vulcan 900 custom or classic

[kawasakiman]

I am trying to upgrade from a vulcan 500. I have read a review suggesting that the 900 classic has poor leaning angle.

2006 Light-Middleweight Cruiser Comparison

Has anyone have a chance to ride both? If so, does the custom has more leaning angle than the classic?

[wild_deuce03]

Haven't ridden both but there are a bunch of recent threads discussing the 900. I love my Classic! I'm 6' 1", 220 and it rides me just fine. Haven't noticed a poor turning angle. I'm guessing that any bike with floor boards is going to have a little less turning angle. Haven't scraped my boards, yet, but I also haven't been on any terribly twisty roads either.

Oh, and welcome to the site. Make sure you post pics whenever you decide. Pics of your current ride are welcome (and kind of a requirement to new members ).

[Utah Motorcyclist]

Haven't ridden both but there are a bunch of recent threads discussing the 900. I love my Classic! I'm 6' 1", 220 and it rides me just fine. Haven't noticed a poor turning angle. I'm guessing that any bike with floor boards is going to have a little less turning angle. Haven't scraped my boards, yet, but I also haven't been on any terribly twisty roads either.

Oh, and welcome to the site. Make sure you post pics whenever you decide. Pics of your current ride are welcome (and kind of a requirement to new members ).

I think that they were biased with the test. Maybe if they had the classic version of the boulevard or the custom version of the vulcan they would have been more evenly matched. I would imagine that the 900 custom has a lot more clearance than the classic.

[sisooktom]

The Custom has more clearance.

[N3FOLN3FOL]

If you lean the 900LT too much, one will obviously scrape the floor boards. Whatever you plan to ride and lean the bike too much, something will scrape. With my riding style, I don't lean a whole lot on the curve unless warranted at the time...if I scrape... my bike tells me that I dangerously leaning too much for her. Now fun to do on a cruiser bike.

[Bob Brooks]

It boils down to riding style, comfort, etc...
If don't put the bike into lots of lean, the Classic will be fine and you will enjoy the flexibility to leg position that the floorboards offer. If you're going to ride more aggressively, you probably aren't going to put comfort so high on the priorities and the Custom might be your ticket.

Before I bought my 900 Classic I was close to getting a Yamaha 1100 Custom, and I was put off by the looks of the 900 Classic's floorboards...but they sure do work.

[Flboy]

I like the custom, but I'm biased.

[Biggy D]

I am 6'3" and love the way the cusom handles on curves. But even with the foward controls I still feel alittle cramped when riding all day. I think like pthers have said It depends on what type of riding you plan on doing. Both bikes are awsome and you can't go wrong. I plan on adding hard bags probably matuza, sissy bar and engine gaurd with a memphis shade alleycat windshield when I get some money. When I first gotn the bike I was thinking Low and pimped. Now with gas prices so high I see the bike less as a hobbie and more as my every day ride 3/4 of the year So im going for the pimped bagger look. So think long term and remember black is the fastest color. ( I think the new green would put up a real fight)

[The Menace]

The Custom does have a higher lean angle before dragging, but it's still not that hard to drag the pegs. I think the Custom does inspire one to corner faster. It's a sweet handling bike.

Dennis

[predfan2001]

Well I started out looking at the Harley Street Bob (Dyna) and the Victory 8 Ball and just found them too pricey for me right now.

The next choices were the Honda 750 Shadow (the newer shaft drive-much better styling the the chain drive model), the 900 Vulcans and the M50. I still think the Shadow is the best looking and would be great for a bobber project on down the road. The Suzuki was absolutely hidious looking. The one my dealer had was the black and yellow one. Pics don't do this bike justice, it's plain gross looking. The Vulcan was the largest and most comfortable. I still don't care for the high rear fender on the Custom and the 15" rear wheel looks out of place, it needs at least a 17" and a lower profile rear fender. A friend of mine ended up going with a Triumph Speedmaster and I must say, Triumph got the rear end right but I like a V Twin engine better.

I ended up with the Vulcan 900 Custom because I liked the 21" frt mag. I get compliments on the bike all the time but I still want to change the appearence of the rear end...thinking about trying a Classic rear fender??

Other than that I have no complaints with my Custom. I basicly use it as an in town bike with occassional 100 mile or so road trips. If I was going to go on longer rides I would have gone with the Classic and add a windshield.

Oh and by the way, I've never scraped. I feel I ride fairly hard but I know it's not a crotch rocket....no complaints about the lean angle here.

[optiato]

My 900 Custom only scraped when I was probably riding entirely too fast anyway. Scraping the peg or board isn't a big deal as long as you can stop there, if you get the frame on the ground, you're in trouble... trust me.

[kc6wfs]

I love my Custom!!!!

[Box]

I test rode the Custom for a few weeks before I bought my Classic.
My dealer let me use the Custom until he had a new Classic delivered, I could then buy the Used Custom or go with the new Classic.
The Custom is a great bike, very light and nimble for a bike of it's size. A pleasure to ride. I had completely fallen for it by the time the Classic arrived.
Then I rode the Classic and for me the choice was instantaneous. It is a personal thing, the Classic just fit me that much better.
So, thinking back to the differences for me.
I never felt totally comfortable with the forward pegs on the Custom, while the floorboards on the classic just dropped into place.
The sitting position is slightly different and for me the Classic fit naturally.
The overall look of the Classic was nicer for me.
I guess the deciding factor was that the fatter front wheel on the Classic coped better with the cobble stones and tram tracks that I ride on every day.
Overall, the Custom feels just that bit lighter and maneuverable, but it was a combination of personal feelings that made the choice for me.

[Druid]

I scrape my boards all the time. I even enjoy it . My thinking is if I want to hit a tight corner at 60mph Ill get a ninja .

[vulcan 900 rdr]

Haven't ridden both but there are a bunch of recent threads discussing the 900. I love my Classic! I'm 6' 1", 220 and it rides me just fine. Haven't noticed a poor turning angle. I'm guessing that any bike with floor boards is going to have a little less turning angle. Haven't scraped my boards, yet, but I also haven't been on any terribly twisty roads either.

Oh, and welcome to the site. Make sure you post pics whenever you decide. Pics of your current ride are welcome (and kind of a requirement to new members ).

NICE NICE BIKE, I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION BETWEEN THAT ONE AND THE 900 CUSTOM IT TOOK ME 2 WEEKS AND I WENT WITH THE CUSTOM BUT I LIKE THAT ONE A LOT!! VERY NICE

[vulcan 900 rdr]

I am trying to upgrade from a vulcan 500. I have read a review suggesting that the 900 classic has poor leaning angle.

2006 Light-Middleweight Cruiser Comparison

Has anyone have a chance to ride both? If so, does the custom has more leaning angle than the classic?

I LIKE THE CUSTOM AS IT DOESNT HAVE FOOT BOARDS JUST PEGS AND THEY ARE SET FORWARD A BIT FOR COMFORT, JUST MY OPPINION

[kawasakiman]

thanks for the info guys. They are very helpful. I'm going to buy a classic tomorrow...2nd thought...I'm gonna buy a custom. So much for the info. I'm still confuse

[MrClean]

If you want to be banked all the way over, you need a crotch rocket. I scrape the boards on my classic frequently, but I have to lean a goodly ways over to do it and I have to concentrate hard on it to do so. I've never accidentally leaned it over far enough to scrape and I think I ride fairly aggressively at times. Now I think I'm pussin out.

Get the bike that calls to you, they are both good bikes. But I needed a windscreen and saddlebags and they came on the LT so that's what I got. Many will tell you those stock ones are junk and they don't like em and will go with the other model and put on what they want. That works if you know everything about bikes, but this was my first purchase and I just didn't want to worry about it.

[lonewolf2007]

i agree with mr clean, i have to lean hard to get my vulcan vn900 classic to scrape the boards. I went through a place in PA called french creek and i scraped three times caue i had to lean hard!!!

[Skeet]

"So think long term and remember black is the fastest color. ( I think the new green would put up a real fight)"

LOL! Concur!