GReetings: A good cruiser for tall people?

[motorhead_vk]

Hello people,
After a long debate with myself I finally got myself motivated to get the motorcycle permit. Ever since I got the permit, I havent been able to sit still without fantasizing about me being on the city streets. I am taking motorcycle lessons and I hope to get the license soon. At the school they gave me a very low 350 CC kawasaki and its very uncomfortable.

About me: I am 6'2" and 225 lbs. I am looking for a city cruiser. I am not much into sport bikes and touring bikes. I really like the style of triumph bonneville, triump americas, harley VRSC, yamaha vmax, suzuki boulevard (few models).

Can anyone recommend me a bike of this nature and style thats comfortable for tall people like me?

Also if you happen to live in New York city, how do you go about test driving motorcycles? Thee are not many dealers in New York city. Even most of the ads in craigslist are from NJ/CT/long island.


Thanks a lot. I hope to be a regular here. I am daydreaming all the time about my new motorcycle.

[dustbuster]

Best way to know if a bike is gonna be comfortable is to head to a dealership and sit on 'em. Find what feels good, then look for used ones in the area. Main issue for me was the standing still weight. Remember that bars, seats and pegs can be changed for a customized fit through the aftermarket.

I'll stick my neck out a little and say for a cruiser, look for something between 500 to about 1000 cc's.

Most dealerships don't offer test rides due to insurance reasons.

[Dodsfall]

You can tell a lot about the comfort of a bike from sitting on it in the showroom.

You may want to look for something with forward controls since that should give you plenty of leg room.

Another option would be a dual sport bike. These tend to have really high seats and are comfortable for tall riders.

[CapnIcthus]

I had the same issue 2 years ago (6'4" 250 lbs) I assumed I would need a bike with a really tall seat... not so with cruisers. Ended up with a Suzuki Boulevard C90T. Nothing else in the showroom felt as good. Plenty of room to stretch out.

For less money, the C50 is almost as big... I have several tall friends who ride C50s. They like them a lot.

[lesjob4d]

I'm the same height as you are but roughly 25 pounds heavier and I ride an 2003 Triumph Bonneville and it's not a bad fit at all. It's different than most of the cruisers that you mentioned in the fact that it has a standard sitting position with your legs underneath you rather than out in front. I have a set of highway pegs on it so if I am on a road for a long stretch I can put my legs out and kick back a bit more. One other nice thing about a bike like the Bonnie is that the flat seat allows you to move around a bit and you aren't locked into one position.

[motorhead_vk]

I am loving it. !!!

[raitchison]

Hey I'm itching to get a bike myself, just completed the MSF course a week ago and have been searching craigslist, cycletrader & eBay.

I'm quite tall (6.5") with long legs (36" inseam) and to complicate things I'm also a big guy (pushing 300).

I was hoping to get something inexpensive ($2500 for less) because I'm not really sure that I know what I want, I know what looks good to me (thy name is the Boulevard C50) plus since I'm a brand new rider (was only on a bike once before I took the class and nearly crashed it because I didn't have a clue how to turn ) I really don't want to buy a nice bike and then end up laying it down or something. I figure I should get something cheap and drive it around for a while until I become more experienced and learn what I want long run.

Obviously in my price range I'm talking older bikes, I have no problem getting something 25+ years old as long as it doesn't leave me stranded or make me work on it more than I ride it.

For engine I think I want 600 or less, to tell you the truth the Nighthawk 250 I used in the MSF class seemed to have plenty of power for me though many people tell me I would get really bored really fast on a 250.

I know you can get handlebar extenders or forward controls kits to adjust somewhat for my height, but was hoping people here could give me time as to what makes & models I should look for and which I should avoid.

Thanks very much

Robert

[Chuck A]

just need to sit on them, that usually would tell you if you like them, good luck

[raitchison]

I ended up looking at and picking up a 1987 Suzuki Intruder VS700.



(replace xx with tt, can't post pics yet (for all that it let me in the Cruiser forum ))

I haven't taken it on any long rides yet so I'm not sure if I will need forward controls but even as is it's pretty comfortable for the shorter rides I've been doing.

[Dodsfall]

Please let a moderator know if you need to post pictures before 15 posts. We can help you out without having to bypass the filters.

[VyteSnake]

Hello motorhead and welcome to the forum. Just wanted to share with you that I too was concerned about finding the bike that fit my 6:5 300 lb frame. I first set my eyes on the anniversary edition Heritage, but in the saddle all I noticed was a face full of half ape handlebars and foot boards that made me feel like I was in a wheelchair. The next bike I saw at a different dealership was an 03 FXSTD Deuce. It had a different saddle than stock and when I sat in it I was nice and laid back. I put my foot up on the pegs and I was surprised how comfortable I was. The dealers assured me I would need forward controls for my 36" inseam legs but I was right at home with the Deuce so I ended up purchasing mine in 2004 and have never desired another bike since. I have changed its cruiser appearance somewhat by adding bags and extending the tubes in front 6 inches overstock. That was purely for appearance and better handling. The Deuce has a longer fuel tank that other softails so it naturally puts the rider back away from the controls. It is not a bike for shorties. But the Deuce is one of a kind and no longer produced unless you buy the next generation Rocker, which is unique in its own right. That is my tip for a tall dude desiring a comfortable ride and might I say a sporty powerful one. Good luck.

[afmajernik]

i am 6'3" so comfort on a bike for tall people was a concern for me too. First i had a suzuki VS1400 intruder it was comfortable on short rides but longer once i needed the highway bars or forward controls and higher handlebars would of been nice. Now i have a VTX1800 i havent done anything more that about 100 miles in a day on it yet but as of right now it is alot more comfortable for me. And one of my friends 6'7" rides a VTX 1300 he also says he is comfortable on it just needs highway bars

[suzieQ]

I am 5'11" I ride a C50 T great bike for long legs. I raised my handlebars 2up 2 back and that helped alot. Great bike low center of gravity. I have rode long distance on it.