Is the attraction to cruisers similar to the attraction to wooden coasters? I honestly don't get either one...

Question

Wooden coasters were the first...okay

different type of ride...okay

Both cruisers, and wooden coasters bore me to death...

but wouldn't you really rather be on something 5 times as fast, corners quicker, bigger hills...etc?

Is this a fair comparison?

what do you think?

are cruiser guys just afraid of sport bikes, like wooden coaster enthusiasts are afraid of millenium force, and top thrill dragster?

Answer 1

Kurt Vonnegut said 'If you can't explain what you are talking about to a 10 year old, you don't know what you are talking about'.

Funny that cruiser guys can't seem to explain the attraction.  

A sport bike isn't always the best tool in the shed for a specific job.  But a two cylinder air-cooled v-twin never is.

Terrie.... I've only seen grannys, truck stop waitresses and water buffaloes on the back of Harleys.  I think the teenage gymnasts on the back of sport-bikes outclass Harley chick like sport bikes outclass harleys.

Answer 2

I love riding my sport bike, but I disagree with you thinking just because you find sport bikes more exciting to ride that everyone else must prefer a sport biker over a cruiser and their only reason to ride is to go fast.  THAT'S IMMATURE.

If I could, I'd have both a sport bike and a cruiser.

Answer 3

This stuff is fun.

I just couldn't care less about bikes but I like the sniping.

Answer 4

Well, for what its worth I like my cruiser because its different and thats the whole point of the "custom" scene. I go to bike meets where I see Ninjas, GSXR'S, R1's etc, and they all look pretty much the same to me. But everyone seems to get along whatever they're riding.

Also I don't think my back would last long on a sports bike, and I actually enjoy pootling along at 60 mph looking at the world around me rather than riding s**t scared that there might be a tractor just around the next bend, or some fool car driver reversing off a drive without looking.

In the words of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers "speed kills "

Oh, and by the way, I don't do rollercoasters wooden or otherwise, I like to be in control of what I'm riding.

Answer 5

If you have to ask you will not understand.

Answer 6

Most of us are hoping you will crash , and the only thing you will be riding is a Hover Round !

Answer 7

I saw a lot in here about women, wisdom, experience, posers, and liking your ride. For the most part every topic is valid. There are posers (as mentioned) in this forum. Someone said something about the sports bike and experienced or advanced riders? What is so great about running 140+ mph just to get to point A? If an experienced rider thinks that kind of speed on anything other than a race track is cool than he ain't very experienced. That is definitly a speed that kills. I don't need anything or want anything that will go over 100 anyway. Like has been said, been there.....done that. Back when I was younger and dumber. I respect the rider and the ride as long as they ride like they have brains. People running 140+ and jumping around in six or eight lanes of traffic give ALL bikers a bad name. What is with the idea of running down MY lane and trying to blow ME off the friggin road? I have had that done by a crotch rocket and he almost crashed into a car while doing it. Bet everyone would have said we were racing because of his stupidity. Ride what you want and quit badmouthing people that don't ride your type of bike. I just completed a daily 125 miles and saw several cruisers out there. All were friendly and waved. I have seen cruisers and riders wvae going down the road, and see a sport bike sitting at a stop sign. Wave at that rider? He just turns his head. That's fine with me, I ride a cruiser and like my ride. I don;'t do it to attract women, I've been married 35 years and am happy with what I have there too. I raced cars on the drag strip so I don't need that either. What is left? Just enjoy life and ride as long as the legs can hold the bike up. As Rodney King said, "can't we all just get along?" I have nothing against someone for what they ride, it is how they act.

Answer 8

I used to ride race bikes.  I out grew this.

I used to race at Road America, Elkhart Lake Wisconsin.  At least I was racing against competitive riders on comparably prepared bikes.  If you race at all it is against inexperienced riders.  I bet the only time you will race is when you find a bike you think you can beat.

You wouldn't last long in a real race.  Try spending 45 minutes on a 4 mile, 14 turn, road course there the tachometer is never below 9000 RPM.

If you really had any guts you would prove it out on the track and not against amatures on the street.

Besides, Cadillacs like the ones you claim to own bore me also.

Answer 9

The thrilling part about Harley cruisers and wooden roller coasters is that you're scared they're gonna fall apart when you ride them.

Just a different lifestyle. If someone wants the feeling of riding  a motorcycle without break your spine in three places speed, they buy a harley, if they want the best rollercoaster ride in the world, they buy a big sport bike.

thats why they're call cruisers.

As for cruisers having all of the women, well no offense but they can keep 'em. I haven't seen much worth having on the back of a cruiser.

Answer 10

Your right dude.

Its the old school, still thinking that wooden is best.

Like the plank who still thinks his CBX 1100 Six cyd is the fastest thing on the road........... because it has 6 cyd and the " modern SHlT " only have 4 cyd !!!

Cruisers / wooden coasters !!

You get better as you get worse!

Answer 11

You don't get cruisers like car drivers don't get motorcycle riders.

I owned both spokes bike and cruisers.  I just like riding.  It can be a scooter or a real motorcycle.  The thing about cruiser, is that I can enjoy the RIDE not just the speed.

If you don't get it, it is not something that words can explain.

Good Luck...

Answer 12

If you ride over a thousand miles in a weekend, you will understand the attraction of a cruiser. I have a radio and cruise control, what more do you need for a long run. I agree, for shorter raide a sport bike can be more fun. I ride mine when I want to feel the air without a windshield and am going less than a couple of hundred miles.

Answer 13

For real dude, the topic is getting pretty old. Surely you are a smart enough guy to realize different types of bikes are for different purposes. To me guys that buy 200 MPH bikes to pretend road race on public roads are the idiots. I get my speed fix on the track where it belongs, so I don't need to drag my knee on the way to work just to impress someone. I have a home full of trophies to prove what I can do. The truth is man, you are just young and ignorant. Please don't take that as an insult because all of us were young and ignorant at some point. Trust me, one day you will look back on this and realize how narrow minded and full of yourself you were in your youth. You won't believe me now, but you will understand in years to come, I promise.

Answer 14

What, are you ashamed because you can't afford a Harley? I'm sure they aren't afraid, just don't want to be sitting on top of the bars. Why would you want your hands to fall asleep when you are trying to take a trip?

Answer 15

For me, if you would have caught me 5 or 6 years ago, I would have been all about the sport bike.  Now, they just don't do anything for me.  Taken a few rides on a R6 and Ninja 1000, and they were uncomfortable, seemed to handle a little funny, and just not a good fit for me.

Personally... I don't care what you ride, if you're on 2-wheels, being safe, and having fun... then you're my kind.

Answer 16

Ridden both Cruisers and Sport Bikes.  Both have their place.  Like Sport Bikes for fast riding, riding with experienced riders, basically when I want to get a good rush.  Cruisers are good for long rides where you want to lean back one handed smoke a cig and relax.  Personally I'd like to have both.

Answer 17

What is it your trying   to find out? I own a cruiser and a drag bike it is a real race bike not something out of a show room and I have spent many hours riding a replica race bike aka GSXR, Ninja.  I have never found a crotch rocket pleasant to ride around on. I see no need to endanger the rest of the world racing around some road. And truth be known most of the rocket bike riders could not even qualify in a minimal race program. We ride what we want and what we can afford. What is it you want to know.

Answer 18

You're right ...you honestly don't get it.And you never will it seems.You ask this all the time Mag.So just go have your fun at 9000 rpm and leave the rest of us to watch the world go by at 3000 rpm.Part of the joy of riding is getting out to see the sights.Hard to do when your trying to avoid becoming a hood ornament at 150 mph.You might get there sooner but odds are with us that we will live to do it another day.And fear has nothing to do with it.It's more of an issue of wisdom.But you honestly don't get that either.If you live long enough maybe someday you will.

And by the way,i'm in awe of the engineering of something like a Busa or an R1.It just doesn't interest me to own or ride one.

Answer 19

Strokes for folks Mag

I like Harleys "Style" My shovel aint really a harley

I like mid 60s to early 70s cars but always take a look at every 34 Ford at the meets I wouldnt even glance at a MC F1 they just aint my thing

As for ugly women .!! Thats those guys problem it aint always the bikes fault

like if your in your Pontiac or im in my Cuda and some kid in a nissan starts calling them a dino Who gives a sh-t if we didnt like them we would S Can them

Answer 20

You ask this once a week.

Maybe you can compare a cruiser to something a little more crazy.  At least try to make us laugh a little.

Answer 21

magz, the difference between a cruiser and a sports bike is not only the speed, but if you ever look around, the cruisers have all the women. Nothing against sports bikes, but girls like to relax and cruise with their man. Think about it. Maybe you should have both??

Answer 22

I never knew why there was an attraction to wooden coasters since I lived near Santa Cruz and we always went on the one there and it seemed "normal".  Then we went to Great America and did one of the "modern" ones.  The steel ones are fast but jerky and you don't get the feeling like you are living right on the edge with the new stuff.  

I learned to love the old wooden ones b/c you just don't know if you are going to live through it or not.  The wooden ones sway and give and it almost seems like it's about to fall down in a pile and when you go down "into the tunnel" it's dark and scary and there are unexpected twists and jolts.  

A cruiser is a totally different thing.  It's comfortable.  You are sitting on your living room sofa and you have the radio on and you're getting CB radio transmissions from friends in the pack or across the state and you can call ahead to find out about weather and you've got your portable BBQ grill in the trunk and you can pull out your sleeping bag and camp out if you want or cook up dinner and it's ALL right there.  Zippy go fasters are good for getting places quickly.  My R-1 is my time machine.  I love it.  BUt if I ever wanted to take a casual trip to Washington from SoCal I would prefer a Goldwing.  When you are in a pack of 20 tourers and you're all going 120 mph and the cops get alongside and WAVE you know you're in good company.  It's just not the same with sport bikes.   I love them both but they are different worlds.

:-)

Peace

Answer 23

Magz... I used to be right there with you. I didnt get it either. I started on a cruiser, but once I threw a leg over a sport bike, that was it - never went back.

Until this year. I bought a Honda Shadow ACE 1100cc because my fiance hates riding on the back of my rocket, and because my brother in law has a cruiser as well.

It really is two different types of riding. Ive found that I prefer the performance of the rocket when Im alone or commuting, but I love the slow, comfortable ride and cruising around with my lady on the weekends just as much. And, Im starting to learn that I DONT always want to be on the rocket, staring at a speeding ticket...

Answer 24

Maybe it's not for you to "get"

It'll come to you in a few years, with age and wisdom.

Answer 25

@ Terrie

"the cruisers have all the women. Nothing against sports bikes, but girls like to relax and cruise with their man"  

how did you come to this interesting conclusion?

NO WAY I would ever get in the back of one of those rolling roadblocks, it takes a lot to get me in the back of a motorcycle period, perfer to hold on to my own bars and be in the lead

Answer 26

I can ride a cruiser but i do not like wooden coasters.  To rickity.  a sport bike is nice on some occasions but some have to ramped of a riding postion.  some new coasters through you around to much.  Cruisers are ok and some are quick.  Not all cruisers are slow.  Try a red light to red light with a vrod or vmax.  Even the warrior or a lot of dynas are quicker than you would think and the rake on the front of some is just not much off your sport bike.  I prefer the midle of the road though.  Give me a naked standard like kz from the 80's or a zrx.  This is all about what the person likes like some prefer blondes.

rd

Answer 27

were more interested in your mom

Answer 28

Nope, it's just a desire to be sitting upright, or leaning back, while riding, instead of supporting the weight on the hands which are busy working the controls.

I'm not afraid of your bike, but I don't want to ride it on my daily commute.

Answer 29

what a moron.