Cleveland CycleWerks

So we're here today with three of the beginner or maybe re-entry level cruiser bikes. We got the Yamaha V-Star 250, the Honda Rebel 250, and the Heist w Joining us today is Melissa Ganzon. She is going to give us her perspective on a re-entry to beginner level experience of riding one of these three bikes. They're all different, definitely. My favorite was t It was just easier. Un So you, what drew you to the Honda was it's what Tom and I complained about. Exactly. It's a tight ergonomic package. Yes. It was ideal. Yes. Were talking earlier, a little earlier, and that was accentuated by the slightly lower seat, the dished out seat. The handlebars a little bit closer, and you felt that made it more user-friendly for you, so it made it most appealing of all three. And comfortable. And just overall comfortable. So you felt more comfortable. Oh yes. It was a little boil-bound. Did you find the V-Star more appealing as you had a longer time on it? Yeah. I mean, I started to I mean, you can get used to it, but yes, I mean, it's fun. But it still would be your first pick. No, would not be my first pick. Okay, lastly, we're all dying to know, what do you t I mean, it looks great, but that's all I can really say. What was the biggest drop out for you? The biggest drop. I feel everyt Every little b So it's not exactly sour. So it wasn't comfortable, and it was actually somewhat of a turnoff to ride it because of its ride quality. Yes, uncomfortable, awkward. Well, there we have it. That's right from the quintessential rider for t And lo and behold, she winds up on the Honda Rebel as your top pick. Almost not surprising. So Tom and I have pretty similar experience, riding experience, length of time and all that. And although he's a couple inches taller than me or slightly longer in-scene, a lot of my comments are going to echo what Tom said. And especially when it comes to the V-Star, I just simply found it more comfortable to ride for its ergonomic layout. And a lot of that had to do with actually the flat drag style bar, w And that comes from Aids position. But to be it has a heavier foam, or a t It strikes me as a more contemporary styling. It looks fresher next to the Rebel. I was really impressed with Yamaha's ability to give the V-Star such a butch-sounding exhaust. It's really kind of cool. So if there's a classic among these 250s, it would be the Honda Rebel. If you've been around motorcycles for any length of time, you've probably seen it or heard the name. It feels But it'still a great little bike. It's attractive. It's got a lot of nice touches in terms of its styling. And as Tom said, the build quality is classic Honda. Little too tight ergonomically for me. I feel It's just that compact from the seat to the handlebars. Okay, if were judging t We've been riding in and out of the city, parked along the curb in front of storefronts. Had a n They just found it really appealing. And it's got a remarkably unique style in t Obviously, they were going for something However, just a short way down the road, you start to look beyond the appearance and find a lot of shortcomings in terms of its ride quality. You can see a few manufacturing flaws and just overall fit and finish. But it's also $1,000 less. And if you can look beyond that and you are on a tight budget as a beginner or as Tom said, you're an experienced rider and you just want somet Okay, so we've wrapped up our day here aboard our little 250cc Cruiser Shootout. We had a lot of fun. Tom and I was kind of getting back to our early days of riding. We had to start somewhere and they're kind of along the lines of beginner bikes. But we had a real beginner today. I t And I think she found a motorcycle she really And here it is, the Honda Rebel.