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Still can't believe it...Bought my first bike a 900 Custom SE !

9K views 40 replies 19 participants last post by  KawiDawg 
#1 ·
I did something kinda crazy-- bought a 2012 Vulcan 900 Custom SE sight unseen over the phone. Well, I did see the dealer pics but didn't see the bike in person. But from the pics and dealer description she sounds flawless. Rode a 650s, HD 883 Iron and Street Bob. Never rode a Vulcan. But this bike checked all boxes for me (cruiser, color, blacked out, sound and PRICE), I couldn't pass it up. And I couldn't find a single bad review or any problems so why not? I guess it hasn't sunk in b/c I won't be taking delivery until Wednesday. Here is a pic:
 

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#2 ·
Congrats on the new bike. Welcome from South Texas.
 
#3 ·
I have never been a fan of the Custom version of the 900 since I prefer meatier forks and a meatier front wheel, but the 900 Custom looks much better in person than in pictures. Yours looks great even in that picture, so I can't imagine how great it looks when you see it by your side.

I've been reading and watching reviews and reviews of mid-size cruisers and the Custom 900 takes the trophy home when paired against the HD 883, Iron, Honda Shadow Spirit, Yamaha Bolt and similar. Without a doubt, you've gotten yourself an excellent bike and it looks fantastic.

Enjoy the bike and always ride proactively!
 
#6 ·
I have never been a fan of the Custom version of the 900 since I prefer meatier forks and a meatier front wheel, but the 900 Custom looks much better in person than in pictures. Yours looks great even in that picture, so I can't imagine how great it looks when you see it by your side.
Awesome, can't wait!

I've been reading and watching reviews and reviews of mid-size cruisers and the Custom 900 takes the trophy home when paired against the HD 883, Iron, Honda Shadow Spirit, Yamaha Bolt and similar. Without a doubt, you've gotten yourself an excellent bike and it looks fantastic.

Enjoy the bike and always ride proactively!
Yeah...I've never even been a "bike" person...never mind a Harley fan...just one day stumbled across a promo pic of the new Scout and it wa like bam this whole new world of adventure and freedom and possibilities opened up before my eyes. So here I am with the endoresement buying a bike. Wifey says to me "oh no it's just a matter of time before you get a tattoo!". Anyhow still to buy an Indian Scout one day but can't justify 3X the price for a first bike. I'm not a big fan of the skinny front tire either I prefer the fat look too but it's not a deal killer. The color with the blacked out and price yeah! Most important I couldn't find reports of problems and about the only negative reviewers could find was "could use a little better brakes and a sixth gear". I figured ride safe and not planning long highway trips, so who cares?
 
#4 ·
JetBlack6, Congrats on the new ride! I've owned a Honda 125, Yami 450 and Suzuki GS750. My Custom is by far my favorite; very likely my last bike. Even when I start thinking I might like a bigger engine, or smoother ride, I pull the cover off and fall in love all over again. If I had to replace mine I'd be looking at the same model again. There's really nothing I don't like about this bike (although I did replace the OEM seat for my wife's sake!).
 
#10 ·
JB6

Enjoy your custom, put some miles on it before you decide to do any significant mods. The front forward controls may take a little getting use to, but now big deal. The forum is a great place to get help if you have any problems with your ride.

The 900 is a good reliable ride, Ok power but not high power by any means. IMO a great bike for cruising back roads in the 40-65 mph range.

WB
 
#14 ·
JB6
IMO a great bike for cruising back roads in the 40-65 mph range.
WB
I'll second that. About the perfect cruiser for that. Lotsa cruiser fun per cc.
 
#12 ·
The amount of fun per cubic inch will be very high. Welcome!
 
#17 ·
Pipes are absolutely about safety... its important that other drivers hear you in order to avoid an accident.

...and if she buys that, I got a couple of bridges for sale lol
 
#18 ·
You really ought to check out the stock pipes before swapping them out. They sound good, and they have bass frequencies which carry. V&H will move you toward obnoxious territory, which is fine if that's what you want.

Loud pipes save lives in certain circumstances, but loud pipes also piss some people off, and cars & trucks present enough danger to a rider without their drivers being pissed at you. Loud pipes also give you hearing loss.

And if this is your first ride, no joke, be careful and prepare to learn all you can as fast as you can, and take MC riding dead seriously because it is. You gotta be good, and skilled, and smart, or you can soon regret it. Avoid the hundred newbie mistakes by learning about them, not by making them. That greatly increases the chances that riding will be a long term source of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Happy miles to you.
 
#19 ·
About the Indian Scout: well, it's a looker all right, but it needs a few years to get the bugs out. It's racking up NHTSA recalls at this point. The suspension is not getting high marks so far. I never want to pay full retail to be a free developmental crash test dummy for a new model.

The Vulcan 900 has been around since '06 and the wrinkles are worked out. The main bugs will be in your teeth! :good:
 
#21 ·
Congrats on the Custom, it's a great bike. I just traded mine in because the one real flaw I thought it had (geared too low for freeway speeds) was the one that reared it's head all the time for me. I mostly ride on the freeway back and forth to work so it grew too tiresome. I do miss it often though. The new ride is great on the highway, but is so much harder to push around when parking. Even though it was revving in the sky at nearly 80mph, I still got 42-45mpg so not too bad. I also miss how the 900 will rev out so high (for a V-twin anyways).

The Custom was my second Kawasaki (first being a Ninja ZX-6) and I would have gotten another, but I wanted a highway bike and I just could not find the right one in the Kawi line.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Thanks for all the kind replies.

Just picked her up this Wednesday-- and she looks better in person! Drove 400+ miles (out and back) and trailered her home. I've only put a few miles on her so far but it's a nice ride. Truly love the looks and color scheme. Haven't gotten over 60 yet so haven't noticed the lack of sixth. I find myself shifting a lot, still getting feel for engine. For example cruising around 40 or so...seems to me engine is happier to rev a little higher in a lower gear than up shift. And havent given her full throttle yet...maybe 3/4 at most before backing off. I like the low end torque. The power is more than adequate for a newbie...so in a way I'm glad I didn't get the scout yet-- 100hp, 70lb-ft torque and about 50lbs lighter-- yeah that could be a bit if a handful for first time

Funny thing wifey and I talked it over extensively before I bought...but when she saw the bike in person she had a bit of emotional breakdown about me riding...emotionally still adjusting to the reality of the risk I guess. For a little while there I was thinking I'd have to call it quits before I even began!
 
#30 ·
Thanks for all the kind replies.

Funny thing wifey and I talked it over extensively before I bought...but when she saw the bike in person she had a bit of emotional breakdown about me riding...emotionally still adjusting to the reality of the risk I guess. For a little while there I was thinking I'd have to call it quits before I even began!
4 suggestions

1) MSF class
2) Ride like a Pro class or DVD
3) Twist of the wrist 2 book and DVD (still on you tube-free)
4) when you ride assume you are not invisible and that trucks and autos are out to get you! I.e ride every defensively.

Knowing why you bike handles like it does and how to control it in various situations combined with doing my best to always beware of my surroundings (ahead and behind) has saved me. I wear a high viz vest have a bright modulating headlight and pulse brake lightS and still get cut off or have folks on my butt at intersections. I make sure to leave a little extra room and assume I will get cut off and plan my options accordingly.

I could still have a nasty crash as some things are just unavoidable, but I suspect 80% of crashes can be avoided.

Ride safe and enjoy the ride.

WB
 
#23 ·
No time like the first days a new bike is there.

It sounds like you are feeling like I did: the width and bulk of the Vulcan makes you respect it and want to gradually feel out the envelope on it, from the inside.

After a few days I began to trust how stable and predictable the handling and power are, and relax into it.

The engine is strong at low rpm and with linear power delivery right across the rev range. It's not a hot rod but it is easy to utilize the power however you want to ride.

When I am just easy cruising around town I shift to 2nd at 20, 3rd at 30, 4th at 40, 5th at 50. But you can move the shift points up 10, 15mph or more and the engine is ready to do it.

Go to parking lots and feel out hard braking, U-turns, swerves and so forth. Find the friction zone in the clutch. The low speed regime feels a bit wooly until you practice and know just what it can do. It really makes a difference when you know.

Enjoy.
 
#26 ·
No time like the first days a new bike is there.

Go to parking lots and feel out hard braking, U-turns, swerves and so forth. Find the friction zone in the clutch. The low speed regime feels a bit wooly until you practice and know just what it can do. It really makes a difference when you know.

Enjoy.
Yeah I'm working on that...practicing the u turn in the neighborhood cul-de-sac. Using manhole covers to practice swerves at moderate low speeds. Wish I had someone to help with the dynamic avoidance...don't want to crash trying to learn how not to crash...that would be dumb...
 
#27 ·
Check out the Ride Like A Pro Jerry Palladino channel on youtube. He runs down the basic how-to for low speed work:

1. Turn yr head and look where you want to go
2. Use the friction zone
3. Light rear brake, and no front brake

This stuff works. The look where you want the bike to go, not at what you want to avoid, is an incredibly strong effect. I don't know why, but it is.
 
#29 ·
Right. If you stare at a curb or tree or whatever, afraid you will hit it, you will go right there and hit it.

It's called target fixation, and it's a deeply rooted evolved human behavior. It takes constant practice to avoid doing it.

Alcohol makes it worse. Another reason not to mix alky and motorcycles.
 
#33 ·
Congrats JetBlack6 on the CustomSE

Nice bike,cool color.

1+ on all the help full ideas to improve your riding. Always remember it is a Kawi 900 rev it run it. Cant remember the last time I shifted into 5th before 60mph. The 9 will hang with just about all the v-twins in the midrange, and a few larger ones up to 90mph.

Try not to grin to much while riding:)
 
#35 ·
Congrats JetBlack6 on the CustomSE

Nice bike,cool color.

1+ on all the help full ideas to improve your riding. Always remember it is a Kawi 900 rev it run it. Cant remember the last time I shifted into 5th before 60mph. The 9 will hang with just about all the v-twins in the midrange, and a few larger ones up to 90mph
I've noticed it likes to rev. Engine seems happier and smoother cruising a lower gear...like 40-45 in 3rd vs 4th at that speed.

Been getting into the throttle more and more as I go...bounced off the rev limiter in first...but haven't wound it out in second, it really books in 2nd. I love the torque curve. Man this is a fun bike. I'm very happy with the seat, the forward controls, the riding position ...better than the Harley's I tested (although the street bob was a nice ride but I didn't spend much time on it and cost...forget about it)
 
#34 ·
Forgot to mention when I picked mine up it had Cobra 2-1s installed (LOUD) the wife likes the sound. The things we have to do to keep the wife happy lol

Ride Safe & Ride often
 
#37 ·
Congrats...I bought my 900 Custom in September, also my first bike. I got it for a steal with 900 miles. Unfortunately, back in November I had some idiot not paying attention heading the opposite direction make a left turn directly into me and I had to lay her down. I ended up skidding over 90 ft, spent 4 days in the trauma unit but doing much better and NO remaining issues. Bike only had cosmetic damage but I got a great pay out on the insurance and was able to add a number of after market upgrades. Vanes & Hines Staggered exhaust, Power Commander, custom grips & foot pegs. Now Im looking for a wider front tire.

Mark
 

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#38 ·
Oh wow! Sorry to hear about your crash that really sucks, especially so new to riding...but it's awesome you were able to get back in the saddle without any lingering issues. I'm certain if that happened to me and both me and the bike survived, the wife would torch the bike if it was still rideable afterward. Bike looks great btw
 
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