A lot of bike for not too much money

I've had this bike for almost six months now, and I still enjoy it as much as the first week. The braking is responsive and the handling is excellent. If you're not bashful in the twisties you will scrape pegs, exhaust cover and various bolts. Of course it'll never be a sport bike, if you want th...at level of cornering get a sport bike. But I do ride with some sporties and unless they're gunning for it I've been able to keep within visual range if not right with the group.

On the looks end it is a good looking bike with just enough to make it different. This is especially evident in the Special Edition models ('06-'08). Mine's an '07 SE and at bike nights around here it's gotten as much attention stock as the Harley full custom bikes have.

In the power department it has plenty to do what you want, but compared to other offerings out there for 'mid-level' power cruisers it is a bit underpowered. A fair amount of this can be remedied with some common modifications. Regardless you won't likely find yourself disappointed unless you're looking for speed and acceleration at the track level. Again if that's what you're after a cruiser probably isn't your thing.

When it comes to price these definitely do well. Used low mileage bikes aren't terribly difficult to find and can often be found at a good price. New models MSRP for $11,100 standard and $11,300 SE but this isn't written in stone. I've known a couple of dealerships to offer the SE's for $1,000 less if you do your homework in their model year. Mine I bought in '08 (as an '07) new for $9500. Keep in mind however that a lot of dealerships dont' keep these on the floor long, they sell pretty well. Mine was a walk-in request to find one, the one they had on the floor (standard black & chrome '08 I believe) was gone within a month and the '08 SE they received was gone less than a week after they put it on the floor. As such you may not be able to get as good a deal as a model that might sit for a couple of months.

At the time Yamaha didn't really have one I liked, Suzuki had one or two but a bit higher in price and Victory & Harley, although some of theirs coming out I'm starting to like again, are still just too high in price for me to seriously consider. The Mean Streak had a near-perfect combination of a alot of factors at a good price and I've been hard-pressed to talk to anyone who owns one who doesn't love it so far.

Granted as an owner this is probably a bit biased but hopefully it's helpful to those in the market. Read Full Review

Great overall cruiser

The mean streak is a overall great bike. It's simply the best handling cruiser that I've ever rode. It's not as powerful as some of the other cruisers out there but it's handling along with the power that it has makes it a blast to ride. It also sounds great with pipes! Some of the japanese cruisers... sound cheesy with pipes but the streak has an awesome sound. Fuel mileage is also very good. I average 42 mpgs. On long rides where my speed doesnt vary greatly I've averaged over 50 mpgs! It's one of the most reliable bikes out there. Just perform regular services and ride! I'm very pleased with my bike!! Read Full Review

Fantastic Bike

I purchased this bike new and I cant say enough about it. It handles like a dream with power to spare, and the factory paint would cost you a couple of thousand to apply after market. I have people comment on my bike all the time and they cant believe its not a custom jop. I have had many bikes o...ver the years but this one takes the cake. Read Full Review

Turn heads for low bucks

I bought my Meanie used in 2008 with just 2000 miles on the clock. I bought it both for the look (special edition) and the price. I got a very cool bike with more power than I need for less than half the price of one of the American made bikes. I am tall(6ft. 3in.) and would like to have a little m...ore length for my legs. I think a little more rake in the front would be nice too. My radiator cracked at a mount stud but my local radiator shop was able to fix it. Other than that, I have no complaints at all about my beautiful bike. Read Full Review