Like
many of you, I spent countless hours cruising the internet,
skimming magazines, checking classifieds and pestering dealers
before making my first motorcycle purchase. For my "beginner
bike", I chose the Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD, and I must
say this machine has far exceeded my expectations.
I
was torn between the Vulcan and Honda's VLX. They are similarly
priced and both bikes have received glowing reviews here and
elsewhere. Not to mention they both look very cool! Coolness
aside, what finally sold me was the comfortable riding position
of the Kawi - it just somehow seemed to fit my 6' 195 lb. frame
better. The VLX may fit you better, so do yourself a favor and
check it out too.
I
didn't do a test drive, so my first "real" riding
experience with the Vulcan came on the way home from the dealership,
a 15 mile trip with some interesting challenges for a beginner.
Lots of stop lights, hills, twists and turns. My only 2-wheel
experience before this was riding a Nighthawk 250 for two days
in a MSF rider course.
Unlike
the Nighthawk, the Vulcan 500 cruiser springs to life with a
pleasant throaty rumble from its flared pipes. It is not overly
loud but quite powerful sounding, almost like a Porsche. Before
heading home, I decided to take the Kawi around the parking
lot several times to get familiar with the controls. Right away
I was impressed both by the weight and power of this machine
- after all, my only point of reference was the Nighthawk. The
Vulcan is roughly 150 pounds heavier, but surprisingly no more
difficult to maneuver.
Then
came the moment of truth. I must admit I was a little nervous
about getting out on a busy 6-lane street. Ok, I was extremely
nervous. A few weeks earlier, I had mastered weaving orange
cones in the MSF course, but this would be my first encounter
with real cell phone-jabbering cage dwellers.
Once
underway, the nervousness soon faded as I began to appreciate
the capabilities of this awesome machine. Because of my size,
I had been skeptical about the pulling power of its 500cc motor.
Most $ales people had tried to steer me to the 750 or 800. I'm
glad I stuck with the "little" Vulcan. Lighter, cheaper,
easier to maneuver and - believe me - PLENTY of punch even with
a 200-pounder aboard!
Pulling
away from the first red light on my way home, I was immediately
impressed by the effortless acceleration available with this
bike in 1st and 2nd gears. It has the same water-cooled inline
twin power plant as the Ninja 500 sport bike, although tuned
more for cruising. Very confidence-inspiring in traffic especially
for a newbie like me. The Vulcan has 6 gears and I have had
no trouble finding them all. Also found neutral easily which
is always a plus.
As
I approached home on this inaugural ride, I saw a Harley coming
from the other direction. As we passed, I got a grin and a wave.
Talk about inspiring confidence in a beginner!
I've
only had the Vulcan a week now, so I can't tell you much more
than that. Still practicing cruising quiet suburban streets
and vacant parking lots for the time being. But I wanted to
write a review since I found the discussions on this web site
so useful. Hope you find my experience helpful in your buying
decision. Be safe and have fun!
Rider
Review: 2003 Kawasaki Vulcan 500