Hey Guys! Lord1e15 from the Boston, MA area here.
I was hoping to get some opinions from the community. I am in my late 20's, riding about 9 years. Started on a classic $300 used piece of ****, then moved on after a few years to a 2014 Honda CB500F (naked model), and now ride a 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 650 which is basically just a street fighter with a fairing. This year I am looking to trade in for a cruiser under $12k, but there are so many freaking options and with super brand bias (and the fact I really don't understand bike gearing so I cannot tell when its ok for my needs if a cruiser only has 5 gears sometimes) it can be hard to get a clear picture.
I am trying to find something reliable and low miles (so probably pretty new). I ride regularly on both back roads and highways where speeds on some interstates average 80+ to stay with traffic. I also do not regularly tour but it is not uncommon for me to take a couple trips in the summer averaging 300-500 miles in a day or two.
I really like the looks and what people have said about the Indian Scout Bobber (with mid-controls installed and some swept back mini-apes for ergo comfort). The HD Iron 1200 looks nice although some reviews say how the engine is too big for the brakes while also being under powered in its class. There is also the Yamaha Bolt R-spec which seems popular but possibly too under powered for high speed cruising for long periods of time?
So basically I am looking for a cruiser style bike that is fun to ride regularly around town but can comfortably ride and pass at highway speeds. Any help or opinions on the topic or those mentioned bikes would be great!
I was hoping to get some opinions from the community. I am in my late 20's, riding about 9 years. Started on a classic $300 used piece of ****, then moved on after a few years to a 2014 Honda CB500F (naked model), and now ride a 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 650 which is basically just a street fighter with a fairing. This year I am looking to trade in for a cruiser under $12k, but there are so many freaking options and with super brand bias (and the fact I really don't understand bike gearing so I cannot tell when its ok for my needs if a cruiser only has 5 gears sometimes) it can be hard to get a clear picture.
I am trying to find something reliable and low miles (so probably pretty new). I ride regularly on both back roads and highways where speeds on some interstates average 80+ to stay with traffic. I also do not regularly tour but it is not uncommon for me to take a couple trips in the summer averaging 300-500 miles in a day or two.
I really like the looks and what people have said about the Indian Scout Bobber (with mid-controls installed and some swept back mini-apes for ergo comfort). The HD Iron 1200 looks nice although some reviews say how the engine is too big for the brakes while also being under powered in its class. There is also the Yamaha Bolt R-spec which seems popular but possibly too under powered for high speed cruising for long periods of time?
So basically I am looking for a cruiser style bike that is fun to ride regularly around town but can comfortably ride and pass at highway speeds. Any help or opinions on the topic or those mentioned bikes would be great!