Cruiser bike for long road-trip -- any of you done it?

[Nalian]

I have yet to witness any 250 cruiser (and yes I've seen the Kymco) that I would trust on a multi-state highway tour. I've done a lot of touring on my kawi 650r before I sold it, and the smaller the bike is the more I find it gets beat up/blown around. On top of that with the little motor I don't know that you'll be doing highway traffic speeds without pushing that thing to it's limits. I could be wrong, though.

As far as fit - at 5'8" with a 32" inseam, when I sat on that bike it was comfortable enough for the 5 minutes I sat on it. My dad who is 6'2" didn't really feel the same...but a lot of it is down to each individual. One guy who is 6' might fit fine, while the next 6' guy hates it.

If I'm reading your posts right, though, you haven't taken the MSF and you're going to go to another state to pick up a bike you've never sat on before, and then take it on a multi-state trip? If so, no offense man, but you are crazypants.

[Thumper]

You can certainly do long rides on a 250... as long as the bike is physically comfortable for you and you're not looking for crazy mad power, a good 250 will take you anywhere you want to go. The specs you listed, though, that's a heavy bike for a 250, so it might not be easy to wind it up and get it up to highway speeds. I know a couple people who have toured on little Honda Rebel with no issues. You main problem might be parts availability if something does break down along the way.

Still, were I in your shoes and thinking about a trip like that, I'd get something with a bigger engine... Heck, I recently bought a Triumph Bonneville, 865cc engine, but it's a newby friendly bike. 500 pounds, but it's so well balanced a rider doesn't have to manhandle the weight around, the throttle is not at all touchy, brakes nicely but not overly touchy... There are a lot of options out there for you, just depends on your price point.

But if that Kymco sings to you and it's THE ONE...you could tour on it, and have a wicked fun time. So you don't tear up the highway...as long as you stay out of the fast lane, so what?

[totalmotorcycle]

Hey there,

Newb here. Was thinking of buying Kymco Venox 250 for road trip (San Francisco-L.A.-San Diego-Las Vegas-Washington State-Vancouver). Any of you taken a cruiser for a long trip? Please share thoughts!

Cheers in advance,
SV

to the community SoloVoyager!!

I've rode the Kymco Venox 250 and Total Motorcycle reviewed it here: http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/ ... ruiser.htm



I can say that it feels more than a 250cc and the size of it is closer to a 750cc cruiser, which makes it very comfortable for all day rides. It does get a little hot though from the engine area. I wouldn't have a problem taking it on a long trip but it's not happy on the highway as it is around town. Thus, I would pick up a different bike for touring very long distances on the highway myself. That said, there are many good bikes out there, the Vulcan 500 is a good one if you like the Venox simplicity and the Vulcan series was a very good series. Also if you can find a Marauder 750 or 800...

What is your budget and cc size range?

Mike

[havegunjoe]

I'd go with a Yamaha 650 personally. It has a long history of being reliable and plenty of parts around. I’d get a good Mustang seat however as your back and butt will be feeling the pressure in no time at all. If you want to stick to a 250 you might try a Hyosung GV250. My wife has one and she can cruise on the freeways at 65-70 no problem.

[Superfly3176]

Cheers, John, for the reply...these are the tech specs for the cruiser:

Weight: 418.5 lbs.
Wheelbase: 63 in.
Seat Height: 29 in.
Engine: V-twin, DOHC, 8-valve
Horsepower: 28 hp
Displacement: 249 cc
Bore x Stroke: 58 x 47.2
Torque: 14 @ 8,000 rpm
Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal.
Ignition: Electric
Cooling: Liquid
Transmission: 5-speed
Brakes Front: Single disc
Brakes Rear: Drum
Tires Front: 120/80-17 in.
Tires Rear: 150/80-15 in.
Suspension Front: Telescopic forks
Suspension Rear: Springs

Please elaborate on why you think a larger bike would be more comfortable, or do the above tech specs change your opinion?

Re training course, will be taking it in Vancouver, BC - equivalent of MSF.

SV

HAHAHA

Wow. 28 hp and 14 ft/lb of torque @ 8000rpm is not something i'd want to take a long roadtrip on...

[SoloVoyager]

Yes, crazy as they come, lol...seriously though, I just kinda fell for the idea of starting with a 250 cc, and working my way up. And the Kymco just got me hooked with its good looks and heavier-than-usual-for-a-250 body.

Wrider (cheers for the tip on the 600 and up bikes) said I might be better off -- more comfortable -- on a more powerful bike, but I'm just wondering if I should get full experience on a 250 cc first, and then progress upwards. Re the road trip, yes the plan is adventurous - taking the MSF, practising alot, then take a trip south of the border, buy the bike there (perhaps San Mateo, Cali), and begin the ride journey.

Of course, I want some power for those freeways, so that's what I'm thinking a lot about now.

SV

I have yet to witness any 250 cruiser (and yes I've seen the Kymco) that I would trust on a multi-state highway tour. I've done a lot of touring on my kawi 650r before I sold it, and the smaller the bike is the more I find it gets beat up/blown around. On top of that with the little motor I don't know that you'll be doing highway traffic speeds without pushing that thing to it's limits. I could be wrong, though.

As far as fit - at 5'8" with a 32" inseam, when I sat on that bike it was comfortable enough for the 5 minutes I sat on it. My dad who is 6'2" didn't really feel the same...but a lot of it is down to each individual. One guy who is 6' might fit fine, while the next 6' guy hates it.

If I'm reading your posts right, though, you haven't taken the MSF and you're going to go to another state to pick up a bike you've never sat on before, and then take it on a multi-state trip? If so, no offense man, but you are crazypants.

[SoloVoyager]

That's exactly what I was thinking - happy to be in far right lane on highways...going at 60 mph...not looking to tear up the roads with that smaller engine and heavier-than-usual-weight bike...just would like to break it in, and I had a dream of the open road just recently like all you folks here have had for ages.

SV

You can certainly do long rides on a 250... as long as the bike is physically comfortable for you and you're not looking for crazy mad power, a good 250 will take you anywhere you want to go. The specs you listed, though, that's a heavy bike for a 250, so it might not be easy to wind it up and get it up to highway speeds. I know a couple people who have toured on little Honda Rebel with no issues. You main problem might be parts availability if something does break down along the way.

Still, were I in your shoes and thinking about a trip like that, I'd get something with a bigger engine... Heck, I recently bought a Triumph Bonneville, 865cc engine, but it's a newby friendly bike. 500 pounds, but it's so well balanced a rider doesn't have to manhandle the weight around, the throttle is not at all touchy, brakes nicely but not overly touchy... There are a lot of options out there for you, just depends on your price point.

But if that Kymco sings to you and it's THE ONE...you could tour on it, and have a wicked fun time. So you don't tear up the highway...as long as you stay out of the fast lane, so what?

[SoloVoyager]

Cheers, Total, for the welcome...re budget, that's the thing. I wanted not to surpass $4000 for my first bike. And I want new. That's why the Kymco, from the outset, appealed to me. The Marauder and Vulcan would therefore be outside my range. Perhaps I could stretch my budget to $5000. Not sure yet.

Hey there,

Newb here. Was thinking of buying Kymco Venox 250 for road trip (San Francisco-L.A.-San Diego-Las Vegas-Washington State-Vancouver). Any of you taken a cruiser for a long trip? Please share thoughts!

Cheers in advance,
SV

to the community SoloVoyager!!

I've rode the Kymco Venox 250 and Total Motorcycle reviewed it here: http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/ ... ruiser.htm



I can say that it feels more than a 250cc and the size of it is closer to a 750cc cruiser, which makes it very comfortable for all day rides. It does get a little hot though from the engine area. I wouldn't have a problem taking it on a long trip but it's not happy on the highway as it is around town. Thus, I would pick up a different bike for touring very long distances on the highway myself. That said, there are many good bikes out there, the Vulcan 500 is a good one if you like the Venox simplicity and the Vulcan series was a very good series. Also if you can find a Marauder 750 or 800...

What is your budget and cc size range?

Mike

[SoloVoyager]

Googling a search now for that Hyosung...thanks for the heads-up...

Peace out,
SV

I'd go with a Yamaha 650 personally. It has a long history of being reliable and plenty of parts around. I’d get a good Mustang seat however as your back and butt will be feeling the pressure in no time at all. If you want to stick to a 250 you might try a Hyosung GV250. My wife has one and she can cruise on the freeways at 65-70 no problem.

[SoloVoyager]

Hey folks,

Having weighed up all you guys said, I've decided to get a more powerful bike -- thanks for your opinions -- as they say, two heads (or more) are always better than one, so thanks for all your input. Now am thinking of say 650 cc for the future road trip, which will be able to take the freeways/highways in its stride without labouring the engine. So, for now, the Yamaha 650 V-Power Classic has caught my eye, and even though I said I wanted new, will consider the 2008/2009 models from a dealer (with only a few thousand mph on the clock).

Cheers,
SV