[64273]

I'm looking to get another bike after not riding for the past 7 years. I know I want a cruiser, as my last bike was a shadow 750 and I love the cruiser style. While it was adequate, my 31YO, 6'5", 265 LB frame kind of made me look like I was riding a kids bicycle. Now that I’m 38, I’m ready for another bike.. Mid life crisis is what my close friends call it. I don’t care though. I want to ride.

So, how about some opinions? Which cruisers would be good choices for me to start shopping?

 

[longride]

Find a used Valkyrie. Nobody makes that thing look small. You should find a nice one for under 7 grand.

 

[BrowningBAR]

The Valkyrie's were cool. I'm guessing they stopped making them because they weren't selling...though I used to see a ton of them in AZ.

Too bad Triumph couldn't make their big ass engine as neat looking as the Valkyrie.

 

[acecycleins]

I'm looking to get another bike after not riding for the past 7 years. I know I want a cruiser, as my last bike was a shadow 750 and I love the cruiser style. While it was adequate, my 31YO, 6'5", 265 LB frame kind of make me look like I was riding a kids bicycle. Now that I'm 38, I'm ready for another bike.. Mid life crisis is what my close friends call it. I don't care though. I want to ride.

So, how about some opinions? Which cruisers would be good choices for me to start shopping?

Valkyrie is a great bike. The Yamaha Royal Star series is equally good. Harley FLT is good to keep on the radar. VTX1800 or Yamaha Roadstar Midnight model.

If you just need to have tire smoking and good handling on a budget- Go for the Triumph Rocket III.

I'm 6' 255lbs and I'm more than comfortable on any of these. When I was working for a local Triumph dealer we sold a bike to a rather famous WWE wrestler that was easily 6'9" or better and weighed in well over the 400lbs mark. He got a Rocket, put Corbin Beetle bags and the Fleetliner screen on it. It looked really good. Now they sell a Tour model, too.

Just depends on budget, buddy. Wanna go cheap buy a Kawasaki VN1600 Vulcan. Want unlimited miles out of a motor- Valk. Want sound- HD or Triumph. Want original- Rocket III.

Your work is cut out for you. If you have insurance questions send me a note and I'll try to guide you.

Welcome to MO. You'll get used to us- eventually

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

If you just need to have tire smoking and good handling on a budget- Go for the Triumph Rocket III.

Good call. That bike has enough torque to accelerate a couple 300 pounders!

 

[64273]

Wow folks, thanks for all the replies thus far. You guys are too kind! As for the price range, I'd like to stay around 6k. I dont want anything financed and I'm comfortable with dropping that amount right now.

I def like the huge, tough looks of the Valkyrie. The Rocket III is also hot, but dosent seem to be quite as big as the Honda. Hmmm..

So, with my two main concerns.. Looks and reliability (well, and fit), it seems there are TONS of choices.

Another question then... All of my previous bikes were purchased from a few friends that didnt mind me checking out the cycle before I bought it. I've never been in a show room and thats the only way I can think of sitting on a bike to decide what make/model I'm most comfortable with... Do dealers let you just waltz in and plop down on a bike?? I dont want to go crazy with test rides, I just want to see how they feel under me. Suggestions??

I sound like a taghwI', but I owned a bike from the time I was about 9 until about 31. Those 7 or 8 years just seem like an eternity.

 

[seruzawa]

The Valkyrie will give you reliability but is as ugly as Rosie O'Donnell. You can also find used Victories in your price range. A friend got a used one with bags for about that. Nice bike.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Oooh! OOOH! PICK ME!

Why, you should find yourself astraddle the Only Motorcycle worthy of calling-itself as such: a Supercharged BossHoss 502 with Nitrous-Oxide-Injection.

And Chrome. A whole LO-O-O-O-OTTA Chrome!

Full-back Tattoo wouldn't hurt, neither.........

 

[pushrod]

Yeah, but just the full-back tatt might cost him most of his $6K budget...

 

[The_AirHawk]

Yeah, but just the full-back tatt might cost him most of his $6K budget...

A piece of 120-grit open-coat and a handful of Bic pens worked for me!

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

. I've never been in a show room and thats the only way I can think of sitting on a bike to decide what make/model I'm most comfortable with... Do dealers let you just waltz in and plop down on a bike?? I dont want to go crazy with test rides, I just want to see how they feel under me. Suggestions??

The dealers will all be happy to let you sit on the bikes, if you're with a saleshole. They encourage it, it's a sales tool. I can't speak for areas other than South Florida, but recently HD has started encouraging test rides IF you have the M/C endorsement on your DL. The other dealers are less inclined, which is exactly opposite of how things were for many years. However, if there are any bike shows you can attend, the mfgs almost always have demo rides available there.

 

[BrowningBAR]

The Valkyrie will give you reliability but is as ugly as Rosie O'Donnell. You can also find used Victories in your price range. A friend got a used one with bags for about that. Nice bike.

Man, so you hated Beemer's cruiser and the Valkyrie? Crap, am I becoming a dirty, little hippie in my charitable love for unique bikes, or do I just need to drop the beer goggles?

Nah, I'm right and anyone that disagrees with me is a narrow-minded commie liberal/ditto-head neocon. Possibly even racist! How does that make them racist? I have no idea, but if I say it enough times it will be taken as a fact.

(Good lord, does this mean I have a secret lust for Rosie O'Donnell?!)

 

[sarnali2]

(Good lord, does this mean I have a secret lust for Rosie O'Donnell?!)

Sick bastard, this is a family site for Chris' sakes....think of the children!!!

Anyway, I'd get a Rocket Three over a Valk. anyday. While the whole Nordic Angel of Death thing is cool the bike it's self is plain butt-ug, not that the Rocket is much better, I just like Triumphs so that would be my choice.

For the record, I'm 6 foot, weigh more than you and am an old and creaky 50, I fit just fine on just about any HD and spend most of my time now on a Superglide with mini-apes and forward controls and am comfortable as can be. I think the deciding factor is if your height is in your legs or your torso, long legs mean your knees will be up around your ears on many bikes so I'd be paying particular attention to leg room...

 

[longride]

Sarnali, never utter the words 'butt ugly' around the Rocket III. Nice enough to ride, but yeeeesh!

 

[BrowningBAR]

Sarnali, never utter the words 'butt ugly' around the Rocket III. Nice enough to ride, but yeeeesh!

I don't understand how someone can say the Valk is ugly, but like the looks of the Triumph.

I'm a big fan of triumph, but that thing is ugly.

...Not Victory Vision ugly, though.

 

[longride]

True dat. To say the Valk is ugly, but the Rocket isn't is like saying that an elephant is fat, but a hippo isn't. Nothing in this world will approach the hidious Victory Vision though. I thought the Rune was an abortion until I saw the 'Vision' thing in person at the bike show. I wondered out loud if you get a free clown suit with the bike. It drew a few snickers from the crowd. I can't believe that anyone would actually buy one of those things.

 

[sarnali2]

I don't think the Rocket looks too bad. The intake side is overdone but the rest of the bike flows together. Aside from the fact it should be a Trident not a Rocket I think they're OK.

Funny thing about the Vision is in person it's a pretty nice looking bike. They had a few different versions at the IMS, plus one that was sans bodywork and tank and I'll tell you, you won't be hearing of frame breakage on THAT one, it's built like a dam* M-1 Abrams under the plastic. All in all it's a pretty cool bike and a nice departure from the Japanese cookie cutters.

 

[longride]

Is the Vision on the top of your list of bikes you will never buy?? :-D

 

[acecycleins]

You can already find used Rocket III for $10k. The bikes are very similar in overall demension. Triumph will let you test ride one if you hold a M class endorsement. Then after your ride you can promptly start looking for a nice used one. They handle great for such a big bike and have great breaks (for a large cruiser). And the power is amazing. You can click the thing into 5th and it will pull like a train from 1500rpm. Unless you have a wind screen on it, you won't ever top out the speed. The thing will do 140mph, maybe more. And, it's a Triumph! You won't see one on every corner. What's the motto: Go your own road or something like it. Get the Triumph "off-road" pipes and sound will not be an issue. I've even seen one turbo'd.
Valks are very cool even if they discontinued the things 4 yrs ago. Tons of stuff available. Easy to maintain. But the Rocket's valve checks are something like 20k. So, maintaining the Rocket won't break the bank, either.
Either way, you make a wise decision base on your riding needs and you're not going to go wrong.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Rocket III Touring bike is by far better looking than the standard rocket. Probably because it looks a lot like an HD (paint scheme, hardbags, pipes). For some reason all the extra crap on the touring model actually makes it look better.

The Vision Street is better looking than the Vision Tour. But that's like saying Philly white trash have nicer velvet jogging suits than Brooklyn white trash.