Decision Time

[bpadget]

Long time rider - First time poster. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing. I've finished my research except this forum and still haven't come to a buying decision. Compared, checked out, tested and re-compared and its down to the '06 Vulcan 1500 Classic and '07 V Star 1100 Silverado.

Motorcycle is for commuting and 2 up weekend cruising. I'm 5-9, 190, she's 5-0, 115. If it's going to be longer than a weekend I take the car 'cause I can't carry skis or clubs on a motorcycle. Well may I could, but...

I checked out lots of motorcycles before ending up here. H-D, BMW and Triumph didn't make the first $ to sense cut. I started out looking in the 750cc to 1100 cc range but cut out the 750's pretty early. I've checked out most of the other cruisers in this range and then added the Vulcan 1500 yesterday afternoon when I saw the 10th Anniversry Edition sitting on a showroom floor.

For a variety of reasons, but mostly fit, feel and appearance, everything except these two fell out. Does anyone have experience with these two motorcycles, either good or bad, that can help with this decision?

- Brian -

[DrBob]

Get the bigger bike, or you'll be wishing you had until you get the smaller bike paid off.
I know several people with the Vulcan, and they are all happy.

[dcstrng]

Have no direct personal experience on the V-Star 1100, but I looked at `em pretty hard a few years back and a guy here rides one to work, rain or shine and in pretty much any weather except ice... that says all I need to know about its reliability – as befitting its Virago lineage, it’s a pretty bullet-proof power-train (if a tad frustrating at oil-filter change time) installed in a more spacious frame... clearly a more than adequate bike entirely capable of highway travel...

The 1500 Classic I do have some associated experience, because its just a contemporary version in many ways of my 1999 1500 Nomad – indeed if you are going this route at all, and are even remotely thinking about saddlebags, I’d look for a Nomad (gotta be the bagger bargain of the century – and if $$$ are a factor worth looking for a `04 or earlier 1500 Nomad garage queen). Pretty hard to kill the 1500 Vulcan motor... anything after 2001 has all the later improvements... there was a modest recall having to do with oil-filters in the `02-03 time frame I think, but many owners decided it was much ado about nothing and just went back to their favorite filter... In any case, the 1500 Classic is easily capable of crossing half the continent in a weekend if that’s your poison, or commuting to work, or serving as a grocery getter – and I’ve done all three many times on my Nomad (same basic frame/engine).

Both are fine scoots, although I suppose you can tell which I favor... I shopped for the Virago derivatives some years ago and ended up with my Nomad because I and my pillion at the time weighed about 450#s between us and I was concerned that two-up the V-Star would be marginal... The 1500 Vulcan motor, on the other hand, while not a top-end powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, has a bucket of torque (better than my little Evo Harley – which, by the way, has cost less overall than my Nomad -- using the seat-of-the-pants dyno...) and one of life’s little joys is listening to the Vance & Hines rumble, torqueing up long Appalachian sweepers on a well-loaded scoot, with a fistful of top-gear throttle.

Mechanically, the V-Star is slightly simpler, but the 1500 Vulcan is essentially maintenance free excepting the usual lube-oil changes... The star will probably be more nimble in slow traffic, but the longer chassis of the Vulcan comes into its own on a highway of any size and will really haul the mail load out on the interstate...

Don’t know if that helps or just confuses the issue... but bike shopping is always fun...

Good luck

[Dave Nadeau]

I have a C50 with bags and a windshield so it looks like a C50T. A friend of mind and our wives went on a 375 mile run last Saturday and neither one had any trouble keeping up with each other.
His big gripe is the 2+ hour oil changes.. they are a P.I.A. The relocator kit is about $290.00. Thats just poor engineering and his only gripe. His is an 06 and it does not have F.I. but it runs great.
Have you looked at the new 1300 From Yamaha? I think that the oil filter is on the out side and I hear that it is very nice but I have not seen any on the road yet. If you opt for the 1100 try to talk the deal with the oil filetr relocator kit.

[BikerBeagle]

Vulcan 1500 would be my choice (or the 1600, or the Nomad) ...any of them are great bikes.

You might also want to check out the new 1300 VStar, but you'll probably have to pay for it.

[texrider]

I recently sat on and looked at two new 1300 V-Stars. They are asking a little over 10 large, but seem to have it all; Fuel injection, liquid cooling, belt drive, and cast wheels. Feels like a low centered mass, just sitting on one...

I would not spend big bucks on any air cooled, or carbureted bike. There is nothing in the Kawasaki cruiser lineup I don't like... Good luck!

[dcstrng]

would not spend big bucks on any air cooled, or carbureted bike...

Cuz usually they don't cost big bucks... carbs are one of life's little joy's -- at least single/twin carbs, air/liquid can take ot leave, no serious difference despite popular lore, and belts are a pain... chain or shaft for me... and I prefer chain...

[bpadget]

After much consideration, I went for the lowest dollars/displacement and bought a new '05 Vulcan 1500 today. Thanks for the discussion. I'm having some things put on and will post pictures when I get her in the driveway. - Brian -

[bpadget]

It's not exactly the driveway but here are the pictures.

Picked her up Saturday morning, spent about an hour in the parking lot and ended up putting over 200 miles on her this weekend. After spending the last 15 years on a Yamaha 650 Special I had to make some adjustments.

1. You have to drive at low speeds. You can't horse this one around if you get little bit out of wack.

2. Pick feet up forward, not rear. There's no peg to hang your heel on.

3. There's another gear. Not really, but I was cruising along at 60-65 and the engine felt tight, working in the curve. I counted shifts in my head and realized I had another gear. Up-shifted and it felt like the engine relaxed.

4. Cruising on this one will be a lot better than the 650. Fingers were not numb after 2 hours and 100 miles or even after 200 miles.

- Brian -

[blackie1491]

Great looking bike.
Lots of years of enjoyment.

[dcstrng]

Congrats on yer new scoot... Thankfully there are plenty of great bikes in the market-place these days, and for my money the Vulcan 1500/1600 genre is one of the better ones... Some bikes will beat it performance wise in one aspect or another, but the basic drive train has been around for over fifteen years in one iteration or another and there aren’t any mysteries... My Nad (same basic mechanicals), although not totally bullet-proof, is my trustworthy, faithful go-to bike... pretty much always starts with little or no drama (and mine is the carbed one); whether blistering heat, or even with snow on the seat... more important for day to day, it’ll carry me comfortable as long as I care to ride... Your Classic has (to borrow Kawa terminology) classic lines – no neuvo-techno-gadgetry, or ersatz plastic trying to look like a `53 Buick, just a straightforward, good-looking bike...

If you haven’t discovered it already, look up Gadgets Vulcan/Nomad website for just about all there is worth knowing about it... see: Gadget's Fixit Page For Kawasaki Nomad & Classic Modification Maintenance & Repair

Congrats again... but yer probably too busy riding to read this...

[bpadget]

Thanks Blackie, Larry, - Have to stop riding and work sometime. Thanks for the link.
- Brian -

[Uechi Kid]

Great choice. You're going to love that bike. Lots of good info at gadget.

[BlueMax]

Great looking Bike.

[C90TinPA]

Take a long hard look at the Suzuki C90/ One of the best kept secrets on the market. A 1500 with al the power, torque and size you could need.



OOPS...sory should have read all of the threads. Great looking bike.