Kawasaki Vulcan 650 is it good.

[AllanB]

 This year I planned on getting a Triumph Spitfire for my fun vehicle, however I soon dicovered that the 1500 is reeeeealy boring, so my thoughts have moved to bikes for our European tourer. 

 

A number a years ago I looked at a Vulcan in Thailand and thought it just up my street, it fitted me, felt good and looked good, the thing that killed it was that I hate highway riding and I needed something that will go on the back of my 4 door pickup.

 

In Europe, howeve, I will be buying a trailer so anything will fit on that, so I am considering 2 bikes, the Vulcan and a Triumph Bonneville and would like to here from someone who has a Vulcan, or who has riden one and has an objective opinion.

 

650cc is just about right for me and the Mrs as I am not a fast rider, just like to chill and cruise the mountain twisties.

[findlay13]

I have a Vulcan S and a Bonneville America.Like them both  but both are cruisers,and although my Triumph handles very well for a  cruiser,as does the Vulcan  a standard Bonneville with mid-mount pegs [should] be better on twisty roads 

 

[AllanB]

I saw a report on the Vulcan S today saying it is really boring and maybe that is reflected in it's lack of popularity. That I can't live with, so I will keep looking, I have a penchant for something British, so will keep an eye on Ebay. I would like a 650, but early Bonnies are kickstart and my legs are not up to it. 

 

Another bike which just came to mind is the Versys 650, is that a pretty easy/relaxing bike to ride for two up, I know there are a few owners out there?

[findlay13]

Riding anything in Thailand is not boring.There's something new around every corner.Tractors, Cows on the road etc.???? I don't find the Vulcan "boring" no more so than any reliable jap bike.No more boring than My Triumph.It's no head down arse up "boy racer" bike but I've never been into that style anyway.

You need to decide what style you want.Vulcan,Old Bonneville, now a Versys ,Royal Enfield before that.Those are like comparing apples and oranges.

 

 

 

[thaiguzzi]

On 9/24/2018 at 7:23 PM, AllanB said:

I hate highway riding and I needed something that will go on the back of my 4 door pickup.

?????????????

On 9/24/2018 at 7:23 PM, AllanB said:

n Europe, howeve, I will be buying a trailer so anything will fit on that

??????????????

9 hours ago, AllanB said:

I saw a report on the Vulcan S today saying it is really boring and maybe that is reflected in it's lack of popularity. That I can't live with, so I will keep looking, I have a penchant for something British, so will keep an eye on Ebay. I would like a 650, but early Bonnies are kickstart and my legs are not up to it. 

 

Another bike which just came to mind is the Versys 650, is that a pretty easy/relaxing bike to ride for two up, I know there are a few owners out there?

Would not a Versys & a Vulcan be equally boring if they are based on the same chassis & engine???

On 9/24/2018 at 7:23 PM, AllanB said:

I will be buying a trailer so anything will fit on that,

I have never ever understood trailering a motorcycle anywhere, in particular a road legal motorcycle, designed, ya know, for riding on, er tarmac roads. The Americans in particular are really bad for this. They'll buy a $30-40-50k custom Harley, trailer it a 1000 miles thru fantastic scenery & great roads, then unload it and ride the last 20 miles into the annual Sturgis rally. I find it personally, rather sick.

 Don't get me wrong, i fully understand guys 'n gals transporting their off road sports bike on the pick up to their destination, be it motocross, enduro or trials, but a road bike ???

[AllanB]

1 hour ago, thaiguzzi said:

?????????????

??????????????

Would not a Versys & a Vulcan be equally boring if they are based on the same chassis & engine???

I have never ever understood trailering a motorcycle anywhere, in particular a road legal motorcycle, designed, ya know, for riding on, er tarmac roads. The Americans in particular are really bad for this. They'll buy a $30-40-50k custom Harley, trailer it a 1000 miles thru fantastic scenery & great roads, then unload it and ride the last 20 miles into the annual Sturgis rally. I find it personally, rather sick.

 Don't get me wrong, i fully understand guys 'n gals transporting their off road sports bike on the pick up to their destination, be it motocross, enduro or trials, but a road bike ???

This is the review I am referring to:- 

 

Having never ridden either of the Kawa bikes I am after other people's opinions. I am in central Portugal, so bikes are few and far between here and my trips to the UK are fleeting. I need a start point and this forum is compact in terms of reference.

 

Okay trailering a bike, it's about long distances:- 

Thailand (winters). I love riding and travel, but am fearful of riding Thai highways 2up and it's boring, so putting my CRF on my pickup means I can enjoy new backroads, mountains and far flung places without the danger of extended highway travel. As with the Yanks, it's also a comfort thing, driving 600km in one day with aircon and music is easy. Cheating? perhaps, I call it compromise. If you are into doing thousands on kms of high speed riding with your chick on pilion, that's fine, it is not for us.

 

Portugal (summers) is in the far west of mainland Europe, so if I want to ride the beautiful Alps for instance, it would mean many days hard, all weather travel 2up, carrying a lot of gear and then sleeping in a bloody tent. European hotels are very expensive as is eating out, so tenting in the rain it is and I am just too old for that shit. The campervan is perfect for that, I can cruise to the alps, eating well en-route and sleeping in comfort for free. Typically staying overnight on the side of a beautiful lake, a hearty breakfast, then roll the bike off the trailer and ride these fantastic mountain roads. For me it's perfect and affordable. Riding Greece is planned for next year and that is gruelling expedition distance on a motorcycle, no thanks.

 

Then there is the question of MOTs, the UK, where I have to buy my vehicles is 3-5 days drive from my home in Portugal, so with a trailer I can put my scooter and bike on the trailer and get all 3 MOTd on one trip and bring extra gear back too from the UK. 

 

If you want to know why I buy in the UK, two reasons. 1. Choice/price. 2. I ride on an internation biker's licence and that is easy with UK insurance. There is a 3rd reason, I don't speak Portugese and this place is a mountain of red tape. Oh, forget about getting vehicle's registered here.

 

So just trying to get a few pointers.

[findlay13]

Did you actually watch this revue? He's bored with it because it's so good at what it does. Look at half a dozen other pro Vulcan videos of them beating Harleys even a Rocket 3 in rolling drags.Great for me in Thailand ,solid,dependable, but anyway,buy what you want. A vespa would do  would do for what you intend. Trailering anything except a dirt bike or small run about is contrary to my idea of motorcycling.

[thaiguzzi]

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

Cheating? perhaps,

Yes. And you are missing out.

 

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

European hotels are very expensive as is eating out,

Not done it in 10 years, but my last road trip, as always, i was very impressed with prices for sleeping & eating out in Europe. Inc places like Northern Italy & the Alps & Germany/Austria. Bottle of wine & a pizza for 10 Euros, decent room in a motel/hotel for 20 Euros. Hate camping.... It's the crappy toilets & block showers and putting a tent up/pulling it down bit. Despise it. Many a time i've just left a tent where i (half heartedly) put it up....

 

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

Portugal (summers) is in the far west of mainland Europe,

You been to visit the Faro bike show yet?

Brilliant weekend, highly recommended. Here's me and my mate at the 97 show (me on the right)...

 

1 hour ago, findlay13 said:

Did you actually watch this revue? He's bored with it because it's so good at what it does.

Yeah. Strange innit? Before the MT07 came out, all the journos used to rave about the ER6N. Prolly over a 100,000 sold worldwide.

 Same engine....

[AllanB]

True, he didn't say it was a bad bike but he did say he didn't ride it because it was boring. I think these days there is a fine line between reliable and unreliable, I don't need anything from a bike like this other than 110kph and the feel good factor. My Vespa and Yamaha scooters have very similar figures in terms of performance, but the Vespa is much much more fun, I just love riding it. That's what I want form a bike if I can find it.

 

With regards to the cost of travel in Europe I have been doing this for 5 years now and a hotel is between 50 and 80 euro/night, an average meal for two about 25 euro, so you are looking at 120-150/day = 1,000 euro a week. In high season it can cost even more and be more difficult too, booking.com we use can be a pig in a poke. Then you have the hassel of finding the hotels, meeting deadlines, traffic and security. With a campervan you are looking at about 50 euro/week for grub, you stop when you want, eat better food and sleep it better locations. The stress of travel is almost completely eliminated and I guess that is why it is so popular. We do around 6 of these trips a year so that saves us 6,000 euro and means we carry everything we need in our 1.2 tonne payload van. Around much of the Mediteranean you can camp with a sea view and in the mountains have the same view as a 200 euro/night hotel. See the sun come up, the mist lift, or the rain pour down, whatever the gods decree.

 

Trust me Guzzi this is a great way to travel for young and old. 

 

Will take a look at the Faro bike show see when it is, will be next year when I have a bike. Not sure a 50cc Peugeot Clic would cut the mustard against the Harleys.

 

We are all different in what we want from a bike, our budget and abilities, the common factor is we all want fun.

[findlay13]

You've just answered your own question.Stick your Vespa or Yamaha or what ever on the back and travel by camper van.

 

[papa al]

15 hours ago, AllanB said:

True, he didn't say it was a bad bike but he did say he didn't ride it because it was boring. I think these days there is a fine line between reliable and unreliable, I don't need anything from a bike like this other than 110kph and the feel good factor. My Vespa and Yamaha scooters have very similar figures in terms of performance, but the Vespa is much much more fun, I just love riding it. That's what I want form a bike if I can find it.

 

With regards to the cost of travel in Europe I have been doing this for 5 years now and a hotel is between 50 and 80 euro/night, an average meal for two about 25 euro, so you are looking at 120-150/day = 1,000 euro a week. In high season it can cost even more and be more difficult too, booking.com we use can be a pig in a poke. Then you have the hassel of finding the hotels, meeting deadlines, traffic and security. With a campervan you are looking at about 50 euro/week for grub, you stop when you want, eat better food and sleep it better locations. The stress of travel is almost completely eliminated and I guess that is why it is so popular. We do around 6 of these trips a year so that saves us 6,000 euro and means we carry everything we need in our 1.2 tonne payload van. Around much of the Mediteranean you can camp with a sea view and in the mountains have the same view as a 200 euro/night hotel. See the sun come up, the mist lift, or the rain pour down, whatever the gods decree.

 

Trust me Guzzi this is a great way to travel for young and old. 

 

Will take a look at the Faro bike show see when it is, will be next year when I have a bike. Not sure a 50cc Peugeot Clic would cut the mustard against the Harleys.

 

We are all different in what we want from a bike, our budget and abilities, the common factor is we all want fun.

Like Cindy Lauper sang:

"Girls just want to have fun."!

[AllanB]

2 hours ago, findlay13 said:

You've just answered your own question.Stick your Vespa or Yamaha or what ever on the back and travel by camper van.

 

The Vespa is a 125 and completely useless in the Alps, Pindus, or even the Pyrenees, especially 2up. The Yamaha is in Thailand... and also a 125, just about made MHSL.

[findlay13]

????????

[AllanB]

14 hours ago, papa al said:

Like Cindy Lauper sang:

"Girls just want to have fun."!

What are you incinerating? Are you still doing it standing up, haven't heard lately.

[AllanB]

Seems he changed his mind