First post: What's a good, cheaper, vintage cruiser?

[9000white]

if you want to ride a v45 honda that dont wallow like a pig and has a torture rack for a seat,forget the magna and look at a v45 sabre.

[skypix]

Sabre? I don't think they have shaft drive, do they? And I really like shafties...but thatnks, I'll check it out.

[High_Side]

Yep, they were shaft drive. I remember one British mag back in the day referring to the sabre as the "original pig on rollerskates". Not a shining endorsement.....

[skypix]

Yep, they were shaft drive. I remember one British mag back in the day referring to the sabre as the "original pig on rollerskates". Not a shining endorsement.....

yep, doesn't sound all that exciting...

I read an older review of, I think, a 95 Virago 750, a road test. The guys liked the handling but said at higher speeds and 5000 feet and more, it took high revs to get speed, had more vibration, etc. Said it was tiring in the lower back on long trips.

Short of a Goldwing (I used to own an 1100), Venture or cavalcade type cruiser, can you really expect to take one of these bikes (virago, magna) on longer trips or should I bee looking for an all out cruiser?

I just like the sporty feel, I guess, but don't want to give up road trips.

Another way of going at the question is, I don't want to be cruising at more than 75 or so on the highway anyway. Do I need 1100 ccs or is 750 going to be enough?

thanks, this is turning out to be a real education process.

[High_Side]

750cc is enough to run that speed all day, but the bigger cubes will do it with less effort. The V-45 Magna will crank up to 120mph without too much trouble, but it wouldn't have the roll-on passing power of a V-65 for example. The V-45 will rocket by a string of cars on the highway if you drop a couple of gears and crank on it. The V-65 will do it with just a twist of the throttle. The real difference will show if you load it up with the wife and camping gear and head in to the mountains. In that case there is no replacement for displacement....

[skypix]

Thanks high-side, that's a great perspective...

[High_Side]

Hope it helped...

[skypix]

I've been drowning myself in anything I could read about the Magna. The V65 is the bike for me: fast, strong, good for two-up, great looks, lots of ways to trick it out for longer rides etc..

Now to find a cherry one for less-than-cherry dollars...any leads anybody?

thanks for all the help.

[Anant]

A cruiser bicycle, also known as a beach cruiser, is a bicycle which combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drive train, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. These Cruisers' comfort, style, and affordability. Yamaha XV750 or Virago 750 was part of Yamaha's Virago line of cruisers. The maximum speed of the Virago 750 was approximately 180 km/h (110 mph).

[sapaul]

How about an SP 1000

plenty of grunt, can run all day, reliable and can carve the twisties well with those skinny tires