800 vs. 1500 Classics

[rbentnail]

hi all, I'm back from vacation and without taking too much time away from golfing, I was able to make it through the break-in miles of the new 1500 classic. Some folks have asked for a comparison between the 800 I traded in and the 1500, so here ya go. Please remember that these are MY opinions and in no way are meant to spark debate or to encourage anyone to "move up" <legal cya>.

1) once you get the suspension right, the comfort of the ride is about even except the stock seat on the 1500 is WAY better than the 800. It's a lot easier to adjust suspension on the 1500 for varying conditions because of the external shocks. Shaft drive on the 1500 makes for a smoother ride, too.

2) handling on the 1500 seemed a little sluggish at first, but #1 helped alot. Also the 1500 is about 110 lbs. heavier so it took a little getting used to, and the 1500 seems to have a slightly higher center of gravity but again once you get used to it it's ok. The 800 is a little more agile or quicker to respond to commands, but again the 1500 is heavier. Also I used to skrape footpegs on the 800 fairly frequently but couldn't skrape the floorboards on the 1500 so I think you get to lean over more on the 1500.

3) the increased power on the 1500 is to be expected, but 2 things really stand out: acceleration in 2nd & 3rd gears, and the hydraulic clutch/shaft drive combo. I think the 800 will easily leave the 1500 at the line, but from about 55 mph & up, the 800 doesn't stand a chance. The torque provided by the 1500 between 35 & 60 mph is fabulous. I was a little concerned about riding in heavy traffic at 35/45 mph, but not any more. The hydraulic clutch makes for less fatigue in city driving & the shaft drive seems way more efficient at transmitting power to the rear wheel especially at takeoff from a stop.

4) the 800 smoothed out at about 60-65 mph, this seemed to me to be the optimal speed for the bike on the highway. Any faster and the vibes started and I started looking for 6th gear (a common comment). You get the same "smoothing" sensation on the 1500, except it's at 70-80 mph. This bike is looking for some serious highway speed to mellow out. She seems very happy humming along at 90. I haven't gone above 90 yet, but I also haven't been looking for 6th gear yet either.

5) the stopping power and distances on both bikes is comparable, but the rear disc brake on the 1500 (vs. the drum on the 800) makes it alot easier to lock up the rear wheel. I'll look at rotating the break pedal down a little to prevent this and I'll let you know. BTW, I did have the same problem on the 800 with the brake pedal being too high and locking up the rear wheel & rotated that pedal down too.

Sorry about the long post, but I will now take questions from the audience....LOL. Good news? I'm back from vacation . Bad news? I'm back from vacation . Know what I mean?

Russ

[rwrighter]

Thanks for the comparisons Russ. I found it interesting reading as I ride the 800, and might someday upgrade... but i'm in no hurry to do so. BTW welcome home from vacation, and sorry you have to get back into the old grind.

[2WheelFun]

Hi Russ and welcome back!

That was a good comparison and I'm sure may help others if they have thought about an upgrade or just to know what some of the points are about the 1500. Good job!

[Spok]

yeah russ, this is exactly what I was looking for when i asked the compare question. I know that they are two different animals but as you've ridden both, its nice to hear what you think of the two.

thanks

[jukief]

Nice post, Russ. I found a lot of the same things to be true when I traded up from my 800 to my 1500. Now that I've been riding the 1500 for about four months, I'm getting more and more used to its weight and the way it feels. I'm really glad I traded up; I love my 1500. Today, hubby and I are going out to a deserted parking lot to practice slow maneuvers. That's the one area where I'm really not up to speed (no pun intended).

[rbentnail]

There's one other thing I forgot to mention earlier: the self-canceling turn signals on the 1500 are very nice. I wonder why Kawa doesn't include this on the 800 .

[Kenny]

Hey Russ,I was up at Bearfoot Cycles one day last week. The 800 you traded in,is it a dark red color with a gold/black stripping on fenders and tank,saddlebags,tank bib.etc. It was a real good looking ride,real clean! And yeah,welcome back home and glad ya had a good time.

[ispeed77]

thanks for the review Russ. i have never ridden an 800 and often wondered how they compared.

[dawgblood]

Great review. Thanks.

[woodchucks800]

Originally Posted by ispeed77

thanks for the review Russ. i have never ridden an 800 and often wondered how they compared.

Well you'll have the chance in RL in July .

[ispeed77]

Originally Posted by woodchucks800

Well you'll have the chance in RL in July .

sounds like a plan, thanks

[Alex214]

self-cancelling turn signals? .... WHERE???? Mine don't do it.

[ispeed77]

Originally Posted by Alex214

self-cancelling turn signals? .... WHERE???? Mine don't do it.

really ? mine does, that's wierd.

[Spok]

Originally Posted by ispeed77

really ? mine does, that's wierd.

Mine are semi self cancelling. about 70% of the time they go off but the other 30% they dont. I just make it a point to do a manual cancell after each turn.

[ispeed77]

i almost prefer that they not self-cancel, because i find them cancelling prematurely a lot. i am constantly hitting the cancel button while riding anyways.

[rbentnail]

The self-canceling I have, according to the MOM, is after they've been on for 8 seconds, I have to travel about 200 feet and they go off. Thus far they have failed, but I'm trying not to get used to them so I don't depend on them. And like most riders I know, I tend to hit the button 2 or 3 times after a turn without looking down to see if they are even on, just to be sure.

[Spok]

Originally Posted by rbentnail

And like most riders I know, I tend to hit the button 2 or 3 times after a turn without looking down to see if they are even on, just to be sure.

thats exactly what I do

[jukief]

Mine don't self-cancel at all! My thumb is the self-canceler.

[Scotty Luv]

I find myself hitting the cancel every once in a while even if I haven't used them in a while. Old habits die hard.

Scott

[Spok]

Originally Posted by Scotty Luv

I find myself hitting the cancel every once in a while even if I haven't used them in a while. Old habits die hard.

Scott

Scotty, they may be old habits but are good habits. Last summer I was out riding and the person on the bike ahead of me was riding ( wasn't with their group) for MILES had their right turn signal on. I mean literally miles and when their twosome finally turned right, it was such a suprise to me that I almost rode into the back of them because i wasn't expecting it.