remember I used to sit at 55-60 mph on the dual carriageway on my R1 so my m8 on a 125 virago could get a tow and get a few extra miles an hour on long spins, painful times, don’t do it.

zubair · 10-04-2021 12:38pm

Are we not assuming a 125 here? I commuted for 2 years on a naked 250 100km round trip mostly motorway, wasn't far off redlining it most of the way, no harm I couldn't go much faster. I wouldn't dream of it now but back then I was quite happy.

FrankC21 · 10-04-2021 1:11pm

I'm a complete beginner, 32 years old, I am planning on doing the theory test when lockdown is lifted, the whole idea is that I just want to ride the bike on a quiet sunny sunday morning commute to work 3-4 times per month even fewer cause of the weather, I am not going to use it as regular transport, commute is from drogheda to Dublin its about 55km each way. Really just to enjoy and have fun not too keen on going bloody fast like, just 100km/hr, if a cruiser doesn't suit that then what sort of bike I will need, I am open to any suggestion.

Jimmy Bottlehead · 10-04-2021 2:42pm

FrankC21 wrote: »

I'm a complete beginner, 32 years old, I am planning on doing the theory test when lockdown is lifted, the whole idea is that I just want to ride the bike on a quiet sunny sunday morning commute to work 3-4 times per month even fewer cause of the weather, I am not going to use it as regular transport, commute is from drogheda to Dublin its about 55km each way. Really just to enjoy and have fun not too keen on going bloody fast like, just 100km/hr, if a cruiser doesn't suit that then what sort of bike I will need, I am open to any suggestion.

What's drawing you to motorbikes, OP? It might help us guide you to what suits you best. No shame in being drawn to cruisers cos of Sons of Anarchy or a similar reason!

goblin59 · 10-04-2021 2:45pm

FrankC21 wrote: »

I'm a complete beginner, 32 years old, I am planning on doing the theory test when lockdown is lifted, the whole idea is that I just want to ride the bike on a quiet sunny sunday morning commute to work 3-4 times per month even fewer cause of the weather, I am not going to use it as regular transport, commute is from drogheda to Dublin its about 55km each way. Really just to enjoy and have fun not too keen on going bloody fast like, just 100km/hr, if a cruiser doesn't suit that then what sort of bike I will need, I am open to any suggestion.

I'm 31, got my first bike last year and did the test last year.
I would definitly recommend doing the full A license. You will save a headache later on when upgrading the motorcycle.
Get a 250cc bike minimum.
Cruisers are comfy, but a dual sport is the comfortable sitting position of a cruiser but with actual practical use.
Plus they're made to be dropped and have wind protection.

AlekSmart · 10-04-2021 5:17pm

FrankC21 wrote: »

I'm a complete beginner, 32 years old, I am planning on doing the theory test when lockdown is lifted, the whole idea is that I just want to ride the bike on a quiet sunny sunday morning commute to work 3-4 times per month even fewer cause of the weather, I am not going to use it as regular transport, commute is from drogheda to Dublin its about 55km each way. Really just to enjoy and have fun not too keen on going bloody fast like, just 100km/hr, if a cruiser doesn't suit that then what sort of bike I will need, I am open to any suggestion.

Honda Deauville 650 or if you want to go New/Shiny,a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.

NickNickleby · 10-04-2021 5:27pm

Bought a Virago 125 in my fifties and used it to cross the city for work. Until one day I was sent to Citywest and then drove home via M50 :eek::eek::eek:

Couldn't get faster than 55mph and had an artic up my ass from Finglas to the M1 - so close I couldn't see both headlights in the mirrors. And I daren't move to the hard shoulder as it was full of crap. Within a month I had a Deauville, and never regretted it. Grand in city traffic, and able to move along motorways without cretins up my ass.

Its been sitting in the back garden for yonks, lonely and corroding. Until today when I took it for a very short spin out the back roads to Swords. Had forgotten how much I loved it.

Max Headroom · 10-04-2021 5:48pm

AlekSmart wrote: »

Honda Deauville 650 or if you want to go New/Shiny,a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.

Jesus..He's 32 not 70.........:P

I would say, the M1 isnt a highway in California...you really dont want to be stuck in the inside lane and be having AINACS in yer mirrors every time...;)
250 min....

Jimmy Bottlehead · 10-04-2021 7:11pm

Deauville?

He wants a cruiser, not a snoozer. :pac:

NickNickleby · 10-04-2021 7:17pm

I'll have you guys know, I once did a wheelie on my Deau. Never again will I forget to remove the disk lock :eek::o:(:pac:

Edit to say, well in fact I did forget again. Thats Two speedo drives I had to replace, threw the second one in the bin with the lock.

And I wasn't even 70.

zubair · 10-04-2021 8:01pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

Jesus..He's 32 not 70.........:P

eoin.d · 11-04-2021 1:18am

I know probably above the price range the OP said but what would a vulcan 650s be like as a cruiser for a beginner. Fabulous looking bike i think.

Henry Ford III · 11-04-2021 1:43pm

You'd need a midsize bike of maybe 500cc+ for that sort of journey.

Anything smaller would be a pain.

TheWarChicken · 11-04-2021 1:49pm

Having been on a 125 cruiser for the last two years (Thanks Liberty) I can tell you two things, 125s and 250s are going for stupid money because young people are buying them because they can't insure anything else. If you're set on a cruiser, get a 250, but make sure it's a twin cylinder or you'll really be missing the power you need for that kind of commute on a dual carriageway. If you go with anything around the 500 mark you should be OK even without much experience.

Personally if I was you, I'd give myself an extra 500 or 1000 euro, that puts you in the category of decent bikes, in and around the mid 2000's, if you're mechanically inclined go lower, I'm referring to both years and money here.

If you're open to suggestions, I'd advise just staying away from cruisers altogether, the only appeal is the styling really, there's nothing a cruiser can do that a naked bike can't do better IMHO, if it's the styling you like by all means go ahead though. If I was you I'd be looking at low to mid cc naked bikes like the Kawi Z300, Honda CBF500, or something adventurish like a Kawi Versys 650.

People have suggested the Honda Deauville. It's a very functional bike, it's fast enough, very reliable and requires very little maintenance due to the shaft drive, it's comfy and will keep you safe from the wind and weather, plus it's got panniers built into it. Downsides are the old ones are getting old at this stage, likes of 2003 and 2005 bikes. Other than that you're looking at the Deauville 700, which is a significant improvement, but they're going for stupid money, in and around 4000. I'd advise you to ignore what other posters have said about it being a dad bike and that it's boring and so forth, having said that, it's a dad bike and it's not particularly exciting.

zubair · 11-04-2021 2:25pm

What's with all the deauville talk lately, I thought this was a motorbike forum.

NickNickleby · 11-04-2021 2:28pm

zubair wrote: »

What's with all the deauville talk lately, I thought this was a motorbike forum.

:eek:

FrankC21 · 11-04-2021 3:09pm

TheWarChicken wrote: »

Having been on a 125 cruiser for the last two years (Thanks Liberty) I can tell you two things, 125s and 250s are going for stupid money because young people are buying them because they can't insure anything else. If you're set on a cruiser, get a 250, but make sure it's a twin cylinder or you'll really be missing the power you need for that kind of commute on a dual carriageway. If you go with anything around the 500 mark you should be OK even without much experience.

Personally if I was you, I'd give myself an extra 500 or 1000 euro, that puts you in the category of decent bikes, in and around the mid 2000's, if you're mechanically inclined go lower, I'm referring to both years and money here.

If you're open to suggestions, I'd advise just staying away from cruisers altogether, the only appeal is the styling really, there's nothing a cruiser can do that a naked bike can't do better IMHO, if it's the styling you like by all means go ahead though. If I was you I'd be looking at low to mid cc naked bikes like the Kawi Z300, Honda CBF500, or something adventurish like a Kawi Versys 650.

People have suggested the Honda Deauville. It's a very functional bike, it's fast enough, very reliable and requires very little maintenance due to the shaft drive, it's comfy and will keep you safe from the wind and weather, plus it's got panniers built into it. Downsides are the old ones are getting old at this stage, likes of 2003 and 2005 bikes. Other than that you're looking at the Deauville 700, which is a significant improvement, but they're going for stupid money, in and around 4000. I'd advise you to ignore what other posters have said about it being a dad bike and that it's boring and so forth, having said that, it's a dad bike and it's not particularly exciting.

Thanks for the advice, ill look into it and At this stage i am a beginner so whatever is the handiest for a beginner like myself ill get and for the record I am a dad myself

knucklehead6 · 11-04-2021 5:54pm

zubair wrote: »

What's with all the deauville talk lately, I thought this was a motorbike forum.

Fine. I’ll shuttup then. Meanie.

knucklehead6 · 11-04-2021 6:02pm

FrankC21 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, ill look into it and At this stage i am a beginner so whatever is the handiest for a beginner like myself ill get and for the record I am a dad myself

I have one of the unmentionables (thanks Zubair). First bike, and it’s an NT700.

The biggest fault that I’d have with them is they are classed as A2 bikes, and when you are going for the test it adds on additional expense as you’ll need to hire an A bike. They seem to be fairly forgiving, I haven’t had any “down to my own stupidity/lack of experience” problems with the bike, it’s nice n stable

If I was doing it again, I probably wouldn’t have bought it and gone straight for an A bike, but i DO like it a lot. It is a means to an end for my but it also gives me an indication of what I like, and the big stable tourer is what seems to suit me.

NickNickleby · 11-04-2021 6:03pm

Please accept my apologies in advance - I'm going to mention Deauvilles:eek:

The 700 came out in about 2006 and I remember seeing a list of problems associated with it. I think they were ironed out after a couple of iterations, so probably from 2008 they were fine. Can't remember how serious they were, but an owners forum was very active discussing them.

Here's a very useful source of info : http://www.deauvilleuk.org/forum/index.php?sid=352e5a282665a6bd65dc4884bf3ebe8e

Max Headroom · 11-04-2021 7:48pm

I'll just finish by saying for a first bike a full fairing and panniers is a no no...especially when he drops it...;)

Mjolnir · 11-04-2021 9:39pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

I'll just finish by saying for a first bike a full fairing and panniers is a no no...especially when he drops it...;)

Panniers will save the fairings ha.
Throw on bar ends and crash bungs jobs a gooden, or if you're adventurous and don't cringe at the idea of drilling and cutting fairings like I do, throw on a stunt cage.

Cruiser bike for beginner

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