[kllrbee]

Hey all
As some of u may or may not remember...this Stryker is my first bike ever. When I started looking...I went almost strictly off looks. As a matter of fact...I didn't even test ride cuz I didn't know how to ride yet....haha. I actually signed the papers for the bike before I took the MSF course and got the license...lol.
Anyways....by doing it that way...I knew I would be learning as I go. Not so much how to ride but figuring what I want out of a motorcycle.
Now that I've done more and more riding in different situations....crusing thru town, interstate, etc. I think I'm starting to hone in on what I want.
I will say this...I absolutely love the look of a straight cruiser with just a solo seat....like a bobber. But I knew from the get go that I'd need a 2up seat and backrest for the ol lady. Thats one reason why I went with the Stryker over something like the Bolt.
I also really disliked the look of bagger or touring bikes. I thought that the bags, floorboards, fairing or windshields, and all of those fancy creature comforts just ruined the look of the bike.
Well...of all the mods I've done so far...I still say the best one has been the mini floorboards. For some reason...they completely changed the whole ride for me. Next would have to be adding the saddlebags. They are not huge but they make life soooo much easier.
I guess my point is that I can now see why people opt for the baggers etc.
Now after I went on a nice long road trip last week and did roughly 1800 miles in 4 days...I'm considering getting a fairing. One with an inner and stereo.

I know many of you have added on these mods or something similar to make your bike more bagger style. My question is why not just get a bagger instead of a cruiser in the first place?
Why not just get the Vstar deluxe instead of the Stryker from the get go?

The reason why I'm asking is cuz the mods for the mini boards and bags was not all that expensive...about 300 total. The fairing is over 800 though. Its just got me thinking....maybe I should just trade in for a bagger.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Especially those of you who have added on faring etc. Those of you who haven't....I'd like to hear your opinion too.

Thnx

 

[11Stryker]

I can see myself maybe one day going to something more of a bagger, but for now I am too keen on the looks of my Stryker and do more riding 1up lately anyway.

 

[Silkentek]

I went for the stryker over the 1300 deluxe simply because the bike is more comfortable, it looks a LOT better, there is nothing else out there like it and you can put creature comforts on ANY bike.
It really was down to this choice for me. I really liked how the 1300 deluxe looked, I liked the color for 2013, it had hard bags, fairing, gps and a bunch of other niceties, for a really really reasonable price.
I sat on one, it felt like a bigger version of my v-star 950. The seat was hard, it spoke to my rear of many more miles of pain for me if I rode it. Well, there would go another 500$ right there for immediate seat change if I bought it.
It was too tall for me by about 1 inch, so there I am sitting on this cruiser on tiptoe, already getting the feeling that it is just a bigger, bulkier version of the bike I had been riding for 2 years.
Then, I rode Toby's stryker. I was still on tip toes at a stop, but I sat DOWN in the bike, it felt super stable. When you drop it into a corner, you do not get the feeling you are literally 'dropping' it like you do with the other cruisers lol.
For me, the stryker has stylish looks, plenty of power, git up and scat when you need it, it WILL cruise slow n easy if you need it to and learn how to feather your clutch and throttle. Without changing the exhaust I have a nice set of saddle bags. Thanks to 11Stryker, I also have a kick ass sissybar bag for daily use. The sissybar bag really makes up for not being able to have larger saddle bags (I have to carry a lot of things like tire pump, plug kit etc because of our remoteness)
Thanks to dani, I have a luggage rack now as well lol
My windscreen came off of my 950, so did my saddle bags. Basically I have all the bike I want in a beautifully sytlish package that has proven it's self on long weekend trips for a lot less money then I would spend on the average touring cruiser or bagger.
I don't feel the need for a fairing, but someday I may give my Dancer a bagger style look because I really like baggers =) however I feel they just do not have as much to offer as the stryker in fun factor

 

[bozzly]

I am kind of in the same boat. I wasn't looking for a bagger when I bought the Stryker. At the time I only put about 1k on my bike a year. So the Stryker with it's sweet lines was the bike I wanted. Shortly after purchasing this bike I got involved with a star touring group and now I am averaging 3k per year. Doing that kind of riding made me realize I need bags to carry items, Wind protection from all the bugs and junk on the roads and tunes to make the ride just that much more enjoyable. So I turned it into a mini bagger.

So instead of being a pure chopper, I now have a sport cruiser if you will. I still get just as many compliments and questions about the bike as when I had it set up like a pure chopper back when I first got it in 2011. I don't think a bagger is going to give you the adrenaline rush the Stryker can give you. I am not sure it will be the same.

I do plan on getting a Bagger in the next couple of years but am looking at something with plenty of features like a cross county, street glide or one of the new Indian chieftains. When I get my bagger it will be a hooked up costly bike not a vstar deluxe that only comes with a portable GPS as your stereo head. Cheapy cheap. :wink:

 

[Silkentek]

Shortly after purchasing this bike I got involved with a star touring group and now I am averaging 3k per year.

*giggles* I put 3k miles on my bike in 5 weeks... If I had bought my stryker at the start of the riding season it would have about 6 or 7k miles on it by now
I love my bike... I wish our riding season lasted longer here. I also wish to God I could find tires that lasted longer then 3 to 5k miles LOL

 

[bozzly]

LOl, No way I could put that many miles on my Stryker in a year. I would need back surgery. You and Toby are a special Breed.

 

[mikoloe]

I can see myself maybe one day going to something more of a bagger, but for now I am too keen on the looks of my Stryker and do more riding 1up lately anyway.

My next bike...

 

[11Stryker]

This caught my eye pretty hard.

 

[jcronin]

This caught my eye pretty hard.

No that is nice. Glad I didn't see that before I got the stryker.


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[11Stryker]

No that is nice. Glad I didn't see that before I got the stryker.


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Yes I priced some of the accessories for it and youch!!- they are worse than HD's prices. But price on bike as it set on floor was not that bad. I would need backrest and pad and maybe windshield. Handlebars are adjustable. I did not dare sit on it! HEHE

 

[mikoloe]

This caught my eye pretty hard.

I sure like that one...

 

[kllrbee]

After I posted this...I went out and visited some dealerships to sit on or test ride some baggers and tourers.
V star deluxe was ok but didn't have the same feel as the stryker.
Test rode a street glide, electra glide, and a road king. I was not impressed at all. What is the deal with people and harleys? They felt like they were gonna fall apart....haha.....junk!
Last stop was victory. Man....they have some nice bikes. That cross country was comfy and super nice but still...a lil too much for my taste.
I test rode the hardball with a fairing. All ill say is if I would have found that bike before I got my stryker....I'd be on their forum right now....haha. Still kinda pricey for what it is tho.
Ill be taking a good hard look at victory when it comes time for a new bike....that's for sure.

So anyways....I think by doing that research...I actually answered my own question. Thnx for the input everyone.

 

[Silkentek]

Yes I priced some of the accessories for it and youch!!- they are worse than HD's prices. But price on bike as it set on floor was not that bad. I would need backrest and pad and maybe windshield. Handlebars are adjustable. I did not dare sit on it! HEHE

LOL same here, I don't dare test ride a victory for quite a few years. besides, I think I can make my stryker into a part time bagger with just what it has on it, someday I may be able to change the exhaust so I can put bigger saddlebags on it but that is about all I want to change aside from finishing my purple trim paint job.

 

[11Stryker]

LOL same here, I don't dare test ride a victory for quite a few years. besides, I think I can make my stryker into a part time bagger with just what it has on it, someday I may be able to change the exhaust so I can put bigger saddlebags on it but that is about all I want to change aside from finishing my purple trim paint job.

My wife even liked that bike which is something to be said!

 

[bozzly]

I think I will ride this one for a few more years.

 

[Silkentek]

I think I will ride this one for a few more years.

I love what you have done with your bike, what kind of bags are those on it? I would love to get a set like that for mine. Not to sure about the fairing, I do like the simplicity of my windshield. However, your bike is basically what I am hoping to do with mine =)

 

[Aelway7]

Hardstreet bags

 

[bozzly]

Thanks Silkentek. As Aelway7 stated they are the hardstreet sixers. They are not very big but carry the few odds and ends that i need. I know not a lot of people like the fairings but the extra wind coverage it provides over a standard windshield is awesome and cruising with tunes is something I can no longer live without. It's one of those once you do it you can no longer live without type of items. :tongue:

 

[mikoloe]

Thanks Silkentek. As Aelway7 stated they are the hardstreet sixers. They are not very big but carry the few odds and ends that i need. I know not a lot of people like the fairings but the extra wind coverage it provides over a standard windshield is awesome and cruising with tunes is something I can no longer live without. It's one of those once you do it you can no longer live without type of items. :tongue:

Hey bozz, will a laptop fit in the bag? I'm getting tired of back packing it.

 

[bozzly]

Hey bozz, will a laptop fit in the bag? I'm getting tired of back packing it.

My MacBookPro does not fit in the bag When I ride to work i still need a backpack for my laptop.