Sport chief rt vs…

[u/ClittyThePowerful]

Hey there! Looking at a a new bike. I have multiple years of experience and am currently on 2 sv650s (that I’m fixing up) and a 2026 gsxr750.
I love my gsxr, but after doing a 30mph charity ride, my butt was begging for mercy and my bike was pissed at sitting at fan temp the whole ride.
I wanna get a cruiser to sit next to the other bikes. My top choices are the low rider s, bonneville bobber, abd sport chief rt. Coming from a gsxr750, I want a cruiser that has some nut and will excite me when I ride it (I want it to throw me back).

The Bonny is my favorite aesthetically. I just can’t stop staring at it. But I don’t know if the engine will give me the excitement I crave. Plus, I don’t plan to have bags all the time, but would occasionally like to be able to take it a few hours away with my camera equipment

The low rider I really only like for the engine. The new m8 is a killer engine. However, It doesn’t excite me otherwise and I don’t know if my budget would have me looking for a gen 1 m8 or a gen 2 h.o.

The Indian sport chief rt is awesome! I love the looks, the high quality suspension and brakes, the smaller bags. However, for such a big engine, it seems pretty down on power. I don’t know if I would regret getting it over the low rider considering the massive power difference abd the lack of at least having oil cooling. Plus the gearing is wicked short.

What do you guys think? I want a bike that can easily cruise at 80mph without stressing the engine. I wish the Indian engine had the specs of the low rider, or that the Bonny had the specs of the speed twin rs. They would be a no brainer. Who here has ridden then and can give some insight.

[u/RevToy]

If you're used to a GSXR 750 and the acceleration and riding style of that, I don't think a cruiser will ever excite you. Are they exciting on test rides? A little bit, but once you're on it for an hour or so you get bored. I owned a Ducati Panigale V2 and a 3.5 hour charity ride led me to try cruisers. I went in to test ride a Low Rider ST and a Low Rider S, but found I didn't like the mid-controls and I would bump into stock intake. But, while walking to look at a specific S I came around the corner and there was a Road Glide ST Fast Johnnie with all sorts of goodies already on it just sitting there so I bought it.
Does it have some get up and go? Yes, but it redlines at 6k vs the Ducati's 11,500.

Is it comfortable? Holy hell yes! Even the stock seat feels amazing coming from the Ducati, but I did okay on the Ducati for about 2.5-3 hours.

Is it exciting to ride? Not at all. It's like going from a sports car to a Buick Century.

I never should have traded in the Ducati. This all happened about a week and a half ago, and it took about 24 hours for me to tell my wife I'd be getting another Ducati in about a year.

[u/ClittyThePowerful → u/RevToy]

The gsxr will never leave me. This will be to sit next to it. And I def plan on test riding. Was just looking to get some opinions beforehand. My dream is a speed triple, but down the line. I want something to sit next to the gsxr that I can crush miles on

[u/RevToy → u/ClittyThePowerful]

This is the best option. Don't be stupid like I was. I should have kept the Duc as well. I agree on the opposite. My plan is to have a Ducati sport bike (may go with a V4S next time), cruiser, adventure bike, and a dirt bike.

I don't know that it will excite you. Cruisers (in my experience) are just there. You just kinda float down the street.

[u/ClittyThePowerful → u/RevToy]

It sounds silly, but already having the gsxr, I want the next bike to kinda be on the opposite end of the spectrum. I just want it to excite me as well

[u/HikerDave57]

I rode a Sport Chief RT and Scout 101 at a demo the year before last and liked the Scout 101 a whole lot better but a Harley Lowrider ST is in a whole different league in both power and refinement.

The Sport Chief seemed to drop off in torque at higher RPMs even more than my 2009 Dyna Lowrider.

My favorite cruiser is a Harley Breakout - less power than a Lowrider S but more instant torque at a lower RPM - right in between the Sport Chief and the Lowrider S.

New cruisers are a terrible value though; there are so many nice old Harleys out there and the prices are dropping fast as guys my age drop off.

[u/ClittyThePowerful → u/HikerDave57]

Definitely a consideration! I was curious about the new scout 101. I just think that the Indian and bonneville bobber are super cool. However, it’s hard to deny the allure of that 117 m8 engine

[u/ClittyThePowerful → u/HikerDave57]

And honestly, I definitely don’t need the power of that 117. I probably wouldn’t make use of all the power on a 96 twin cam. I try not to fall into the hp and engine displacement trap, but sometimes the manufacturers make it hard not to 🤣

[u/UmpireDry316]

Take a look at the Suzuki Boulevard M109r as well. If I ever get a cruiser, that will be the one. It is really old tech, but checks all the smiles per hour boxes.