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Serious Thumper 2005 No Login
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Professional "scooter trash".
Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
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Older Kawasaki VN800, any of the 3 flavors. Best metric middleweight twins, bar none. The 900s are just the same engines with belt drive, fuel injection and a slight overbore (and hideous fenders, seats, bars, and shiny bits).
The 800A is a road burner, I blew out the speedometer drive on my 99 once and the speedometer itself once, wide open, needle pegged (140+). But, and it's a big but, mine was putting out close to 60hp at the rear wheel courtesy of a LOT of modifications...
The 800B is a sofa on wheels, doesn't handle at all compared to an A or a Savage since it has same size wheels on both ends. Once you get used to the slower steering response of a short wide tire, 130/90-16 front, it's a very good bike. With a 150/80-16 rear it absorbs road issues beautifully (and you can run wide whites with NO hunting for them).
800 Drifter is the best looking, retains the most value and is the hardest to find. With a 2 up seat it looks horrid, solo seat, especially the high mount version, it looks like a modernized Scout.
You can easily make a Savage a 3-400 mile a day bike with bar, seat and foot peg work. Swap the pegs for floor boards, use a large (K model) sprung solo seat, VS800 Intruder rear shocks, and taller wider handlebar.
That said, if you liked the Virago, get a V-star. Same basic engine, modernized, in a whole lot more comfortable chassis.
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