I am (or maybe my back is) a fan of a riding position between a standard and a sport . My lower back might be OK with the sport, but for long rides, the rest of me ain't. (For the record, I don't consider my ST to have a sport position - I'm talking gixxer-like position when I say sport).

None of me is a fan of the cruiser. My back hurts after short rides on a cruiser (anything more than an hour), and there are times (not just for rough roads) that I want to put more weight on the pegs without having to pull myself forward with the bars.

When I get on a cruiser, it feels like I don't have near the control I have on a standard, sport, or touring bike. I guess there's probably a reason that there aren't people running against the sport bikes on cruisers in the road races. I just can't see them hanging off one side and then snapping to the other in the slaloms on cruisers - might be funny to watch though. Might have something to do with clearances also.  

I can pullmyself up pretty easliy. Beats hekk outta takin the beating of a big bump while seated, but the standard position sure would be better.


Ever think of what it must be like on a hard tail & a cruiser setup? Picture Orange Choppers, hands over feet, but "Waaaay back yonnder".

I really like that kit, a slight few things I would change but it makes me want to get a 2nd S40(savage) so I can do it.

gerald.hughes wrote on 09/17/10 at 12:36:15:



http://savage.andruschak.net/tempter/ and more.

As far as I know, the Suzuki 400 Tempter is only produced in Japan.  It is found elsewhere in the grey market.  The factory frame exists.  The motor works, and as far as I know is a bolt swap between the 400 and the 650.

Back in '04, when I was becoming a retread, I wanted a 400-500cc motorcycle.  I did not want a FUgly tail sky high "sport".  Didn't want a front drum, the Honda 250 Nighthawk.  I need a ladder to mount a dual sport.  Only available were cruisers.  With a hundred pounds or two of excess iron.  Was picking between the Yamaha V-twin and the Suzuki little single when I saw a Savage -- only 50 pounds over the 250s.

But really, the motorcycle I would want is either a 400 Tempter or 650 Tempter.

thinking my next bike will be a ninja 250 or if I can find a good deal on a triumph bonneville nue skool  that'd be cool too, I definitely want to explore the standard position more

I prefer standard position too.  Suzuki's TU250 looks great except it needs at least 2x the displacement.

When I first got into motorcycles back in '02, I thought that for someone in their early 40's, Cruisers were the only option ... I thought that that was the "look" of a motorcycle ... Sportbikes were for squids, UJM's were dusty derelects from a by-gone era and Dualies were for those who liked to play in the mud ... a Cruiser was a "proper" motortorcycle ... so, that's where I went ... 1st with an '85 Honda Rebel and then to an '03 Savage ... followed by an '06 S50 and then an '05 S40 ... in 2008, I became a Motorcycle Training Instructor and had the opportunity to Ride a wide variety of different types of smaller displacement motorcycles ... it was a Bike from our training fleet that opened my eyes; a Brazilian-spec Honda Titan CG150 ... a Standard. Man that thing was comfortable (esp. on my deteriorated lower back) and handled waaaaay better than any Cruiser I'd Ridden up to that point! Spending time on that Bike improved my Riding immeasurably! This past summer I spent a month Riding a Honda CBR125R ... a small Sportbike ... underpowered yes and somewhat uncomfortable (esp. on the wrists), but cornering ... unreal ... turns became telepathic! I loved Riding that thing in traffic around town! So, I've come to realize that while I still love the look of a Cruiser (and will always have a place in my heart for our beloved LS650), when it comes to Riding, they are not the be-all, end-all of motorcycles. Have had several good sits on the new-Gen Kawi Ninja 250R ... very Standard-like in it's ergonomics ... fits like a glove too! Very likely will be my next Bike!

Honda CG150 Titan


Kawasaki Ninja 250R