Hello everyone, how is it going, its been a long time since I posted a thread on team-bhp. Finally have something to post about
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. This is about a bike I got after I moved to the US, I hope this is the right section to post this.
I used to be very much into motorcycles back in India. I went from Hero Honda Passion Plus to Pulsar 150 to Bullet 350 to Yamaha FZ16 when I was in India. I loved zig-zagging the streets (safely of course) and always preferred the bike to the car except when it rained.
In the US I realized it is a desi biker's paradise because used bikes are available relatively cheaper which I could only dream about in India. But somehow for a long time I didn't get the itch to ride here, I guess I was a bit intimidated with all the rigid rules and high speeds. Riding a motorcycle here seems to be such a rare activity it is almost considered a sport.
It all started when four of my friends signed up to take the written test which is the first step towards getting a riding license. I signed up too. After the written test we had to go for 3 days of riding safety training, 2 days of which are completely hands-on and the other day is complete theory about safety etc. Knowing how to ride I found most of the training redundant but I did pick up a lot of safety tips (like difference between how to hold your body when swerving vs cornering etc). Overall I was impressed with the training, looking at how many people turned up who hadn't even sat on motorcycles before but went away with a fair amount of skill in riding.
Anyway... after the license, two of my buddies bought motorcycles quickly. One of them got a Honda Shadow, which is a 750cc "medium sized" cruiser style bike. The other friend got a Yamaha Roadstar, which is a 1600cc "big" cruiser. A third friend of mine already has a Harley Davidson 883 Sportster. I tried riding all three bikes and I have to say, at first I felt very intimidated by the weight and heft of these bikes. Not so much the Sportster but the other two felt really heavy and I couldn't imagine myself riding something so heavy except in a straight line.
Next, I test rode a few sport-style bikes and that was short. Just a few minutes on an R6 convinced me that the riding position just isn't for me.
Well, what was left was standard bikes. I test-rode a Ninja 650, a Yamaha FZ6, all used bikes. It amazes me the kind of deals that can be had on lightly used bikes. I guess the resale value of bikes is really low.
Then came my test ride with the Triumph Bonneville! Man, what a bike. I felt like "this is how a motorcycle should look and ride!". Plenty of power, plenty maneuverable, just a pleasure to ride. My test ride was at a new one though.
So let's just say I was walking around half-dazed, totally in love with the Bonneville. However, these bikes seem to be so good they have a great resale value. I would keep watching for used ones on Craigslist, and the ones that came up would get sold the same day or the next day! And the sellers would sell them almost at new bike prices, people still seem to want the Bonneville so much!
When I was doing my wait-and-watch for the Bonneville I rode my friend's Roadstar (huge machine!) a few times and it got me thinking... maybe a cruiser bike feels great in its own way
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And then I saw the ad! It was a silver 2007 Yamaha Roadstar Warrior with just 8k miles! I decided to check it out. Surprise, surprise. This bike has been hailed by motorcycle magazines as the best-handling cruiser, and I could understand why, in the test ride. It has a proper cruiser engine, V-twin 1700cc. And though it has that cruiser feel, it still turns in and handles relatively quickly, giving an immensely pleasurable feeling. Suddenly the Bonneville was out of my mind. I took the plunge!
So I've been living with it for about a month for now, haven't done any long rides, just commute and 10-15mile radius rides. But I can give a few initial impressions.
Power: It is more about torque. The bike has that "thump thump" sound, reminds me of my Bullet, just with a lot more torque. There is always plenty of torque available at any gear at any speed. Especially in 2nd gear, it goes like a rocket!
Handling: This bike IS a cruiser and a heavy bike and that is definitely evident. However, it is surprisingly easy to turn and weave through traffic. A LOT more maneuverable than my friends' Roadstar and Shadow.
Looks: This is subjective but I think this is an awesome looking bike. In my opinion, this bike is second only to the V-ROD in terms of looks.
One small gripe I have with it is the small 3-gallon gas tank, which means a radius of not more than around 100 miles per tank. But I guess that's ok, I don't exactly plan on going cross-country with this thing. My other minor gripe is the "muscle bike" clamshell riding position, wherein you have to lean forward to reach the handlebar but your feet go forward cruiser-style. Needs a bit of getting used to.
The bling factor with this bike is huge. It make a proper cruiser V-Twin thump, and other riders on the road (including Hogs) give the two-finger wave when on the road.
And now for some pictures!