Hi, I'm Paul from Northern Virginia.
I'm a wannabe Rocket Touring rider.
I've had an ST1300 for ten years, and just sold a Suzuki 650 V-Strom after two years. I was riding the V-Strom as my daily rider, and my left hand was killing me in the stop-and-go traffic twice a day. So I purchased a 2014 Honda CTX700D . . . with the automatic transmission. I love it.
From the law of unintended consequences, that bike is the first I've ever had with a cruiser configuration. Almost comical for the first couple of weeks I'd pick up my feet from a stop and try to put them on the non-existent pegs, then fish around forward until finding the floor boards.
Then the other day, I dropped the ST, and told myself, I have to switch to a cruiser. I test rode a 2014 Rocket, and was amazed. I love 1) water cooled; 2) NOT a V-twin; 3) NOT loud; 4) shaft drive; 5) comfortable; 6) some luggage, wind screen, back-rest included; 7) active owner group (this one) with obviously fine people.
Just wondering what will be the cost of ownership . . . how practical to do one's own maintenance vs. trips to the local dealer ?
Insurance ?