WOW!! This classification thing is getting real confusing. let's see---we got power cruisers,heavyweight cruisers,middleweight cruisers,light middleweight cruisers and (I presume) lightweight cruisers. Then we got standards...when does a standard become a cruiser? Is an HDXl883R a standard but an XL883 C a cruiser.? Is a Triumph Bonneville a cruiser but a Thruxton a standard? How bout the Triumph Scrambler?? We need a handbook!!
Seriously though,interesting read. A nice followup may be an XL1200(or maybe 883)R against one of the Triumph cruiser/standards.
Also,I know its not within the scope of a shootout,but one advantage of a Sporty(especially the R models) is how easy it is to hop up in your own garage. You can buy an 883R as a starter bike and after you are used to it,upgrade the suspension very easily. Then if you are ready for more power, make it a 1200 and upgrade carb and pipes. Of course,you can just trade in your japanese cruiser for a bigger one when you're ready,but its more fun to hot rod the Sporty(at least to me) plus you keep the lightweight as opposed to a bigger Japanese bike.
Seriously though,interesting read. A nice followup may be an XL1200(or maybe 883)R against one of the Triumph cruiser/standards.
Also,I know its not within the scope of a shootout,but one advantage of a Sporty(especially the R models) is how easy it is to hop up in your own garage. You can buy an 883R as a starter bike and after you are used to it,upgrade the suspension very easily. Then if you are ready for more power, make it a 1200 and upgrade carb and pipes. Of course,you can just trade in your japanese cruiser for a bigger one when you're ready,but its more fun to hot rod the Sporty(at least to me) plus you keep the lightweight as opposed to a bigger Japanese bike.
