[alii1959]

Well,
This morning I had to go to the Kia dealership to order a part for my wife's van, of course I took the Gixxer. There were surprised looks by many because it was rather cool out, but not as cool as 0600 last couple of days. On the return trip decided to take a detour and look at the used bikes the Harley shop has, they take in some pretty cool trades. Whaddaya know they had a Ducati Hypermotard, so I stopped to take a look...not a ride I hate the Hypermotard, very uncomfortable to me....they sure are cool to look at. While there I noticed that they had a 2008 Triumph Speedmaster. The Speedmaster was on the short list of bikes I was interested in when I bought the Gixxer. I know one of the salesmen well and he offer to let me ride it. I jumped at the chance.

Well, off we went with me following the sales manager on his "birth-control loud" sportster. First, that damn thing was so loud I couldn't let him get far enough ahead to hear the Triumph, let alone hear the traffic around us. Second, the Triumph, while nice, was quite gutless. It seemed that a twist of the throttle caused it to "think" about it for a second, then accelerate. The front end attempted to "flop" into turns. Those goofy forward controls kept me from getting a good feel with my feet for what the bike was doing. AAAArrrrrrggggghhhh, another bike the Gixxer has ruined for me. I am so accustomed to the razor sharp control the Gixxer allows that I would really have to spend some seat-time on the Speedmaster to become comfortable....oh, well the quest for an additional bike will continue. Maybe a 'busa for two up............

 

[rockscaler]

Tuono Factory

 

[aTahmission]

Tuono Factory

+1

As naked bikes go, the Tuono is among the few that can hold my attention.

 

[alii1959]

well, bike 2 will be for 2-up....wife don't like Gixxer, but Gixxer will be staying....so will she!

 

[User Name]

Cruisers are just designed for a completely different type of riding, and after riding a sport bike, it does take some serious time to get used to. I had a V-Rod, and while the engine performance was there, I too just couldn't take a liking to the forward controls. I found the whole seating position to be completely at odds with an ability to handle emergency situations. I rode a friend's Road King, and I swear it was like riding a lumbering dump truck. I honestly felt more uneasy and uncontrolled on that thing than I ever did on my Busa.

 

[alii1959]

It is funny, I like the looks of a bunch of cruisers, the Speedmaster was one, but every time I ride one.......I just don't get it. They cost more. Vibrate more. Are slower, per cc. Yet, people buy 'em like they are going out of style. Gonna try a Suzuki M90 one day....but I bet I'll be as disappointed like I was with the Meanstreak!

 

[mercutio80]

Switching bikes feels weird. I have a Street Bob and a Speed Triple. If I ride the Street Bob then jump on the Triple, the Triple feels spindly and tall. If I go the other way, the Street Bob feels heavy and unwieldy. It just takes getting used to.

I've ridden a Speedmaster. In fact, it was on my short list until I rode one. Something just felt off with it. My Street Bob feels much more grounded and easy to handle than the Speedmaster did.

 

[mfrankpdx]

I test rode a Speedmaster as well. I must say, forward controls are the worst. They put a kink in my back after about 5 minutes of riding. The Street Bob is one cruiser I've been considering. I sat on one and it felt much more comfortable with the mid mounted controls.

 

[Super Dennis]

If you want power you should check out the Rocket. It's something like 170 ft lbs. of torque. Pretty cool, and the only reason I would ever even slightly consider a cruiser besides the pussy factor. The Thruxton is a bit sportier too, but will probably feel pretty slow. Though if I had to own another Triiumph besides my 675 it would probably be a Tiger 1050. They just look cool as hell.

 

[User Name]

A buddy of mine had (and now has again) a Rocket III. I rode his first one and was surprised at how well it handled for such a big bike, but my god that thing is a beast, and I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. Way better than a Road King, but I still prefer a more sporty affair. The Thruxton, while certainly slower, is much more interesting.

 

[mercutio80]

I test rode a Speedmaster as well. I must say, forward controls are the worst. They put a kink in my back after about 5 minutes of riding. The Street Bob is one cruiser I've been considering. I sat on one and it felt much more comfortable with the mid mounted controls.

The biggest issue with my Street Bob is the mini apes. My arms and shoulders start hurting really bad once I hit the interstate.

 

[lasermax]

Try a Honda Valkyrie. You can find a very nice used one that will last a hundred thousand miles. Maybe a Yamaha FJR1300. The Speedmasters are so lean from the factory, the first thing I do is up the jetting and change the pipes. For whatever weird reason I happen to love that bike. I don't expect much from it other than a pleasant leisurely cruise, as I have other bikes that can quench my other thirsts when needed.