Halloo fae the Highlands

Hi folks,

Just thought I'd better come & say hello before I peruse the site, or I'll no doubt forget!  

My wife has decided to get back on a bike after about 12 years off one, and she's decided she's wanting a cruiser type bike. As I know next to Fork Hall about cruisers, I thought I had better get onto a forum and get learning about them ASAP.

We started off looking at Virago 535's, but we managed to get a test ride on one last weekend, which she liked, but thought that she'd get very bored, very quickly with one. We've been looking at the 750/800 size bikes, as they should give decent performance and I must admit, I quite like the styling of the VZ's (though not so much as to chop in my current bike for one! :shock:   ).

The hunt goes on, we literally just missed out on an 800 Marauder locally, but we're currently between the VZ800 & the Kawasaki VN800.

Hi there matey and welcome,
Good luck finding your ideal cruiser, one thing I will say though is that if you can stretch to purchase a VN900 over the VN800 as from what I have read its an all round better package.
Have a look into them both and see what you can find, if I remember right the 900 is shaft drive as apposed to a chain on the 800.

Cheers,

Jim.

Hi

The 535  was my first 'big' bike after passing my test - fancied the look for a few years but was very disappointed in the electrics. Lots of problems. I would have put that down to being unlucky but had similar problems with the Virago 250 before I stepped up to the 535.

The VZ800/M800 is a great bike. Simply puts a smile on my face every time I am on it! Enough power when going 2up and nimble enough to filter through squeeky gaps.

Loved the look of the VN900 too, and love the fact that neither has a chain.

Hi Skybone  VZ all the way mate! Well dodgy those Kawasaki's 

Welcome and I am sure she will love any intruder model 800, lovelly bikes  

Welcome mate. Hehe "Fork Hall"...... you'll fit in just great round here

Cheers for the welcomes folks... just got to find a bike that she likes now (as well as doing lots more cruiser-y homework).

Skybone wrote:

I must admit, I quite like the styling of the VZ's (though not so much as to chop in my current bike for one!

What's your current bike mate?

I have a 955 Speed Triple just now, and I'm in the process of trying to sell a TRX850 (to help fund the cruiser purchase!).

The Triple's not exactly a cruiser, but it certainly puts a silly grin on my face!  

Aha the famous grin, that's a modification that is needed on any bike. Good luck with your search

 Skybone.

  Sorry for the late welcome mate! Good luck with whatever you decide to purchase in the end. Can't speak for the Kawasaki but I can tell you that you'd not go wrong with an Intruder.

Hi Skybone   i'm sure you'll find a reasonably priced bike through the winter months good luck

Hi Skybone hope you find what your looking for.

Welcome to the best forum on the internet.

A slightly late update...

We managed to find a bike, though unfortunately though, it's not a Marauder, or even a Suzuki. :(

Bought a pretty rough Kwak VN800 Classic for a very good price in Yorkshire while on Holiday, so all I have to do now is to sort it over the winter. It's going to take a while, it looks as though it's not only been used through a few winters and then not cleaned properly afterwards, but it's also been stood for a couple of years, probably in a damp garage or outside under a cover. It runs and rides well, just needs the rust sorting out along with a few other bits, and hopefully, she'll be back on the road for next spring (well, that's the deadline that I've been given! ).

Every bike (especially the Suzuki's) that we called about had sold either hours or the day before, and we were getting to the end of our collective tether with the search for a bike, that was not only right for her, but also within budget. TBH, I'd have preferred one that didn't need so much work, but there again, I was fancying getting a project bike to see me through the winter. Two birds with one stone? Hope so, just got to do a decent job on it now.

Sorry that you didn't find what you were initially looking for but chuffed that you have found a bike that you are happy to work on, that Initially seems to be fine & just need a bit of fine tuning and love to make her into what you want. 

Hi Skybone. At least youll know the bike inside and out after tidying her up. Good luck.