Vulcan 500 and the Ninja 500

[alduro]

Hello all,

Hopefully I am posting this in the right place but I had a couple of questions about the Vulcan 500 after a LOT of searches and readings.

1.) I just bought a 2004 Ninja 500 and man is that thing quick and fun. I'm 5'11 and 235-240 pounds (depends on how much Mexican food I eat). I was wondering if the Vulcan 500 had the pep that the Ninja 500 does, or similar because of the 6 gears and the common engine? Anyone have experience with both of these?

2.) The Vulcan 500 bars are a little tight in for me (though I'm pretending to buy this bike for my wife) but if she doesn't like it, can I adjust the angle of the bars or switch them out with something that allows me to stretch out more?

3.) Is the seat adjustable or the foot pegs? Search though I might, I can't find anyone who could tell me, including a local dealership who simply said "well you can buy another seat"......that doesn't exactly answer my question. If I could move the seat back an inch or 2 that'd be great.

My main interest in this is for my wife, but she hasn't decided to ride yet. I love my ninja, but somedays you feel like riding, some days you feel like just going along for the ride. My father in law goes to all those Texas Harley and Cruiser rallies and wants me to go, but I don't want to be the one guy there with a ninja...... Plus I can get Vulcans used here for under $3000 all day....which is nice.

Thanks for the help...hopefully I'm not asking a bunch of dumb questions.

[longbeachgary]

Originally Posted by alduro

Hello all,

Hopefully I am posting this in the right place but I had a couple of questions about the Vulcan 500 after a LOT of searches and readings.

1.) I just bought a 2004 Ninja 500 and man is that thing quick and fun. I'm 5'11 and 235-240 pounds (depends on how much Mexican food I eat). I was wondering if the Vulcan 500 had the pep that the Ninja 500 does, or similar because of the 6 gears and the common engine? Anyone have experience with both of these?

2.) The Vulcan 500 bars are a little tight in for me (though I'm pretending to buy this bike for my wife) but if she doesn't like it, can I adjust the angle of the bars or switch them out with something that allows me to stretch out more?

3.) Is the seat adjustable or the foot pegs? Search though I might, I can't find anyone who could tell me, including a local dealership who simply said "well you can buy another seat"......that doesn't exactly answer my question. If I could move the seat back an inch or 2 that'd be great.

My main interest in this is for my wife, but she hasn't decided to ride yet. I love my ninja, but somedays you feel like riding, some days you feel like just going along for the ride. My father in law goes to all those Texas Harley and Cruiser rallies and wants me to go, but I don't want to be the one guy there with a ninja...... Plus I can get Vulcans used here for under $3000 all day....which is nice.

Thanks for the help...hopefully I'm not asking a bunch of dumb questions.

Let's start from the beginning -
1) the Vulcan 500 does not have the same pep as the Ninja. While the engine is the same, the Ninja has different carbs and exhaust. The Vulcan does have enough pep to put most bikes under 800 to shame.

3) the seat is not adjustable nor are the pegs (You may be able to get forward controls but no one makes a set specifically for the 500). As far as just changing the seat, easier said than done. No one makes a seat for the 500 - not corbin or mustang.

[alduro]

Bummer about not being able to adjust anything. The bike is light enough to love and the dual in line seems to be a more efficient design than the V-Twin, (though I'm new and could be wrong)........the 750 looks like a 1970's throwback, which is cool and not cool all at once.......

What about highway pegs?

[bluestringer]

The carbs are the same, just tuned different on the Vulcan. But no it doesn't have the same pep, but it's close. And yes it will smoke 800's and 1500's up to about 60mph.

[longbeachgary]

Originally Posted by bluestringer

The carbs are the same, just tuned different on the Vulcan. But no it doesn't have the same pep, but it's close. And yes it will smoke 800's and 1500's up to about 60mph.

The carbs are not the same - the vulcan has 32mm and the Ninja has 34mm

[Speedracr]

You can find some good stuff on Highway Hawk (just checked it out)...

http://www.highwayhawk.com/prod-deta...r=3&cat_id= 2 (Forward Controls)

http://www.highwayhawk.com/prod-deta...r=3&cat_id =2 (Highway Bars)