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It has been awhile


scottb
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Glad to be back and re-introduce myself.

I been busy living life, nothing Earth shattering.

 

Working on training my 2 year old Alaskan Husky to hopefully become a therapy dog for people in hospice. 

Those that might recall, I lost my Father to cancer in 2012 and hospice really helped our family.

Hoping to repay the favor in the future.

 

Still riding the 1982 GS 850.

I did eyeball a Kawasaki Voyager and I think that might be the next bike purchase, since Suzuki does not make a full dress bike that looks like a Goldwing.

 

Thanks,

 ScottB

 

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Tonik. thank you, that is the year range i was looking at at RIck Roush in Medina, had a grey one, but I liked the blue color i seen in the cycle trader. When I get ready so basic questions together i will get them to you, beside the over how do you like yours, how trouble free? what you change on a stock one for better comfort or ridablity?

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Tonik. thank you, that is the year range i was looking at at RIck Roush in Medina, had a grey one, but I liked the blue color i seen in the cycle trader. When I get ready so basic questions together i will get them to you, beside the over how do you like yours, how trouble free? what you change on a stock one for better comfort or ridablity?

 

I love it. Bought it new at the end of the 2013 season and have about 33K on it. I will drive it to 100K or so, maybe more. I test drove every bike in the same class before I bought this. Nothing really grabbed me and made me smile like it did.  There are tons of them out there at 150k to 250k with no major issues.

 

No major issues, but a couple of things to watch out for.

 

The steering head bearings suck. They are crappy lightweight ball bearings.  There is a great aftermarket set of tapered rollers that we all use, like 30 bucks and all is well. Most people replace them around 20k, it starts to feel weird.  Factory tires suck, worst tires I have ever had. Hated the rear so much I replaced it at 4k.   Michelin Commander II's or Dunlop Elite III's are the tire of choice for it.  20K on a rear is the norm with either of those.

 

There is a recall on the ignition switch, so when you get yours run the VIN with Ma Kaw to see if it needs to be done or has been done.  Not a big deal, a few people had a wire on the switch rub against the tank.

 

For comfort and mods:

 

I don't like looking through a windshield. So I replaced the factory one with a Clearview recurve that sits just at my nose. Tosses the wind over my head just fine.  That is personal choice, some people like to look through a windshield I guess.  Highway pegs on the crash bars. Kury grips, a cup holder, little holster for my e-cig/vap and a ram mount for my phone. One big mod, a dude in Canada makes a fork brace. I ride pretty hard for a big cruiser guy and the front forks flex a bit when leaned over hard.  The brace fixed that, I love it. But unless you scrap floor boards a lot you won't need it.

 

The wheel base is shorter, so a bit more crowded 2 up, the plus side is it turns really well for a big bike. Wife and I fit on it just fine, but both of us are on the skinny side. Tons of room for a weeks worth of junk for the two of us.  The rear shocks adjust both for load (air) and damping....you can tune it easily for what you have on the bike so it rides very well.

 

I suggest 2012 or newer if you can swing it.  In 2012 they put an air management system on it to get rid of a lot of the heat on the right side.  You can retrofit it on the earlier models but it is like 500 bucks. If you are thinking new you should be able to get that bike all day long for under 16k. I paid 15,500 for mine new and that included shipping since Ohio Motorcycle didn't have one.  And it is the ABS model. And I love the ABS, I will never own another bike without it. 

 

Also, in 2011 they changed the gearing a bit and changed the EFI a bit.  2011+ is noticeably peppier, especially at 50mph and up for passing.

 

There are two pretty busy forums for this bike. Often used ones for sale there, if I see any I will speak up.

 

http://vulcanbagger.com/forums/

 

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=kawvulcan&nav=messages&start=Start+Reading+%3E%3E&prettyurl=%2Fkawvulcan%2Fmessages%2F%3Fstart%3DStart%2BReading%2B%253E%253E&gid=1877977879

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Oh, and I am in Seven Hills if you want to look at it without a sales droid breathing down your neck.  It will be at my house for a few more weeks, then into my father in laws garage after that. But he is just a few blocks away.

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