Curious About Getting An 1100
I'm looking at getting a cruiser and interested in the Honda Rebel 1100, but I don't know if it's the right fit for me and I thought you guys might be able to help. So here's all the information I can provide and my goals for the bike.
I've been riding for a year, my first and only bike is a Yamaha R3. I love my little R3, it's an excellent beginner bike, and I love how fast it feels without being absolutely busted like the R7 or other higher-range sportbikes. I love guiding it with my hips and taking turns just leaning to one side or the other.
But I've been looking at cruisers for a few reasons. The R3 feels just a little small under me at 6'3". I'd like for my wife to ride with me as well, and the R3 wouldn't be able to take the weight of a passenger (and seems like it would be uncomfortable for a passenger anyway). A cruiser would have better handling on the highway and better comfort for longer drives. I just like the form factor of those 1950s style bikes, I think they look cool. The ground clearance is higher than a touring bike and still allows me to lean into turns a little, even if not as much as a sport bike.
My only cruiser experience so far is on the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, which I enjoyed overall, but the suspension feels terrible. Even just running over manholes feels uncomfortable. Which is all a shame because the aesthetics of the bike are great.
I looked online and compared it to the Indian Scout Sixty, Kawasaki Vulcan S, and Yamaha Bolt R-Spec. But I think overall I like the Rebel 1100 better. Performance-wise though, I don't really know how they compare. I like the Rebel 1100's screen connectivity to my phone, but I do already use a Cardo system for my helmet, and I'm alright with using Google Maps' voice directions even if I prefer seeing a map, so not having the Honda connect system isn't a dealbreaker.
My price range is optimally, sub-10k USD. But I'm willing to go a bit over if I'm really convinced I like the bike and it's a good investment. The one I built on the Honda site was around 10k and I know with fees it'll be a bit over.
Do you guys think the Rebel 1100 is right for me?