Some questions about Vulcan 900 (vs. Yamaha 1100)

[Somerset]

Hello everybody,

I am new to this forum, but I was enjoying today your hospitality by reading all VN900 related topics I was able to find
Let me introduce briefly myself - I currently have Vulcan 750, but due mainly to my wife wanting to ride with me (two up) I have an "approval" for a "bigger" bike as in "more confortable for two".
Not having too big budget I looked first at used Vulcan 800s and test drove one, but I didn't like it much - I think that my 750 will run cyrcles around it and is much better on the highway. This and my dislike of chains (noisy and high maintenance) made me look at the new Vulcan 900s.
Today I finally was able to test ride one and I want to share my impressions and ask few questions the 900 owners here who have more experience with the bike.
The bike I rode had less than 2000km on the odometer, so may be it wasn't broken completely yet.
I generally like the bike a lot (came bike with a big smile on my face), but I somehow expected better in few areas:
1. The engine - while it was pulling strong and was very smooth, I kind of expected even more power, especially at highway speeds.
2. The brakes - I've expected better from a rear disk brake. The initial feedback is rather weak. I was able to lock the wheels though when I jumped on them.
3. On the highway at speed between 100 and 120 kms the floorboards were vibrating noticeably. The rest of the bike was more or less fine. Does anyone else have the same experience? I do a lot of riding at this speeds and my 750 is absolutely smooth and stable. If I am to pay 8 large ones, I expect the same from the 900, if not better.

Another really big question - the salesperson was telling me that the 900 has hidraulic valve lifters like the 750. So far every info I got was that the 900 is like the 800 - using shims. WHAT IS THE TRUTH? Is there some official web page from Kawasaki?

When leaving the dealership I saw a bike there that looked almost identical to the 900, but with a shaft. Turned out it is an Yamaha (V-Star) 1100.
I was able to test ride it too (really nice people at the dealership). Some background info on this bike: it had 25K-30K kms at the odometer, the previous owner had put some custom pipes - it was making a sound that will make a HD owener proud , the bike was really roaring. Another thing - the tires was pretty much completely warned out. There was may be a mm or two on the back, the front was comletely bald.
It is possible that the previous owner have upgraded other parts as well - see my remarks about the brakes.

Here is my "comparo":
1. The V-Star is heavier I think, but because is slightly lower is doesn't show much. May be because of being lower though, it was even harder to lean in the corners than the Vulcan.
2. The Vulcan had a smoother ride; the V-Star felt "tighter". The V* also had much stronger brakes - I was able to lock the wheels without trying at all, mey be the effect was stronger due to the warned tires.
The Vulcan felt smoother/"softer" may be because of it's softer suspension and brakes, the V* felt more like one piece of metal.The Vulcan had better handling though - it was easier to lean at corners and the V* had more "nervious" handling - on one corner I've hit either a crack or a painted strip and the bike shook really scary - my "old" 750 is more stable.
Being heavier and with stronger (more dangerious) brakes the V* was much more unforgiving, but also more fun. It felt better on highway speeds, but it it not a stock bike. The Vulcan felt more sophisticated and was much more forgiving/stable.

Question: Will the brakes get better with some usage?

I also liked the seating position and the handlebar a bit better on the V* than on the Vulcan - handlebar too wide and too low for my taste.WIth some raisers the V* would have been perfect. The 900's tank is also a bit wider than I would like where my knees are.

The same sales person who told me about the hydraulic lifters on the 900 (I've asked him 3 times), told me that the 1100 need valve adjustment every 7000 kms and it is hard to change the oil filter and the kit ti fix it is $500.
Is this true? I think he is just badmouthing it.

OK, that's it guys, please give me your feedback. I need to decide which one should I get. I know that air cooling is worse than water cooling in a long term, but I generally prefer shaft to belt (even though I probably can adjust later the ratio on a belt drive), and the V* WAS more fun (and more danger) than the Vulcan 900.

Best regards to everyone,
Somerset

[Somerset]

Oops, one thing I forgot - the V-Star 1100 was making some wheesing sound, something like between "wheeee" and buzzing from a air going around a wire. The sales guy told me that this was a noise from the shaft drive.
Is this possible? May be because it is exposed (partually)? My Vulcan 750 makes no sound from the shaft drive.

S.

[Somerset]

OK, just one more think I forgot - comparing the transmissions.
The Vulcan has the better one - while no clunky, I can "feel" the changes. The Yammy has rather rubbery feeling with no good feedback. Good thing that the engine is so torquey so it almost doesn't matter which gear it is on

S.

[EdAZ]

Hey Somerset,
I cant compare the 900 to the 1100. Never rode a 1100.
I did have a 750 and now I have a 900...
I liked the 750 very quick.
I like the 900 because its more of a layed back cruiser which I think has plenty of power. And I liked the idea of Fuel Injection and belt drive.
I found the rear brake on the 750 almost a joke compared to the rear brake on the 900. I'm still careful using the rear break on the 900.
The 900 doesn't have hydraulic lifters.
I have cruised up to 80MPH with no abnormal vibrations.
I am very satisfied with the 900 and if I had to do it over again I would still get it.
I must say it sounds like your not really satisfied with either bike maybe you should take a little more time and look at some other options.
Read thru the posts here and you will find a lot of people who love their 900.
Good Luck either way....

[trikebubble]

The oil filter can be sort of difficult to change on the V-Star1100. It lays behind the pipe. If you loosen the pipe off, you can access the filter.
An oil filter relocation kit costa about $250.00.

Tracy has a VStar1100 and loves it. It gets up and goes pretty well. We were cruising the Interstates in Montana at 160km/hr with no issues.
It is air cooled, but we have yet to encounter any overheating issues because of that. (and it gets hot here, it was over 40'C today)
Her shaft drive is whisper quiet.

I can't comment on the Vulcan 900, but wanted to give some honest feedback on the V Star1100.

[Archie]

Hi Somerset
Let me start by saying welcome and whatever bike you end up buying its all in personal taste and feel when you ride.
The vstar 1100 is a nice bike with a good all round package, while you said it made a buzzing sound or wheee sound it is not a normal charectaristic and while it is likely a small issue it could turn out to be a problem with the shaft drive which could turn out to be costly so make sure you have warranty if thats the one that you like most of all. See if you can test drive another Vstar 1100 with less Km's and pay extra attention to the sound and feel.The vstar is a very good bike and I wouldnt just go on the negatives the Salesman was throwing at you.
Now The Vn900 as far as power at 100 - 120km its should have felt nice and torqiue there, as its at 3/4 of its torque curve and pulling power there. You will get approx 170 -175km/h max once its had about 4000km on clock but with 2000km it should be feeling about right as far as running in is concerned. The rear brake while being Disc Brake should have had a good feel to it. Could have needed slight adjustment. Im on my rear brake 80% of time and my use is 98% hwy riding.
What I mean by that is I use just rear brake most of the time and have never felt like it is going to let me down. I dont condone my style of riding though as both brakes should always be used in tandom together. Its just where i live there is nothing on the road to hit except the odd kangaroo and wombat at night. See the odd truck drive past every now and then.
Now the floorboards should not give any vibration at all like you described. They should be as smooth as a baby's bottom at 120km/h. At 160km/h you get a little feedback from exhaust and the Vtwin singing along but I cant say Ive felt any vibration in the floorboards at all.
Was it an LT version or a classic that you rode?
Mine is a classic with all the LT accessories added i.e screen, saddlebags and rear backrest. Fitted a National Custom screen and the rest are kawasaki accessories. The LT version isnt available in Australia as of July2006 not sure if they will release it later but I just wanted bike and was prepared to pay for the other stuff.
If you feel like it is underpowered maybe try a few more bikes before you decide give the 1500's and 1600's a try but remember the tanks do have the same feel as the VN900 as far as width and it being a concern for you.
Good luck with the exciting time of purchasing and let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.

[lonestar]

Somerset,
Sound's like you have some doubt's about both bike's. My suggestion would be to save (or spend) a little more and go with the 1500 Classic FI. Just drive one and you will no longer have any doubts. I went from a Honda 750 Shadow (02 model) to an 03 Kawasaki 800A that was a perfect fit for me, but not too good two-up with the wife, to an 02 model 1500 Classic FI. At first I was a bit imtimadated by the size and weight of the 1500 (that lasted for a whole day) then set it up for my taste and could not be happier with the end result. Over the long haul most people want to move up in size after a year or two and you will loose alot more money if you have to trade up again. Good Luck with your choice and welcome to the forum!
Lonestar

[Somerset]

Morning everyone,


Many thanks to all who replied.
Let me say that I like my Vulcan 750 very much. For me it is an excellent bike for one. Of course it could be a bit lighter, have better rear brake (but this makes it also very forgiving) and so on, but no bike is perfect anyway. From what I've seen so far it is faster and better handling than the current crop of 800s and 900s, with the exception of Suzuki Intruder may be.
It has to be said though that it is set up for highway cruise, in the city it is not quite happy at the stop signs or cruising at low speed.
The reason I am looking for another one is it is hard to add storage, very bad pilion portion of the seat and being 20 years old, well, it is starting to suffer from OBS - Old Bike Syndrom. I am getting about CAD $1200 as an exchange value - for this kind of money I would like to keep it, if I had the space for it (I live in a condo).

About not liking the other bikes - don't get me wrong, I know that bike is perfect and also I know that some of the issues I've mentioned are rather easy and cheap to improve (like better brake pads for example).
The main issue is that, as I've said, if I am to pay 8-9 large ones, I would like to feel that I've made the best choise.
About V 900 vs. V* 1100. Most of the 1100s I see here used have prices similar to 900 new or even higher (CAD $8000-9000). Because of the air cooling and the higher weigt I will get the Vulcan 900 any day and just put another handlebar later.
It is just that the 1100 I saw yesterday was quoted as 5500-6000 which makes it sort of a deal, if there are no mechanical issues with it. I don't feel I can trust the dealer much though when it comes to telling me everything - I already cought them giving me BS for simple facts I can check.

I saw few Vulcan 900s (what is left in the show rooms) advertised for as low as $7500, but for them I have to move fast. It seems like a very good deal, but at the same time I am not too keen to get another loan to pay - if I can get something used cheaper I would probably go for it.

About the suggestion about getting something larger - I am trying to get a bike that is as light as possible (I was looking at Suzuki DL650 as well - it is about 100 pounds lighter than the 900, but it is tall). I am rather skinny and I don't want to drop it on some corner.

Thanks for reading my ramblings and for all your feedback.

Ride safely,
Somerset

[LordGT]

Originally Posted by EdAZ

Hey Somerset,
I must say it sounds like your not really satisfied with either bike maybe you should take a little more time and look at some other options.
Read thru the posts here and you will find a lot of people who love their 900.
Good Luck either way....

Good comment.

We also have a 900 LT and love it.
We got ours for $8,127 out the door, zero miles. I wouldn't pay $8k for a used one.

[johnnydee]

I think he's talking $cdn

John

[BikerBeagle]

After reading your posts and thinking what I'd do in your situation, I'd get the 900 ...pay what you can afford in cash (or save it for bling bling later), get a loan for the rest -paying it off probably within a year ...and concentrate on upgrading the parts you believe are lacking. I really don't think you will be dissappointed.

Not sure I'd even be considering a used bike (in the condition you describe) from a dealer you don't have total faith in. Too much room for getting stuck on that one, no matter how good a 'deal' it seems to be. The V* 1100 is a fine bike, if it was new or at least well-taken-care-of used, but when compared with the 900, it just doesn't cut the mustard technology-wise.

Because you are so strict on the weight issue, you kind of bounce yourself out of moving up in class to the 1500/1600 market, which would be a logical step for you to take. If you waited and kept looking around, it sounds like a used Vulcan 800 would be a good choice, especially if it came with some performance enhancements already installed, but there's no telling when one might become available in your area, if ever.

Barring the 900 right now, another suggestion would be to possibly look at the new VStar 1300 coming out this fall. It's water cooled, fuel injected, belt driven, disk brakes, and looks to be re-engineered for lower weight distribution (but likely weighs more overall) ...and you can expect to pay a pretty penny for it.

Another option is the Suzuki C50 which is, technically, neck and neck with the Vulcan 900 if you discount the rear drum brake and much smaller gas tank (which, for you might be a plus rather than a minus) ...and it's cheaper than the 900 by a fair margin, if you are willing to live with the rear drum brake, which you probably aren't.

Like you said, there is no perfect bike, but I believe the 900 is as close to it as you are going to get given your prerequisites.

[LordGT]

Originally Posted by johnnydee

I think he's talking $cdn

John

That would explain it..

[Somerset]

Hi BikerBeagle,

Yes, used Vulcan 800 is the obvious choise for a next bike and I test drove one (me and my wife on it). I don't know if it was a problem with that particular bike, but I've found the motor wheezing on the highway (but a lot ot pick up on lower speed), the suspension to bouncy and not handling bumps well (I know it depends on adjustement, but I wasn't able to play with it at that time), and the chain noisy (after my shaft). In one word - didn't feel like a step up from my 750.

I know that a new 900 is the logical step (except it some really good deal comes along - I found one pretty much new Suzuki Volusia 800 2003 for CAD $6200, but the dealer doesn't allow test ride and I am not buying wi/o one), just trying to get over the CAD 8000 I have to pay ;-(

Best regards,
Somerset

[rjshaw7]

Somerset, traded my VN750 for the 900, and am happy with my choice. I am in Canada and got $2900 for the trade. It was a 93 with about 33,000 km, but in very nice shape. The dealer advertised it for $3900 and sold it the weekend after the trade. Don't know how much he got for it.

[Somerset]

Hi RJShaw,

My Vn750 is 20 years old, but in very good condition and with very low mileage - about 20K. I am getting only CAD $1200 for it, this is w/o the dealer seeing it. I've paid CAD $2500 for it last year and since then have changed the tires (plus oil changes, of course).

Today is my big day of thinking How much do you pay for insurance BTW? I am yet to call my ins. company for a quote.

One big question for you - are the any areas where you feel that the 750 was better? I think that the 750 handles better in general becaus it is taller and lighter. How are they compared on the highway? My 750 feels perfectly at home there, the only problem I have is the buffeting from the windshield, the motor goes to sleep at 100-120 km/h.

Regards,
Somerset

[sheulett]

Originally Posted by Somerset

Hello everybody,

1. The engine - while it was pulling strong and was very smooth, I kind of expected even more power, especially at highway speeds.

3. On the highway at speed between 100 and 120 kms the floorboards were vibrating noticeably. The rest of the bike was more or less fine. Does anyone else have the same experience? I do a lot of riding at this speeds and my 750 is absolutely smooth and stable. If I am to pay 8 large ones, I expect the same from the 900, if not better.

Best regards to everyone,
Somerset

Somerset,
I have about 3400 miles on my VN900. I'm very happy with the bike. I use my bike as my primary mode of transportation, so I do a significant amount of riding in town as well as on the highway. I've found that when I'm cruising at about 75mph (80-85 indicated on the speedometer) and want to get around a truck, there's still plenty of throttle left without downshifting. The speedometer will be reading 95 (probably about 85 actual speed) by the time I get around the truck, and the bike doesn't feel like it's huffin' and puffin' yet. There are some vibrations at that speed, but nothing like what you've described. I feel no vibrations from the floorboards at all, so that may be an issue with that bike.
If I was just using my bike for trips or for weekend pleasure rides, I might have gotten something bigger. But, I wanted something that was good for my daily commute, for trips to the grocery store, gym, etc. as well as good on the highway. I think the 900 fits my needs perfectly because it's very good at all of those things.
I don't know about the V Star. For me, liquid cooling was a must. I've heard others say that over-heating is almost never an issue, but it only has to happen once to be a major pain in the rear.
I was actually at the dearlership yesterday to get an oil filter. I can't help but look at the bikes on the showroom floor whenever I'm there. Truth be told, there wasn't a bike in there (including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki) that I would trade my 900 for. That's not to say that I won't soon add a Meanstreak or a Nomad to the stable, but if I had to pick just one bike, it'd be my 900.

Cheers!
Steve

[rjshaw7]

You may be able to get more than $1200 for it. Where are you? Surprised they still have a 900 for sale. Thje 750 was a great little bike. The 900 feels more at home on the highway. Not as affected by the wind. It would be better for 2 up highway riding. Miss the centre stand from the 750, also the temp gauge but otherwise the 900 is in my opinion a better, probably because it is new. Also gets better mileage than the 750. Insurance is about $900 per year, a little more than the 750. We do have government run insurance in Saskatchewan, so call your company for a quote.

I think the handling isn't quite as good as the 750, but once you get used to it it does handle very well. Has a big bike feel without all the weight.

Hope this helps some.

http://vulcan900.blogspot.com/

[Johnny5]

I would try another dealer. Sounds like everything you try out there is junk.

my .02

[sly1]

I've had an 02 v star 1100 and now a meanstreak. The 1100 was a nice bike, but the handling was kind of heavy feeling compared to what I have now. I never got any annoying noises out of mine. It had plenty of power for its size. I put a Barons air kit with jetting and some V&H pipes on it and it sounded awesome. Very reliable bike, but comfort and riding feel are the most important things because thats why you ride it. Used 1500 clssics or meanies aren't too bad on the pricing scale. Worht a look. You'll probably find a better deal on a better bike private sale.

[Somerset]

Hello everyone,

To keep you updated (in case someone cares LOL) - last week almost bought the 900, but then did some calculations and decided that one more large loan is not what I want.
So I've decided to go to the next best thing - Suzuki Volusia 800, I can get it for about 3K less here in good condition. After hunting one on eBay - fully dressed, good deal (pricewise), the bidding ended w/o the reserved price being met. The guy offers me a deal, but he's 200 kms away from me and the deal was a bit more than I was ready to say immediately "yes" to (have to deal with my old bike too).
So I've found another Volusia in a nearby dealer and drag my wife to look at it, because I am getting ****ed w/o a new bike.
She says, "well, kind of OK, but not too comfy, it's not like the Vulcan 900, waaaaaaaaaaaaa....".
The dealer is giving me the hard line "no test drive if you are not serious", so I can't fugure out how good the Volusia is.
There is a Vulcan 900 sitting there as well, I think, let's ask the price so I can scare her and get the Volusia.
Guess what - it turns out that the Vulcan is not a brand new one, someone bought it and then upgraded after less than 1400 kms! The price is not much much lower than a brand new one, but it's getting closer to the price of the Volusia.
Took it our for a spin - to show it to my wife, she hasn't been on one.
To keep the story short - made an offer, my old bike + CAD $6000. I am sure that someone could have gotten a better deal from the dealer, but I am bad at this.

Few small problems I've noticed with the bike though, I wonder if anyone else is experiencing them too:
1. Problems getting into first. Few times instead of getting to first with a nice "clunk" I was getting a rubber feeling and I guess the tranny was staying on second gear, the bike was stalling as a result. The sales guy was telling me it's a matter of adjustments.
2. I don't know what the previous owner was doing with the bike, but I've seen some rust already, not only under the floorboards where they got scraped a little, but also on two of the screwheads on the headlight.
That's shouldn't be normal on a new Japanese bike, is it?!

Now, I have to get all the basic accessories and pay for them ;-(
Has anyone put any handlebar risers yet?

Cheers,
Somerset