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3 Posts
I recently sold my adventure touring bike and bought a Vulcan 800. I have not owned a cruiser style bike before and to be honest the style of bike just didn't appeal to me... before now that is. When I found myself rarely if never going off road I decided to ditch the adventure bike and try a cruiser.
What a surprise! I am liking the comfortable seating position, the low centre of gravity and I can easily touch the ground for a change which is a bonus. I cant get enough of the engine sound and there is ample power for my needs. It goes without saying that my 'cool factor' rating has increased tenfold compared to when riding the old Honda Transalp!
I bought the bike from a guy who lived near the ocean and the bike had no doubt lived its life away from the comfort of a garage.
There was a tinge of rust to many parts of the bike and I could tell that it had lacked a TLC, I am sure the owners idea of looking after the bike was limited to spending 2 minutes per year polishing the chrome parts! However I could tell that the bike had good potential and the price was right. After a quick test ride I was convinced that it was a good match for what I was after. The torque, riding position and sound had me hooked. The other alternative bike was a Triumph Speedmaster which needed a bit of money spent on it so I opted for the lower cost option.
When the bike was safely home in my garage I was able to inspect closer. The chain was in bad need of lubrication and will need replacing soon. The oil was jet black and of a water like consistency, the oil filter looked like it had never been changed in the bikes life. After oiling the chain I replaced the oil filter and filled her up with some nice new semi-synthetic oil.
As much as I wanted to strip the bike and clean it right up, I had promised myself a day out riding. I took off on a 3 hour ride into the Adelaide hills and Barossa Valley. It was a fantastic ride with sunny weather, some great coffee and a quick beer at Mt Pleasant. When I made it home I could have easily turned around and done it all over again.
One thing that became quickly obvious in the winding hills roads was that the handling is a lot different to my Adventure bike. I cant be as aggressive when cornering without the footpegs scraping in defiance. The bike certainly has its limits in handling but now I know them I can adjust my riding style to suit. The ride is a lot harsher over bumps than my old bike which had loads of suspension travel, its not uncomfortable though and kind of adds to the bikes character.
I have now began intensive cleaning of the bike starting from the front and working back, lubing parts and removing as much rust and dirt as humanly possible. I cant stand a dirty bike ! The guards and tank have pinstripes which I am also considering removing to give it a more plain look. I have ordered chrome radiator cover, chrome horn cover and some Vulcan classic badges for the tank. Will be adding some saddle bags in the future. Maybe a windshield if I decide to do some longer trips.
Overall I am very happy with the bike, it is certainly capable of putting a great big grin on my face and giving me the awesome sense of freedom and fun that motorcycle riding offers. What more could you want ! besides maybe a Vulcan 900? mmmmmm......
What a surprise! I am liking the comfortable seating position, the low centre of gravity and I can easily touch the ground for a change which is a bonus. I cant get enough of the engine sound and there is ample power for my needs. It goes without saying that my 'cool factor' rating has increased tenfold compared to when riding the old Honda Transalp!
I bought the bike from a guy who lived near the ocean and the bike had no doubt lived its life away from the comfort of a garage.
There was a tinge of rust to many parts of the bike and I could tell that it had lacked a TLC, I am sure the owners idea of looking after the bike was limited to spending 2 minutes per year polishing the chrome parts! However I could tell that the bike had good potential and the price was right. After a quick test ride I was convinced that it was a good match for what I was after. The torque, riding position and sound had me hooked. The other alternative bike was a Triumph Speedmaster which needed a bit of money spent on it so I opted for the lower cost option.
When the bike was safely home in my garage I was able to inspect closer. The chain was in bad need of lubrication and will need replacing soon. The oil was jet black and of a water like consistency, the oil filter looked like it had never been changed in the bikes life. After oiling the chain I replaced the oil filter and filled her up with some nice new semi-synthetic oil.
As much as I wanted to strip the bike and clean it right up, I had promised myself a day out riding. I took off on a 3 hour ride into the Adelaide hills and Barossa Valley. It was a fantastic ride with sunny weather, some great coffee and a quick beer at Mt Pleasant. When I made it home I could have easily turned around and done it all over again.
One thing that became quickly obvious in the winding hills roads was that the handling is a lot different to my Adventure bike. I cant be as aggressive when cornering without the footpegs scraping in defiance. The bike certainly has its limits in handling but now I know them I can adjust my riding style to suit. The ride is a lot harsher over bumps than my old bike which had loads of suspension travel, its not uncomfortable though and kind of adds to the bikes character.
I have now began intensive cleaning of the bike starting from the front and working back, lubing parts and removing as much rust and dirt as humanly possible. I cant stand a dirty bike ! The guards and tank have pinstripes which I am also considering removing to give it a more plain look. I have ordered chrome radiator cover, chrome horn cover and some Vulcan classic badges for the tank. Will be adding some saddle bags in the future. Maybe a windshield if I decide to do some longer trips.
Overall I am very happy with the bike, it is certainly capable of putting a great big grin on my face and giving me the awesome sense of freedom and fun that motorcycle riding offers. What more could you want ! besides maybe a Vulcan 900? mmmmmm......
