Getting a middleweight cruiser as a second/commuter bike
Discussion
Hi all,
Traffic and parking at work has gotten to the stage where I'm seriously considering moving my commute onto 2 wheels.
I've currently got a Yamaha Thundercat which I love to bits, but I'd be less inclined to commute on it as frankly I'm a little precious about damaging it or binning it in rubbish weather as plastic is expensive
As such, I'm considering an additional bike for commuting. In the absence of truly dirt-cheap motorcycles any more (sub-£500 and running) I'd like something reasonably different, so essentially not a modernish inline-4. I've also always been keen to turn my hand at cruiser style bikes as frankly they look ace, and being on a sportsbike can make the 'atmospheric' aspect of biking enjoyment take a back seat to performance.
So, I'm considering a middleweight cruiser-style bike as something to commute on - it keeps the Thundercat shiny over winter, it lets me figure out if I like cruisers to ride rather than look at, and it lets me get to work at a reasonable time.
Does anybody have any wisdom to offer, even if it's saying this is a stupid idea? The two frontrunners are XV535 Viragos (for the price) and Dragstar 650s (for the looks) so if anyone's got specific experience of these relating to commuting in less than great weather, filtering etc. it would be much appreciated.
Similarly, if anyone's got other recommendations I'm all ears - I loved my SV650 for example. Having no real winter commuting experience I'm not sure if it's going to be a case of clean it often and it'll be ok, or 'wtf are you thinking', although I do have a car for the truly awful days.
Traffic and parking at work has gotten to the stage where I'm seriously considering moving my commute onto 2 wheels.
I've currently got a Yamaha Thundercat which I love to bits, but I'd be less inclined to commute on it as frankly I'm a little precious about damaging it or binning it in rubbish weather as plastic is expensive
As such, I'm considering an additional bike for commuting. In the absence of truly dirt-cheap motorcycles any more (sub-£500 and running) I'd like something reasonably different, so essentially not a modernish inline-4. I've also always been keen to turn my hand at cruiser style bikes as frankly they look ace, and being on a sportsbike can make the 'atmospheric' aspect of biking enjoyment take a back seat to performance.
So, I'm considering a middleweight cruiser-style bike as something to commute on - it keeps the Thundercat shiny over winter, it lets me figure out if I like cruisers to ride rather than look at, and it lets me get to work at a reasonable time.
Does anybody have any wisdom to offer, even if it's saying this is a stupid idea? The two frontrunners are XV535 Viragos (for the price) and Dragstar 650s (for the looks) so if anyone's got specific experience of these relating to commuting in less than great weather, filtering etc. it would be much appreciated.
Similarly, if anyone's got other recommendations I'm all ears - I loved my SV650 for example. Having no real winter commuting experience I'm not sure if it's going to be a case of clean it often and it'll be ok, or 'wtf are you thinking', although I do have a car for the truly awful days.
If you can put up with it being slow, my Deauville has been the perfect commuter hack.
Dead comfy, (almost) dead reliable.
I havnt washed it since i bought it probably more than 10000 miles and 1 year ago.
I ride it flat out almost everywhere.
Its narrow enough to filter (as wide as your knees) yet has panniers.
The fairing keeps most of the weather off you.
The panniers and top box can hold a full set of riding gear.
Mine cost me £1400, it was a cat c.
Dead comfy, (almost) dead reliable.
I havnt washed it since i bought it probably more than 10000 miles and 1 year ago.
I ride it flat out almost everywhere.
Its narrow enough to filter (as wide as your knees) yet has panniers.
The fairing keeps most of the weather off you.
The panniers and top box can hold a full set of riding gear.
Mine cost me £1400, it was a cat c.
I font have any experience with either of the bikes, but have ridden a mates 1100 dragstar and been shocked by how slow it actually is. The 650 must be even worse.
He's just spent quite a while stripping his down and repainting ir replacing corroded parts. He's owned it from new (think its a 2006) and its always been garaged so I'm not sure how they would stand up to winter riding.
Having said all that they do have a certain charm and I occasionally find myself looking for cheap 1100s to buy and modify.
He's just spent quite a while stripping his down and repainting ir replacing corroded parts. He's owned it from new (think its a 2006) and its always been garaged so I'm not sure how they would stand up to winter riding.
Having said all that they do have a certain charm and I occasionally find myself looking for cheap 1100s to buy and modify.
I have only ever ridden a 125 "cruiser", so I don't have any real experience of them, but I would have thought they would be the worst bike for commuting. Difficult to filter due to being not very easy to turn and being low means you don't have the visibility, are less visible and more exposed to being splashed by standing water.
Thanks for the input. I'm aware it's going to be very slow compared to pretty much everything so that wouldn't be the end of the world and it's only got to filter past lines of queuing cars rather than a city centre onslaught, but the rebuild info has given me pause for thought. Thank you.
I'll look into deauvilles but I must admit I don't lust after them. Then again, hopefully neither will scrotes
I'll look into deauvilles but I must admit I don't lust after them. Then again, hopefully neither will scrotes
I have a Kawasaki 900 Vulcan, changed for a 1000 when I got to 60, it is awful, brakes terribly and as a commuter it is just too long and wide, The weekend I got my 750 Vulcan back from the restorer 25 years old but a much better bike, the 900 will now go up for sale and can't wait to get rid of it.
Why not try an inline four, big old muscle bike I commute on a Honda CB1300 into Bristol city centre, its a big old sit up lump but I find the handling not bad I have even husselled it around Castle Coombe for a few laps when the Triumph Speed's exhaust came no where near passing the sound check.
Its certainly better handling than the Harley I test rode and it filters in the dual carriageway and motorway situations fine.
She is a bit thirsty but I only commute 5 miles each way each day. Obviously there are Yamaha and Kawasaki equivalents but the Honda reliability and rust resistance for commuting swayed me.
Its certainly better handling than the Harley I test rode and it filters in the dual carriageway and motorway situations fine.
She is a bit thirsty but I only commute 5 miles each way each day. Obviously there are Yamaha and Kawasaki equivalents but the Honda reliability and rust resistance for commuting swayed me.
Mr_Tickle said:
Commute in the thundercat, that's the answer.
It's in far too good condition to subject to that, and as mentioned above I don't want to knacker it by binning it.Besides, this may or may not also have something to do with the n+1 rule of the number of bikes one should own, but don't tell the missus
Vincefox said:
Theyre a bargain. Overengineered, solid, quick and very reliable. Only real achilles heel is the charging system but that's a quick fix/workaround.
Rc36 generation are going cheap atm but oddly, starting to rise in value.
Not ideal for winter commuting because of the rear hubs seizing though. It's a PITA job as well to do and the worst bit is it'll always happen because of the fecking hole Honda decided was a great idea Rc36 generation are going cheap atm but oddly, starting to rise in value.
Sound
with no can though powerstans said:
Why not try an inline four, big old muscle bike I commute on a Honda CB1300 into Bristol city centre, its a big old sit up lump but I find the handling not bad I have even husselled it around Castle Coombe for a few laps when the Triumph Speed's exhaust came no where near passing the sound check.
Its certainly better handling than the Harley I test rode and it filters in the dual carriageway and motorway situations fine.
She is a bit thirsty but I only commute 5 miles each way each day. Obviously there are Yamaha and Kawasaki equivalents but the Honda reliability and rust resistance for commuting swayed me.
Sorry I missed this earlier. I've considered these - UJMs are awesome so I'd consider another. How do you find it in arsey weather?Its certainly better handling than the Harley I test rode and it filters in the dual carriageway and motorway situations fine.
She is a bit thirsty but I only commute 5 miles each way each day. Obviously there are Yamaha and Kawasaki equivalents but the Honda reliability and rust resistance for commuting swayed me.
CB1300s are brilliant, I had one for a year before getting the Tiger Explorer, they're possibly the easiest bike to ride I've had. Massive torque, it doesn't really matter what gear its in you can just open the throttle and it'll go.
They're quite a heavy bike but feel well balanced so I didn't have any issues.
My only issue was the low seat coupled with relatively high pegs, so on longer runs it sometimes felt a bit cramped. I'm 6'2".
If you get the half faired one (mine was naked) they should be pretty good in crap weather.
They're quite a heavy bike but feel well balanced so I didn't have any issues.
My only issue was the low seat coupled with relatively high pegs, so on longer runs it sometimes felt a bit cramped. I'm 6'2".
If you get the half faired one (mine was naked) they should be pretty good in crap weather.
Depends, on 5 mile commute I dont worry about the rain just wear waterproofs. Find the bike quite low (780mm height I believe) and stable with agood sat up stance. The mass seems to increase its feeliing of solidity especially when windy. The really lazey engine means even from low speed I can let the low revs just gently pull me along if it feels a bit slimy. (No having to rev and slip the clutch to get it rolling risking wheel spin).
Only down sides witthe bikes weight are making sure your feet are down safely as its heavy if you start to drop it at stand still (but so would a cruiser) and I do feel like taking it easy through bends when wet, but Mitchelin road pilot 3 tyres seem to give it a fairly planted feel and I have had no sliding instances yet (Though to be fare I dont try racing when commuting in the wet and dark of the winter).
Its also a nice lazy bike for a pootle in the summer and a nice contrast in stance to the Thundercat.
Mrs P likes it as a pillion and she is 6', so good for going out sunny days with the other half if you feel like it. The Yamaha and Kawasaki ones are more fashionable and you could find yourself blinging one of these if you fancy the custom upgrade type look
Only down sides witthe bikes weight are making sure your feet are down safely as its heavy if you start to drop it at stand still (but so would a cruiser) and I do feel like taking it easy through bends when wet, but Mitchelin road pilot 3 tyres seem to give it a fairly planted feel and I have had no sliding instances yet (Though to be fare I dont try racing when commuting in the wet and dark of the winter).
Its also a nice lazy bike for a pootle in the summer and a nice contrast in stance to the Thundercat.
Mrs P likes it as a pillion and she is 6', so good for going out sunny days with the other half if you feel like it. The Yamaha and Kawasaki ones are more fashionable and you could find yourself blinging one of these if you fancy the custom upgrade type look
SteveSteveson said:
I have only ever ridden a 125 "cruiser", so I don't have any real experience of them, but I would have thought they would be the worst bike for commuting. Difficult to filter due to being not very easy to turn and being low means you don't have the visibility, are less visible and more exposed to being splashed by standing water.
The wider handlebars on my (cruiser style) 125 makes it more difficult to filter than the sports tourer. Means that I need a fider ga between cars to avoid hitting wing mirrors.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff