A friend got a cruiser so naturally it made me want to go on long rides. My other Friend has an R1. This just seemed like the best compromise. I sat on it and was amazed how comfortable it is. Im not a racer so a 1000 would have been wasted on me. But i do like power and speed so i couldn't settle for a cruiser. The hawk was great but i cant wait to get that 176hp between my legs