[TaurusAl]

I always wanted to buy a cruiser motorcycle. But due to lack of options, never got a chance really.

Even in todays world, where we have atleast 5 cars & 5 motorcycles in each segment, there is practically no choice in cruiser bikes available.

The ones which are available today are -

1) Royal Enfield Thunderbird (Not everyones cup of tea & a very acquired taste)
2) Bajaj Avenger (Not suitable for tall people)
3) Yamaha Enticer (Only available in second hand market)

I have been riding a Karizma occasionally on weekends etc. Im sure there are people in India like me, who are awaiting nice cruiser bike option which can be ridden more comfortably as compared to Karizmas & Pulsars.

Please note the advantages and disadvantages of both types of bikes -

Cruiser Motorcycles

One of the most famous types of cruisers is the chopper-style motorcycles that are manufactured by the likes of Harley-Davidson, Excelsior, Henderson and Indian.

The defining feature of the cruiser bike though is comfort.

The riding position in a cruiser places both feet forward and the hands up, with the backbone and spine erect or leaning back slightly.

This makes long distance riding much more comfortable than sports bikes.

The bike is made for cruising so riders rarely push the bike to extreme speeds. This decreases the chances of accidents as well.

However, there are disadvantages to cruiser bikes as well.

For one, cruiser motorcycles are much heavier than the average bike. It also has a wider frame that makes it difficult to squeeze into tight spaces.

And lastly, its steering bar is different from regular motorcycles. In fact, it has a limited turning ability because of its low-slung design.

Riders who like cornering at high speeds will have difficulty navigating cruisers on sharp turns.

Sports Bike

While cruiser bikes sacrifice speed for comfort, the sports bike goes in the complete opposite direction.

Sports bikes are optimized motorcycles designed for speed and agility at expense of comfort and passenger load capacity.

The emphasis of sports bikes are in its speed, acceleration, braking and maneuverability. It also has a lightweight design and can easily squeeze through tight spots in traffic.

As a result, it is much easier to control sports bikes in case of incoming collisions.

It could stop faster and maneuver its way out of danger better than that of a cruiser motorcycle.

However, since the sports bike is designed for speed, it is much more at risk of being involved in an accident as riders tend to push the motorcycle to high speeds.

In addition, since there are sports bikes that are relatively affordable in the market, a lot of new motorcycle riders prefer to buy this type as their first bike.

Now pair a young, inexperienced rider with a bike that is designed for speed and you may have an accident brewing.


After reading the above comparison, I would be glad to go with cruisers as it suits my riding style. I certainly don't want to buy another Karizma, Pulsar, Apache, R15, Ninja, CBR etc.

Just wondering, how many percentage of Indians would agree with me and are willing to consider cruiser bikes as the priority option.

Cheers!

[Spitfire]

The mother of all cruisers (or so they say) - Harley Davidsons are now available in India.

I am guessing the post is a rant on availability of cruisers and not really at the price they come at.

But seriously, with the pathetic emergency services and road manners we have in India using a cruiser for what it is meant for is a big risk.

[TaurusAl]

Oh yes, Im sorry I forgot to mention the launch of the harleys (Thank You Spitfire), is that a good beginning for cruiser markets in India ?

Yes i agree, it is really difficult to cruise gently and hear the music of your engine on our roads & highways without blaring horns driving you nuts many a times. But even though, people do buy sports cars in India.

Similarly, I'm sure there are potential buyers waiting for some cruisers to be launched.

[aadix]

It would depend on which segment the topic is being discussed on. they can be classified into three segments.

150 to 250cc segment: expect the avenger there isn't any other cruiser model available.
there should be more options here as there isn't any good entry level cruiser in this range barring the avenger. esp when there is a demand for a good entry level cruiser.
example was the yamaha enticer which sold in good numbers.


250 to 650cc segment: are the royal enfields and the upcoming hyosung cruiser.
leaving aside the bullets for a while, there isn't any which can be considered as an ideal cruiser. the closest which came to this was the hyosung aquila. the upcoming hyosung 650 would be out of reach for many.

above 650cc segment: are the harleys and the intruder only.
leaving aside the harleys for a moment, there practically isn't any! the inturder is too huge for the average Indian (at least in the south)

hence, in all the three segments there is def a demand for a more products by different manufacturers.

another issue are the trim levels.
In most of the harleys everything is an add-on and there is a lack of the range in colors which is available outside India but not here. same goes with the other sbks/cruisers also.

[TaurusAl]

Yes, It is sad indeed to note that Yamaha stopped the production of Enticer.

The way Yamaha is producing good quality bikes today like the r15, Fazer etc, im sure they can come up with a good face lift and a bigger motor for Enticer by now. It would have surely given Avenger the run for its money.

[roy_libran]

Honestly, if you are looking for a decent, affordable cruiser, that gives good power, rideability and handling, without enormous maintenance bills, then the Thunderbird is pretty much the only option available. Take it from someone who has had a RE TB now, for almost 8 years. Enticer and Avenger just don't cut it, although the Avenger looks better and has a nice seating stance.

[TaurusAl]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

Honestly, if you are looking for a decent, affordable cruiser, that gives good power, rideability and handling, without enormous maintenance bills, then the Thunderbird is pretty much the only option available. Take it from someone who has had a RE TB now, for almost 8 years. Enticer and Avenger just don't cut it, although the Avenger looks better and has a nice seating stance.

Thunderbird is the option i agreed, but that not the point here. The point is we do not have enough options in the cruiser segment. If for some reason i dont like TBTS or the Avenger, what should I do ? They buyer is then forced to settle with jus a normal bike.

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

Thunderbird is the option i agreed, but that not the point here. The point is we do not have enough options in the cruiser segment. If for some reason i dont like TBTS or the Avenger, what should I do ? They buyer is then forced to settle with jus a normal bike.

Absolutely . No other options. All I was saying earlier, is that the other options you had listed were not options at all, only Posers, to a large extent. We need a lot more options in the 1-3 Lakh category with 500-800 cc engines.

[shrini78]

Rumor has it that "Victory" cycles are entering Indian market no later than 2012

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by shrini78

Rumor has it that "Victory" cycles are entering Indian market no later than 2012

There is news of Victory making an entry to India. Details are available on xBHP. IIRC they should cost around 25L.

[TaurusAl]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

There is news of Victory making an entry to India. Details are available on xBHP. IIRC they should cost around 25L.

Victory Motorcycles: Touring, Cruiser, Muscle, V-Twin & Wide-Tire

Heres their international site. 25 lacs ? Thats out of reach for Indian Commuters travelling to office everyday.

[TaurusAl]

I remember putting high handle bar on my caliber around 5 years back to make it a cruiser for touring from Mumbai to Goa

Can see things haven't changed in 5 years in the cruiser market where other automobiles have gone through a sea of change.

[Rennjit]

Welcome more but the market for cruisers (perf or style) would be very small until the road conditions and rider sense changes for good. Hit a pot hole and have the shock on to your lower back & in case the bike wobbles it's harder to contain. Even if one is lucky to sight a pothole in advance, swerving/ weighting those forward placed footrests to ease the shock isn't confidence inspiring. The true Indian who cuts across anything/everything, creeps in/over/under/through any possible space on/off road finds these machines hard to move around. Why risk so much when most commuter machines offers better comfort & ride quality where as a cruiser is about style alone here; naturally there wont be many takers. Just my 2 paise. Lets have options i can use one for local runabouts.

[Mpower]

The mini cruisers have not caught the imagination of the public. The Enticer has been withdrawn IIRC and the Avenger sells in minuscule numbers compare to Pulsars.

[TaurusAl]

Originally Posted by Mpower

The mini cruisers have not caught the imagination of the public. The Enticer has been withdrawn IIRC and the Avenger sells in minuscule numbers compare to Pulsars.

Oh Really ? the Enticer was withdrawn due to poor sales ? Thats a news to me. I could remember seeing it everywhere when it was in production. Its flat footrest were much adored by all. A underpowered engine and small tires were a turnoff though.