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So I was at the Bike displays in Daytona Beach today. All The Japanese Manufacturers were there with their 2014 models. I sat on dozens of bikes and got a feel for them.
The '14 Burgman was there along with the VStrom 650 and V strom 100.
The new Burgman was easy to roll around and I put the bike on and off the center stand without any difficulty. Rolling resistance was quite good. I sat on the '14 650 and the seat was fine. The feel was very similar to my '12 B400 except for an extra hundred pounds. My biggest dislike about the 650 were the side view mirrors. They seemed pretty poor compared to my 400 mirrors. I could reach the ground on the Vstrom 650 and the balance of the Vstrom 650 felt better than the Vstrom 1000.
I sat on the Suzuki C90t and M109R as well. The C90t is a lot of bike for the money if you want a cruiser. Overall, I liked the Burgman 650 the best of all the Suzuki models.
Next, I went to Yamaha and Vstar. I wasn't expecting much here as they don't have many models I'm interested in buying. They are nice bikes and the FJR was truly impressive for the money. The Vstars were great deals as well.
Kawasaki was a surprise for me. The Vulcan models are really priced well and are very comfortable. If I was in the market for a cruiser I'd seriously consider a Kawasaki Vulcan. If you haven't sat on a Vulcan and compared them to the Vstar or Suzuki I think it's worth your time.
Finally, Honda was where the action seemed to be at the displays. The CTX 1300 was getting a lot of attention and it was quite comfortable. The stereo was blaring from the bike (they had 3 of them there) and the sound was good. The low center of gravity combined with the low seat height made the CTX1300 feel like a cross between a cruiser and a sport tourer.
Most of the older guys seemed to like it (myself included). The bike was pricey at an MSRP of $18K. Honestly, it is overpriced at $18K and I would want to pay maybe $12 or $13 for it.
I sat on the CTX 700. Again, low center of gravity and seat height. The CTX 700 felt lighter than my '12 B400. It felt like a beginner's bike (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and didn't seem the right fit for me. The NC700 was there and I sat on it. I liked the NC700 more than the Vstrom 650 in terms of ergonomics but there is NO comparison between the Suzuki engine vs. the Honda Engine. The Vstrom has a much, much better engine.
The bike which surprised me the most was the Honda CB500X. That is a really nice all around town motorcycle. I could flat foot it easily and balance was decent. the Honda CB500X has a fantastic engine and would be a great weekend bike.
The nicest bikes at the display were the Indians. The Harleys looked good (they had a large display) but the Indians stole the show for the cruisers.
The best looking most expensive Cruiser in the USA: Indian.
Yes, Victory motorcycle was there but the Indian was the show stopper for the Harley boys.
Overall, My favorite non cruiser bikes based on my seat of the pants test were the following:
1. Honda CTX 1300 or Honda FB6 (Goldwing)
2. Burgman 650
3. Honda CB500X
4. Suzuki Vstrom 650
Cruisers:
1. Indian Chieftan (think Ferrari of Cruisers)
2. Kawasaki Vulcan
3. Suzuki C90T
I looked at the MSRP of all the bikes. If I didn't know the MSRP of the Burgman 650 I would guess $8500 and for the CTX 1300 I would guess $14K. Naturally, the bikes I am most likely to purchase are overpriced by multiple thousands.
The '14 Burgman was there along with the VStrom 650 and V strom 100.
The new Burgman was easy to roll around and I put the bike on and off the center stand without any difficulty. Rolling resistance was quite good. I sat on the '14 650 and the seat was fine. The feel was very similar to my '12 B400 except for an extra hundred pounds. My biggest dislike about the 650 were the side view mirrors. They seemed pretty poor compared to my 400 mirrors. I could reach the ground on the Vstrom 650 and the balance of the Vstrom 650 felt better than the Vstrom 1000.
I sat on the Suzuki C90t and M109R as well. The C90t is a lot of bike for the money if you want a cruiser. Overall, I liked the Burgman 650 the best of all the Suzuki models.
Next, I went to Yamaha and Vstar. I wasn't expecting much here as they don't have many models I'm interested in buying. They are nice bikes and the FJR was truly impressive for the money. The Vstars were great deals as well.
Kawasaki was a surprise for me. The Vulcan models are really priced well and are very comfortable. If I was in the market for a cruiser I'd seriously consider a Kawasaki Vulcan. If you haven't sat on a Vulcan and compared them to the Vstar or Suzuki I think it's worth your time.
Finally, Honda was where the action seemed to be at the displays. The CTX 1300 was getting a lot of attention and it was quite comfortable. The stereo was blaring from the bike (they had 3 of them there) and the sound was good. The low center of gravity combined with the low seat height made the CTX1300 feel like a cross between a cruiser and a sport tourer.
Most of the older guys seemed to like it (myself included). The bike was pricey at an MSRP of $18K. Honestly, it is overpriced at $18K and I would want to pay maybe $12 or $13 for it.
I sat on the CTX 700. Again, low center of gravity and seat height. The CTX 700 felt lighter than my '12 B400. It felt like a beginner's bike (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and didn't seem the right fit for me. The NC700 was there and I sat on it. I liked the NC700 more than the Vstrom 650 in terms of ergonomics but there is NO comparison between the Suzuki engine vs. the Honda Engine. The Vstrom has a much, much better engine.
The bike which surprised me the most was the Honda CB500X. That is a really nice all around town motorcycle. I could flat foot it easily and balance was decent. the Honda CB500X has a fantastic engine and would be a great weekend bike.
The nicest bikes at the display were the Indians. The Harleys looked good (they had a large display) but the Indians stole the show for the cruisers.
The best looking most expensive Cruiser in the USA: Indian.
Yes, Victory motorcycle was there but the Indian was the show stopper for the Harley boys.
Overall, My favorite non cruiser bikes based on my seat of the pants test were the following:
1. Honda CTX 1300 or Honda FB6 (Goldwing)
2. Burgman 650
3. Honda CB500X
4. Suzuki Vstrom 650
Cruisers:
1. Indian Chieftan (think Ferrari of Cruisers)
2. Kawasaki Vulcan
3. Suzuki C90T
I looked at the MSRP of all the bikes. If I didn't know the MSRP of the Burgman 650 I would guess $8500 and for the CTX 1300 I would guess $14K. Naturally, the bikes I am most likely to purchase are overpriced by multiple thousands.