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Vaquero owners thread

1M views 4K replies 299 participants last post by  Peg 
#1 ·
This Thread is dedicated to all Vaquero Owners and any other interested bikers.
 
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#2 ·
No Stalling Issues on the new 2011 Vaquero

Now have just about 600 miles on my new 2011 Vaquero. No stalling issues what so ever, it has plenty of pickup from a dead start.

Will be changing over to AMSOIL Oil and Filter and a K&N air filter once I have reached that 1000 miles, that may help it to run quieter and cooler.

Hey, it is a big V-Twin and they always put out heat, road a Roadstar for years, air cooled, and a lot of heat.
 
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#247 ·
Now have just about 600 miles on my new 2011 Vaquero. No stalling issues what so ever, it has plenty of pickup from a dead start.

Will be changing over to AMSOIL Oil and Filter and a K&N air filter once I have reached that 1000 miles, that may help it to run quieter and cooler.

Hey, it is a big V-Twin and they always put out heat, road a Roadstar for years, air cooled, and a lot of heat.
I just got mine and love it. My only little issue, yes it does run hot. Been fairly cool and I was running in the City but but temp gauge was way over....not in the max but way hot I thought. I read somewhere it does that. I'd rather see it in the middle! Otherwise, how do you really know if it really is hot and you have a problem? I'll see the dealer in a couple of days and see what they say.
 
#3 ·
I am not familiar with the Vaquero. Can you supply me with the "Letter Designation" from Kawi ? Although it most likely takes the standard Kawi oil filter, I would like to check it out further so an OEM Part # would be great.

As for the K&N Air filter. If you Love your bike and intend on keeping it, stay with the OEM Air Filter. Your bike will like you a lot more.

The Best isn't cheap
Cheap isn't The Best


Bob
 
#9 ·
Was just told my my local Dealer who sold me the Vaquero, that it uses the same filter as the Vulcan Voyager - Thanks for the info on the Oil to use and the Filter to use. I love AMSOIL and will never use any other oil in my bikes or cars and trucks.
 
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#5 ·
I'm in the same boat. Do I sell and get the Vaquero, or do I make my Voyager as close to a Vaquero as possible for solo riding and put the tour stuff back on when touring and taking my lovely bride for rides.
 
#4 ·
As for the K&N Air filter. If you Love your bike and intend on keeping it, stay with the OEM Air Filter. Your bike will like you a lot more.

Mr. Amsoil dealer, could you please elaborate on this statement you make? Proof please would be best if you have it, or are you just making a personal opinion?
 
#6 ·
No personal opinion here. I own a filter test machine and spent a lot of Money testing other filters and the K&N. Donaldson has had tests performed and show how poor of a job the K&N does in filtering. Some of RACOR's filters are made by K&N and say right on the box "For Marine Use Only". When I went to school at RACOR, I asked a question (I already knew the answer) "Why for Marine use only?" Right in front of everyone he said " We don't have to worry about dirt over the water, just need to keep the chunks from getting in the engine".

As part of a "Performance Upgrade" on my bike, a K&N filter was installed. My oil analysis came back "High Silica (Dirt) and Elevated Wear Metals (over 560 ppm)" Analysis report recommended checking/replacing filter. Removed the K&N, installed an AMSOIL Filter which, flows as well as a K&N and filters up to 50 times better. Although I ran about 600 miles on the K&N before my filter came in, the next oil analysis showed only 50 some PPM of Wear Metals and the oil was still good at over 10,000 miles.

K&N even says that their filters do better as they get dirtier... No Brainer but, I want to catch as much dirt as possible before the filter "Starts to work".

They are a performance filter designed to flow air, they also flow dirt.

The Best isn't cheap
Cheap isn't The Best


Bob
 
#11 ·
Here is a quick picture of the new Kawasaki Vaquero stripped down for custom paint and part development. Over the next two weeks we will be adding a bunch of custom parts to this bike to complete for Bike Week.


Keep us All posted on this bike, it will be great to see what it looks like once finished and it may give us all ideas on things we can do with and to the Vaquero.
 
#12 ·
Slip Ons for your new Vaquero

"Posted on another thread - Just found these on the Pipe City site. Vance and Hines slips-ons for around $400.00. They look good and I only hope they sound as good as the dual baggers.

http://www.pipecity.com/Products/Pro...oductID/478451

D&D wrote me saying that there exhaust would not fit the Vaquero. I can only believe this is a mounting issue since they are using the old style bags and probably the old style mounting hardware. I would think it would be an easy fix and they said they are working on it. Probably would be the same for V&H as well, but I love the way my V&H sound on my 1600 Nomad."


=========================================================

Well, I sure would like some great sounding pipes, so hope D&D. Cobra, and V&H start making some that will fit the Vaquero. Just a little to quiet on the stock, I still believe that loud pipes can save lives. - Roadie
 
#13 ·
Definitely want to follow Roaring Toyz progress on the Vaquero.

Also, Roadie the 2011 pipes on the Vaquero and Voyager are quieter than the '09 '10 Voyagers. With 11,000 miles on the Voyager I am really liking the stock pipes. Enough noise to know it is a Vtwin, but quiet enough for my wife and I to converse over the intercom.

The sound when going through a tunnel is awesome and I would imagine that is what others around me hear.
 
#14 ·
Yes, the pipes on the Vaquero for 2011 are tapered, think they are also on the 2011 Voyager. It does cut down on some of the rumble, not sure why they changed them. Maybe, it is harder to drill out the 2 baffles in the mufflers, if you can do so, it gives the bike a great rumble and not too loud unless you really get on it hard.
 
#15 ·
I googled Roaring Toyz and a site came up that customizes sportbikes to the extreme. Are you the same Roaring Toyz? Branching out into the metric bagger market now? Definitely interested to see what the Vaquero becomes.
 
#22 ·
come on guys, lighten up and use a little reason... Amsoil's point seems valid to me. If a filter lets in more air than it's competitors, it can only do this at the expense of also letting in more particulates... you just have to make a choice on what it is you want your filter to do... let in more air, or filter smaller particulates... you trade getting more power for letting more contaminates into your engine... is this a bad trade off? I'm not sure. This is what the real argument is about, in other words, do the extra particulates that a more open filter like the k&n lets into the engine shorten the life of your engine or is the effect negligible?? let the argument begin!
 
#54 ·
I agree. I just want to read about folks impressions about performance and ride as I am seriously thinking about this bike. Thanks.
 
#24 ·
1000 Thousand Miles on my New Vaquero

Just reaching the final few miles of my break-in, I will be changing over to AMSOIL Oil and Filter. These first 1000 miles the bike has run great, no complaints other than it is so quiet that I had to learn to shift using the Tachometer. On my old Roadstar with it loud pipes, I actually shifted by how it sounded.

Love the Vaquero, smooth and powerful. The warmest day that I have ridden it and went about 130 miles, non-stop, it was 87 degree weather, the Temperature gauge showed on the cool side, never even reach the half way mark.
 
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#26 ·
Hey Tim, I took some photos of the Vaqueros at the dealership but the camera just can not capture the color red that I see when I look at the bike in person. I like the blacked out looks of the black bike, but the red is definitely a beautiful machine.
 
#37 ·
Great pix of the Vaquero and the new custom paint job, can not wait to see it totally finished and all back together, keep us all posted.
 
#30 ·
wow, I wish I had the cash to drop on a brand new bike and all that custom work...
 
#31 ·
WOW! I love how you incorporated the Kawasaki Candy Lime Green into the bike. I'm a big fan of Kawasaki Green.

My KLR 650

Playing around with my mean streak


Please post up some photos of the finished bike and some from when you win at Daytona. I would like to ad those photos to my collection. Thanks.
 
#45 ·
Cobra SlipOns NOW available for your 2011 Vaquero per Mike with Cobra

I emailed Cobra Inc. this past week and as of today (03/07/2011) I got a email from a guy named MIKE at COBRA. He assured me that any Cobra SlipOns made to fit the 2011 Voyager would also fit the Vaquero and there was no issue due to bracket fittings. When ordering, just tell them it is for a 2011 Vaquero and you can contact Cobra direct.

Lets hope he is correct !
 
#56 ·
Well, I did the next best thing to buying a Vaquero. I gently helped persuade a riding buddy to trade his Mean Streak in for a Vaquero. Now I will get to admire it when we ride together. :)
 
#57 ·
Be nice to him and maybe you can take it for a spin;) I'm hoping to trade in my beloved Vulcan 1600 Classic for a black one coming to my dealership. :D
 
#58 ·
Question for any Vaquero or Voyager Owners about Audio

I'm curious if any owners have the iPod connector and if so have you discovered a way to set your iPod to shuffle songs and not just play in Alphabetical by Artist order, this thing make me crazy.
 
#60 ·
I'm curious if any owners have the iPod connector and if so have you discovered a way to set your iPod to shuffle songs and not just play in Alphabetical by Artist order, this thing make me crazy.
If you have your IPOD already set for random when you hook it up to your bike it should work. Mine does.
 
#59 ·
My Vaquero Specs

2011 Black, 2011 miles
Cobra Tri-Oval Pipes
Power Commander V
Thunder Mfg. Tornado Kit - Black of course
305mm Windscreen
Gamin Zumo 660 GPS with Vaquero Handlebar Mount
iPod Connector
Gel Touring seat
KQR Backrest and Luggage Rack
Aux Lights for Fairing
Aux Power Connector
 
#62 ·
I bought a Red Vaquero on Saturday, have owned Yamaha and Suzuki since the 70's but this is my first Kawasaki. Traded off my 07 Venture after my wife saw and fell in love with the Vaquero, rode a hundred miles on yesterday and have to say that it was an interesting change. I trade every two to three years because of the amount of miles that I pile on my bikes so a new bike is generally kind of a non event for my family but this one was greeted a little differently. Hope that the bike has the dogged reliability of my Yamaha's cause the ride is much better then my Royal Star.
 
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