I'm doing some research on cruisers between 650cc and 900cc and was hoping I could get some opinions on bikes in the range. I'm particularly looking at the HD 883, Shadow Aero 750, Suzuki C50, Vulcan 900, and 650 V Star.  It's for a class but also for myself, I'm looking for something in that size range and am currently leaning toward the Vulcan 900.  
I could really use some feedback on people's ideas of the different bikes and how they compare!    

I have the 2006 Honda Shadow 750 and love it.  Bought it new last September and have just over 4000 miles on it already.  After taking the MSF class in August I looked at a lot of bikes and ended up split between the Vulcan 900 and the Shadow.  Since I was a new rider and had not been on a bike before I settled on the 750 because it fit me better.  (I'm 5'8" and about 160 pounds)  The 900 seemed to be a little bit of a stretch for me.  After getting on the 750 and riding a few miles I knew I made the right decision for a new rider.  It has enough power to do what I want and it is easy to handle.  Although now that I have a few miles under my belt I may upgrade to an 1100 at the end of this year.  The 750 is great, but I occasionally find myself on the freeway and that seems to push my 750 to its limit. For a new rider the 750 gets my vote as a machine that is easy to learn on and a blast to ride.  

I have the Vulcan 900 Classic. It handles freeway speeds with no problem, takes corners smoothly, and the 5-speed gearbox is fine for any situation. Acceleration when you need to avoid the usual idiot in a Mercedes with a cell phone to his ear is great.

That being said, it does have its share of vibration through the footrests which makes me think of getting a larger machine when I can afford one, but I just got a good pair of Harley riding boots and the vibration is barely noticeable now. I've had the bike for a year now, and I have nearly 7,000 miles on it.  

I owned an 883 Custom, and loved it. I think the 883 is the best deal going. Its a fun ride, and it holds it's value better than any of the other bikes you mentioned. I recently traded up to a Softail, but only because of my size (6'05", 250 lbs)and the fact that my wife started riding with me. I put several thousand miles on the Sporty, and enjoyed every one of them.  

I bought a 2007 V-Star 650 Classic, expecting my wife to move up into it eventually from her Honda VLX.

However, she just got her license and the Yamaha is a little too big for her at this stage, so I find myself riding it.

Even though I have a Suzuki Intruder 1500, I find myself loving the V-Star. It's a fun, little bike that's maneuverable and easy to handle. It's a "little, big cruiser" if you know what I mean.

My 1500 is still my preferred ride because of the power and comfort, but if I'm looking to cruise with my wife, and don't want to stop every 100 miles for gas, I'll take the V-Star. The range is far superior, and I'm not looking to leave the wife behind at 80 mph.

When I'm cruising solo, I'll take the big fella.  

If I could, I would like to throw another motorcycle into the mix.  It is a Hyosung GV650.  I've heard really good things about the bike.  If you have any questions you could look at the "Pride In What You Ride" forum.  There are a lot of people who ride and know the bike pretty well.  Also, check out the Alternative Cruiser site.  Motorcycle Cruiser has done some articles on this bike and have had some really good things to say about it.

Check it out.  

Hi I have 05 C50T it now has 15K on it. I have had no trouble with itor the dealer. It is balanced very well. Handles in town driving easyly. Has no trouble with highway speeds. It gets a little busy above 75mph. That does not bother me. I have had the bike up to 100+ on the speedo. The big rigs don't toss it around ether. I was pleased at how stable it is. With the windshield and my stuff loaded. I can keep up with much bigger bikes.Some don't believe that it only an 800cc bike. The stock seat is only good for about 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. You need a rest. But by then it time to P  any way.. ..scruffy...  

I have a 2005 V-Star Classic (650 cc) and I have a lot of fun on it.  I can make it do what I want because of the size and it is a fun little bike.  I use it primarily to ride to work so I only get up to 60 - 65 mph.  I plan on purchasing a larger bike this year as I want to start taking some trips and riding two up, but I will probably keep my Classic for my wife and to just play around on it a little.  

Hi,

I have the ct-50 also.  I love it.  It's a 805 cc. and does fine on the Hwy and city.  I ride two-up with my wife up into the mountains (to about 8,000 feet) and it has never had a problem.  It was new in October and I have 4,000 miles on it.  I'll crank up more miles when it stops raining and I can ride it to work more.

If your talking about a class project, you may want to discuss the mileage you get from a motorcycle and the reduction in green house gasses because of that.  For example.  I reduce my emissions by 40 pounds a day when I ride my bike versus my truck.  Also, you may want to talk about the reduced weight of motorcycles and the possibility of extended the life of our road system.  Finally, you may want to talk about reduced congestion on the roads and the reduction in future road construction if two wheels were the prevalent mode of transportation.

Good luck  

I like what you say, topaz. There's lots more to a bike than speed and loud pipes. When gas gets up to $4 my 50mpg 750CC Honda will get me even further down the road than it does now. And maybe, just maybe, that Mercedes with the cell phone nut in it will be parked somewhere.  

Hey, thanks so much for all the input thus far.  Sounds like in general there's not much to complain about with any of these bikes.  Could any of you tell me what kind of gas mileage you're getting on your bikes?  Right now I'm riding on a friend's little Yamaha 250 Exciter, just don't have the money for anything else.  It gets 60-70 mpg, but that's cause it's so little.  I definitly can't wait for the weather to warm up again though, filling my car every week is killing me right now!  Thanks again for the feedback, more is definitly welcome!    

thanks for the extra suggestions for my project as well, but I'm in over my head with research already.  Definitly think everyone would be better off with less cagers on the road though!  

I recently bought a Suzuki Boulevard M50, and I'm loving it.  Plenty of power, handles great, good suspension and is comfortable for longer trips as well.  I read a lot of reviews before buying, and they usually put the Suzuki c50/m50 ahead of the Vulcan for a number of reasons, even though the engine is a touch smaller.  Also, got it for an amazing price, with great financing from Suzuki.  I can't recommend it enough.  

I started on the Vstar 650 Classic and it's a great starter bike. If you're not doing a lot of interstate, it's great and manueverable around town and on the highways and back roads. Interstate you will feel those trucks when they pass you. I can ride comfortably on the interstate at about 65mph, then it gets a little busy beyond that. I'm now out testing bigger bikes and thinking of maybe the Yamaha 1100 or Honda VTX 1300R.
Started riding last summer and put on 4500 miles since. We do a lot of road trips and I tend to keep up with the Honda VTX 1800, he can go faster, but I catch him at the pump!  

My Honda Shadow 750 gets between 60 and 65 miles to the gallon depending on the kind of riding I do.