The Truth About Japanese Cruisers

You don't say much, but you do a lot of face palming.

My brother worked at Hayes brake, who made brake discs and calipers for most Harley Davidsons. He can chime in, but while he was there they started to switch over some of their models to Nissan Kogyo, LTD to build their brakes.

Harley is not perfect, they seem to have a lot of trouble with the cam drives, while the aftermarket can supply parts that fix them right up. Bad thing is that cam drive thing can destroy the engine. Inspection is an effort, requires exhaust and floorboard removal. Not a fan of the design. Occasionally doing the upgrade, the run out of the crank is too large. It twisted or was built wrong at the factory, and or the insufficient bearings they used are an issue. Then it is more $$$$, and a real good excuse to build it up a bit.

Of course, when you build them to over 100 HP, engine life gets shorter. Sometimes a lot shorter. That is not what they are for anyway. A nice mild 100 HP build can have a long life and be very fun.

Nothing feels and sounds like a Harley touring chassis. They are a sweet ride.

The Indians are close, they do not have a frame mounted faring option though. Yet. Time will show what common problems they have.

Competition should improve the breeds.

Rod

After a long gap not owning a bike, I got a Suzuki C50T in 2009. I was looking for a mid-weight cruiser, and I chose the Suzuki, because all the reviews said it was tried & true. I steered away from Harleys, although I looked at a bunch, because I had this perception they would be less reliable.

The Suzuki has been rock solid, no glitches, no problems of any sort. With the stock pipe, it has only a muted growl, which is fine by me.

At the same time I moved to Oman (and shipped over my C50T and my KLR), one of my British friends here bought a Sportster 883. We rode a lot together. Over time, he had some mechanical issues. The clutch had to be replaced (under warranty) and the front forks started to leak. After 2 years, he traded it in for a "Fat Bob". Lots of Harleys here, so I've ridden with a few others, and they like their bikes. None of them seems impressed by my 805cc Suzuki.

But when I am tired of feeling like the dweeb in the group, I'll take out the Moto Guzzi Stelvio. That one seems to engender respect.

Yeah harleys.... How about... never...

Seriously though, the few times I walked into a dealership, was always a laughable or downright bad experience. I know this does not necessarily reflect on all dealers, based on just a few samples. But those are the ones near to me, so that's the end of it. The other one was abroad and it was exactly the same.

Here in Europe, Harleys are looked at and sold like the most upmarket luxury motorcycle you can imagine. Sort of 'if you have to ask how expensive it is, it's just not for you, you either get it or you don't' They position themselves as the bentleys in motorcycling (which in itself is ridiculous). But that attitude also seeps through to the sales people on the floor, and in the end the customers.

The same arrogance and 'looking down your nose' attitude as in the States, I imagine, but times a dozen. They almost make it sound as if I should be grateful to dump my cash in the brand, instead of being treated by someone who appreciates my business.

Again, I'm sure other brands have their assholes too, and that there are nice people on harleys, but cliches are cliches for a reason. Sadly enough. That's already reason number one to not belong to that group of wannabe weekend badasses. (it's just too laughable)

Ok, say you don't care, you ride alone anyways... Fine, but I would still feel lumped in together with these fools. Most haven't done 10000km combined in their riding lifetime.

Then there is the inevitable visit to the dealer, where again I would have to look at a circle jerk of people padding each other on the back over their bikes... :huh There is almost no avoiding them.

The dealer is not that far, so I see those harleys riding all over the place. Main destination, to and from the dealer, where in the weekends they have a barbecue on the parking lot and stare at each others chrome. Of course in full Harley attire.

I'm also not into the 'throw accessories onto to bike to make it your own or make it perform properly'. I'll buy a bike that performs properly right out of the crate, thank you. It's not up to me to build something acceptable, I'm paying for a full motorcycle. (talking about the suspension, engine power, ...)

Then there is the bike itself (ok, that is personal taste and preference, so to each their own...). I think they look 'busy' with all the very visible linkage, visible valve guides, transmission separate from the engine (why??). Paint is perfect though . In the end, Jap cruisers (or euro cruisers) are not that awful in paint that they don't merit a closer look.

If I had to buy a cruiser tomorrow, it would be the guzzi california, or a boulevard suzuki ( C90, C109, ...) and in the smaller category, a VN900 or vstar 1300. That's it, easy enough. Oh, maybe if HD would start making their sportsters full size again, so that it is a viable option at 6'4" with suspension that has more than 2" travel... Then maybe.

Again, it all boils down to "ride what you like".


If the most important thing to you when riding is the respect you get from other riders of the same brand....

Well....draw your own conclusions.

Harleys are fine machines, they have a look and feel that is unique and has carried the brand for many years. People like them, there is no denying that.

I wouldn't turn one down, if I found one I liked at a price I could afford that suited my needs. I don't think they are the finest machines on the planet, though, and everything else is just rubbish.

But hey, if others choose to drink the "black and orange" Kool-Aid and become one of the "brethren" whose whole self-image and lifestyle revolve around the brand, then more power to them.

Honestly, I've never yet come across any motorcycle that didn't speak to me on some level.

Not. One.

I'd go with the Moto Guzzi California Touring. The engine loves to rev. The bike is beautiful. And it rides very well. I'm not a cruiser guy, yet, but I've tested Victorys, Harleys, and the Guzzi.

The Victory was nice, but just didn't do it for me.
The Harley was ok, but hated the idle and the very limited lean angle. I scraped the foot boards on the second corner of the test ride.
The Guzzi had "soul", and didn't feel like a diesel engine. It felt more like a small block chevy or similar.

I've never ridden a Japanese cruiser. But I think the Yamaha/Star bikes look the best from the orient.

Just my $.02.

Edit: And 9 out of ten Harley riders around here pretend they are the "Sons of Anarchy". Just knock it off already...

You sound like someone trying to justify their boring, generic, tasteless motorcycle. Don't worry... I used to ride them too and had the same opinions, and I grew up around the "lifestyle" that I do not partake in. Harleys are just the better cruiser and that is that. Just like I wouldn't buy an ADV bike with Harley on the tank, I wouldn't buy a cruiser with Yamaha on the tank.

And that guy in that video you linked, is a regular on the HD forums. He went from a Road King evo to that twinkie springer softail simply because it is a springer softail. He had to debate heavily on if he should have sold his evo or the twinkie springer. I think he made the right choice as the springer is a collectors item... an evo road king is not.

Nice avi.


I'm just busting your chops, Dog.

And I'd agree, Harleys definitely have it down in the cruiser design department. The paint is awesome, the range of customization is almost limitless. There is a reason why they are copied by so many other manufacturers.

However, "better" is purely subjective and up to the individual. If you think they're better, then they're better....for you.

And that is where the true freedom comes in...the freedom to ride what you want without concern about what any other rider thinks.

My Yamaha V-Star is a great bike, it rides well and does whatever I require of it. It's comfortable, performs very well. It makes a nice sound and I enjoy riding it. I don't find it the least bit boring or soulless.

The Sporty I owned had more character than I cared for in the maintenance area. What a pain in the ass it was. But when everything fell into place, it was a pretty sweet ride.

Hell, if image was the most important thing with a bike, they'd never sell another KLR again.....

It takes more than one horse to make a race. If everyone rode the same bike, just think of how boring it would be.

Hurray for the freedom of choice. It is that choice which drives the manufacturers to improve, to tweak, to innovate. The bikes get better and better, and we get to reap the benefits.

Just curious, which touring Harley was it, and what year model?

We spent a week riding in northeast Georgia last year right after we bought the 2013 Road Glide Ultra. I scrapped a floorboard once while riding 3up (I weigh 340lbs) but it was because I wasn't paying attention to the decreasing radius curve like I should have been. It handles, stops, and runs quite good for what it is.

I love the CTMG, but had to have the pillion comfort for my wife this time around. Guzzi dealers are so scarce I'd have to ride past my old BMW dealer to get to one...

I took this pic at the Vintage Motorcycle Festival last year, the Guzzi certainly garnered a lot of attention. Beautiful bike, and in my favorite color.

I think it's hilarious, it's like Halloween every day

They scoff at me just like the ATGATT Nazis do...To each their own as always...

Man, that is a sweet looking bike.

It was an 08 or 09 Road King. It was pre-owned. I'm not sure if it had been lowered or not, but it looked like the stock ride height to me. It was a right hand corner at an intersection. Midway through the corner, the board started scraping and came up a bit. Scared the shit out of me! Anyways, Harleys just aren't my cup of tea. Same with any BMW with the telelever front suspension: it feels goofy as fuck.

When I was little I use to dress up like Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger; I had 6-shooters, holster, hat and all, even a stick horse. I was a bad-ass. I got all that "dress-up" out of my system when I, was like, 7. Now-a-days all the "adults" that never got to play cowboys and Indians get all dressed up on weekends--- black vest, fag-style buttless leather pants, and bandannas; they hop on their Hardlys and go bar to bar, loud pipes blasting along the way --- looking exactly like everyone else on a Hardly yet somehow they are 'expressing their individuality'...............

Same reason some would rater sit in a gas guzzling, stinky noisy shaking 396 powered Chevelle than a 2015 Impala SS that would kick its ass in every catagory. It just aint the same.

I know they changed the touring frames in '09, but don't remember scraping on Ozello riding the '08 RK I test rode back then either. Maybe it was lowered.

Harleys aren't normally my cup of tea either. But the RGU is a nice bike for our intended use, and location at the moment.

Unlike you I loved the Telelever on my '05 GS, but it's the only BMW I've ever owned or ridden.

Different strokes, fer different folks, as always...

Best reply to that type of statement I've ever read. Thanks.

Hey, I have a simple solution to all of the problems you posted up there... don't buy a twin cam.

Only engine work my evo needs is the lifters swapped every 20k miles, and with adjustable pushrods, I can do that in an hour.

Indeed your wrong;
There was a dog,
Who found two bones.
He licked the one,
He licked the other.
He went in circles 'till he dropped dead.
Freedom of choice is what you've got,
Freedom from choice is what you want.

TxRoadDog,

You forgot to mention cheap! My yamaha was cheap. Don't you get it? Yes it's boring, generic,(although it does have "YAMAHA" written all over it, we can still call it generic), tasteless,(who licks their motorbike?). I'm not worried, one day too I may become a higher individual like you and sell my Yamaha and get a better cruiser. Possibly I won't stop there and I'll enter Asimov's fourth dimension while I'm at it. Until then, I'll keep riding a bike you no longer will, and you'll ride a bike that I wouldn't. The purpose of the video was to show the other posters difference between cool motorbike and a sewing machine really amounted to no more than listening to a carburated bike(the evo) and one with fuel injection(the VTX) at idle. I believe most twin cams now are injected, so therefore they could sound like a sewing machine too. My yamaha is carburated too, FYI. There's some more truth about Japanese cruisers, some just can't handle the truth.

You sound like someone trying to justify their boring, generic, tasteless motorcycle. Don't worry... I used to ride them too and had the same opinions, and I grew up around the "lifestyle" that I do not partake in. Harleys are just the better cruiser and that is that. Just like I wouldn't buy an ADV bike with Harley on the tank, I wouldn't buy a cruiser with Yamaha on the tank.

What does any of this have to do with Japanese cruisers?

I'm not really sure where you're coming down on this...are you implying that freedom of choice is a bad thing, or that we are never happy with the choices we have?