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buellwinkle · 12-16-2005

I'm looking for a nice middle weight cruiser that has the classic look. I've priced out the two bikes and the OTD prices are pretty close, about $6k for the Vulcan and $6.3K for the C50. I'm going to be using it as a freeway commuter so comfort, noise, vibration control, low maintenance is key, handling & appearance is secondary.

I can't get the local Suzi dealers to let me test ride the C50, have any of you ridden both the Vulcan and C50 (or Volusia) and can tell me which is smoother, faster, better balanced, more comfortable for long rides? My biggest concern with the Vulcan is the chain drive as I don't have time to keep the chain lubed and clean. FI vs Carb doesn't matter to me, I've had pretty nice smooth fast sport bikes with carbs and they ran just fine.

Also, saw the Vulcan 900 at the show, it's gone up in price so I would expect it's a few hundred more than the C50 but it may not come out for a while. Is it worth waiting to see or is getting something the day it comes out a big mistake in terms of reliability. Aftermarket doesn't bother me as all I really want is a nice windshield and I'm sure the Kawasaki one is fine.

12-16-2005	#1 (permalink)
buellwinkle Newbie Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 13	Vulcan 800 Classic vs. Boulevard C50 I'm looking for a nice middle weight cruiser that has the classic look. I've priced out the two bikes and the OTD prices are pretty close, about $6k for the Vulcan and $6.3K for the C50. I'm going to be using it as a freeway commuter so comfort, noise, vibration control, low maintenance is key, handling & appearance is secondary. I can't get the local Suzi dealers to let me test ride the C50, have any of you ridden both the Vulcan and C50 (or Volusia) and can tell me which is smoother, faster, better balanced, more comfortable for long rides? My biggest concern with the Vulcan is the chain drive as I don't have time to keep the chain lubed and clean. FI vs Carb doesn't matter to me, I've had pretty nice smooth fast sport bikes with carbs and they ran just fine. Also, saw the Vulcan 900 at the show, it's gone up in price so I would expect it's a few hundred more than the C50 but it may not come out for a while. Is it worth waiting to see or is getting something the day it comes out a big mistake in terms of reliability. Aftermarket doesn't bother me as all I really want is a nice windshield and I'm sure the Kawasaki one is fine.