Many first time buyers of motorcycles are faced with the same question upon their first visit to their local motorcycle store: should I buy a sport bike or a cruiser? The answer greatly depends on the kind of riding experience you want since the two bikes are very different on a number of levels. In this article, I will attempt to give the beginning motorcycle enthusiast a brief rundown of the differences between these two bikes.
Sport Bike
The sport bike is very much like you would expect by the name and by its style. It is definitely the sportier, more active bike of the two in comparison to the cruiser style, and requires more physical upper body strength and stamina. For those that want a more exhilarating experience, though, and are prepared to exert the extra muscle power in your upper body that the sport bike requires, this motorcycle can provide you with some serious adrenaline rushes and offer you some satisfying thrills.
Sport bikes are usually a bit smaller than cruiser’s and have a higher center of gravity. The handle bars are usually a bit stubbier and the wheel base is also smaller. The reason for this is the amount of control that these bikes provide you with. Using only small movements on the handle bars, you can make huge moves either left or right. With a small application of the brakes, you could find yourself coming to a dead stop, while only a small amount of movement on the throttle will send you hurtling forward at break neck speeds. This all leads to a very satisfying experience for those looking for a fast adrenaline rush. If you are not careful, however, a small loss of control or lack of concentration could send you to a very bad place as an accident could be very easily caused with these powerful bikes.
Your upper body strength is also put to the test with these sport bikes. Your shoulders, arms, wrists, and upper back could really get a workout after a long ride as the sport bikes tend to sit forward and require you to lean toward the front of the bike when you are riding.
Cruiser
Where the sport bike excels in quick bursts of adrenalized speed, the cruiser is built for going the distance. While the cruiser is a fast vehicle, capable of hitting highway speed with minimal effort, it is a much smoother and less aggressive ride than the sport bike. The controls are all a bit bigger than the sport bike, and focus more on gross motor skills than on the fine motor skills required by the sport bike. If you are into long rides across country or day trips through beautiful scenic routes, the cruiser is definitely the bike of choice. The cruiser has a lower center of gravity, allowing you to sit more comfortably in an upright position such as you are probably already used to if you spend much time in front of a computer. Having your arms extended out in front of you will take some getting used to, as well as the upright position, which can both cause some sore muscles the first few times to you take a long ride as you adjust to it. Cruisers usually offer many more options for customization and are usually the bike of choice for those who see their motorcycles as hobbyist projects. Another big difference between the cruiser and the street bike is the fact that if you have a long trip in front of you, the cruise will usually have storage for your stuff, while the smaller sport bikes are going to require you to carry it all in your backpack.
Author Bio: Jason Phillips is in love with bikes from teenage. He enjoys bike racing and car racing as his leisure. He mostly uses rockville md autobody for his automobiles.