#cruiser

If the test of time is what determines a great motorcycle, then the Rebel wins. When Honda built the first one in 1985, David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel was only 11 years old, Bill Clinton was in his second year being Boy Governor of Arkansas, and it was, sniff, “Morning in America” as Ronald Reagan’s second term was beginning. Yamaha’s newly re-introduced SR400 is about seven years older, but when you’re talking continuous production, no other motorcycle for sale in the U.S. has outlasted the Rebel.

Honda’s Shadow line of cruisers has been around since 1983 and has featured models displacing as much as 1100cc, but now the Shadow line consists of just four 745cc V-Twin motorcycles. Priced at only $10 per cc, all four models start from the same basic chassis and engine before being outfit with various combinations of wheels and bodywork designed to appeal to different cruiser riders. For this test, we decided to go over to the Dark Side with the Shadow Phantom, which embraces the blacked-out theme trending these days. Its MSRP was reduced from $8,240 for 2014 to match its Shadow brothers.

So, we were kicking around what bikes to compare the new Harley-Davidson Street 750 to, when I said how about the new  Yamaha FZ-07? One looks a bit more “cruiser” and the other more “sportbike,” but they’re both new twin-cylinder models in the same price range, with mostly upright ergonomics, aimed at beginners but suitable for all open-minded riders. Now that the violent stage of the motorcycle culture wars has pretty much ended, how are you supposed to know if you’re a cruiser or a sportbike person, anyway, if you’re just getting started?

Cruisers don’t always get the attention they deserve here at MO. Part of the reason is the racing background of most of the staff here. So when we sent Mark Miller, professional AMA Formula X-Treme racer, and current Isle of Man TT competitor to evaluate a cruiser — the 1998 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic — we knew he’d come back with something out of the ordinary. Miller was used to getting his knee down at triple digit speeds aboard his YZF-R1, but while reviewing the 650 Classic he also saw some parallels between the two. Sounds crazy, but considering the breadth of motorcycles, cruisers included, Miller has ridden, the idea didn’t seem so far fetched after all. In this Church of MO edition, let’s take a look at how the 16 year-old V-Star and R1 worlds collide.

This one hits home for me, personally, as the Honda 750 Magna was the very first motorcycle I had ever ridden — and I was a passenger. Sure I had seen and sat on other bikes, but this was the first one to actually transport me somewhere. Both physically and mentally. I eventually gravitated towards sport(y) bikes, but it seems fitting the Magna gave me my start, considering its blending of both sporty and cruiser attributes. It was the safer choice of motorcycle for those who maybe couldn’t decide which spectrum of motorcycling they wanted to play in. The Magna has a cult following among its loyal fans, and hearing Associate Editor, Billy Bartels, talk about his first ride aboard the bike in 1997, it’s easy to see why, after a few modifications, the bike is still popular today.

Cruisers have always been about the essence of motorcycling, stripping motorcycles down to their core: an engine, a seat, a pair of wheels and little else. Naturally, when thinking about the essential elements of motorcycling, thoughts of the open road come to mind. The dream of packing just what you need on your bike and pointing the front wheel towards destinations unknown looms large in many cruiser riders’ hearts.

It’s so nice when a plan comes together, especially one bound together with the tiniest thread of logic. The Brenham, Texas, tourism people were promoting their lovely Washington County and the upcoming Bluebonnet Festival (a member of the Lupine family), and they invited us to cover it. Then we remembered that our Indian press relations guy is based in Austin, not too far from Brenham. And that Indians are available in Springfield Blue. Bluebonnets! Blue Indians! Red State! Bingo!

When introducing a new motorcycle, many manufacturers lead off with all the technical marvels they’ve packed into their latest offering. Harley-Davidson often begins with talk of the style of its new motorcycle and how it ties to the company’s history. Being one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world certainly says something about the success of the motor company’s development model.

Welcome, MO heathens. It’s Sunday yet again, which means it’s time for another Church of MO. This week, we look at the Boss Hoss BHC-3 ZZ4 and ZZ4 Super Sport.The giant behemoths of  cruiserdom, Boss Hoss has made a name for itself by essentially sticking two wheels and a handlebar to small-block Chevrolet V8 engines. In 2007, Gabe Ets-Hokin got a chance to throw a leg over not one, but two(!) Boss Hoss’. Read on to see what he thought of them. And click the link above to view the entire photo gallery.

Ducati’s Diavel has been an odd Duc since its 2011 inception, going partway down a cruiser path but not fully committing to the segment’s form-ahead-of-function paradigm. The regular Diavels can feel a bit confused – it’s sort of a cruiser but one from a new sub-breed.

Rivalry (ˈrīvəlrē) n., Competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.

A wise man once said, “Speak softly and carry a big, fat stick.” Or something like that.

Setting yourself apart from the 45-degree, air-cooled population inhabiting cruiserdom is a difficult task. Style your V-Twin a bit too liberally and you attract only eccentrics while ostracizing the general cruiser enthusiast. Maintain conventional cruiser fashion and you’re just another dot in a Seurat painting of Harley-Davidson.

In what had to be one of the most anticipated reveals in motorcycle cruiser history, Polaris boldly used the backdrop of the world’s largest motorcycle rally to unleash the latest generation of Indians on the motorcycling community. On the steps of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and in the shadow of the Black Hills, notice was served with a loud and clear report: Indian Motorcycle is back.