I am thinking of trading or selling my 01 gs and getting a cruiser, any suggestions?
I have been thinking about a 1200c sportster. Thanks
(http://www.bigboarproducts.com/images/2006/sportster/05_current_sportster_side.jpg)
N4
Cruisers are much better than the general rap they have around here.
Cruisers are much harder to crash. Longer wheel base = more time to change direction in case of a slide out. They turn slower than a GS or sport bike but not that much slower if you buy a mid to smallish cruiser.
Cruisers have shaft or belt drive - Real cruisers have shaft ... Belt is an acceptable second choice on a low powered light weight cruiser. Clean and 0 maintenance.
Cruisers fit shorter people better and taller people just fine as well. Buy what you like and what fits you.
Cruisers have less $$$ tires and they come in high mileage varieties. A set of Dunlops on a maxim will be under $150 and will be 15K front and 10K rear. Under $100 if its a cheng shin and the same life span.
Not all cruisers have tons of chrome and not all of them just look and not run. HD OTOH specalises in both.
I have a long list of cruisers I prefer but the quick version is this.
V twins are inherently harder to work on so I avoid them. V 4's are even worse. Never have owned one.
Prefer 1 cyl, parallel twins or Inline 4's. Own(ed) several of each at this time.
If you are in the charlotte NC area check out my maxim or savage and you'll know what I mean.
For makes - mid 80's I'd put yamaha at the top of the list. Honda, kawi and suzuki are 2, 3 and 4. I'd almost say the model is more important than the manufacturer.
With V twins I'dput Intruders above virago's above vulcans above Shadows, but I4's entirely different story. There its maxim above nighthawk above KZ kawi's above GS suzukis. And in water cooled muscle bikes Kawi first, followed by suzuki then yamaha and honda.
This is all just my ranting. Try it before you buy it. I am thinking long term ownership being rider and mechanic for these. Short term you may want a V max before an eliminator for example in the muscle bike category.
Cool.
Srinath.
BTW, you can see where they missed a few spots in the air brushing in that picture of the sportster you posted.
Cool.
Srinath.
I just find my hands and bottom getting numb after only about 30 min on the gs. It's a great bike, very reliable, cheap on insurance, great gas mileage, really light, but I don't want to feel like someone just beat me up when I get off of it. I have been riding a lot lately(300+mile's a week) and just want to be able to be comfortable.
Thanks for all the info seshadri_srinath. Can you recommend any fuel injected cruiser/tourer for a guy of the stumpy type(short arms/legs)?
Quote from: joshwilson18 on May 16, 2007, 10:57:32 AM
I just find my hands and bottom getting numb after only about 30 min on the gs.
do you have a deathgrip on the bars? that will definitely cause your hands to go numb. also, try to get your forearms more parallel to the ground. at least on the freeway. i had the same problem but did a search here and discovered i wasn't alone :) once i lost the deathgrip, things got a lot better. once i got my arms more parallel to the ground, i was actually able to feel my fingertips after getting to work. your mileage may vary.
Fuel injected ... WTF is wrong with you ... older the better ...
Anyway your GS carbs may need to be balanced and I'd recomend a eyeball balance over a vacuum balance. Lower srinath bars may also help but he isn;t making any more, in fact he went insane and he ate all the bars he had. So that is it for a few months prolly.
The buzziness in a GS is 2-3 things usually. Bars, carbs, bad doughnuts under the top triple.
Those 3 are OK 99% its likely to be buttery smooth.
The cruisers I like are all pre 95, pre 90 in fact. Run from V twins = pre 90 cos they only make V twins after that, you know that.
Cool.
Srinath.
I would consider a cruiser as a second bike ( if I could )for those rides into the sunset on occasion 8)
Also the problem with numb hands will go away with experience as you learn to relax your hands as noted above :thumb:
Go to dealers and sit on all the cruisers... Comfort and fit are important...
Then think about the features you want... Shaft, belt, or chain drive... FI or Carb... Disc brakes or drum... Inverted forks... Tach... Etc.
THEN think about looks and brand.
:thumb:
Or you could do what 70% of the people out there do... Buy one that looks cool and suffer through riding it. :laugh:
I have already changed out the bar weights on the got new bars. And after reading about numbness months ago on this site, have tried to support my weight with my torso with a loose grip on the bars. This still doesn't help. I find that if lean back a little gripping with my right arm(kinda leaned back) I am more comfortable. Thus the reason for wanting a cruiser. Maybe I need to balance my carbs and get some of those donuts srinath is talking about. It is a hard decision since my bike is paid for.
have you tried a cruiser yet? if not, see if there is any place in your area that rents them. rent one and go on a long ride to see if it works for you.
[4
Quote
I'll second the others... something is wrong. I've ridden for several hours, and never had any hand numbness at all.
Let me clarify a bit. I do have poor circulation in my left shoulder from a motorcycle wreck I had about 8yrs ago. I think a lot of
the numbness comes from the forward lean and short arms.
With cruisers - V twin ones vibrate. More like the bump and grind ...
4 cyl ones buzz, but on the whole its less than a GS for sure.
The lean forward stance of course ... none of the cruisers have, they all are upright to reclined.
Cool.
Srinath.
Anyone has any experience with BMWs?
R1200C - man I love that bike, but never ridden it. Its got one harmonic that's not balanceable and its definetly not rubber mount. So idea how it vibrates/buzzes. Rubber mount bikes vibrate and buzz less obviously.
Cool.
Srinath.
Quote from: joshwilson18 on May 16, 2007, 01:25:41 PM
Quote
I'll second the others... something is wrong. I've ridden for several hours, and never had any hand numbness at all.
Let me clarify a bit. I do have poor circulation in my left shoulder from a motorcycle wreck I had about 8yrs ago. I think a lot of
the numbness comes from the forward lean and short arms.
When I bought my first GS500 in 99, I had already put about 220,000 miles on 4 standard Hondas over the previous 15 years and never had any significant hand numbness problem. The GS was my first bike with a lean forward sitting position and I had a big hand numbness problem with it, after an hours riding my hands would go completely numb.
Put up with it for a few months and then got the GenMar risers that moved the bars up and back and the problem was all but gone. I've put over 120k miles on 2 GS500s since then and now consider it the most comfortable bike I've had. Will be with great reluctance that I'll go to a cruiser if age and increasing arthritis forces me to do so one of these days.
What I don't and never had with the GSs that I had a lot of trouble with on the old Hondas with the erect sitting position was a sore back and a sore butt.
You mentioned an old injury. I wonder if you've tried a Cramp Buster for the 'go' side, and foam grips ?
Also, let the bike seat you, don't 'force' a seating position on the bike.
You really MUST empty your back pockets also. A thick wallet can set off backbone fire alarms, lower back problems, and of course a sleepy butt and shoulder pain.
Checked your rear wheel alignment ? If it's off and you have to ride unequally on the offset handlebars, that'll hurt too.
Bad helmet ? Heavy ill fitting jacket ?
Or, maybe you should just enjoy the known good option in your case, a cruiser ?
I know there are alot of questions, but each one can play a role. Good luck on your comfort quest.
I really dig the Suzuki Boulevard M50... those are very cool bikes.
I like the Yamaha Road Star Warrior, of course you'd have to buy an aftermarket exhaust system. ;)
(http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2005models/2005-Yamaha-RoadStarWarrior-small.jpg)
QuoteI really dig the Suzuki Boulevard M50... those are very cool bikes.
Yea but I can get a lot of different bike's for the cost of that one.
Check out what GSJack wrote. Those bar raiser really work wonders for guys with short arms.
Oh yeah cruisers. . . I like the yama silverado 1100 my dad's got one. . .nice bike comfy for me to ride only thing is that it's really comfortable and easy to fall asleep on while riding. :laugh:
vitory "vegas" :cheers:
Yes vegas hammer ... yes I'd hit that ...
Yea, its called a hammer and they dont expect people to say they'd hit it ... come on that's just stupid. But good news ... it doesn't say hammer on it I think. Its just known as the hammer.
Cool.
Srinath.
If comfort is your only problem with the GS I'd try some taller bars and some thick gel or foam grips. You can buy bars from most bike shops or JC Whitney for about $20 and basically convert your riding position to that of a Cruiser. If you go with bars that are a lot taller you may need some longer cables and brake line though.
If you're set on a new bike sit on as many as possible and take them on test rides, don't tlet the looks of the bike sway your oppinion, you may buy a sweet bike that's more uncomfortable than the GS.
Comfort is unique to the individual and some prefer a sport touring position while others prefer the cruiser position. Commonly people finf shoulders, wrists and upper back get sore on STs while others find their lower back and arms get tired on cruisers.
Quote from: joshwilson18 on May 16, 2007, 01:30:25 PM
Anyone has any experience with BMWs?
Yeah, but not cruisers :) I have a BMW R1100SA Light...
I'm not sure I'd go with a sportster - but to each his own.
In general, I've found that I liked the newer, more refined "power cruisers" rather than classic cruisers or older muscle-cruisers ones (that is, V-Max need not apply). My favorite of the cruisers I've ridden is the Suzuki M109R. It's fuel-injected, has a super-rigid chassis, inverted forks, good rubber and a whole lot of torque. The only thing it doesn't have (like all cruisers) is ample ground clearance, in my opinion. :)
What about an adventure tourer like the V-strom 650 aka DL650? The seating is still pretty upright (read: comfortable), it's bigger than the GS500, yet it's not a throwback to the 1930s (or a poor copy thereof like a lot of metric cruisers seem to be).
-b.
Quote from: Wrecent_Wryder on May 16, 2007, 10:24:58 AM
Seems like HD is mostly about preserving tech from the '40s and '50s, and, worse, the metrics are about imitation of that....
Because all their bikes are fuel injected, have zero maintenance carbon-fiber belt drives, zero maintenance hydraulic lifters, discs front and rear, self canceling turn signals...etc.... I can think of many 'modern' japanese bikes with older tech, our own gstwins even. The evolution engine first debuted in 1983, the twin cam in 99, and the vrsc has its origins in the ill fated 90's vr1000 superbike program. Preserving image from the 40s and 50s absolutely, they are a very image driven company, but 40s and 50s tech? I don't think so.
And If you're griping about pushrods, Ferrari and Fiat had DOHC shim over bucket engines in the teens, decades before modern pushrod engines came into being with the olds rocket 88.
Quote from: joshwilson18 on May 16, 2007, 10:08:36 AM
I am thinking of trading or selling my 01 gs and getting a cruiser, any suggestions?
I have been thinking about a 1200cc Sportster. Thanks
I have ridden that exact model of bike. It touches down MUCH MUCH earlier than the GS, but takes 5 times less effort to ride. I think I made a post raving about it.
PM me with any questions, I spent probably about a half hour just riding it. (BTW HD's are not as bad as most will lead you to believe, despite their technological inferiority.)
i've only ridden 3 or 4 hogs but they all vibrated enough to pop my filling out
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:12:20 PM
i've only ridden 3 or 4 hogs but they all vibrated enough to pop my filling out
And the model years of these bikes were?
That 07 Sportster I rode was smooth as velvet, except at idle, which actually was kind of fun.
00 or later 2 883s and i can't remember what the other one was
Quote from: CirclesCenter on July 16, 2007, 06:20:19 PM
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:12:20 PM
i've only ridden 3 or 4 hogs but they all vibrated enough to pop my filling out
And the model years of these bikes were?
That 07 Sportster I rode was smooth as velvet, except at idle, which actually was kind of fun.
Rubber mounted motor, which means it can't contribute to frame strength :)
You can't argue opinions, but I'd take a tourer or adventure bike over a cruiser anyday. Maybe when I'm 65, my opinion will be different :P
-b.
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:41:33 PM
00 or later 2 883s and i can't remember what the other one was
the sporties switched to rubber mounts in 04, made a big differrence.
Quote from: Nikolas on July 16, 2007, 07:23:58 PM
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:41:33 PM
00 or later 2 883s and i can't remember what the other one was
the sporties switched to rubber mounts in 04, made a big differrence.
Can't Harley owners decide? Do they want a 1940s bike that FEELS like a 1940s bike? I thought Harleys are about the experience (why else would anyone pay double the price for an inferior bike?!?). Wouldn't damping the vibration ruin the "experience"? Oh, I get it. 75 yo joints can't handle the vibration and Harley's afraid of lawsuits :)
-b.
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:12:20 PM
i've only ridden 3 or 4 hogs but they all vibrated enough to pop my filling out
You see ... that right there makes you soooo not their target market.
Yup, you've seen a ... ewwww ... dentist ... ewwwww ...
What next, you'll tell me you actually pee in a porcelain contraption and live in a house with running water ... if I want running water, I'll go jump in a river.
Cool.
Srinath.
Quote from: bosozoku on July 16, 2007, 07:31:03 PM
Quote from: Nikolas on July 16, 2007, 07:23:58 PM
Quote from: frankieG on July 16, 2007, 06:41:33 PM
00 or later 2 883s and i can't remember what the other one was
the sporties switched to rubber mounts in 04, made a big differrence.
Can't Harley owners decide? Do they want a 1940s bike that FEELS like a 1940s bike? I thought Harleys are about the experience (why else would anyone pay double the price for an inferior bike?!?). Wouldn't damping the vibration ruin the "experience"? Oh, I get it. 75 yo joints can't handle the vibration and Harley's afraid of lawsuits :)
-b.
Twice the price? The 883 is less than the Honda 750s (which are still carbed!), Suzuki m/c/s50s, and vulcan 900s and the 1200 is only 200 more than the Honda 1100s.
The sportsters have become very reasonably priced as of recent. The current year model 1200 is produced in a dark green that is dead on OD green and has a very 'vintage military' look. That would be my choice if I got a cruiser :dunno_white:
haha I love it when I hear a GS rider talk shaZam! about the inferior tech of a Harley motorcycle. Current bikes are current tech...hell, 1989 model Harley's are 10 years ahead of the current flock of GS500's. I'd also really love to see a GS hang with even an 883 Sportster with either highway pegs or rearsets and good rubber.
Quote from: Nikolas on July 16, 2007, 10:28:24 PM
Twice the price? The 883 is less than the Honda 750s (which are still carbed!), Suzuki m/c/s50s, and vulcan 900s and the 1200 is only 200 more than the Honda 1100s.
You're comparing trash to trash to more trash.
-b.
Quote from: makenzie71 on July 16, 2007, 10:35:50 PM
haha I love it when I hear a GS rider talk shaZam! about the inferior tech of a Harley motorcycle. Current bikes are current tech...hell, 1989 model Harley's are 10 years ahead of the current flock of GS500's. I'd also really love to see a GS hang with even an 883 Sportster with either highway pegs or rearsets and good rubber.
Harleys:
Pushrods? Check.
Frame geometry straight out of the 40s? Check.
If people like them: fine, but not MY thing!
-b.
Quote from: bosozoku on July 17, 2007, 03:46:48 AM
Harleys:
Pushrods? Check.
Frame geometry straight out of the 40s? Check.
You know they had chain driven cams in the 40's, right? my bike has pushrods and it ran 10 miles yesterday at 14k...when was the last time yours did anything at 14,000rpm?
Some of the bikes are built to resemble the classic road bikes from decades ago...guess what: if Honda or suzuki or yamaha would put together a bike that looks just like their 70's era machines I'd be drooling all over them. Some of Harley's bikes are as aggressively stanced as a modern supersport.
Quote from: makenzie71 on July 17, 2007, 08:28:58 AM
Some of Harley's bikes are as aggressively stanced as a modern supersport.
Sure. Buells :) I actually like Buells other than the fact that they have engines that fell off of Noah's Ark...
-b.
buy a harley but keep your gs.
that's what i did!
sportster? BAWRF!
do NOT buy a hardly ableson.
i have good reasons for this, not justill will to harley.
1) harleys do in fact require alot of care and maintenance. its the opposite of a GS in this regard, you will hate it.
2) compare the price to similarly equipped comaparable models from suzuki and honda. the harley is about twice the price at least. there is not a thing better about the harley to justify the higher price, just a worthless hd logo. and in fact, many things about the sportster make it worth LESS.
3) if your looking at a sportster, you seem to want a powerful cruiser. take a look at these two models
Suzuki M109R. awesome bike, if you dont like the headlight, wait for the 08 C109R. itll be the same bike, but with a conventional headlight.
Honda VTX1300, or better yet VTX 1800 :icon_twisted: now there are some powerful cruisers that look bery nice, and...they are hondas.
i work the parts counter of a suzuki / honda dealership. i know what breaks and what doesnt. for what you want to spend, get the suzuki and youll thank yourself for not getting the harley for years...
...get the honda and youll thank yourself for not getting the harley for DECADES.
Suzuki M109R, again, if you dont like the headlight (i do) wait for the 08 C109R. same bike but regular headlight.
(http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11674656/M109_Suzuki_2007.jpg)
VTX1800 (note the VTX has a few variations to choose from. fenders/trim/wheels for whatever you like!
(http://image.www.rakuten.co.jp/leotanimoto/img10602351119.jpeg)
note that both of those are 1800's. compared to HD's 1200. not much more expensive, and you get alot more for you buck.
Quote from: Chris24
sportster? BAWRF!
do NOT buy a hardly ableson.
i have good reasons for this, not justill will to harley.
Because you're a moron? :icon_rolleyes:
1) harleys do in fact require alot of care and maintenance. its the opposite of a GS in this regard, you will hate it.
~Bullshit. My brother's '98 883 has never had to be wrenched beyond changing a battery. The newest Harley's are almost ZERO maintenance machines...no valve checks or tuning or chain adjustments or anything...change the oil, put fuel in it, leave.
2) compare the price to similarly equipped comaparable models from suzuki and honda. the harley is about twice the price at least. there is not a thing better about the harley to justify the higher price, just a worthless hd logo. and in fact, many things about the sportster make it worth LESS.
~More bullshit. Sure Harley has some bikes that are a bit more expensive, some are not. Comparative models tend to be fairly comparatively priced. I guess you also think badges on BMW's and Porsches arer the only reason they cost more than Cadillac's and Corvettes, too.
3) if your looking at a sportster, you seem to want a powerful cruiser. take a look at these two models
The Sportster was NEVER about being a powerful cruiser. You need to go open a book or hit up Wikipedia or somoething...
On top of that, at least Harley is sticking to bikes that look good. Japan, right now, is turning out the world's ugliest cars and bikes, including the 109R, and there's no sign that they'll recover from this trend.
AS for the hp and toque thing...despite being 600cc's larger the 109R still isn't as fast as the VRSC...probably has something to do with weighing 250lbs more. Torque only makes up for so much, and Suzuki's 1800's don't touch the power delivery of HD's 1800's...much less the S&S plants...
Quote from: Chris24 on July 17, 2007, 11:57:04 AM
note that both of those are 1800's. compared to HD's 1200. not much more expensive, and you get alot more for you buck.
I don't see the point of an 1800cc bike (bigger than some cars I've had!), especially one with less than 100hp. Sounds like a machine built to convert fuel to noise, with minimal side effects of acceleration and speed...
-b.
I can get parts for any suzuki honda kawi yammy through any number of online vendors. ronayers, etc.
for harleys you cant, not that ive seen. they want to force you to the dealer to pay out the yang for parts.
try ordering say a fender from honda or suzuki, its gonna be at your dealer in 7 days. harley, your gonna wait 6 weeks for them to get it to you.
true some of the newer harleys are a bit more reliable. namely the ones that harley contracted porsche to design for them :laugh: american made my butt!
:bowdown: japanese motorcycle engineers
:2guns: hardly engineers....
(unless they are actually porsche engineers :thumb: LOL
porsche has only touched the VRSC plant and only enough to refine it for street use...and the first run of V-Rods was anything but "reliable". You're idea that Harley Davidsons aren't reliable is moronic...the only HD's that weren't reliable were made by AMF...NOT Harley Davidson...and pretty much everything AMF touched turned to shaZam!.
I have no problem getting new parts for any Harley, any year, either through the dealer, which takes tops two weeks, or one of about 11 billion aftermarket vendors.
Something tells me you've just read where a bunch of people talked shaZam! about the bikes and you just figured you'd jump on the band wagon with no actual knowledge or experience...
If i was to get a *Cruiser* , it would have to be a Truimph Rocket III ,
2300cc . and 0-60 in 2.7 seconds . Very Nice :thumb: also ive seen a few supercharging kits for it, so to get even more power outta the huge lump
Quote from: RVertigo on May 16, 2007, 12:04:39 PM
Go to dealers and sit on all the cruisers... Comfort and fit are important...
Then think about the features you want... Shaft, belt, or chain drive... FI or Carb... Disc brakes or drum... Inverted forks... Tach... Etc.
THEN think about looks and brand.
:thumb:
Or you could do what 70% of the people out there do... Buy one that looks cool and suffer through riding it. :laugh:
ha that's what i kinda did, I just went out and wanted a gixxer but couldn't afford it so i bought the next best thing
you know why they put so much chrome on the harleys...
...its so they can find the peices in the grass on the side of the highway when they fall off. :flipoff:
Quote from: makenzie71 on July 17, 2007, 12:33:49 PM
...and the first run of V-Rods was anything but "reliable".
You're idea that Harley Davidsons aren't reliable is moronic...
:cookoo:
Thanks for proving the point that you're an idiot. So you like to take one example and stereotype an entire group from said example?
The first SV650's had a nasty habit of spinning bearings and dropping valves, thus all Suzuki's must be unreliable.
Mid and late 90's Ninjas like to lose second gear regardless of care, thus all Kawasakis must be unreliable.
CB900's like to lose oil pressure without warning and burn up the rings and cylinders, thus all Hondas are unreliable.
TZR's have a bad habit of needing to be rerbuilt every 20k or so, thus all Yamahas are unreliable.
Desmo valves can go out tremendously out of whack if not checked, so Ducatis are unreliable, too.
Everytime Cagiva gets it right they go bankrupt 6 weeks later.
...since I have better things to do than keep adding to the list you should just go ahead and mark every manufacturer down as "unreliable" and start walking everywhhere.
Wow.
I like cruisers.
I like submarines, beer, and fluffy clouds too.
There, I didn't even flame anyone OR get my panties in a wad.
Why do we have to tard every single thread?? I can understand the political/ religious threads getting tarded up and will actively participate in doing so. This guy just wanted a few opinions for getting his next bike, instead it's turned into a Buddha Loves You-fest :nono: :nono: Ohgood is right this forum is going downhill :cry:
Quote from: spcterry on July 17, 2007, 03:25:31 PM
Why do we have to tard every single thread?? I can understand the political/ religious threads getting tarded up and will actively participate in doing so. This guy just wanted a few opinions for getting his next bike, instead it's turned into a Buddha Loves You-fest :nono: :nono: Ohgood is right this forum is going downhill :cry
Yeah and you taking the moment to make that post in THIS thread really improved things. If you have such a problem with the forum, stop coming. Simple as that.
X
X as well. Excuse us.
I had a Honda Shadow Spirit 750, bike was awesome, ran great, super reliable, had more than enough power for around town and could pull 80 on the interstate with stock gearing. From the factory it was geared more for acceleration, I did alot of reading and owners were regearing and they turned into nice hwy cruisers. This bike was very comfortable, people really liked the looks and with my cobra drag pipes it sounded very, very much like a HD.
Now not to add fuel to the fire I want to add that my neighbor had a 883 sporty and while it looked nice, it was waayyyyy slower than the Honda and shook like hell. I am a fan of Harleys just not the sportster series.
My opinion of the difference between cruisers and sport bikes is this, cruisers are very mellow, super stable at speed, dont get blown around much by large trucks, made for taking in the scenery. Sportbikes, hypertensive, fast, razor sharp handling, and in the case of the GS in my experiences on I-95 in So. Florida gets blown around alot. But I still enjoy riding to and from work.
Pick the one you like and just ride.
anyone have conclustion on the S83 boulevard from Suzuki (intruder 1400)?
Personally, I like Harleys. I like the way most of them look, and I like the tradition and loyalty that they inspire. I also like the fact that, for the most part, they are keeping to a traditional look for their bikes. If you're looking for something more progressive, look at the VRSC (V-Rod) line, or some of the new Softails (Rocker's). The big bikes are generally more expensive than some of the Japanese bikes with comparable engine sizes, but everyone knows that. They are definitely better now then they were. However, if you don't want to spend a lot on a cruiser, I'd say pick one the same way you would pick any other type of bike. Look at all the manufacturer's models and find the one's that you like in your price range. Then go sit on them, or demo them if possible, to see which one you find most comfortable. Whoever said don't buy a bike for the way it looks is way off base as far as I'm concerned. You should definitely buy something that you think looks good, but if you give yourself enough options you should be able to find one that looks good to you and is still comfortable. If you can't, then you're going to have to reasses what you want to spend, or what features you want in a cruiser.
My personal opinion is that most Japanese companies are trying too hard to make their cruisers look contemporary. I don't particularly like the Suzukis, however some of the Yamaha motorcycles are pretty nice. Whatever you decide to go with, I'd agree that you should keep the GS if you like to lean more in your riding. You won't have the ability to put a lot of lean into turns on a big cruiser. If that's not a concern of yours, then sell it. I'm going to keep the GS, but I do plan to own a HD one day as well.
John