Riding with cruisers.. I want one!!

[MariusD]

If you're really hell bent on a 250, consider the suzuki gz 250. It's one of the more comfortable ones

[kraven]

Originally Posted by JerryH

The Rebel is the way it is because way back in '85, Honda made an almost exact copy of the Harley FXR, and scaled it down.

Interesting factoid, JerryH.

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by MariusD

If you're really hell bent on a 250, consider the suzuki gz 250. It's one of the more comfortable ones

i had forgotten about this bike !!! I do not know how common they are close by, will look for.

Thanks everybody, I had forgotten all about this sector, and now I am interest in reading more than just the great DP sector that got in love with 2 wheels....

Damasovi

[ZZ-R Rider]

The 'zuki GZ250 Marauder is near bullet-proof ... we have a dozen or so in the Training Fleet of the MTP I part-time with ... those Bikes have suffered every abuse you can imagine a Student Rider giving them and still run like a watch! Comfy they may be, but they're bland, boring little ponies ... the TU250X is twice the Bike IMHO ... twice the style and character, better handling and even MORE comfortable!

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by ZZ-R Rider

The 'zuki GZ250 Marauder is near bullet-proof ... we have a dozen or so in the Training Fleet of the MTP I part-time with ... those Bikes have suffered every abuse you can imagine a Student Rider giving them and still run like a watch! Comfy they may be, but they're bland, boring little ponies ... the TU250X is twice the Bike IMHO ... twice the style and character, better handling and even MORE comfortable!

good info! too bad the TU is not sold in Mexico nor in California where I could go and buy one. I did had a chance to sit on one of them way back when they were about to hit the market at the IMS and I saw the style and really like it, but they never came all the way here.

Thanks!

Damasovi

[ZZ-R Rider]

Too bad the TU250X isn't offered in Mexico, it is a fine, fine motorcycle ... but I'd be surprized if there weren't some 250cc Bikes with a more "standard" set-up offered in Mexico that aren't available in the USA or Canada?

Of the 250cc Cruisers that I've ridden, the Yamaha V-Star/Virago 250 beats both the Honda Rebel and the Suzuki Marauder hands down as far as I'm concerned ...

[JerryH]

The Honda Rebel fills one niche that no other street legal highway capable bike out there does. It is an absolutely perfect fit for riders of about 5'4" tall or under, with a 28" or less inseam. That includes a lot of female riders. The Rebel is a bike they can ride for a very long time and never outgrow. But if you don't fit, you don't fit. I made a lot of modifications to try and make it fit me, and the best I could do was to make it just bearable. The V-Star 250, GZ250, TU250, and even the tiny little Eliminator 125 were all a much better fit. In fact, the Eliminator was actually the best fit of all the small cruisers. Sadly it was not freeway legal. Put a 250cc engine in that thing, leave everything else alone, and I'll buy one. I would even be willing to pay $500 more for either tubeless tires or a centerstand. With people willing to pay $1000 or more for ABS, something completely worthless to me, that sounds like a pretty good deal.

The TU250 is a great little bike, and unless you intend to make a coast to coast freeway run at full throttle, or ride 2 up a lot, it has plenty of power. But just like all the other 250s, and the Suzuki S40, it has tube type tires and no centerstand, which means you have to use up most of your available carrying space just to carry tools and parts to fix flats.

I think it's weird how many of the adventure touring bikes like BMW, KTM, V-Strom, and even the KLR650 and DR650 either come with centerstands or have high quality factory made centerstands available.

According to a Mexican friend and coworker of mine, it is possible to get just about anything registered in Mexico. I was told that they don't have versions of DOT and EPA there. Even in AZ, it is fairly easy to get a dirt bike or quad registered as street legal, all you have to do is put a horn, mirrors, headlight, tail light, brake light, and license plate light on it. It does not even require instruments. That is a huge no-no in CA. People caught riding their converted registered, plated and insured AZ vehicles on the street in CA risk getting them confiscated.

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by ZZ-R Rider

Too bad the TU250X isn't offered in Mexico, it is a fine, fine motorcycle ... but I'd be surprized if there weren't some 250cc Bikes with a more "standard" set-up offered in Mexico that aren't available in the USA or Canada?

at one point I tough Mexico was the place for small cc bikes, but as I research, small here means 125 and under, so in the BIG 250 cc class there isn't much. From Honda there is the twister, a nice standard 6 speed bike, cool one, the Rebel is gone! and replace with the 125 cc V MEN.

Suzuki just introduce the INAZUMA = GW250, and it is the only 250 standard or cruiser they offer.

Yamaha... has the YBR 250, also a standard the natural rival to the Honda Twister and yamaha GW250. And also offers the Vstar 250

Kawasaki mmm nothing

And there are the million and one brands from ChiMex (China+Mexico) but those are not even worth mentioning.

Too bad the TU is not available that is a sleek, cool looking bike!

Damasovi

[ZZ-R Rider]

Wow, the Honda Twister 250 looks almost identical to the handful of Brazilian-spec Titan 150s we have as part of or MTP Training fleet!


Twister

and the Suzuki Inazuma 250 is pretty cool looking too!


Inazuma

Why wouldn't you consider either of these if they are available in Mexico? I am sure they are both excellent Bikes! I know from having Ridden the Titan 150, that it is a very comfortable, easy to ride motorcycle and can imagine that the Twister with the extra 100cc's is even better!

[MariusD]

That new suzuki looks mighty interesting, but it's still not a true cruiser.

I had an experience yesterday that keeps me standing by what I said earlier in this thread. A friend asked me to run his honda crf230 for a couple of weeks since he had barely run it lately. I reluctantly agreed, and actually got to appreciate the nimbleness and mpg of this bike. It really does get it done in the city. I rode it for 2 weeks and yesterday got back on my m50 800cc cruiser. I felt like I had to relearn to ride for a few minutes, but then I got into it and just cracked the throttle, HOLY COW! I don't remember this bike having this kind of "FU" power! I couldn't believe how fun and exilarating this bike is and yet still nimble! I got to work all amped up and remembered why I love this bike so much and also thought of this thread.

I have 3 bikes at the house at the moment:

Honda crf230
M50
Victory Hammer

The only one that truely makes my day on my way to work is the M50.

I still bielive that if you want a TRUE cruiser that is light and fun, the 800-950 class can't be beat. But If your definition of cruiser includes stuff like that suzuki in the post above, then there are a ton on other options, no doubt.

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by ZZ-R Rider

Wow, the Honda Twister 250 looks almost identical to the handful of Brazilian-spec Titan 150s we have as part of or MTP Training fleet!


Twister

Well the Twister is a great standard bike, that I think of as the Monster for the poor, how ever you get 23-26 hp, it has a 6 speed transmission and a great looking bike. It has the same motor as the Tornado but tune differently, and obviously it is smaller than the Tornado.

The suzuki you have there is not the GW250 (Inazuma) you show the B-king a big, fast, heavy scale down from the Hayabusa, this is the Inazuma:



Notice the single front disc (instead of the 2). and 2 instead of the 4 cylinders. Still a nice looking one.

The twister was my next bike, in December 2011 I was going to buy one, but the scooter Beat appeal more at that time, if you go to the beginning of this thread you will notice that I mention 2 up as something I was interesting, now I have almost erase that from my list of likes... so the twister is on the plate again... Got to raise the money!

Damasovi

[ZZ-R Rider]

My apologies on the previously posted, erroneous Inazuma pic ... am not familiar with that model as we don't have it here in Kanuckistan ... when I Googled "Inazuma" that was one of the pics that came up ...

Look, if your interested in 250cc Cruisers, do one better ... Go look at a Suzuki Savage/S40 ... 250-size with a 650cc motor ... great Bikes and better in every respect ...

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by ZZ-R Rider

am not familiar with that model as we don't have it here in Kanuckistan ... when I Googled "Inazuma" that was one of the pics that came up ...

Look, if your interested in 250cc Cruisers, do one better ... Go look at a Suzuki Savage/S40 ... 250-size with a 650cc motor ... great Bikes and better in every respect ...

I do not know where Kanuckistan is, I only found this:


I do not remember why I rule out the s40, something... I do not remember, so next time up in San Diego I will look for it, maybe it was the price or something.

Thanks

Damasovi

[ZZ-R Rider]

LOL!!! Your map correctly shows Kanuckistan ... we share a continent with you and our American friends! :)

[BryonLewis]

Originally Posted by damasovi

The suzuki you have there is not the GW250 (Inazuma) you show the B-king a big, fast, heavy scale down from the Hayabusa


Notice the single front disc (instead of the 2). and 2 instead of the 4 cylinders. Still a nice looking one.

That is a little to small to be a B-King, that is the GSR600 also known as the Baby B-King. It has a detuned GSXR-600 engine with more midrange. The king has much larger rear tire and the side pods are huge.