I am 6'3" and change, with two beloved Savages. I had to get something bigger from getting cramped up with a sore but on my thumpers.

So, I shopped the web for reviews and finally found a Kaw Vulcan 900 Classic with 4K miles for $4K on CL, a cream puff wife's bike.

Great ride, if anyone needs a big wide comfortable cruiser. I am having a blast on it. It is friendly, stable, good looking and a nice bike for the money. They are popular and widely available used.

I been doing the Jerry Palladino Ride Like A Pro DVD training for big bikes, based on police motor officer training for low speed maneuvering and in general not dropping a heavy bike. There is great stuff in that course for any rider of any bike.

What's fun is, I get on the Savages now and they feel like toys, like tiny, narrow, quick, maneuverable little pinto ponies by comparison. Just a blast. I have a whole new appreciation of them again.

But I love the 900cc Vulcan. Try one sometime. You get on it and think OMG, but let out the clutch and it's a great ride.

Other thing is, you get on the Vulcan forum and discover this particular bike is very well worked out. There are almost no design flaws or problem parts or systems compared to the Savage which we all know is a bit of a work in progress.

If it wasn't for the rainy cold Texas weather setting in I'd be cracking a wide grin right about now.

Pretty high (no tach on the bike.) But 70 is about it for me anyway.

People put a taller back tire on them, and also pulley sets are available. It's not too buzzy or rough on the freeway, though, and it's glad to turn the rpm's.

On Vulcans, you go to the 1700cc to get 70-80mph in the snoring mid 2000rpm range. I test rode one of those (a Nomad, with big instrumented fairing) but it was a lot heavier, and top heavier, and seemed like more weight than I was ready to deal with. Also, the forums indicated it has more troublesome and expensive maintenance quirks to deal with.

I think large V-twins are something you grow into if that's your thing. The 900 was as far as I was comfortable with. Its handling and weight are fairly light and responsive, CG is low, 580lbs. But it is big, wide and comfortable. The engine is good. Torqey across the rev range, and smooth. For my riding style it's real nice.

I had a Vulcan 900 custom a few years back.  It's a fine motorcycle and I still miss it.  I remember it being silky smooth with a real plush suspension and the big gas tank is also a bonus.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  

Best regards,

so still a spinner
1700 id too much CCs just to get a relaxed cruise at 70, what the heck is wrong with bike builders?

How much the S40s frenzy bothers me depends a lot on my mindset
If I get on thinking 'cruiser relaxed ride' I'm unhappy
if I tell myself it's a sport single and ring it's neck I'm pretty ok wit it lol

Yes it is. The LS650 occupies a unique place in the MC world, from just about every perspective. There'd be a lot less grins without it.

Yes indeed, it's in its element on the county roads. And it is perfectly well suited to the tight and twisties at 60mph, once you learn to lean in and trust it. It isn't a crotch rocket but it's competent and predictable.

Art Webb wrote on 12/02/15 at 08:43:49:


I believe that bike builders all gear the bike so that at cruising speed they are up in the strong part of the power curve.  This is necessary so the engine won't be lugging too much when you add the windshield, saddle bags, second rider........and tend to push the maximum load capacity of the bike.  Also it ensures that you aren't lugging the engine too much.  Motorcycles don't tend to have the gearing with any sort of overdrive.....high gear is generally the one that will get you to the maximum mph that the bike is capable of going.  The downside of this is that when you are riding alone, on level ground, with little wind in your face....the engine is spinning pretty fast and not really making much HP, and it does seem like a taller gear would be better.

My neighbor has a Suzuki Volusia 800, and got tired of hearing the twin wound up so high at cruise - so he changed the rear end to a 1400 rear end.  I changed my gearing on my Savage Cafe bike and it is now geared really tall........ 5th gear isn't used for anything under 60 mph.  If I wanted to see what my top speed is I would have to use 4th gear as 5th doesn't let the engine wind up enough to get into the rpm where it makes HP.