Why do guys buy crotch rockets? They look uncomfortable. Aren't cruisers also very fast?

Question

Which do you think are better sellers, crotch rockets or cruisers? What is the real name for crotch rockets?

Sport bikes maybe? Thanks.

Answer 1

It's the same reason why some people like snickers and some like milky way. preference. Some people like Nissan 350Z, some like Lincoln Mark9. If you like speed and performance you go for a sport vehicle. If you like comfort and luxery, you go for a cruiser with built in suitcases, cup holders, and a bose surround sound system.

Answer 2

Things are not always what they seem.  Many guys who ride sport bikes will put many more miles a day on their bike than a cruiser rider can stand.  I must say, a sport bike is not as much fun riding slow as it could be.  BUT on the highway, at speed,

the forward leaning position is great, the wind over the screen takes the body weight off the arms, you rather "hover" over the tank.  Much easier on the back than sitting straight up, and hanging onto the bars for support.  At highway speed, with  a sport bike, very little stress on the arms and back.  

As I said, sport bikes are not so much fun riding around town, and in city traffic.  I ride a ZX11, have the bars slightly higher than stock.   Not bad in town, great on the road.

Tomcotexas.

Answer 3

Yes sports bikes rice burner is another personally sports = better adrelian kick

Answer 4

sport bikes (crotch rockets) are compared to horse racing like a Jockey-- high speed, aro-dynamic, and a fast horse. and cruisers are compared to a trail ridden horse, upright, and more relaxed

Answer 5

Depends on the Maturity of the biker !

crotch rockets when your younger , cruisers when your older , Hoverarounds when your realy old !

Answer 6

That question is like saying Why people buy Convertibles, There are several sedans fast as them.

So of course it depends what are your likes, is not about matirity (as other said) is about likes, And age,

I know a lot of persons might like to have a crotch rocket at the age of 57 but unfortunately their phisic wont allow to it, they want something confortaable for its bellies..

but as they want to still look bad@ss so the buy chooppers and so..

I think a crotch rocket says.. Im Young, Im fast, im cool, and im risky.

Half of those terms wont be applicable to a cruiser.

O and about your other quesiton the real answer is SUPER SPORT BIKE, thats the name of a crotch rocket..

There are two levels, Sport bike, and Super sport bike, you might find that in any dealer mostly in Kawa stores.

have a good ride

Answer 7

Crotch rockets are faster for the price.  You can buy a brand new GSX-R600 for $9K and it will blow away any new cruiser of the same price range.  For about $13K you can buy a Hayabusa which will run a low 9 second 1/4 mile, you simply cannot buy a cruiser for that price with similar performance.

Don't get me wrong though, there are cruiser's out there that are quite fast; in some cases as fast if not faster than some "crotch rockets".  Some of the high end "Super Cruisers" from Suzuki, Yamaha, and Harley Davidson have engines that are 2 liters +, which is quite a bit larger than the biggest "crotch rocket".  Even a smaller cruiser with a 650cc engine will still provide decent power when compared with most cars.  The reason most cruisers are not as fast is because of the weight distribution of the engine and the gearing of the transmission.  Most cruisers are tuned for low rpm torque and grunt whereas sport bikes are tuned to be "wound up" to 13-15K RPM's.  

It really all boils down to personal preference.  Alot of younger people want to go fast and they aren't concerned with comfort, therefore they buy "crotch rockets".  Alot of older people who aren't as concerned with popping wheelies and going 150 mph, opt for a cruiser for reasons of comfort, looks, or the burly sound of the engine/exhaust.

To summarize, crotch rockets are much more uncomfortable to ride than cruiser's.  Cruiser's normally achieve better fuel economy probably in part due to driving habits, and are better for long distance rides.  And yes, cruisers are fast too, just not typically as fast as sport bikes unless you spend upwards of $15K for a 1854cc+ super-bike.

Answer 8

A crotch rocket technically is a cafe style racing bike, and the only "cruisers" that even come close aren't techinically "cruisers", one would be the V rod made by Harley, and the other would be the V-Max made by Yamaha...everything else CC to CC doesn't even come close. But neither of those bikes are techically "crusiers" they are more in between.

I have a YZF 1000R Thunderace, 1997.. it packs a pretty good punch but isn't in the same class as the 08 R1's, or the 08 Ninja 1400, Hayabusa...

There isn't a crusier ,made that stays within sight of my 1000 for very long, not stop light to stop light, not on the highway...

With the aftermarket exhaust, jet kit, K&N filter..im doing 10 flats in the quarter mile, and still can get 180MPH top end.... find a cruiser that can even come close to that.

Then you have the "peg to ground" aspect of things. Crotch rocket fairings aren't for looks, they spend 1000's of hours in wind tunnels making those fairings push...down force, they help balance... as bad as a crotch rocket will smoke any cruiser in a straight line, they do double the damage in the turns.

A 1400cc cruiser...won't even hang with a 600cc rocket.  as for comfort, youd be surprised, I have personally ridden my rocket from Florence Kentucky to Ft.Lauderdale Florida...  its more comfortable than you think. The tanks are designed to come up high...they are designed that way so you can put your belly on them...that takes all the pressure off of your back and wrists.

The reason I ride a sport bike...is for the same reason some people drive Porsches instead of Caddilacs.

Answer 9

It is really depend on personality.  The crotch rockets can fly threw curves and cruiser would have to relax and take it sweet time threw the same curves.  Sport bike (rocket) is much lighter then the cruiser and tend to have more performance after market parts for it.

Answer 10

The fastest cruiser will barely touch a mid sized crotch rocket and then if you get into curves it is game over.  Liter bikes are just stupid fast, rockets on two wheels.  Here are some numbers for you.

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/2008...

As far as comfort.  I have big lower back problems and am only good for about an hour in a normal riding position. then my back bone feels like it's packed in broken glass.  Riding a sport bike in a lay down riding position I'm good for 6+ hours as my arms are taking a large part of the weight, not my lower back.   But I suppose for the normal rider a cruiser might have a more comfortable riding position.  But the lay down position gives the rider a more connected feeling for the bike and road.  You become part of the bike, not just a rider on it.

Metro....at $20K vrod 1/4 mile 11.46 not good enough even to begin playing with totally stock 600s.  And are water cooled v 4s still really a cruiser?