Considering upgrading

[Dauntae]

If you stay Honda I would go for the 1100, Not enough difference from the 600 to a 750, after being off street bikes for 20ish years I went right to the 1100 and don't regret it one bit, feels pretty close to the 750 and is balenced well (sister has a 750 spirit) but on the slab the 1100 is much more relaxed with lower revs.

Dauntae

[ButchA]

I agree with all the other comments...

I am a returning rider after 20+ years, and bought a (brand new at the time) 2007 Shadow Aero 750. It's a wonderful bike, don't get me wrong. I have 23,800 miles on it and plan on racking up many more.

BUT...

If I had the money, I'd upgrade at the first chance I got. The Aero 750 is an excellent bike and does everything I ask of it. But when riding 2-up for extended periods of time, both my wife and I start getting a little cramped.

The only other bike I have ridden besides mine, is my daughters' boyfriends' Kawasaki something-or-other, crotch rocket, whatchamacallit... Lord almighty - my feet were positioned where the passenger pegs are on my Aero 750! My belly was flat up against the gas tank, and I was all hunched over. The handlebars looked like two pitch-fork prongs sticking out from the triple tree. How on earth could anyone be comfortable on this thing? But to make a long story short - I rode it around my neighborhood and wow, is that throttle touchy! I was doing 50mph and still only in 3rd gear, zipping through a 35mph zone in my neighborhood! I quickly realized that myself and crotch rockets don't exactly get along too well, and I carefully rode the bike back to my house, got off and handed the key back to my daughters' boyfriend. Thanks, but no thanks...

Getting back to cruisers... The only two cruisers that really hit me and made me want to buy one right on the spot - if I had the money on hand:

Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1700 - I love this bike. I just wish Honda would have come out with one, or at least would kept the VTX 1800 (but toned it down - i.e. lightened it up a tad). Or beefed up the VTX 1300 to 1500cc or 1600cc. The Kawi Vulcan Nomad 1700 is awesome in every imaginable way. It feels good, fits right, and is packed with excellent features.

Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - I sat on this at a dealer a while back, and this bike just oozed "Cool". There was some magical "vibe factor" going on with this, and I also fell in love with it. If I could afford the payments (not to mention the wicked increase in insurance!), I would buy one.

In closing, you have to go out and look at all sorts of other makes, models, brands, of bikes. One will suddenly "speak" to you and that will be that. Yamaha/Star also makes some really nice cruisers too, but I have to check them out up close in person too. Another good one is the new 2013 CB1100 that Honda (FINALLY!) came out with. It is not a cruiser, but more of the "old school" standard, naked, style of bike. Add whatever accessories you want and make it your own.

[mlr]

Honda makes good products nothing wrong with sticking with what you like. Suzuki makes some nice bikes if your ready for one and can afford it i know the M109 is one hell of a bike.

+1 on sticking with cruisers.