• Harley-Davidson 883 Iron
• Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
• Star V-Star 950
• Triumph Bonneville
There was a time when stylish, inexpensive cruisers were analogous with leprechauns, honest politicians, and my hairline; a nice fiction meant to amuse people, but they didn't really exist. Cutting big corners on style, these were machines meant to ape the look of full-sized machines. But volatile gas prices and an influx of new and reentry riders who don't buy into the notion that bigger is always better means demand for inexpensive bikes has skyrocketed over the last few years, driving motorcycle makers to infuse this growing market segment with more aesthetic options for less money.
A significant portion of the entry-level cruiser market used to be dominated by repurposed standards cranked out to meet a burgeoning niche. In the old days, bikes of this stature might have been introduced at a meet-and-greet at the corporate office or a quick ride following a dealer meeting. Now, manufacturers are actually marketing bikes in this range with a newfound seriousness, as evidenced by the rollouts of these four machines all introduced in (or reintroduced) in 2009.
Star took the press out to Northern Georgia to sample the V-Star 950 on a extensive trip through the mountains, while Harley-Davidson introduced the 883 Iron at an art gallery in Santa Monica last February, complete with cocktails and canapés. Triumph's New Orleans debut of a re-vamped Bonneville at the Four Seasons followed a similar route. Moto Guzzi simply delivered a V7 Classic to our parking lot, but the fact that this was the first sub-$10k offering from the high-end brand was evidence enough that the category had arrived.
These bikes are not only styled to the nines (with engineering to match) they also represent a wide cross-section of types. Each one speaks to a different part of the fun-loving rider in all of us.
Who's Got the Look?
When high-dollar "choppermania" was in full swing, lots of people wanted the street cred that comes with owning one, but not many had the fat wallet to back it up. Harley-Davidson's answer has been its Dark Custom series, and that look is trickling down to the sub-900cc level. The 883 Iron is a chopped, angry Sportster for the neophyte hooligan, or for those just not wanting anything more than a minimalist experience. It's the Nightster with a smaller motor (and pricetag), but it actually does the blacked-out thing even better. The Iron is a no-frills machine with shortened fenders, drag handlebars, a solo seat, and side-mount license plate frame. The fork lowers, motor, transmission, oil tank, wheels, and belt guard are all flat black, while vintage rubber, gaiters round out the look. It's also only available in two flat color options: Midnight Black and XX Silver.
At the opposite end of our stylistic gamut is Star's V Star 950. Star characterizes it as a scaled-down Roadliner and, in fact, it looks every inch the low, musclebound cruiser. Long fenders, floorboards, wide handlebars, and an arched 4.4-gallon gas tank are all part of the package. Star kept the back end clean by utilizing a hidden rear monoshock, and added detailed touches like a color-matched headlight, painted and contrast-machined cast rims, a clean tank-mounted multifunction gauge, and a throaty 2-into-1 exhaust. Unlike similarly-sized competition form Honda and Kawasaki, there are no Classic and Custom versions of the V Star 950; instead it splits the difference with an innovative and original design incorporating elements of both styles (we call it athletically fat).
Our other two participants are geared toward the sporting standards of yesteryear. While you could argue they're not strictly cruisers, around here we're partial to bikes with a classic look and more metal than plastic. After all, before anyone considered the word 'cruiser,' these bikes went head-to-head with the American bikes of the day.