I rode a Honda 919 for 70 miles or so, last Summer. How do you guys tolerate that riding position for long? I was sore for days? I'll take my 12" baby apes and reclined riding position any day.
Well, there are more kinds of bikes than just cruisers and sport bikes. My bike, a Suzuki DL1000, has a very neutral and comfortable riding position, IMO much more comfortable than any cruiser, as it doesn't place all your weight on your butt. As for the 919, it's really sized for smaller riders. I'm folded up like a pretzel on it. I'll agree that most race replicas and sport bikes are not very comfortable, at least to me. I think the guys who say they find them comfortable are lying :) .
The V-Strom is pretty close to a sport bike to me. Maybe not as aggressive a riding position as a race replica, but your feet are still more behind than under you, and you're still leaning slightly forward.
Uh...how small a rider is the 919 allegedly built for? I'm 5'1", as in sixty-one inches, and I felt like I was folded up. That's just wrong.
Cruiser egos suit me fine. Hell, the first thing I do when I buy one is put baby apes on it. I like to sit upright and slightly reclined.
Who knows, I might even skip the dyna and make my next bike a geezer-glide and be done with it.