[bikeaholic]

well-i've been given permission to purchase another bike by the powers that be(wife :lol: )

if there are any 1600 classic riders,i would like your input
i already know what this bike can do as i've ridden it many times but what i don't know is
maybe all of its weak points. so far to me weak spots are ground clearance,lack of strong hp
occasional clutch issues,and handlebars that are a bit too wide for slow speed jollys

is there anything else that seems to be significant with these bikes?
this has been a long deliberation for me as i have considered the road star and vtx
along with the 1600 but have decided on kawi once again based on how the bike feels
to me and value for dollars spent-the 1600 fits the bill in both cases

so to close the deal i want to see if i've missed anything,i rode all its competitors and
when all things are considered i think this is the bike i want-it will primarily be used
for long trips and open road riding and with fi,cast wheels, great suspension,good brakes,
shaft drive,i think it wins on standard features.

so-help me out guys,wife is leaving it up to yall to talk me out of it :lol:

thanks in advance :wink:

 

[Strictly VN 1600]

Okay, first of all... There are no weak points . Second..the looks just is magnificant! I've ridden my 2003 1600 about 2000 miles and yet no significant faults have occured. Heard people driven already over 10 000 miles and still no faults. I'll fix the rattles which almost every Classic has in the speedo seating and gas cap culprit valve. Another than that, just cruising with a smile every day. Everything just seems to work like they should do!! As nothing could go wrong.

Mine is pretty much stock now, but I'm putting Nomad stock pipes and possibly it's hardbags on it. Really waiting to see how they look on a 1600. But nowadays there's lots of aftermarket parts available. That is, if you like to dress it up...

I still can't tell much of the engine's endurance. But nothing unusual has happened. It works like a clock. Power is where I need it and enough at least for me. Only minus is the cornering clearance. The floorboards are really wide and that's the reason. But again, enough for me!

Oh yeah... I'm really not sure what the reason is but when riding, the fan never starts. When standing still and idling even for just a minute, it starts immediately. It doesn't have a temperature gauge but the warning light has never indicated any overheating. So I think the reason is preventing even a slightest temperature rise by letting the fan blow for many short periods. The engine itself could heat a ordinary household. By standing even few feets away, you still feel the heat coming from there. Not a minus, just a sign of a BIG engine (even if not a Rogue or VTX).

And of course, Kawasaki paints their bikes really nice. By looking in every possible angle on any paint surface, you just can't see any faults on it. Beautiful work of art!! I washed and waxed my bike today and I were almost hypnotized by the tank's gloss. Like I didn't know where real world and surface was Just kidding...


GET IT!!! before your wife does. :wink:

 

[bikeaholic]

re

thanks vn! that's pretty much the response i was looking for - i've gone over and researched
this bike from top to bottom and put it thru the paces on the big road and the twisties and
the negatives i listed are all i found! right now i have 4 different dealers quoting me pricing
2 local and 2 out of town so i'll know in a few days who has the best price.i'm starting
to get a little excited now :lol: - i've spent enough time now with the baby vulcan (800)
to attest to its durability and fit and finish which is well above most everything in its class
and am hoping the big brother will be from the same mold as far as reliability and such

but the horn :roll: -what the he!! were they thinking :lol:

 

[Spok]

Bikeaholic,

I don't ride the 1600 but I do ride the 1500. I can tell you that for a "big bike" although not the biggest of the bunch anymore what with all the 1800's, 2000's and more coming on, My 1500 rides like its a small bike. I bought mine 1 month ago and with 1500 miles so far can honestly say I made the right choice. I too looked at the V-star as well as the Intruder and settled on the Vulcan. Many online articles as well as customer reviews helped me go Vulcan. This line has been a pleaser for many moons and I know that the new 1600's will be pleasers too.

 

[Strictly VN 1600]

Re: re

but the horn :roll: -what the he!! were they thinking :lol:

I'm into relocating my horn. I've thought about various places, among others under the tank . One thing is great, there are many joints and places where pieces have been bolted on. These bolts can be used for almost anything. The rear end of the bike looks quite clean but I managed to find two bolts hidden under the blinker body which hold the blinkers together. I'm relocating my ugly license plate frame from top of the rear fender behind the passenger seat down there (notice that ours license plate is two times taller than yours). Other bolts can be used when relocating for example the horn. Don't know how much other bikes has these but at least on my ACE 750 I couldn't relocate almost anything.

 

[Freedom1600]

I can't say enough good things about my Vulcan 1600!! As I was shopping in Summer, 2003 I test rode the Vulcan 3 or 4 times and I just kept coming back to it. Here is my take:
Yamaha - Didn't fit me. I'm 6' 2" and just sitting in the showroom I felt cramped, so I never rode one.
HD - Fat Boy. Rode that. Nice bike, but at $18k to $19K it was pricey and really not the bike the Vulcan is.
Victory - I rode several models. Lots of power, but they didn't grab me. Lots of drivetrain lash, noisy engine. Also in the mid-teens$$.
Honda VTX 1800 - Tons of power!! Too much power!! All I did was stand on the throttle all the time. Also, very top heavy. Just didn't have the balance and comfort of the Vulcan.

And to top it off I got my 2003 for just under $9k!! That's half the price of the HD and it's way more bike!!!

A cycle is such a personal decision - the fact that you keep coming back to the Vulcan is the key here. It's not the fastest and it's got some quirks - rattles, whistling gas cap, etc. But it was the best bike of all that rode. No regrets!!