Author Topic: First Time On a Cruiser  (Read 2627 times)

Offline Sven

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First Time On a Cruiser
« on: May 22, 2006, 01:25:58 PM »
There's no question here, just a few personal observations some of you might find interesting.

Yesterday I rode my 4th MC ever, and it was the 1st time I've been on a cruiser.  Last summer, my buddy decided at age 58 to take the Rider's Edge course and learn to ride.  I could go on at length about *his* experiences, but briefly, it took him several months rather than one weekend...he had a lot of trouble learning to shift, but he did finally pass his skills course and last month bought a Honda Shadow Sabre 1100.  So it was his bike that I got to ride yesterday.

Prior to that, I had ridden the Honda Rebel that we has in the MSF course, and then I bought the Bandit 1200S and *really* learned to ride on that, and have ridden my buddy's Kawasaki ZRX 1100 a few times.  (It seems that motorcycles are like underwear...guys just don't really want to share them too often, or for very long.)  The ZRX is a lot like riding the Bandit...everything was in the same place (ignition key, footpegs, position of my butt and privates), and it has the same sort of start-acceleration-stop.

The Shadow is entirely different.  First of all, I would get it moving, and then pick my feet up and then I couldn't find the footpegs!  So I had to look where they were, which means not looking at the road, which is not good.  Also, while the Bandit has a lot more zip from a dead stop, I'm also comfortable making it barely move, like when I'm in stop-and-go traffic.  On the Shadow, once I got it going, I had a hard time keeping it under 10MPH or it wanted to die on me.  That may be more a matter of learning that bike's friction zone rather than a problem with the bike as a whole.  But it has a nice tight turning radius, and sitting further back with my shoulders in a different position wasn't as much of a transition as I expected.  As for where they put the ignition key...WTF is the point of that?

I was rather pleased that I have learned enough in the past few years to actually pass on some skills.  I noticed my buddy does well once he's moving and is learning on turns, etc. but he paddlewalks when he comes to a stop, and he needs to be more assertive with the throttle when starting from a stop.  I also followed him when shifting and immediately realized he was going into 2nd gear as soon as the wheels started rolling, so I took his bike for a few test starts and advised him to wait until about 25MPH to shift into second.  He gave it a try and said it was much smoother (because it wasn't trying to stall out!).

So it was great, I got to try a totally different bike, pass on a little knowledge, and soon we'll have another riding buddy!  I keep thinking I want to rent a H-D when I travel for work, but I see more clearly that selecting a model would be important since the riding posture and the lack of acceleration are more different that I expected.
2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S | el Bandido de Cerceta | the teal bandit
2010 Yamaha FJR1300A | Gin Tama | the silver bullet
2002 Honda CRV | the dirt-colored car

Offline jbrough7

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2006, 01:50:39 PM »
I think they're 48 hp??  Did that feel really gutless?  You went straight from a rebel to a 1200?  Did anybody warn you it was too much too fast?  Or did you get the comments that there was no sense in buying a mid-size as you would just move up soon anyway??

I came from a cruiser and have gotten into trouble with the footpegs issue - I like to come to a complete stop and sit there and then at the very last microsecond put my foot down.  Only problem is the bandit's pegs are way further back and I keep forgetting that so sometimes hit my foot on them on the way down and just about put the thing on the pavement!  Mental!

Did the position feel comfortable? (no sexual innuendo intended, you turd!)

Must feel cool to help somebody else out like that.

Your buddy's problems with shifting bring back an old bugaboo of mine....some people say you can teach ANYONE to ride while I think you have to kinda be born to it...

BTW, do you ever work? :wink:

Offline Sven

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2006, 02:19:08 PM »
Quote from: jbrough7
Did the position feel comfortable? (no sexual innuendo intended, you turd!)

BTW, do you ever work?


In the immortal words of the Pet Shob Boys and Dusty Springfield, what've I done to deserve this?

And...I assume those little eskeemo chirren will soon be out of school for the summer.  Will we be able to hear a little more out of you then?
2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S | el Bandido de Cerceta | the teal bandit
2010 Yamaha FJR1300A | Gin Tama | the silver bullet
2002 Honda CRV | the dirt-colored car

Offline Desolation Angel

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2006, 02:21:21 PM »
:shock:  Oh, God! :shock:

Offline Sven

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« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2006, 02:25:21 PM »
Quote from: jbrough7
You went straight from a rebel to a 1200?  Did anybody warn you it was too much too fast?  Or did you get the comments that there was no sense in buying a mid-size as you would just move up soon anyway??


Yeah, and I think it made it MUCH harder to learn to make my turns...I would just zip off the side of the road before I knew what hit me (or what I hit).  Elbandido has had a lot of cosmetic surgery.  It's like the motorcycle of Dorian Grey...It keeps looking young while I...hell, I look effin' great too!

Actually, the books, the magazines, the rider course, and my own internal warning system told me to get a 600-750 cc bike, and I had about settled on the Bandit 600, but Mr. ZRx "been riding since he was 13 (and ruined his ankle for life at 15)" kept telling me I would not be happy with it once I learned to ride.

BTW, I picked the Bandit first based on the way it felt in the butt and crotch and shoulders, and then based on the reviews and cost.  It was not my first choice based on looks or reviews.  I've never been too crazy about the fairing styling or how easily plastic scraped and breaks.  (Can you tell us a little about that?)

Overall, I was not entirely crazy about the posture of the Sabre...I want my feet back a bit and my shoulders lower.
2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S | el Bandido de Cerceta | the teal bandit
2010 Yamaha FJR1300A | Gin Tama | the silver bullet
2002 Honda CRV | the dirt-colored car

Offline Doch80

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2006, 01:35:49 AM »
I agree that a cruiser is a totaly different beast.  My mom has a V-star 1100 and my dad has a VTX 1800.  I ride my moms all the time but I road my dad's for the first time (over a distance) the other day.  Eventually I got used to it and it, they are much easier to ride over long periods, but the way I ride them... just not as much power.  Granted I didn't spend to much time trying to find the sweet spot on the VTX and it has power everywhere and if you hit it right you'll pull your arms out of your socket... the bandit just does it much more easily.  After I got off my dad's VTX I jumped on my bandit... the bike felt much much smaller then before I road my dad's... felt like a bicycle actually.  Fun times... much easier to flick now :)

anyways, to each his own.  If I had to ride across country... wouldn't mind my dad's bike or my moms...

chad
2001 Bandit 1200s
WTFO

Offline silvershadow

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2006, 12:03:15 PM »
I came from a 750 shadow to the bandit.  What a difference!  The shadow was a laided back machine, don't even think about going fast on it.  I would roll on from a stop sign with it pegged wide open and it would take me a 1/4 mile to get up to 75 mph.  Glad those days are long gone.  Balance was much different on the shadow too.  I found that out once I started riding the Bandit and coming up to stop signs and not having to put my feet down as much.

 2B12S ROCKS
2003 Bandit1200S, Hole Shot can, Jet kit, Timing advancer, Braided lines.

Offline Sven

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2006, 01:09:54 PM »
Quote from: silvershadow
Balance was much different on the shadow too.  I found that out once I started riding the Bandit and coming up to stop signs and not having to put my feet down as much.


Yeah, unless I come to a full and dead stop, I don't put my feet down.  I can hold it there almost still without putting a foot down.   Cruisers always look kinda funny turning corners, too.  Like they are folding in half.  Like a truck pulling a trailer.
2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S | el Bandido de Cerceta | the teal bandit
2010 Yamaha FJR1300A | Gin Tama | the silver bullet
2002 Honda CRV | the dirt-colored car

Offline mike

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First Time On a Cruiser
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2006, 01:42:42 PM »
Quote
I couldn't find the footpegs!


Same here, HD Night Train with forward chopper style pegs, felt very wierd..