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Riding Four Big Cruisers
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2004 Cruiser Comparison
Jan Morgan
Summer 2004
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Photography by Randall Cordero
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(Click to enlarge) |
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The low stance and
bobbed rear fender, exposing that enormous 240 rear tire, showcase the look of
performance. This bike has the feel and appearance of a spec-built custom,
evidenced by the upside-down fork, polished engine and PM-machined wheels.
Compared with the other bikes, the Bulldog is incredibly narrow, with a body
scarcely wider than the mirror-finished heads of the 107 hp S&S engine.
The Bulldog is a visceral machine that puts the rider in touch with the
engine and road in a way that has long since been lost to major manufacturers.
Just starting it up is enough to put a big smile on the rider’s face. One
tester, upon finishing a quick run, summed it up nicely: “If you don’t like it,
the thing might just take you out back and beat you up.”
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(Click to enlarge) |
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The Honda Rune is a
cruiser from another planet. Its styling screams show custom, but its riding
qualities are significantly different from those of the traditional power
cruisers. The massive, horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine carries its
weight low, and the apparent heft disappears with the realization that little
effort is necessary to lift it off the side-stand. The ergonomics are different
as well, with the pegs and foot controls located in a more conventional position
below the rider.
The Rune, refined to the limits of current single-track
vehicle science, is the exact opposite of the Bulldog. The Goldwing engine
defines the machine, and offers up power with turbine smoothness and
acceleration that feels as though it is thrust from jet exhaust outlets rather
than rear-wheel motivation. The retro-designed front fork is compliant and
controlled, and equal to the task of suspending this large motorcycle, as is the
modern single-sided swingarm rear suspension.
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(Click to enlarge) |
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Comfortable, smooth and
incredibly quick, it is still one long, large motorcycle. U-turns require a
certain amount of planning, but that magnificent view over the long chrome front
end makes it all worthwhile.
A rare example of a factory getting
ahead of the custom builders and stylists, the Rune is the chopped 1951 Merc
lead sled to the others’ 1932 highboy origins. Yet, the Rune is more than a
styling statement. It shows Honda’s willingness to do something different,
redefining the custom origins of the power cruiser genre.
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