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GOOD BYE VULCAN.....(sobbing)

7K views 52 replies 32 participants last post by  Graybush 
#1 ·
:crying2: Good bye Vulcan:crying2:.....Well I had to do it, although it was hard, I had to get rid of the vulcan.....I dont know about everyone else or every place else but here in Northern Cal the metric cruiser riders get no respect. It seems that the HD riders up this way act like they are in some kinda gang or something....I mean, hard looks, no waves, mean mugging and just down right disrespectful on many levels. It seems there is alot of juvenile bs attached to that type of cruiser bike and the HD riders are the biggest children around. I dont really have the temperament for silly stuff and I just knew that it was a matter of time before I probably would have caught a case :beat-up::beat-up::beat-up: just trying to enjoy my bike so I moved on back to my original passion.....
SPORTBIKES......:wink2: I traded my 2014 Vulcan for a 2015 Hayabusa:surprise:.....I had to do it. Cruising is fine but I missed the raw power of a sportbike. The attitude of the HD riders was just an excuse to do it:laugh2:....The difference is like night and day. That busa is a jet and Ive enjoyed it every day. I guess the Vulcan was my attempt to mellow myself out.......didnt work. Anyway, thanks to all the brothers on this forum, you guys are the most knowledgeable group of people out here and very helpful. I'm still hangin' here cuz the company is cool.........peace!
 

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#27 ·
Let me clarify....The irritation I have with "some" of the HD riders was not the reason I got rid of the Vulcan, it was my excuse and or self justification and one of the many reasons I moved on. I am a grown ass man and like many others on this forum I could care less what others think..... I was itching to get back on a sport bike anyway, thats the bottom line.
 
#5 ·
IHP,
That Busa looks great!
What kind of seat is that? Looks comfy.

I'm determined to get into something more sporty; but prefer a more upright position. I'm really looking into a Throphy SE; but if Kawa would put a cruise on the Concours I might be swayed.

If you want real power in a cruiser; Carpenter racing make a 240hp kit for the Rocket III. :)

Anyway, the jackhats in costumes are a big negative on the sport in general.
Whether they wear a pirate costume and think a machine makes you better than everyone else or they wear a power ranger costume and cause chaos everywhere they ride.
I don't care to be associated with either.

Ride safe
Scott
 
#6 ·
I have noticed that after I sold my 2005 Nomad and got my 2015 Vulcan I don't get as many waves from Harley Riders. The Nomad had the look of the Road King from the front with my three lights so that may have fooled them.

I live in Placerville and ride all the back roads in a 75 mile radius and see the same behavior. I could care less if they wave or not. When I had my 01 and 08 Harley Ultra Classics I waved at all bikers and still do.

I have noticed that more of the Harley touring riders still wave, maybe because I'm on a metric touring bike.
 
#7 ·
That's the way it is in harlyland.
What a shame. Well,I'm glad that you didn't drink the koolaid & buy a harley.
I would probably like a 'busa if I could reach the ground & if I had a more upright riding position.
I like the Suzuki Bandit 1250 as an all around sporty bike.
Enjoy.

JJ
 
#8 ·
Sorry ihatepunks, but I agree with the comments above. If someone does not wave, that will not ruin my ride or my attitude of the moment.
...
There is a meme on my phone, shows a picture of a Nordic warrior and the caption reads, "I offended you? What does it feel like to be so weak that mere words offended you?"
...
Same difference with the wave or lack thereof.
.................
On a positive note, enjoy you crotch rocket!
 
#9 ·
I'm not about to let someone else's hangups dictate what I'm riding. There are lots of Harleys here, most of their riders wave - the ones who don't generally are not locals. Nearly all of the metric riders do wave, but whether anyone does or doesn't I'm not bothered.

Enjoy your new bike!
 
#11 ·
I have a brother in law that thinks if it's not a Harley it's not a motorcycle. He won't even ask me if I have been riding when I see him. It doesn't bother me one bit.
 
#12 ·
Congrats but, it will be a cold dy in the southern part of hell before another riders opinion dictates what I ride unless they are paying for it.
 
#14 ·
There are always two sides. My son in laws dad has a Road King and when ever we ride somewhere he always looks at my bike and says damn that's a nice bike. Now he wants to copy the mods I did to my 9.
 
#15 ·
Here in Spain . there are many HD, but many more MotoGP, so rarely are circulating together, but I think it quite respect, I have little in this world custom, but I think we'll get along.GOOD LUCK!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Aqui en españa . hay muchos HD, pero muchos mas motoGP, asi que pocas veces se ven circulando juntos, pero creo que se respetan bastante, yo llevo poco en este mundo custom, pero creo que nos llevaremos bien.
 
#18 ·
Also, anyone with an eye on the industry knows that Harley's resistance to change, innovation, and technology is having a large negative impact in their recent sales slide. Changes are on the way, or they will all be collectibles.

"The Sportster drivetrain has not changed appreciably since its inception in 1986. Yes, it’s gotten fuel injection, a five-speed transmission and the displacement has changed, but ultimately, a 2016 Sporty is pretty dang close to one manufactured 30 years previously. The Big Twins are no better. The Twin Cam has been with us since 1999." From a recent article talking about the sales slide.
 
#19 ·
I wave at all riders 9 out of 10 wave back. If they don't that is their problem. I would stop and help out any rider they are broken down.

But then I prefer to ride alone, go where I want when I want, stop when I want etc.. I do like to stop at locations with other riders, usually a very interesting bunch.

You do get the occasional HD and BMW group that seem to think they are better than everyone else, but I just ignore them if that is their attitude, (I would still help them if they broke down).

The definition of an HD dealership " A clothing store that sells motorcycles". I was in Nashville TN a little while ago and down town there was an HD clothing store with one old HD in it, very funny.

I have nothing against HD or any other brand, it is a free country buy what you like, you are still part of the 2 wheel community.
 
#20 ·
1+ on that Wild Bill
 
#21 ·
Around here all riders regardless of brand wave. There are also many Kawi"s in my town as there are a couple of local dealerships. I will own a Harley one day as I have always wanted one. Just like wanting to own a sports car but that hasn't happened yet either. I don't notice Harley riders being any different than anyone else with the exception of being very brand loyal. I think most of us non Harley riders have ridden several different brands but Harley owners always seem to go back to Harley's. I have ridden several HD's and once you get past the sportsters they make a pretty darn nice bike. I don't have anything against the sportsters but they fatigue me to the point it just isn't any fun to ride them.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Personally, I don't care what other folks ride and I don't care what they think of mine. Its ignorant to be a snob over makes or models. I've owned a few serious beaters and some very nice ones. I've owned Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Zundapp, Harley, Sears and they were all fun. My sister has a Vulcan 900 and its a beauty. I love my Harley and when its paid for, I plan to get something quicker like a Ducati Diavel or a VMax.

Those dudes that don't wave are probably weekend warriors that cover up their tattoo Monday-Friday. They're jerks. I will ride with anyone on two wheels. I will wave at anyone one on two wheels (unless they're wearing Spandex).
 
#32 · (Edited)
I will wave at anyone one on two wheels (unless they're wearing Spandex).
s93,, the pc police mite brand you a spandexaphobia'er or some schitt label like that.. watcha got aginst spandexters anyway? mebbe a bad incident, leff you scarred as a lil child, didn't need to see that and now you cant sleep cuz you cant get that picture out of yor head.. :gun::bomb::skeleton: yikes!
 
#23 ·
I know everyone enjoys sharing just how little they care about what others think.
Heck, not taking what most people think about you too seriously is good policy.

But, he did state that the kool-aid attitude was just an excuse to return to sportbikes.

Fact is; the culture associated with cruisers MAY not be everyones cup of tea.
He didn't give up riding; he returned to a style that suited him better.
Sometimes recognizing your dissatisfaction and moving on is better policy.

Scott
 
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#25 ·
g' head punk, make my day



kinda like a spaghetti western.. mor bettr than any hardley.
 

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#31 ·
Respectfully, "own it then".
...

I got rid of my Vulcan because I wanted to go back to a crotch rocket. Don't bother to "spread the blame". I have a news flash for you, the HD riders still won't wave at crotch rocket, because Harley doesn't make those either.
...
My last comments. Have fun enjoy your ride and be safe, cuz the anti bikers love it when a biker goes down for the full count.
 
#34 ·
After visiting your country recently I couldn't help but notice all the HDs out there (west coast). Almost nothing else - cruiser wise. They are nice bikes but 3rd choice when I was looking a while back. I wouldn't buy into the HD club anyway - even if they were the best bike out there.
 
#36 ·
If they were the best bikes out there; I would own one.
Cool factor, performance & dependability in one bike; what's not to like.
I still wouldn't own a mountain of bar & shield merchandise though.

Heck, even as flawed as they are (all bikes have flaws); I'd probably have a Road Glide if the price was based closer to their performance & dependability value rather than their cool factor value. :bomb::angel:

Scott
 
#35 ·
I'd buy a HD if I could afford a new Street glide, not cause of the kool-aid, just for the sweet sound of their 103ci engine! Chugga Chugga pop!
 
#37 ·
I thought it was potato, potato, tomato, potato, pop!
That's why us Rocket Captains call em tater tots.:wink2:
 
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#41 ·
Having owned a lot of brands throughout my adult life it becomes interesting when I think about what I really like. I'm not a sport bike rider so all of my bikes have been cruisers. Therefore, I'm limited to just my impressions of them.

The bike that I had the most fun on was a 1984 Honda V65 Magna. I weigh 140 pounds and on that bike I could flat out fly down the road. It was a pretty comfortable bike but the raw power of it was the attraction for me. It was also a very nice looking bike. It got lots of attention no matter where I went because guys just don't think of a girl riding a bike like that.

About 7 years ago I rode a 1983 Suzuki GR650 Tempter from California to Michigan and back. The bike broke down a few times but I had brought spare parts for the trip and we had a mechanic in our group so it was just a mild inconvenience. The bike was light and pretty quick so it was okay to ride. The vacation gave me memories I will never forget.

My sister's Vulcan 900 gives me a similar feel to the Suzuki, although I will say it is more comfortable to ride.

My dad was a biker so I got exposed to HD early in life. He and his friends rode either HD or Triumph so those brands feel more dear to my heart. My Rocker has been a very reliable bike so far. With the 96 ci motor it is plenty fast for me and I appreciate the torque off the line. It's not as fast as my V65 but it's fun nonetheless. In the looks department it is hard to beat. I have never owned a bike that so many people want to photograph. So, it definitely has a coolness factor. I'm a pretty serious rider so clocking 500 miles in a day is routine for me if I'm going cross country. A couple of advantages I see with the HD brand. When we were riding across the U.S. every city we came to had an HD dealer so if you get into trouble they are easy to find. I think they make great modding platforms to express one's individuality.

At the end of the day, I don't care what brand it is. If it has two wheels and a motor, I will ride it. :smile2:
 
#43 ·
Having owned a lot of brands throughout my adult life it becomes interesting when I think about what I really like. I'm not a sport bike rider so all of my bikes have been cruisers. Therefore, I'm limited to just my impressions of them.

The bike that I had the most fun on was a 1984 Honda V65 Magna. I weigh 140 pounds and on that bike I could flat out fly down the road. It was a pretty comfortable bike but the raw power of it was the attraction for me. It was also a very nice looking bike. It got lots of attention no matter where I went because guys just don't think of a girl riding a bike like that.

About 7 years ago I rode a 1983 Suzuki GR650 Tempter from California to Michigan and back. The bike broke down a few times but I had brought spare parts for the trip and we had a mechanic in our group so it was just a mild inconvenience. The bike was light and pretty quick so it was okay to ride. The vacation gave me memories I will never forget.

My sister's Vulcan 900 gives me a similar feel to the Suzuki, although I will say it is more comfortable to ride.

My dad was a biker so I got exposed to HD early in life. He and his friends rode either HD or Triumph so those brands feel more dear to my heart. My Rocker has been a very reliable bike so far. With the 96 ci motor it is plenty fast for me and I appreciate the torque off the line. It's not as fast as my V65 but it's fun nonetheless. In the looks department it is hard to beat. I have never owned a bike that so many people want to photograph. So, it definitely has a coolness factor. I'm a pretty serious rider so clocking 500 miles in a day is routine for me if I'm going cross country. A couple of advantages I see with the HD brand. When we were riding across the U.S. every city we came to had an HD dealer so if you get into trouble they are easy to find. I think they make great modding platforms to express one's individuality.

At the end of the day, I don't care what brand it is. If it has two wheels and a motor, I will ride it.
Dealer network is definitely a big plus especially if you're a lot of long far trips.
The Japanese bikes seem to do just fine with minimum maintenance. I would trust my Triumph to ride across the country at the drop of a hat.
But, I'd be a little more more focused on preventative maintenance with any Euro or American brands based on consumer reports ratings.

There's several Harleys that I really like. The RK, the Vrod and the RG Ultra are all bikes I would own.
My R3T has better performance than the Vrod and does it as comfortably as the RK, so those bikes would be redundant to me.
HD stopped making the RG Ultra except in the CVO. The price tag on either of them isn't commensurate with what you get though. At least in my humble opinion. :)

Scott
 
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