How come Cruisers are so much more popular than ST's?

[heretic]

One of my co-workers explained the appeal of cruisers to me this way.

"The best part about riding a cruiser is being able to dress the wife in leather."

 

[FJRski]

It's all about style.

If I could afford a third bike, I'd own a cruiser.

Would you rather ride or bench race?

Do you gear up, or want to ride bare headed.

Do you want the security of group association, or are you comfortable with your own identity.

Because that's where it's at.

OK, I admit it's awkward when you stop for gas or a burger and some cruisers act like you are invisible, because they are snobs, but most are not all like that, some of those dudes ride hard and long, they just don't understand us. They walk up to my FJR and ask, why do you ride that, it has got to be uncomfortable on long trips. So pick your riding style, there's plenty of room for everyone. I have to laugh, I just went to a family gathering, and one of my wife's cousins asked what kind of Harley I had. I told him I didn't have a Harley, and he said, that's funny, your wife just said you had a motorcycle. It's just their frame of reference.

 

[wfooshee]

Cruisers are what non-riders think motorcycles are. A co-worker saw my bike and said he was thinking about getting one himself. Not a crotch rocket like mine, but a Harley!

Apparently the bags and upright riding position aren't clue enough for some.

I begged him to find a used small twin and go to a class. He's never ridden, but because he's been on quads he thinks he's OK. Nope. Gonna be a Harly, so everybody knows he's cool.

He may have backed down, becuase he's putting in a pool now.

 

[Honzo]

"...and they laughed at me and said it was a girls bike."

and compared to whatever cage they drive... a Farrari would be a "Girl's car".?.???...

 

[Honzo]

Real bikers [SIZE=36pt]RIDE[/SIZE] to Sturgis.

 

[Honzo]

It's all about style.

If I could afford a third bike, I'd own a cruiser.

Would you rather ride or bench race?

Do you gear up, or want to ride bare headed.

Do you want the security of group association, or are you comfortable with your own identity.

Because that's where it's at.

OK, I admit it's awkward when you stop for gas or a burger and some cruisers act like you are invisible, because they are snobs, but most are not all like that, some of those dudes ride hard and long, they just don't understand us. They walk up to my FJR and ask, why do you ride that, it has got to be uncomfortable on long trips. So pick your riding style, there's plenty of room for everyone. I have to laugh, I just went to a family gathering, and one of my wife's cousins asked what kind of Harley I had. I told him I didn't have a Harley, and he said, that's funny, your wife just said you had a motorcycle. It's just their frame of reference.

[/quote

Just tell them that your doctor said the forward lean of your riding position makes for a straightenned and more natural spinal positioning instead of the inevitable slouching that results from one that is verticle to leaning back. The tension on your abdominal and back muscles is also equalized reducing fatigue. It makes sense and proves true for me or you can just baffle them with BS and know you are superior.

 

[suicideman]

Ride what you want to ride. Know who you are and you won't give a rats ass what anybody thinks about you or what you ride.

 

[Taff]

Interesting topic here.

Well I for one ,like most guys and girls on this forum, probably don't care what people ride, but may I add some comments if you don't mind.

I have met some really serious riders who have ridden HD's for many years, but they too have a different bike in their stable.

Over in Europe generally bikers respect one another, same here in the good old US of A.

However, there are some Hog riders over on both sides of the pond that are new to riding and therefore have no other experience of riding other bikes before the purchase of their machine.

Marketing has a great deal to do with image, such as how a dealership portrays said product when a new customer walks in from the street with the intention of buying the bike they deem to be "the only one".

I can remember last year on one of those showery spring days riding on 99 North near my home. At the red stop light, left track, is an older hog rider waiting for a green light. I stop right track and say hello through my full face helmet. All I get is a "grunt back" indicating that he does not really want to get into a conversation. A split second later he says to me (looking North at the rain clouds) "you aren't riding into that weather are you?

I really could not stop my laughter and politely said, well "I am dressed for the occasion" and off I went.

When your buddies looked at our "sexy" looking bikes, all they could do was show how jealous they were that their "hogs" are not as aerodynamically clean as the Feejer, are not mile crunchers or triple digit 8 hour speedsters (is that a word ummm) et al.

Each to his own, show me the miles, and I'll show you my butt (as I say jokingly).

Ride safe, thanks for reading.

Take care you all.

 

[krashdragon]

Hmmmm..... I guess I'm not a real "biker"..

I bought my Harley cause it was one of the very few bikes that fit me comfortably.

Didn't sit on any touring bikes tho.. the GW's are too big and the BMW's too tall, that was all that was around in Hawaii at that time.

Ive ridden my Harley, and my Triumph in heavy rain, wind and cold...But!

they are plugged for GPS and heated gear... so I'm a wimp! <lol>

Oh yeah... the FJR I had I rode only in sun, heavy rain and then desert heat... but I was wearing my leathers... (ok, only one real trip)

I still want a smaller version of the FJR, maybe a Triumph Tiger or Sprint....not just lower (mine was way lowerered)

but overall a smaller bike...I really don't need 145 hp...125 would do!<G>

I do see LOTS of peeps touring on GW's tho... they don't generally wave, most Harley riders do....

Mary

 

[Wingman]

You ask how come cruisers are so much more popular than ST's? Best I can come up with is simply that most people have yet to see the light. The fact that you pose the question and have found your way here means you are no longer sitting in the dark.

My first bike was a Honda Nighthawk 750, and to this day I wish I hadn't sold it. Then I bought a Honda Magna. It had a great motor, but the handling and especially braking just weren't up to any sort of hard riding. Then one day someone offered to switch bikes for part of a ride and let me ride their ST1100. I can truely say my eyes were opened that day, and I saw the light. I did some research, took some test rides, and some seroius soul searching to determine exactly what I wanted to be able to do with my next bike. It came down to the FJR1300 and VRF800. Obvoiusly the FJR won out in the end, and I won't be turning back any time soon. Although I have considered adding a track day only bike to the stable in the future.

At this point I just have to wonder why anyone who actually rides would want a cruiser. I wonder if they would think differently after a couple of 500+ mile days in the saddle? Some folks swear cruisers are comfortable, but anything can be comfortable when you only ride 5 miles to the nearest bar before taking a break. Most of my friends who own cruisers would only need an oil change every couple of years if they based the interval strictly on mileage, whereas the ST owners I Know tend to need one every couple of months.

I guess in the end everyone is free to choose what they want to ride, and I've made my choice based on what I like to do while in the saddle instead of how I look sitting there.

David

 

[Taff]

Hmmmm..... I guess I'm not a real "biker"..I bought my Harley cause it was one of the very few bikes that fit me comfortably.

Didn't sit on any touring bikes tho.. the GW's are too big and the BMW's too tall, that was all that was around in Hawaii at that time.

Ive ridden my Harley, and my Triumph in heavy rain, wind and cold...But!

they are plugged for GPS and heated gear... so I'm a wimp! <lol>

Oh yeah... the FJR I had I rode only in sun, heavy rain and then desert heat... but I was wearing my leathers... (ok, only one real trip)

I still want a smaller version of the FJR, maybe a Triumph Tiger or Sprint....not just lower (mine was way lowerered)

but overall a smaller bike...I really don't need 145 hp...125 would do!<G>

I do see LOTS of peeps touring on GW's tho... they don't generally wave, most Harley riders do....

Mary

Hi there Mary,

I must be a wimp too as I am also "wired" - )

Some GW riders do wave, but I agree with you with regard to most not waving...Most HD riders do give a wave..some don't..Now don't get me going on some of the Beemer riders - )

Me. I always wave unless I am on a technical road (for me that means I don't know the road) or I am on the CBR 1000 RR being stupid (only stupid sometimes; no, make that stupid all the time) - )

Take care, ride safe.

Jon.

 

[IndianaTom]

Cruiser's are fine bikes - for amatures. They're easy to handle, require very little attention to herd down the road, and their performance curve is very controllable - all qualities which make them perfect for the average female cyclist*. The things are good 'beginner' street bikes, what with their low center of gravity and gentle braking characteristics. ....

The chick next door has a boy friend (both in late 30's) who has questioned me about my bike. He said he wants to get a fat boy, "they're easy to ride, right? I've not rode since I rode my cousins mini-bike in 6th grade".

He really isn't too bright in many respects, and I keep telling her to give him a wide birth if he does end up buying one, and not to ride with him until after he's had some classes, and lots of hours in the saddle.

 

[jocko87]

Once I figured out what I am it really helped... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misanthropy Part of be a misanthrope is distaste for things like the "Harley Effect" and other societal norms. I suspect I am not the only one here either.

I bought my V-Star because I knew better. At 23/24 years old, I was at least smart enough to know I wasn't responsible enough for the monster sport bike I wanted. It was (is) a great bike and was somewhat customized already when I bought it but I proceeded to farkle the hell out of it (air suspension etc.) When it fell of the trailer, I bought the FJR because it fit what I wanted to do on a bike-miles. I was doing many 3-400 mile days on the V-Star and it really wasn't a good enough bike for the task.

My dilemma now is to rebuild or not rebuild? The V-Star is easily fixable with the stock parts in the basement but I don't need it just to ride-it would have to be "cool" and I don't really need that anymore. I don't have a need for a cruiser. The FJR satisfies what I need in a bike and I'm not inspired to rebuild the V-Star. I was thinking old-school fat-tire bobber but now thinking more Christmas gift for my little bro.

 

[flying junior]

I have noticed in my 370 mile commute to work each way that I seldom ever see an ST bike on the road. I am constantly looking and see lots of groups of riders on Hardleys ie Cruisers. I personally have rented a cruiser or two(HD Ultra Classic, Road King etc.) before and found my BMW R 1100RT-P to be much more comfortable as most of you would agree. So I am curious as to why there are so many more cruiser style bikes than there are Sport Touring bikes. Is it an image thing or am I missing the big picture here. Also I have noticed at my job as a Fireman it seems as though most of these Harley riders look down on the ST guys. Matter of fact the other day I was showing a photo of an FJR from this site here to a few co-workers who happen to own Harleys and they laughed at me and said it was a girls bike. Funny thing about these guys at work is that even though the own a Harley they will be lucky to put 2000 miles a year on them. Even that mileage I am sure is very high for most of them. So why do these Cruiser riders look down on the ST riders? My wife also doesn't care for the looks of ST bikes and would rather see me get a HD. She knows I won't buy one. I just don't get it....... I do get this however, it was a funny bumper sticker I saw one day driving home which read "90% of all Harleys are still on the road.... The other 10% made it home."

Where I live, there's a historic district down by the river, an old part of town that's been restored to try to look as it was in the 1880s or so.

Every weekend in nice weather, scores of Harley riders go down there, back their machines up to the curb, and sit around glowering and drinking beer, occasionally polishing the chrome.

One day I was passing through that scene on my bicycle and saw a guy I knew through work, a high-placed county official. He was sitting there with a bandana around his head, thrusting out his considerable belly and trying to look intimidating. I stopped to chat. He told me how much fun it was to be a "biker," and "scare the citizens." He particularly liked to glower at old ladies and to roar through parking garages with his loud pipes, seeing how many car alarms he could trigger.

That, I think, is what that whole scene is about.

Besides. If you aren't a rider and you are thinking about a motorcycle, you want one that looks like what motorcycles used to look like, which is Harleys and the look-alike cruisers.

 

[krashdragon]

Hmmmm..... I guess I'm not a real "biker"..I bought my Harley cause it was one of the very few bikes that fit me comfortably.

Didn't sit on any touring bikes tho.. the GW's are too big and the BMW's too tall, that was all that was around in Hawaii at that time.

Ive ridden my Harley, and my Triumph in heavy rain, wind and cold...But!

they are plugged for GPS and heated gear... so I'm a wimp! <lol>

Oh yeah... the FJR I had I rode only in sun, heavy rain and then desert heat... but I was wearing my leathers... (ok, only one real trip)

I still want a smaller version of the FJR, maybe a Triumph Tiger or Sprint....not just lower (mine was way lowerered)

but overall a smaller bike...I really don't need 145 hp...125 would do!<G>

I do see LOTS of peeps touring on GW's tho... they don't generally wave, most Harley riders do....

Mary

Hi there Mary,

I must be a wimp too as I am also "wired" - )

Some GW riders do wave, but I agree with you with regard to most not waving...Most HD riders do give a wave..some don't..Now don't get me going on some of the Beemer riders - )

Me. I always wave unless I am on a technical road (for me that means I don't know the road) or I am on the CBR 1000 RR being stupid (only stupid sometimes; no, make that stupid all the time) - )

Take care, ride safe.

Jon.

No problem... I like beiing a nice warm wimp! <G>

I'm selling my Harley Deuce and my Suzuki Bandit 1200.

Even after owning the FJR for a short time, I like the fairings so much that I'm getting rid of these two bikes...

windshields just aint' the same...

mary

 

[Bounce]

i had my cruiser phase and moved on once i found that i was using the bike beyond its design envelope. others have mentioned miles per year and other issues. my take is that a lot of people buy into the marketing hype about buying a lifestyle. since i have a lifestyle regardless of what bike i own, i buy the style that makes me smile the most.

 

[RatoneMuerto]

Great topic!I think it is all about image and perception. If one wishes to be a part of the "Born to be Mild"crowd driving to a bike night,short commutes or setting off car alarms is your thing then I see no problem with any cruiser.I will always have a love for any HD Sporty and other fine cruisers like the Yamaha Warrior but it is not my machine of choice.For any distance riding my choice will be a machine with good ergonomics,reliability,dealer network and not feel like I am turning a tank.It is a great feeling to get ready for the winter season with ones spouse pulling out the cold gear for a ride for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[PapaUtah]

Demographics... <_<

 

[Calimus]

I think like any other "grouping" there are those that ride for image, or whatever the marketing machine puts out there. But there are also those that ride because it's what they love and maybe a cruiser is what works best for them.

Case in point, my father has ridden for the better part of 40 years. Currently he rides a VTX 1800c. He doesn't ride for image, he actually had issues with buying a V-twin as it was a major departure. However, with as hard as he's been to his body over all the years, the cruiser style bikes are all that feels comfortable anymore. An he sure doesn't ride that bike like it's a cruiser. On day's where he's in the "zone", he can give me a run for my money. He rides every day, rain, shine, cold, hotter then hell, he doesn't care. His truck is currently getting about 6 months to a tank of gas as it's been reduced to weekend runs to the dump.

Sure he's not the majority, but thats exactly why it's a bad thing to label all cruiser riders as ametures, maketing slaves and so on. Who cares why ppl ride what they ride, it's two wheels and thats all that matters.

I have to admit though, I do jab some fun at the folks that tow their bikes everywhere. It's just too hard to give that up.

 

[Jackson]

I have to admit though, I do jab some fun at the folks that tow their bikes everywhere. It's just too hard to give that up.

Someone once said: "If you see my bike on a trailer..... call 911!". :lol: