- This topic has 10 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 4 months ago by Munch.
Woohoo…. New family member!
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December 18, 2008 at 8:48 pm #2419MunchParticipant
I am so happy…. brought this girl home today. Man what a difference from the 500 to the 900. Bigger, wider fully loaded, beautiful and handles better then I hoped. Some minor tweeks to make her that much more perfect for me. The windshield is the major tweek. If I can’t calm some of the turbulence its coming off. My head had less rocking with straight wind. Other one is the clutch lever is more at a downward angle to my liking… but these are simple problems and simple solutions. Only thing I didn’t like….. weather people lied and I had to take her home in the rain. Nothing like learning a new bike thats bigger, heavier, more powerful and just down right different in the rain and wet. 1st lesson…..first gear is definitely lower then what the 500 was….I shifted down to first for an intersection turn and the back wheel did a quick slide and grab….mental note…. 2nd for intersections. Floor boards are a new feel too. Didn’t think I would like em but it didn’t take long to get proven wrong. Plus with all the new found room I am glad they have the heel shift pedal on there to.
Anyways for a cruiser aspect for the new riders…. Definitely recommend starting under or at 600cc. Or at best try Elwoods 883. My Vulcan 900 classic LT is weighted 200Lbs heavier then my 500 was and the site said 6 inches longer…. however in the showroom we put them side by side…. yea… more Cadillac to Paseo comparison. The 900 has a lot of Torque and will get the absolute amateur on the ground in a hurry. The size of it slows the maneuverability or the response rather dramatically, but not to where you would be concerned in a parking lot.
My Vulcan 500 definitely prepared my skills to better compensate for the changes and not having to fight panic when things feel different. She might have been small but she taught me how to lean in turns, slow speed maneuvering, more important with the new torque…. FRICTION ZONE. If I had to learn all this on the 900…. wow… I know without a doubt I would have a lot of recovery time for me and the bike.
Take it from me first hand…. learn smaller first!! Your body, your wallet and your skills will thank you.
Anyways….time for the pic:
Thats the stock photo. I have everything you see here, same color and the whole nine. Will get some live photos once I have someone around to take em. Man I am a happy boy…… this is the best Christmas present I could ask to have for the next 10 yrs.
December 18, 2008 at 9:18 pm #15339Sangria7ParticipantCONGRATS !! AWESOME Munch!!
December 18, 2008 at 11:39 pm #15342RobMParticipantThat bike is cool, even for standard/sport bike dude..
December 19, 2008 at 7:50 pm #15349dcJohnParticipantThat’s a gorgeous bike Munch. Congrats!
December 19, 2008 at 7:53 pm #15350LokiParticipantNIce bike man. Good job.
December 19, 2008 at 8:12 pm #15353Clay DowlingParticipantI had the same wind buffeting problem on my Magna, which the previous owner had installed a behemoth of a cruiser windshield on. I pulled that off and put a flyscreen on, and the problem is gone. My head is in the smooth air and the rest of me is out of the wind. Gotta have a full-face helmet, but I have an aversion to low-flying junebugs anyway.
December 19, 2008 at 9:08 pm #15355MunchParticipantThanks y’all
I played with the height of the windshield today and took her back out… Much better.Think I will keep it on . I have a full face when I ride… as I would like to minimize the amount of reconstructive surgery needed should things go awry. Got to play on her for about 2 hours then a mean warm front came in with 35 mph crosswinds…. definitely a fun feeling when your still adjusting to a bike and a cross wind decides to help ya lean in a turn a bit more…lol. Soooooo happy I learned on the 500 first.
lookng forward to spring to test out the force field between me and those bugs… June bugs…. rose beetles…small birds… i’ve been fortunate to smack em all!!!…. now I can try it without the ” WTF, dang that hurt!!” reaction.Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
December 20, 2008 at 4:45 am #15360smokeizfireParticipantThere was a guy who rode to MSF class on one. Love the color, man. I have no idea what the stock pipes sound like, for this guy had cobra slip-on’s. Congrats on your great achievement. Do I see aHarley in your future? So, did you trade in the ol’ Vulcan 5? I sat on the 900 custom a while back. Just a little too big for me at that time. I wonder what that V-Star 950 sits like. Congratulations again! And enjoy, but not too much. Lol
HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS
December 20, 2008 at 5:17 am #15361MunchParticipantI think if I were to win a lottery I may get the Streetbob that I have been after, but to be honest… the 900 is just about perfect…. well aside from the add ons I plan to dress her up with…. but I can really say …. an Upgrade at this point is not even a thought. Give it about 10 yrs …. maybe. Yea I traded the V500 in only lost about $500 on the trade from what i purchased it for… then got that back off the price tag on the 900. I opened her up a bit today…no need for aftermarket pipes…yet, the stockers are pleasant yet a mild reminder of what you got…..open her up and yea….. you can wake the neighbors.
The 950 I am not sure about , for some reason here the dealer I bought both bikes from sells everything but has to do it in separate locations. The shops are about 2o mins apart. I imagine there will be subtle difference. Seeing how Kawi redid the 800 to become the 900 back in 06 Vstar had to come back with an answer… the 950 is almost a complete mimic except they had to make it different somehow….so why not try and squeeze out another 50cc’s , oh yea… at about another $200 for that 50cc’s too. Paint options varying the price too ofcourse.Heres a link for a side by side comparison:
http://www.team-powersports.com/new_vehicle_compare.asp?sid=08693811X12K9K2008J9I31I21JPMQ736R0&veh1=88074&mfg2=2&veh2=98882&go=Go#compareFirst problem I see is the 950 is air cooled….not necessarily a bad thing… as long as you have nothing but open road and minimal rush hour time. The tank is 1 gallon smaller on capacity…and welll you look and see….
Thanks for the compliments!Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
December 24, 2008 at 1:18 am #15401Sangria7ParticipantI have an air cooled bike…and in stop and go traffic…but I havent been able to test it yet in the blistering texas summer yet.
December 24, 2008 at 4:50 am #15408MunchParticipantHehe…. yea yea… I pick on those that I get along with also…. and home…. hmm…. I think I remember what that is… I do make it to my mailing address every night though.
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Common sense exists!!! Problem is -if the ones around me are setting the bar
……. I am a genius!
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