Best small cruiser?
 

Ok so I'm wanting something small and semi comfy to commute around town on (less than a 20 mile radius). I'm pretty set on a small 125 or 250cc cruiser. My question to you is if you were in the market for a small bike which would you chose? And don't want the Ninja 250.

Personally, a used Shadow 750, nothing smaller. If you thought that the Ninja 250 was gutless, just wait til u jump on a 250 cruiser. And I don't mean to say that you need gobs of power like a 1300, but u do need some power in order to be relatively safe on a bike. Our best asset and most crucial defense against being food for a cage is our ability to accelerate and the tiny cruisers don't have what it takes.

And if you're worried about price, last spring I bought a 4 yr old Shadow 750 for 3k, about the price of a new 250.

I never said that. I use to own an 06 Ninja 250 and it had mroe then enough power around town. I just simply want a cruiser that I can see 70 mpg out of while hardly ever going over 60 mph.

rebel.

:iagree:

I will offer another vote for the rebel but throw in that the Hoysung 25o Cruiser is a reasonalbe little cruiser that will top 75 when it has to and is not unattractive

Drewpy has a rebel he wants to sell.

thats what prompted me to suggest it.

hyosung=crap. its not even a suzuki motor they're copying, it just LOOKS like a knockoff of one. I've heard too many horror stories about them. Honda Rebel or Kawi Vulcan 500 gets my vote.

honda ruckus-120mpg

fuck it.

agreed, ive got an 82 cm450 rebel with straight bars on it and its awesome for around town cruisin. scored it for $200!

yo slick, hyosung BUILDS suzukis. not copies

Bob I agree the Vulcans are nice. But you have to stop basing opinions on second and thrid hand information you have to get out and ride stuff.. I have taken the Hoysung out for rides and helped a local kid work on his .. They are nice stable machines reflecting what seems to be the general Korean philosophy of Let someone pay the RD for the technology and market a stable platform at a reduced price. They are not a Ducati they are not yet a Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki or Suzuki, They are an inexpensive realible machine that seems to utilize 3 to 5 year old technology. As far as how they look I like the look of the 250 Cruisers. I rode one a few years ago when I weighed 365 lbs. It had no difficulty toting my lardy ass around at highway speeds. ( I have since lost 130lbs) I was considering buying it for my daughter. As it happens I stumbled across a creampuff VN750 so thats what she got.
Visually though every thing is very personal I think the 999 is the best looking bike Ducati ever made, I think my Gl1800 looks like a Harley got raped by a UFO (love the bike despite its look) and I am currently lusting after a Ural.

If you want a small cc cruiser, look into the Suzuki GZ250. It's a great bike. It's the bike 80% of all MSF schools use for training. The reason is they are reliable, bulletproof, and easy to work on.

They have a decent amount of pep to them and get great gas mileage. There is every option out there for accessories. I've even seen people touring on them.

I've spent plenty of seat time at the MSF range on the GZ250's. I'm 275 and they haul me around just fine. I've seen them take some crazy drops and turn around and start right back up.

Ain't a lot of choices: Honda Rebel, the little Suzuki 250, the Hyosung, and even the Chinese something-or-another. The Chinese one is I think 125-cc or something like that.

I don't know, I'd rather buy me a scooter before I ride a small cruiser (or a large cruiser).

You got a few options...

any of the older cruisers can be found all over craigslist and ebay.
a newer scooter as FL was saying, then at least you got somewhere to put stuff
ruckus would be PIMP!!

i know of a rebel that could be had possibly

Suzuki S40.

For a 250cc motorcycle I suggest this...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/...3cd048ac_o.jpg

Oh you meant cruiser.

A good city bike I had was my first bike. A 1994 Yamaha SecaII. It was a 600cc Air Cooled motor (Though I didn't feel I had problems from overheating in bumper to bumper). It got 45-50mpg city (With me being new and floring it half the time) and 70mg+ highway. It had great midpower for cruising around 4-6k and needing to get out of the way quick. Also a super awesome comfortable seat and a comfortable stance. I paid $1500 for one in great shape but have seen them go for $1000.

Also would you consider a scooter? I know a guy with a Aprilia and a Harley who rides a Kymco scooter everday. I think 150cc with 68mpg city and he paid $1500 for it brand new.

What about a Magna 750? Same size engine, two more cylinders, TONS more power and better handling for about the same price. The Mag is ROCK solid, man and a blast to ride, even for "puttin" around town.

I got my mag for 3700 but I've seen them for cheaper in great shape.