I bought the bike for my wife who has never driven or ridden anything. She has not been asking for many lessons so I have been giving the Vulcan some much needed love. My bike is a 2000 BMW R1100RT. The Vulcan is a nimble, quick ride that handles everything that it is asked to. A little underwhelming when the engine is cold. However, when it warms up, its true colours as a capable highway and commuting bike come through. One issue regarding reliablity that I have had, was probably nothing to do with the manufacture of the bike but rather the pre-delivery inspection -- the battery cables were not tightened and after a while the bike would quit running. The feel to this was as if it were being starved of fuel. Once the problem was diagnosed and rectified, the bike came back to life. Comfort wise, I find the seating position a little hard on my back. With the feet forward, I find that I tend to slouch a little putting pressure on my lower back. I found the same issue on another cruiser style bike that I have ridden (Suzuki C50T). Fuel economy is good getting 237 km from full to reserve. Performance of the 6 speed gear box surprised me. With the ability to be in 6th gear at 60kph, this bike pulls very good when you need to go. Roll on from 80kph to 100kph is effortless and requires just a minor twist of the wrist. And the horn could be louder. It's hard to warn the brain cell deficient soccer mom in the mini-van that she is in danger of running you off the road after she passes you with this little thing. First scheduled maintenance at 800km was very affordable.
Would I recommend this bike for a first time buyer? Absolutely. Would I buy this bike for myself? Probably not. The seating position (FOR ME) does it no favours. But this is likely a flaw of the cruiser styling more than anything else. My back prefers a more upright position.
Upgrades/Accessories: None (yet)
Write your own Review of this Vehicle!
Reviews provided by PowerSports Network
Disclaimer
Reviews are provided on an "as is" basis with no warranty and should be considered entertainment only. Reviews should not be used for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to, making decisions about any referenced vehicles, products, modifications or other information.
