Pros and Cons of Cruiser Motorcycles

If you're in the market for a new motorcycle, one of the decisions you'll have to make is the type. There are a few different types of motorcycles, including street, off-road and dual-purpose. Within each of these types is several different sub-types, one of which is cruisers – a sub-type of street bikes. Today, we're going take a closer look at cruiser motorcycles, revealing their advantages and disadvantages.

Comfort

One of the biggest advantages of cruisers is comfort. As the name suggests, cruisers are designed for long trips on flat, even surfaces. They encourage a comfortable, relaxed style of riding that many bikers prefer. If you plan on riding your motorcycle long distances, you want to stick with a cruiser for this very reason. In terms of comfort, cruisers are unmatched in this category.

Style

There's no denying the fact that cruisers are stylish. Some bikers would even argue that cruisers are more stylish than any other bike style available. You can even decorate a cruiser with chrome bits, logos and other items for a more unique, personalized look.

Beginner-Friendly

Another advantage of riding a cruiser is the simple fact that some are beginner-friendly. All types of motorcycles have some initial learning curve, but beginners will learn the ropes in less time by riding a smaller, entry-level cruiser. With their low seats and low center of gravity, beginners will have an easier time riding a cruiser.

Weight

But there are some drawbacks to cruisers, such as its weight for instance. Cruisers are larger and weigh more than their street bike counterparts. This isn't a huge drawback, but it can affect several other aspects of the bike (we'll get to that below).

Slower Acceleration

Because cruisers are typically larger and heavier than street bikes, you can expect them to accelerate more slowly. This doesn't necessarily mean that all cruisers are slow. On the contrary, some Harleys are quite capable of keeping up with street bikes. But normally a cruiser will accelerate more slowly than a street bike.

Audio and Accessories

Another advantage of a cruiser type motorcycle is all the available accessories and add-ons, from saddlebags and chrome upgrades to fairings and radios.  Music and other accessories can help enhance the riding experience and more of these options are available on a cruiser motorcycle.  However, Steel Horse Audio offers universal motorcycle speaker systems that mount to any motorcycle type or even powersports (yeah, we had to do some shameless promoting!).

Maneuverability and Handling

Lastly there's the issue of maneuverability and handling. Again, because cruisers are larger and heavier, they tend to lack the same high level of maneuverability as their street bike counterparts. For riders who stick to straight and open roads, this shouldn't be a problem. If you plan on riding on inner-city streets that twist and turn around corners, however, you may want to choose a street bike or smaller cruiser instead.