The other reason i'm eying cruisers is the lower seat height. I have a 30 inch inseam which puts a lot of dual-sports out of my comfort zone. Sucks because I would love to get into a Hypermotard.
Those sport touring naked bikes also have low seat heights. The monster's seat height is only a couple inches higher than most cruisers for instance, and when actually sitting on the bike, it seems even lower than that.
Also the seat height on dual sports and adventure bikes is a bit misleading. Those bikes are much narrower in the saddle than a cruiser, so you can get away with a higher seat height than you would expect. Don't avoid them just based on the numbers without trying them out first. Something like an XR650L may not be ideal for you, but don't avoid them without trying them first.
YMMV, but for me, the feet forward posture of a cruiser makes them more uncomfortable for me to ride than the most aggressive sport bike riding position. The cruiser posture encourages me round my lower back to reach for the bars, especially with some of the silly completely non ergonomic bars that some cruisers have. With the standard posture, you have your legs underneath you to support your upper body, and with the sport posture you can lean your upper body on the tank for support. On a cruiser your entire upper body is just a big lever on your low back being blown around by the wind. It puts a lot of strain on your core to support your upper body.
Leaning back cruising down the street may look more comfortable, but if you actually look at the mechanics and ergonomics of it, cruisers are really suboptimal.
Just crossed 1000 miles yesterday. Been getting as much ride time as I can before the rainy season picks up. This is why I am considering a cruiser bike. An hour into riding the sport bike and my hands start to cramp, i just don't see myself riding in that forward position for long. Upright or more laid back, just like the bike I learned on during the MSF.
Also hand cramps just means you are holding on too tight, it has nothing to do with the posture. Sport posture puts more strain on your neck and shoulders, but no bike should be putting strain on your hands, because you should be using basically no pressure on the bars. The 'death grip' on the bars is a common new rider thing though. You just have to learn that you hold on to the bike with your legs, all your hands have to do is operate the controls. Your arms and hand should be completely relaxed and you should be putting none of your weight onto the bars. Some people recommend that you flap your arms around like a chicken every now and then to remind yourself to keep your elbows bent and your weight off the bars.
