I like the Yamaha Road Star Warrior, of course you'd have to buy an aftermarket exhaust system. 

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. 

vitory "vegas" 

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

-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

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.