Cruisers

[RickHolt]

I'm considering a cheap cruiser as a second bike. I want something I can learn to work on without having to take the GPZ off the road. Cruisers look easier to work on (no fairings to mess with) and would give me something different to ride.

I have no idea about cruisers though. Does anyone know of any good ones to look for? Prices they go for? Insurance costs? Any info really about what I should be looking for in a cheap (to buy and insure) cruiser.

Other ideas for bikes to learn on that I could ride aswell would be helpful

[yambabe]

What size bike are we talking about here, small engine, medium or large?
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[RickHolt]

Would say medium. I'm on a 33bhp license. Depends on the insurance a bit really. Small engines and cruisers don't seem to match though.

[Sadie]

Something like a Yamaha XV535 is easily restricted and they are great little runners, although the finish isn't always all that. You should be able to pick one up quite cheaply.

The Honda Shadow and Suzuki Intruder are also worth a look.
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[instigator]

[yambabe]

In the >33bhp (without restricting) range you will find a Virago XV250 already, and there are also a few grey-import XV400s around. The 400 is by far the better bike IMO, you get nearly the same power as the 535 but the bike (well the 2 I know of anyway!) seems a little more robust and not quite so prone to disintegration.

Yamaha also did an SR250 but most of these on the market that I've seen seem to be quite tatty now, dunno how they run cos I've not encountered one that closely on my travels.

There is (naturally) the Eliminator range, the 250 is >33bhp (the 400 is 54bhp - excited? me? OK well maybe just a bit) and I can't praise it hightly enough. Easy to ride, easy to fix, can't imagine how I would live without mine.

Of Honda's 250s, the Rebel is (IMO obvously) easier to get hold of than a 250 Shadow but they do, so I'm told, have the Virago's tendency to bright shiny bits that rot at a sniff of rain.

Suzuki Intruders look cool but I've no experience of them so I don't know if they would be suitable.

From my own experience, the Hondas are the most reliable engine-wise, Yamahas are the cheapest to pick up, but Eliminators are the best all-rounders.

There are other non-faired bikes around that you might like to think about too, old 250s such as superdreams can be picked up for buttons often, and Honda do the CB in 250/400 - like a baby hornet, very pretty.
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[Sadie]

[map]

[TheShaggyDA]

Not exactly a cruiser, but if you want something to learn to work on and different to ride then how about a 350cc or 500cc Enfield? Extremely easy to work on, cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap spares, cheap insurance.

https://goldwing.bikepics.net/poyalenfield-bullet500-04-bikepics-252773.jpg

Only downside (if it's thought of that way) is the right hand gear change. The Sixty-5 model has a left hand change though, but is a more recent addition to the range, so would be higher priced.

Another bike you might like to consider is the Suzuki LS650P "Savage". Cruiser, single cylinder, also available as a 400cc :-

https://predator.bikepics.com/pics/suzuki-savage-01-bikepics-277134.jpg
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[gimpy limp]

looads you can do to honda xv500's, plus honda engineering is reliable (and yamaha):

standard:
https://www.mourneman.co.uk/motorbikes/bikes/honda_cx500a/gallery.shtml

custom:
https://www.cxboard.netfirms.com/cxChopper/

https://www.angelfire.com/oz/cx500/

pick up mint one's for around 500 quid on eBay
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4543026855&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1



honda rebels are nice too:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4536238777&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
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msn addy - sam.barwick@ntlworld.com
https://pre-auto.com/cx500/rat_and_survival_gallery_2006

[G]

Again, not cruisers, but a bit enduro style bike is also pretty easy to work on.

My DR's the only big bike I've dared to significantly delve into the engine with. Everything's exposed and easily accesible as well.

The DR is a single cylinder air cooled engine with tappet valves, meaning it's pretty basic engineering. Everything else is quite accesible etc.

Also can handle it's self off road (at least the once I've tried it) and can handle it's self on road as well (knee down and more). Can also handle being thrown about a bit and crashed occasionaly .

[bish777]

Id say yammy 535 virago as its a good little bike and works well at 33 horses restriction.

the suzuki salvage isnt nearly as good and it has long term reliability issues (my mates dropped its camchain tensioner into the crank and obliterated itself)
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GSXR1100J

[mchaggis]

Are there any cruisers without the footpegs down by the front wheel somewhere? Or is it that when you take off the acres of chrome, make the seating position bearable and put the footpegs in a sensible position that you end up with an ordinary V-twin bike?

I'd love a cruiser, a big grumbly V-twin, but I just can't get round the seating position, though I've not ridden one yet to see if it makes such a big difference.
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[yambabe]

Yes, eliminators have the pegs straight down. And they don't have acres of chrome. Unfortunately they're not a v-twin though, even the big ones, although the 750, 900, and 1000 ones are certainly grumbly!

Another excuse to post a pic of my bike? I think so......
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Will87]

Browse ebay, there are so many project bikes going about. Loads that with a bit of time and cash will make nice bikes to ride! I've learnt to strip and rebuild engines with my 250 getting it ready and on the classics.