2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom
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Nice looking bike at a bargain price. "Although the cruiser market overall has remained relatively flat," Hmm bad news for HD and the GPTB "stay the course crowd". "On first glance, Austin looks like a
sophisticated and cultured big city that wouldn't be out of place in Northern California or the Pacific Northwest" my mom went to school there a couple a years before getting her Mrs. Degree. She always had great things to say about and I was always skeptical. A few years ago went there for a conference and some classes. I agree with Gable.
sophisticated and cultured big city that wouldn't be out of place in Northern California or the Pacific Northwest" my mom went to school there a couple a years before getting her Mrs. Degree. She always had great things to say about and I was always skeptical. A few years ago went there for a conference and some classes. I agree with Gable.
Each year, many of us Morons froth at the lips at the latest wares from the bike manufacturers. Usually we cast our eyes at the hot ticket bikes like the new R1 or 1098 Duc, in other words bikes that few of us can actually afford. I'll tell you though, I think Kawasaki has a huge winner on their hands with this one. I'm not sure what the figures are, but based on my experience it seems like more and more women are purchasing bikes and even moreso upgrading from a first bike. I think it's this demographic that this bike will most appeal to. It's got all the elements, subtle styling cues that I think the market will eat up. Let's wait and see I guess. Hey Kawasaki, if you make enough selling these jobs, do you think you might take a stab at building a hot rod cruiser based on the 14 engine?
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Re: P.S.
Your wife wanted to model for the photos, but da Fonz left his wide-angle lens back at the hotel.
-Sean
Your wife wanted to model for the photos, but da Fonz left his wide-angle lens back at the hotel.
-Sean
Interesting Point
A certain Kawasaki person told me 15% of their customers are women...if they sell 90,000 bikes a year, that's 13,500 motorcycle, more than any one single model.
Women make the majority of purchasing decisions about cars and many other consumer goods now, and the manufacturers are starting to pay attention to that. Can a motorcycle built primarily to appeal to women be far in the future? Or does it already exist?
-Gabe
A certain Kawasaki person told me 15% of their customers are women...if they sell 90,000 bikes a year, that's 13,500 motorcycle, more than any one single model.
Women make the majority of purchasing decisions about cars and many other consumer goods now, and the manufacturers are starting to pay attention to that. Can a motorcycle built primarily to appeal to women be far in the future? Or does it already exist?
-Gabe
All I really know about Austin is 'Austin City Limits' and the experiences of a friend of mine who went to the South by Southwest Music Festival ( SXSW). Austin is essentialy, a College Town. If you get all the Jocks, Pot Heads, Anarcists, MBA's, and Philosophy students into one pit, the winner being the Last Person Standing, who would it be? In Austin, God bless them, they still think it would be someone other than the MBA's. Unfortunately, they would probably be mistaken.
Is it me, or is the rear wheel badly proportioned? It just seems like they took it out of a scooter or something (only 15 inches!). It especially looks tiny from the left side, perhaps the impression magnified by the pulley (of the belt drive) because it hides most of the rear tire. Why didn't they use a 17 inch or even 16 inch wheel? There seems to be a problem with the height of the rear fender too, and come to think of it the swing arm looks a bit short as well, but these are probably the result of the small rear tire. If it were human it would have the upper body of a weight lifter and a midgets legs. It is a good looking bike, until I look at the rear end, especially from the left hand side. What do you guys think?
OMG, wouldn't that be BA? Think of it as a Mean Streak on steroids, NOS, and a supercharger!!! Maybe even a HEMI, SWEET!!! LOL! It would be the power cruiser big K should have made. Of course it would need a serious "retune" for less on top and more at bottom/midrange, but oh yeah that would be BA!!!
Never happen though, they would have to disguise it to look like a V-twin somehow or the brainwashed masses wouldn't buy it no matter what the performance was like.
Never happen though, they would have to disguise it to look like a V-twin somehow or the brainwashed masses wouldn't buy it no matter what the performance was like.
Not a bad looking bike. First choice blue, then red. Black (nah, youre not bad so don't try to be),
I'm beginning to realize that cruisers may be the way to go if you want to carry a passenger in any comfort. My KLR is no chick magnet thats for sure, especially the mature types I hang around.
I'm beginning to realize that cruisers may be the way to go if you want to carry a passenger in any comfort. My KLR is no chick magnet thats for sure, especially the mature types I hang around.
You are right, there is a proportion issue with the rear of the Vulcan 900 Custom when no one is on it. It appears big K was going for a neo-Frisco chopper silhouette but got the proportions off by a tad and the rear fender is riding too high. If it had a 16" rear-wheel the proportions would be much better. Perhaps a simple accessory like slant-sided saddlebags would alter the visual height of the fender and close the gap between the top of the tire and the bottom line of the fender.
Alternatively, if the front wheel was a 19", the rear fender lowered, or lower and changed to a ducktail style but keeping the 15" rear-wheel, then youll almost have a big Honda VLX, which has a classic Frisco chopper silhouette.
Not to diss either bike, I commute on a VLX in the D.C. area 10 months out of a year rain or shine. And I have put the 900 Custom at the top of my consideration list for my next commuter. The price is right, the size is right (for my 29" inseam legs), the fuel injection is right, the power is almost right (wish it has at least five more ponies) and when some mid-size saddle-bags are thrown over the rear, the style will look almost right.
Gabe or fellow MOrons: Any info on the MPG? Maintenance? Other real-world riding info?
Alternatively, if the front wheel was a 19", the rear fender lowered, or lower and changed to a ducktail style but keeping the 15" rear-wheel, then youll almost have a big Honda VLX, which has a classic Frisco chopper silhouette.
Not to diss either bike, I commute on a VLX in the D.C. area 10 months out of a year rain or shine. And I have put the 900 Custom at the top of my consideration list for my next commuter. The price is right, the size is right (for my 29" inseam legs), the fuel injection is right, the power is almost right (wish it has at least five more ponies) and when some mid-size saddle-bags are thrown over the rear, the style will look almost right.
Gabe or fellow MOrons: Any info on the MPG? Maintenance? Other real-world riding info?
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