Best Cruiser motorcycle on a budget?

Matthew K

Matthew K

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Broke Engineer
Man its been awhile since I've posted a thread...

Anyways, I've always been a motorcycle fan but have never gotten serious about buying one- until now.

I'm mainly interested in cruiser style bikes for my first bike(with a budget of about 3k give or take). I've been particularly looking at older Harley 883 Sportster's, Honda VTX1300s, and Honda Magna's. These all can be found used at pretty reasonable prices around my budget.

The two biggest things I'm looking for is something that's powerful enough to ride on the highway and still have some power reserve, as well as having that low rumble noise like Harley's are known for.

I know quite a few people on this forum are big motorcycle riders, so I'm curious to hear your opinions on the above mentioned bikes as well as any other bikes you'd recommend that can be found for a fairly cheap price. Also general tips about riding motorcycles or any gear recommendations would also be appreciated :)
 
Honda Shadow /thread

OK.. maybe not... but it's a very good recommendation in your price range... great mix of reliability, comfort, and the sound you're looking for. I own a 1984 Magna VF700C, and it's a very fast bike for it's size and shape, but not real comfortable on long trips... a very upright seated position and not much room to stretch your legs (and I'm not tall). The 1100 version is a beast, and I wouldn't recommend it as a first bike.

The Shadow is a twin, so it'll have closer to that Harley sound if you're into that. It's also slung a little lower and more comfortable on a long haul.

I'd also look at the Suzuki Boulevard .. another great budget bike.
 
MuseChaser said:
Honda Shadow /thread

OK.. maybe not... but it's a very good recommendation in your price range... great mix of reliability, comfort, and the sound you're looking for. I own a 1984 Magna VF700C, and it's a very fast bike for it's size and shape, but not real comfortable on long trips... a very upright seated position and not much room to stretch your legs (and I'm not tall). The 1100 version is a beast, and I wouldn't recommend it as a first bike.

The Shadow is a twin, so it'll have closer to that Harley sound if you're into that. It's also slung a little lower and more comfortable on a long haul.

I'd also look at the Suzuki Boulevard .. another great budget bike.
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Hadn't heard of the Suzuki Boulevard until now, seems like a cool bike with a LOT of power on the bigger models. Exhaust note isn't exactly what I'm looking for though, at least based off of the youtube videos I just watched.

Good to know about the Magna, I've heard good things about them but didn't know what the comfort level was.

Shadow is definitely an option I'm considering, has the noise I'm looking for. Good to know it's on the more comfortable side, I do plan to do the occasional long road trip so that would be nice.
 
I still have my '03 Honda VTX retro that I purchased when it first came out. Sixteen years later and it's still a great bike. I tried the 1800 and was while it had a ton of balls, it was a heavy beast to handle. Not sure what 1300s sell for these days but I'm pretty sure you can find a nice one at a good price.
 
I recently bought a Yamaha V-Star 1300 Tourer for $2,800 that seems to fit what you’re looking for. I see them for sale in the 3,000-$3,500 price range pretty regularly around here. It’s fuel injected and the tourer version comes from the factory with windshield, front floorboards, and leather wrapped hard side saddlebags.
 

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I used to own a VTX 1800 and it was a great motorcycle. Tons of power and great sound. That said it was a heavy motorcycle. One thing with it was that it was stupidly loud with aftermarket pipes on it, with a pitch that had an annoying harmonic to it. My wife's Sportster 1200 had drag pipes (straight pipes) and it may have been louder decibel wise, but not by much, and sounded better.

An 883 Sportster is going to be a significantly smaller bike than a VTX (even a 1300). A Sportster is not a great highway bike, and an 883 is not going to have reserve power much at all. A 1200 will have good reserve power, but Harleys in general are slow.

You mention you want the V-twin rumble like Harleys are known for. As someone who's owned a Japanese cruiser (and ridden several other Japanese V-twin cruisers) and now owns Harleys, it is a different sound and a different riding experience. Even from a 90-degree V-twin vs. the odd firing 45 degree. However it's something you either like the Harley sound better or you don't. And if budget is a strong consideration, you might not care enough to try to get a Harley.

Do you have any experience riding a motorcycle? Do you have a motorcycle license? If not, I would start off by taking the MSF course. Most states will let you simply take the MSF course and if you pass, you get your license. It's very worthwhile. The other rule of thumb is that a first bike should be 600ccs or less (in a V-twin cruiser a Sportster 883 or even 1200 or a 750cc or less Jap V-twin is equivalent... the 600cc is more for sport/naked bikes). Even a slow motorcycle will accelerate better than most cars, and the sensitivity with the throttle and physics of what you have to do with your whole body (not just moving hands and feet) takes some getting used to. So starting with a 172 of sorts is better before moving up to an MU-2. After the first season then upgrade. There are three types of new motorcycle riders - those who drop their bike, those who lie, and those who never ride it so they can't drop it.

With that said, a liter class V-twin cruiser is not going to be super high performing so you can probably get away with it, but just some food for thought. In your price range not like you're talking about something that would get really hurt on resale value if you dented it.
 
If you want to ride something that sounds like a Harley, I'd suggest a Harley. Sportsters are great bikes, easy to work on, build, and very affordable. Anyone who recommends a Japanese motorcycle is probably flying a Cirrus and doesn't have their tailwheel endorsement, and definitely a low-wing flyer following the magenta line to their nearest FBO for bottled water and a paved runway.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I used to own a VTX 1800 and it was a great motorcycle. Tons of power and great sound. That said it was a heavy motorcycle. One thing with it was that it was stupidly loud with aftermarket pipes on it, with a pitch that had an annoying harmonic to it. My wife's Sportster 1200 had drag pipes (straight pipes) and it may have been louder decibel wise, but not by much, and sounded better.

An 883 Sportster is going to be a significantly smaller bike than a VTX (even a 1300). A Sportster is not a great highway bike, and an 883 is not going to have reserve power much at all. A 1200 will have good reserve power, but Harleys in general are slow.

You mention you want the V-twin rumble like Harleys are known for. As someone who's owned a Japanese cruiser (and ridden several other Japanese V-twin cruisers) and now owns Harleys, it is a different sound and a different riding experience. Even from a 90-degree V-twin vs. the odd firing 45 degree. However it's something you either like the Harley sound better or you don't. And if budget is a strong consideration, you might not care enough to try to get a Harley.

Do you have any experience riding a motorcycle? Do you have a motorcycle license? If not, I would start off by taking the MSF course. Most states will let you simply take the MSF course and if you pass, you get your license. It's very worthwhile. The other rule of thumb is that a first bike should be 600ccs or less (in a V-twin cruiser a Sportster 883 or even 1200 or a 750cc or less Jap V-twin is equivalent... the 600cc is more for sport/naked bikes). Even a slow motorcycle will accelerate better than most cars, and the sensitivity with the throttle and physics of what you have to do with your whole body (not just moving hands and feet) takes some getting used to. So starting with a 172 of sorts is better before moving up to an MU-2. After the first season then upgrade. There are three types of new motorcycle riders - those who drop their bike, those who lie, and those who never ride it so they can't drop it.

With that said, a liter class V-twin cruiser is not going to be super high performing so you can probably get away with it, but just some food for thought. In your price range not like you're talking about something that would get really hurt on resale value if you dented it.
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Yeah the VTX 1300 is definitely bigger than a sportster, I sat on one a few days ago and definitely noticed the weight & size difference. I do like the sound of the VTX though, so if I find one I like at the right price I may go for it.

Regarding riding experience- admittedly pretty limited. I'm signed up for the "new rider course" at my local Harley Dealer. Like the MSF it counts as the driving portion of the DMV test and gets me an insurance discount.

I understand the merit behind the "600cc rule" for new riders, so I'm okay with a Sportster 883 or similar in the short term since it gets me the sound I'm looking for without too much power. Definitely not looking for sport bike power at this point.

As for the aviation reference, I'd of much preferred starting with the MU-2 ;)
 
Lachlan said:
If you want to ride something that sounds like a Harley, I'd suggest a Harley. Sportsters are great bikes, easy to work on, build, and very affordable.
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What kind of mileage should I consider as "too much" for a sportster? I've seen a few now with 35-40k miles and while that's probably good as that means they've been ridden and not just sitting, I'm not sure what should be considered the max for an air cooled bike.
 
Matthew K said:
What kind of mileage should I consider as "too much" for a sportster? I've seen a few now with 35-40k miles and while that's probably good as that means they've been ridden and not just sitting, I'm not sure what should be considered the max for an air cooled bike.
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Regardless of marque it seems like bikes with over 50k miles get increasingly hard to get rid of. Any mileage up to 30k or so doesn’t seem to influence porcine much.

I’m not a cruiser guy but it seems as though you want a Harley style motorcycle. In my opinion, if that is what you’re after just buy a Harley and get it over with. You’ll continually be explaining away why you didn’t buy a Harley with the other look alike bikes. However, if your tastes/desires are a bit more fluid I’d encourage you to look at some European bikes. I’ve owned a lot of bikes and the European stuff has by far been the most enjoyable stuff I’ve owned.
 
Your title said on a budget. In that case buy Japanese. In my opinion, Yamaha is the best metric line. That said, I was a hard core Honda person most of my life. I rode a Honda 250 in high school in the 70's.

Metric bikes are very reliable, reasonably priced, but don't sound like a Harley if that is important to you.

If I bought a Harley it would be anything but a Sportster. They don't maintain their resale value & not that pleasant to ride. Find a Dyna or Street glide.

Full disclosure. I've owned at least 20 motorcycles since 2000. Yes, I presently ride a Yamaha. FJR 1300. I've owned two of them & they fit my style of riding.

Good luck with your purchase.
 
I put 65,000 miles on a 1999 Sportster 883/1200 conversion. Just make sure to get one with a bigger tank than the 3.2 gal. stocker. You can commute, tour or just have a fun day ride on a Sportster, especially the later model years. Very reliable bikes and rather affordable.
For more comfort you can step up to a Dynaglide. It’s a better overall bike than the Sportster if you want to step up to a big Twin. For a little more money you get a lot more bike.
 
Lachlan said:
...Anyone who recommends a Japanese motorcycle is probably flying a Cirrus and doesn't have their tailwheel endorsement, and definitely a low-wing flyer following the magenta line to their nearest FBO for bottled water and a paved runway.
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Or, possibly, likes to ride a reliable machine that he knows will get him where he wants go, when he wants to go, every time, and cares not what other people think who prejudge him. Someone who isn't willing to pay a bunch of extra money to impress others because of the name or appearance of his bike. Yeah... maybe that's it.
 
Matthew K said:
Yeah the VTX 1300 is definitely bigger than a sportster, I sat on one a few days ago and definitely noticed the weight & size difference. I do like the sound of the VTX though, so if I find one I like at the right price I may go for it.

Regarding riding experience- admittedly pretty limited. I'm signed up for the "new rider course" at my local Harley Dealer. Like the MSF it counts as the driving portion of the DMV test and gets me an insurance discount.

I understand the merit behind the "600cc rule" for new riders, so I'm okay with a Sportster 883 or similar in the short term since it gets me the sound I'm looking for without too much power. Definitely not looking for sport bike power at this point.

As for the aviation reference, I'd of much preferred starting with the MU-2 ;)
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Don’t underestimate the importance of weight, especially on something more top heavy like a VTX. Get it a bit off Center and it’ll try to fall over. I remember one time on the Vtx a friend’s girlfriend hopped on back (he was just learning so she rode with me). I had her trained reasonably well as a passenger but she started to get on before confirming I was ready (I wasn’t). Fortunately she was small but my leg hurt for a few days from the extreme effort required to not top it over. Power wise it was probably slower than my first bike (a Kawa KZ700).

I will agree with the other comments that a Sportster is the least desirable Harley by far, and I would instead look for a used “anything else”. I actually found softtails/dynas easier to ride. Very low center of gravity.

Mileage, I’ve owned plenty of 30k mile bikes without any issues. My first bike had over 100k. In total I’ve had... let’s see... 8 over the past 15 years since I started riding, add in another 5 if you want to count my wife’s bikes and the couple a friend kept in my garage.
 
If I were the OP, I’d consider looking for a BMW airhead. Fair number out there with 20-30k miles - i.e. just broken in. Reliable, easy to work on, good aftermarket support (away from your local BMW boutique dealer).
Low center of gravity.
Get on and ride.
 
wrbix said:
If I were the OP, I’d consider looking for a BMW airhead. Fair number out there with 20-30k miles - i.e. just broken in. Reliable, easy to work on, good aftermarket support (away from your local BMW boutique dealer).
Low center of gravity.
Get on and ride.
Click to expand...

Completely different sound and riding experience though.
 
The Yamaha Roadliner/Stratoliner is a big V-Twin 1900, sounds good.....not like a Harley, but good. HIGHLY reliable, getting cheap, and the best part is you don't have to wear any Harley costumes.

UcBBn0.jpg
 
kgruber said:
The Yamaha Roadliner/Stratoliner is a big V-Twin 1900, sounds good.....not like a Harley, but good. HIGHLY reliable, getting cheap, and the best part is you don't have to wear any Harley costumes.

UcBBn0.jpg
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I absolutely loved the style of the Stratoliner when it came out, and the sound is fantastic. Really nice engine.

I test rode one and hated it. Suspension was awful. Unstable above 75. Yamahas in my experience don’t have very good suspensions. It’s a shame, too, given how good the style and sound are.
 
He’ll hath frozen over. I’m agreeing with Ted. Get a small displacement bike, preferably something heavily used. That way when you drop it the thing won’t decrease in value too much. The Ninja 300 comes to mind, Honda and Yamaha have tiny cruiser styled motorcycles if you just can’t be seen on anything else. Train on it, ride it for a year, then sell it and recoup just about all your money. People are always looking for those little bikes. They’re fast enough to do what you want, slow enough to keep you out of trouble. Starting out on a liter bike, even a Harley, is just asking for trouble. Motorcycles are dangerous. Those who don’t approach them with that mindset often come to grief. None of the guys I started riding with still ride. A couple are dead.

I’d worry a lot more about staying alive than what I looked like on the bike. And for Odin’s sake drop some coin on good gear. A full faced Snell helmet. A good armored leather jacket, and a good double stitched set of leather gloves at a minimum. Your gear should cost about what your first bike does if you’re doing it right.

Better yet skip the whole thing. Bikes are dangerous. You are invisible to all other motorists, they will not see you. It will appear from time to time that some of them will actively try to murder you. If you are alert (or lucky) they won’t succeed.
 
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MuseChaser said:
Or, possibly, likes to ride a reliable machine that he knows will get him where he wants go, when he wants to go, every time, and cares not what other people think who prejudge him. Someone who isn't willing to pay a bunch of extra money to impress others because of the name or appearance of his bike. Yeah... maybe that's it.
Click to expand...

This is America, where status symbols matter more than good food and quality beer (as evidenced by the ubiquitous fast food restaurants and Bud Lite.) Ride a legend, or ride something else. Doesn’t matter to me, as long as you stay off my lawn.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I used to own a VTX 1800 and it was a great motorcycle. Tons of power and great sound. That said it was a heavy motorcycle. One thing with it was that it was stupidly loud with aftermarket pipes on it, with a pitch that had an annoying harmonic to it. My wife's Sportster 1200 had drag pipes (straight pipes) and it may have been louder decibel wise, but not by much, and sounded better.

An 883 Sportster is going to be a significantly smaller bike than a VTX (even a 1300). A Sportster is not a great highway bike, and an 883 is not going to have reserve power much at all. A 1200 will have good reserve power, but Harleys in general are slow.

You mention you want the V-twin rumble like Harleys are known for. As someone who's owned a Japanese cruiser (and ridden several other Japanese V-twin cruisers) and now owns Harleys, it is a different sound and a different riding experience. Even from a 90-degree V-twin vs. the odd firing 45 degree. However it's something you either like the Harley sound better or you don't. And if budget is a strong consideration, you might not care enough to try to get a Harley.

Do you have any experience riding a motorcycle? Do you have a motorcycle license? If not, I would start off by taking the MSF course. Most states will let you simply take the MSF course and if you pass, you get your license. It's very worthwhile. The other rule of thumb is that a first bike should be 600ccs or less (in a V-twin cruiser a Sportster 883 or even 1200 or a 750cc or less Jap V-twin is equivalent... the 600cc is more for sport/naked bikes). Even a slow motorcycle will accelerate better than most cars, and the sensitivity with the throttle and physics of what you have to do with your whole body (not just moving hands and feet) takes some getting used to. So starting with a 172 of sorts is better before moving up to an MU-2. After the first season then upgrade. There are three types of new motorcycle riders - those who drop their bike, those who lie, and those who never ride it so they can't drop it.

With that said, a liter class V-twin cruiser is not going to be super high performing so you can probably get away with it, but just some food for thought. In your price range not like you're talking about something that would get really hurt on resale value if you dented it.
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My first bike was a tuned up Harley dyna glide.
I took the MSF course at a Harley dealer then started riding my bike. Didn’t let anyone ride with me for a while. I also rode almost daily. I logged over 5k miles before I let anyone on.

not contradicting your advise. It’s sound but a bigger bike at the beginning is possible. Very careful and deliberate but possible.
 
Matthew K said:
....I understand the merit behind the "600cc rule" for new riders...
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Think in terms of power to weight ration instead of volume.

A 600cc sport bike delivering 116hp and weighing 366lbs is a much difference experience than an 883 delivering 53hp at 489lbs dry. The numbers are just numbers though, power delivery is entirely different, too.

During your rider course, you’ll spend a lot of time with throttle control in slow and very slow speed regimes, both straight line and maneuvering. Those exercises are fundamental and it will serve well to master those exercises with whatever (if any) motorcycle you end up with.
 
I've pushed sportbikes most of my life, and have ridden sport tourers for the last 15 or so years. Hands down, my favorite bike for comfort on long distance rides was my BMW 1200RT.

I don't know what your riding experience is, but I would ride different bikes before you lock yourself in to a V twin cruiser, or any specific bike. The last bike I had was a Councours C14, which was fun but stupid top heavy. I don't currently have a bike but I might spring for a Suzuki SV650, which is upright, comfortable, light and maneuverable. Mo power ain't necessarily mo better.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Completely different sound and riding experience though.
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Absolutely. A much better riding experience. ;)

I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t ever looked into european bikes to give them a shot. I’ve owned a lot of bikes over the last 25 years of riding and other than a few random vintage bikes I don’t foresee myself on a road going Japanese or American bike again.

To me, the airheads are kind of expensive for what they are but as I say about airplanes, the market has determined value on these bikes better than I could. Personally, I’m a sucker for the Italians. You can buy good looking, nice riding, air cooled, v twin Ducati’s and Guzzis all day long for very little money. Even brand new ones aren’t out of reach for a typical 20 something prospective owner.
 
Yamaha/Star Stratoliner or Honda VTX. Big bore c-twin for the sound you want, cheaper and more reliable than the H-D. Plenty of power on the highway, but like with any cruiser-style bagger, they weigh in at 750lbs+ before you ever throw a leg over so it’s not what I would consider to be a nimble bike. Shaft driven so no belts/chains to worry about. Plenty of aftermarket parts for them. You can pick them up with low miles for under $6K all day.

If the full size bagger is too heavy, I’d look into something in the lighter class like a Honda Shadow or Kawasaki Vulcan 900 which still gets you the vtwin but smaller cubic inches and less weight to throw around.
 
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SoonerAviator said:
Yamaha/Star Stratoliner or Honda VTX. Big bore c-twin for the sound you want, cheaper and more reliable than the H-D. Plenty of power on the highway, but like with any cruiser-style bagger, they weigh in at 750lbs+ before you ever throw a leg over so it’s not what I would consider to be a nimble bike. Shaft driven so no belts/chains to worry about. Plenty of aftermarket parts for them. You can pick them up with low miles for under $6K all day.

If the full size bagger is too heavy, I’d look into something in the lighter class like a Honda Shadow or Kawasaki Vulcan 900 which still gets you the vtwin but smaller cubic inches and less weight to throw around.
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I do like the shaft drive feature, less maintenance to worry about
 
I have an 1100 Virago and it's probably close to what you're looking for. I think it has straight pipes on it. I haven't run it in a while. I'm converting it to a bobber. I used to have an 1100 or 1200 Magna but I don't see that as having that rumble you're looking for. That was a while back.
 
Lots of good advice on this thread. To summarize:

  1. Do take the MSF or equivalent. Remember, just like a newly earned PPL, it’s just a license to learn. IMHO, the MSF course gives you just enough information and strategy to stay alive until you really figure out how to ride and avoid doom.
  2. Good gear: ATGATT, invest in good motorcycle specific gear. Whether it be leathers or newer synthetics, be protected. Also, depending on the scope of your riding, don’t neglect rain gear, cold weather (heated) gear, etc. As @steingar says, gear is expensive, my gear costs about $2k, and was accumulated over many years of riding.
  3. Starting bike: Hard to beat a good used Suzuki SV650 (the standard, not the hunched over sportbike style). Docile enough for a beginner, with enough power and handling to entertain expert riders. Best thing is you can find good used ones for sale all day long at ~$3500. It just may be all the bike you would need.
  4. Yes, you want that Harley sound and feel. Having ridden and owned Japanese v-twins, BMW boxers, and Harley big twins, nothing sounds and feels like a Harley (except for maybe one of the single crank pin Japanese cruisers...maybe). Get that SV650, learn to ride, then sell it and get a Harley big twin. Or keep the SV and still get a Harley!
  5. I agree with @Ted DuPuis , the 883 Harley will feel underpowered even to a beginner. If the Harley sound, feel, and experience is what you crave, wait until you can afford a big twin. Even then, a stock big twin is only adequately powered IMHO. I had a Street Glide that I loved, but I eventually grew tired of only 65hp pushing 800#. My present 125hp pushing 500# suits me much better!
  6. Harleys: Modern HDs are very reliable as long as you keep them relatively stock. As in, jet kit and pipes or power commander (or similar) and pipes. I have a buddy with an ‘09 Road Glide that has over 100k on the clock, the engine is stock, hasn’t failed yet. The stock engine structure and components are not meant for high horsepower, so avoid bikes with aftermarket cams and high comp pistons if the rods/crank etc., is still stock. Big power kills stock Harley engines, if a higher power Harley is what you want, there are plenty of options in the aftermarket.
 
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mondtster said:
Personally, I’m a sucker for the Italians. You can buy good looking, nice riding, air cooled, v twin Ducati’s and Guzzis all day long for very little money. Even brand new ones aren’t out of reach for a typical 20 something prospective owner.
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Ducatis do not age well. If you’re handy and don’t mind wrenching, an older Ducati can be fine. If you use a dealer, it will get expensive quickly. There’s a reason old ones can be had on the cheap.
 
My Son is successful motorcycle road racer. By successful I mean he has won a lot of races, but he has also been to the emergency room 3 or 4 times, and broken a lot of helmets. I used to ski race, was pretty good for a Texan, but I tried to go only as fast as I could safely do it without crashing, I'm not nearly as brave as Lindsey Vonn. Charles started by buying a Yamaha R600 sight unseen off ebay and that used bike turned out to be fast and really handled well, so he learned. I talked him into retiring from racing. but he still goes to the same tracks and rides practice laps with his same friends, but now he has a 1000 cc bike which has 190 hp and weighs about 385 lbs. It will scare the hell out of you. He recently rented a road Harley and rode all over southern Colorado, I was surprised and proud that he didn't drop it. He did say it really handled badly in corners especially with those street tires.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Ducatis do not age well. If you’re handy and don’t mind wrenching, an older Ducati can be fine. If you use a dealer, it will get expensive quickly. There’s a reason old ones can be had on the cheap.
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I dunno, I haven’t had trouble. But I will admit that I’m obsessive and overqualified to work on them so perhaps I trivialize things that others may not. My daily commuter is a hot rod vintage Triumph if that gives any insight into my life. I haven’t had any trouble with that either, despite all the claims about how unreliable they are.

I think a lot of the trouble with any marque comes from neglect and abuse, which is becoming more common due to new cars being as good as they are. If a little work scares off some prospective buyers I’m ok with it, it leaves more good bikes for the rest of us willing to get our hands dirty.
 
Anything with the initials BMW.... talking to a CHP a while back the spend a lot time in the saddle on one of these... gave it two thumbs up...

Me, I have used up my motorcycle 9 lives.. I dare not get on another one.
 
mondtster said:
If a little work scares off some prospective buyers I’m ok with it, it leaves more good bikes for the rest of us willing to get our hands dirty.
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Nothing wrong with wrenching an older Eurobike if that’s your thing, I just think a new rider should have something reliable such that they’re not worried about the bike when learning to ride.
 
Regarding tips, if you can get ahold of a lighter bike something like a 250 or 350, or even smaller, try riding it on wet grass. That will help you learn the control needed if you ever run into an issue on the road.
 
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