Z1OwnersClub GB

Hi
I think i need a cruiser in my life do i go for a jap
vn/xvs/xv or bite the bullet and pay more for a Harley.My thinking with the Harley is they dont seem to loose too much money.What do you lot have and what do you think of them
Ade

As I ve had a Harley before the jap stuff doesn't come anywhere near for the V twin thump and also style if your budgets low then go for a Z1000 LTD

If yo want a cruiser get a US imported Kawasaki Z1

But really come on. Do you really want a Harley which spends most of its life in the Harley dealership. Dodgey gearboxes, overheated cylinder heads.

If you want a vee twin by a Victory.

I bought a harley fatbob about 18 months ago. I've always like the look of some harleys but harleys and cruisers were never my thing.retro was my thing (zrx xjr etc). My cousin bought a new fatboy just over 10 yrs ago and paid 10k for it. Dealer offered him 8k last year for it. 2k loss in 10yrs. So i thought id try one and if i didn't like it I could sell it and get my money back or nearly. I love the thing. Not as much as my zed's though. They are very reliable now, maybe not quite as much as a jap, but I know guys who have put 40,000 miles plus on them with no problems. Just use it for what it's made for and you'll be ok. I wouldn't do a trackday on it. It's suprising how quick they go.



I'm probably going to get birched for this.

great bike

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new- ... eanstreak/

ive always liked the look of the yamaha vmax and they do seem to be holding price, they are collecting a cult following, i dont think they can be too fragile otherwise they wouldnt be holding price like they are. but they may be too old now i dont know.

mick znone wrote:ive always liked the look of the yamaha vmax and they do seem to be holding price, they are collecting a cult following, i dont think they can be too fragile otherwise they wouldnt be holding price like they are. but they may be too old now i dont know.

I bought a Vmax full power spec with the idea of trying for a year then selling it. I ended up keeping it for 6 yrs and even toured Europe on it. It is one bike I miss but happy to have got a Z in the end. Granted not made for scratching and some corners really were a challenge but there are cartridge front suspension mods available which help. Engine totally bulletproof and the V boost is a lot of fun. Might go and buy another one!!

mick znone wrote:ive always liked the look of the yamaha vmax and they do seem to be holding price, they are collecting a cult following, i dont think they can be too fragile otherwise they wouldnt be holding price like they are. but they may be too old now i dont know.

I had one for 6 years and sold it for £1500 more than I paid for it. One of the few bikes that go up in value. Wish I still had it - I am very tempted to buy another.

floydsz1 wrote:I bought a harley fatbob about 18 months ago. I've always like the look of some harleys but harleys and cruisers were never my thing.retro was my thing (zrx xjr etc). My cousin bought a new fatboy just over 10 yrs ago and paid 10k for it. Dealer offered him 8k last year for it. 2k loss in 10yrs. So i thought id try one and if i didn't like it I could sell it and get my money back or nearly. I love the thing. Not as much as my zed's though. They are very reliable now, maybe not quite as much as a jap, but I know guys who have put 40,000 miles plus on them with no problems. Just use it for what it's made for and you'll be ok. I wouldn't do a trackday on it. It's suprising how quick they go.



I'm probably going to get birched for this.

That is my thinking if i dont like it i wouldnt loose a fortune
Ade

z1bman wrote:great bike

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new- ... eanstreak/

Have been looking at them also cheers
Ade

Thought about these?
http://www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk/

If you want a v twin cruiser then I would go Harley rather than Jap every time
I have had a couple and the modern one..a street bob had no issues at all
I sold it 18 months later for the same as I paid for it so resale is good
I found the Harley dealer really good for test rides as well..i rode most before deciding...I couldn't get on with forward controls and found the sportsters a bit small..try a few as they are pretty different
Just ride them as cruisers and they are fine...brakes are crap but engine braking compensates ..go pretty well up to about 90

My (biased) opinion...


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Pigford wrote:My (biased) opinion...


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Must admit, mark, that's what I thought but I'm glad I tried one. Just ride it like it's designed for and it's Ok . when in the usa last year i did 2.5k in 2weeks on an indian chief vintage and it was the comfiest bike I've ridden. Awful in san Francisco but once out of town i can't really think of anything better. Bit different over here though with our congested road they won't be very nice

As a result of my propensity for riding insanely fast on my modern bike (1050 Sprint) I traded down to a Harley 1450 Dyna Glide to slow me down.

It did what it says in the dealers; it did loud, very loud, it did slow, it did scraping out at minimal angles of lean, it did shiny, it did so low to the ground you couldn't see over cars and it did it's prime purpose in spades - making me look a dick! This was the reason it had to go!

If you're going to get a cruiser it might as well be a proper tractor - the plastic Harleys, as I call them, look awful! Metric cruiser is the term I believe.

The build quality and finish on a Harley is deplorable. Despite the massive price tag, all the fasteners are zinc plated and the engine paint falls off, as does the chrome. Many parts of the bike are made particularly nasty so that you go along the the local HD franchise and get bum raped for shiny bits to improve the looks. Lots of Harley riders get into the whole HD thing and get royally screwed for the apparel. They pay insane amounts of money for T shirts etc etc, it's not uncommon to pay fifty notes for a T shirt! I took great pride in conterfeiting my own T shirt, sweat shirt and hoody

If you're going to ride any distance you have to bin the stock seat; I paid over £300 notes, trade, for an HD armchair for my tractor!

I part ex'd mine with a mate for his 900A4 and four grand in Kawasaki tokens that I invested in a Godier Genoud Z1300A5 (with another grand).

TBH my Z1300 is the most comfortable long distance bike I've ever owned; I've ridden to Scotland and back via north and west Wales. I have scraped it out, but I had to try very hard

Both my traded Kwakas have increased in value since I changed, doubt the tractor has!