Tim Carrithers: Weighing in on this whole size issue gets easier when you nudge the bathroom scale past 200 pounds. At 6-feet-3-inches and 211 pounds with a 35-inch inseam, small bikes offer more opportunity for public humiliation and chiropractic adjustments. From where I sit, a little V-twin has the same dissonant, oxymoronic ring of big Japanese V-twins a decade ago.
Back in the bad olde days, a metric twin was another way of saying you didn't have enough cash or good taste to own a Harley-Davidson. On a certain xenophobic yardstick, it still is. But for the more open-minded among us, the new fuel-injected Vulcan 1500 has nothing to do with concession. It's just another viable, practical way to scratch your itch for big-inch cool.
Art Friedman: Since we Americans are carefully trained to believe that bigger is truly better, I assume most riders would prefer a bigger-inch motorcycle if it fit them and their wallets. The bigger, pricier cruisers generally offer certain enticements, including a better finish, more room and perhaps more amenities. However, as this group demonstrates, they do not necessarily provide more performance.
So, you want a big bike, but it won't happen because of the lack of depth to your bank account or the length of your inseam, what do you do? Well, what are the key attractions of that big, expensive bike? If it was finish quality and roominess, save four grand and shorten the reach to the ground with the V-Star Classic—the stand-out, classically-styled cruiser under 1000cc. If you seek performance, the Vulcan 500, Virago 535, Magna 750, Intruder 800 and Spirit 1100 serve up plenty for less money and weight. And don't ignore the Intruder 1400, which requires a much smaller chunk of change than bikes of comparable cubes.
The Vulcan 500 or the V-Star both suited me fine for a long haul solo, but were a bit overworked with a passenger. The real issue isn't displacement, however; the bike in the middle of our displacement range, the Marauder, was the least satisfying for me by almost any measure.
One final observation: Even tiny riders probably can learn to handle a large cruiser. The Vulcan FI was larger than any bike Sugi had ridden previously, yet she was quickly comfortable aboard it—except when she had to make a tight turn in a narrow place. She was more skilled than most riders with two years experience, but you are probably bigger than her.
Jamie Elvidge: Bikes don't need to be big to be fun to ride. They do need to suit your style, your budget and your body. Watching Sugi, however, reminded me that there's a big window for the body fit factor. Confidence and training are definitely more important than any physical measurements. With that said, I believe people smaller in stature actually have an advantage when shopping for a motorcycle. It's the tall folks, or those long in the leg like me (and Tim), who are likely to hit limits on the comfort side of things. A shorter person can compensate with skill, or any number of modifications to a bike. For example, the simple addition of a narrower seat on the Vulcan 1500 would have put Sugi's feet on the ground. I, on the other hand, would have to mount highway pegs on the front fender of the Vulcan 500 to get a good stretch.
Aside from long-range comfort issues, the smaller Vulcan won me over. After our group ride I went exploring and wound up on a steep, snaking dirt road—little more than a goat path, really. And without a second thought I kept going. Would I have continued on the 1500? Probably not. It would have felt like a bus in comparison—a big, shiny, expensive bus. But then again, if I'd been on the 1500 at Starbucks that night I probably wouldn't have blushed when the barista asked me what I was riding.
Sugi Wong: As a shorter person (5-feet even, 100 pounds, with a 25-inch inseam) used to riding sportbikes, the cruisers were definitely a unique experience. I'm glad I had the opportunity to ride a large range of them for my first experience.
My favorite overall was the Honda Shadow Spirit 1100, because it seemed the best combination of handling, comfort and power. This bike just worked, and it was an absolute blast to ride. The Yamaha V-Star 650 was a close second because it was good-looking, light in weight and by far the shortest of the bikes—but it could use an improvement in power. The Vulcan 1500 was the most luxurious in terms of comfort, but the sheer weight and reach to the ground made the bike unfeasible for me. The Vulcan 500 was a good bike, but there was nothing extraordinary about it. And then there was the Suzuki Marauder... I'd never met a bike I didn't like, until this one!
Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic FI
Suggested base price: $10,799
Wet weight: 727 lb.
GVWR: 1120 lb.
Seat height: 27.6 in.
Inseam equivalent: 34.0 in.
Handlebar width: 32.25 in.
Wheelbase: 65.6 in.
Overall length: 98.6 in.
Rake/trail: 32 degrees / 6.4 in.
Fuel capacity: 5.0 gal.
Fuel mileage: 42.8 mpg
Quarter-mile acceleration: 14.07 sec., 92 mph
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, 50-degree V-twin
Final drive: Shaft
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 5.9 in. travel
Rear suspension: 2 dampers, 3.4 in. travel, adjustments for air pressure and rebound damping
Honda Shadow Spirit 1100
Suggested base price: $7999
Wet weight: 592 lb.
GVWR: 957 lb.
Seat height: 28.5 in.
Inseam equivalent: 32.5 in.
Handlebar width: 31.25 in.
Wheelbase: 65 in.
Overall length: 94.5 in.
Rake/trail: 32 degrees / 6.0 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.2 gal.
Fuel mileage: 42.5 mpg
Quarter-mile acceleration: 13.86 sec., 94.1 mph
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, 45-degree V-twin
Final drive: Shaft
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 6.3 in. travel
Rear suspension: 2 shocks, 3.9 in. travel, adjustable for preload
Suzuki Marauder 800
Suggested base price: $5999
Wet weight: 482 lb.
GVWR: 945 lb.
Seat height: 27.5 in.
Inseam equivalent: 31.6 in.
Handlebar width: 28.5 in.
Wheelbase: 64.8 in.
Overall length: 95.0 in.
Rake/trail: 35 degrees / 5.7 in.
Fuel capacity: 3.4 gal.
Fuel mileage: 41.8 mpg
Quarter-mile acceleration: 14.14 sec., 87.8 mph
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, 45-degree V-twin
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 5.0 in. travel
Rear suspension: 2 dampers, 4.0 in. travel, adjustable for preload
Yamaha V-Star Classic 650
Suggested base price: $5899
Wet weight: 530 lb.
GVWR: 976 lb.
Seat height: 28 in.
Inseam equivalent: 31.5 in.
Handlebar width: 34.7 in.
Wheelbase: 64.8 in.
Overall length: 97.0 in.
Rake/trail: 35 degrees / 5.7 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.3 gal.
Fuel mileage: 40.1 mpg
Quarter-mile acceleration: 15.91 sec., 80.4 mph
Engine type: Air-cooled, 70-degree V-twin
Final drive: Shaft
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 5.5 in. travel
Rear suspension: 1 damper, 3.9 in. travel, adjustable for preload
Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD
Suggested base price: $4699
Wet weight: 477 lb.
GVWR: 573 lb.
Seat height: 27.6 in.
Inseam equivalent: 31.0 in.
Handlebar width: 28.3 in.
Wheelbase: 62.8 in.
Overall length: 91.3 in.
Rake/trail: 33 degrees / 5.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.0 gal.
Fuel mileage: 48.9 mpg
Quarter-mile acceleration: 15.03 sec., 87.5 mph
Engine type: Liquid-cooled parallel twin
Final drive: Chain
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 5.9 in. travel
Rear suspension: 2 dampers, 3.8 in. travel, adjustable for preload