'02 Vulcan 500

[BillInGA]

I've been feeling to urge to move to a bigger bike for a few months now. After lots of research I decided on the Vulcan 500. I found one last weekend that was in serviceable condition and a decent price, so I went ahead and bought it. It's a 2002 with just under 9,000 miles.

I still have the GZ, but will be putting it on the market soon.

I plan on sticking around on this forum, though. No other bike forum comes close to this one, thanks to Dupo, Pat and all you great members.

Bill

[alantf]

Great bike you've just bought. That's what I wanted, but they stopped making the European version in 2008, & I hear they're stopping the North American version this year. :poorbaby:

[Easy Rider]

After lots of research I decided on the Vulcan 500.

OK, that makes TWO of them around Atlanta; one north and one south.
I GOTTA arrange a ride swap with one of you guys the next time I have my bike there.

I looked at them the day I bought my Shadow.

It appears that many dealers have left over new '09s that can be had for a REALLY good price.

[dhgeyer]

Congratulations Bill! You've got a great bike there. I had one once and loved it. Definitely one of the best bikes I ever had. I hope you enjoy yours as much.

[burkbuilds]

Hey Bill, congratulations on the Vulcan 500. I've really enjoyed mine this last year (and two months). I've already put almost 18,000 on her, mostly between Chattanooga and Marietta. I also wanted to agree with you about this forum. I've tried a few others and I've dropped a few of them already, but even though I no longer own a GZ, I plan to stay on this site. The members general helpfulness, interesting posts, and camaraderie are unique and no matter what bike you ride, this is a great forum to be a part of.

[New GZ250]

Vulcan 500's are great looking and just the right size.(500 cc's) I would of seriously considered purchasing one if they were available for sale in California. We have "few" mid-size bike choices here in California. Enjoy! Post some pictures!

[BillInGA]

Thanks to all for the kind words. I've been swamped at work and haven't been able to get the registration & insurance squared away yet. Hopefully by the end of the week (Is it Wednesday already?) I'm itching to start putting some miles on it.

One thing I discovered on the way home was that pipes have been drilled. Sounds much louder that I'd like and lots of popping on deceleration. Hey BB, assuming you have stock mufflers, can you post a photo of your tailpipes so I can see what kind of damage has been done? Hopefully I can repair these, otherwise I'll have to find replacements.

Photos tomorrow.

Bill

[burkbuilds]

http://s1.postimage.org/LsRbA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxLsRbA)


http://s2.postimage.org/xsf8i.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Tsxsf8i)

http://s4.postimage.org/OA6Ni.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVOA6Ni)
I'm not sure if these will have enough detail to help you out but it's what I have loaded on my computer, hope it's somewhat helpful.

http://s1.postimage.org/Ltz59.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxLtz59)

http://s4.postimage.org/OAqKr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVOAqKr)

[Easy Rider]

One thing I discovered on the way home was that pipes have been drilled.

I've got some experience with that on a GZ...... :whistle:
In that case, it just sounded pathetic.

I was able to tap and plug the backplate holes with stainless steel flat head bolts with hex slots.
Getting the size right was a little tricky.......and that backplate is VERY hard, at least on the GZ.

Hopefully the damage doesn't go beyond the back plate. You could plug those holes temporarily with some wooden pegs to see how much difference it makes. If they also punched the main diverter plate down inside, the back plate won't make much difference.

[BillInGA]

BB and ER - thanks for the feedback.

Here's what the tailpipe looks like with the backplate on:

http://s4.postimage.org/OWk6r.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

And here it is with the backplate removed:

http://s2.postimage.org/xZWOS.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

I'm sure I can fill the drilled holes with some kind of epoxy putty. The mangling in the center has me a little worried, though.

[Easy Rider]

Here's what the tailpipe looks like with the backplate on:


Going through postimg, they come out too small to see any detail.
You might want to give it another go by posting them directly on here.

Looks to me like the backplate itself is pretty much intact and they have punched or otherwise screwed up the baffles inside. A replacement might be your only good option. :cry:

[BillInGA]

Going through postimg, they come out too small to see any detail.

Shame on me - I used the my phone to take the photos. I'll try again at lunchtime.

Standby...

[alantf]

I used the my phone to take the photos.

What's the problem? Can't you send them to your computer by infra red or bluetooth (or even by cable) then upload them via the uploader on the site? :2tup:

[BillInGA]

I used the my phone to take the photos.

What's the problem? Can't you send them to your computer by infra red or bluetooth (or even by cable) then upload them via the uploader on the site? :2tup:

I emailed the images to myself from my iPhone and it automatically resized them to thumbnails. I don't have a sync cable here at the office, so I'll use my Nikon CoolPix S230 and take some shots when I go home for lunch.

[BillInGA]

Ok, it was me saving the images as thumbnails, not my iPhone :retard:

Let's try this again...

Exhaust with coverplate:

http://s1.postimage.org/MRD7i.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxMRD7i)

and exhaust with coverplate removed:

http://s3.postimage.org/cJEwJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqcJEwJ)

[Easy Rider]

and exhaust with coverplate removed:


Yep, I think you are pretty much screwed. :cry:

Is the muffler welded to the pipes.....or is it a seperate piece ??

And gotta ask......because we are all friends here......... :)
You didn't notice the loud exhaust note before you bought it ??

[BillInGA]

And gotta ask......because we are all friends here......... :)
You didn't notice the loud exhaust note before you bought it ??

No worries - it's a valid question.

I knew it was louder than the GZ, but I honestly didn't realise how much louder it was until I was on the road. Admittedly, I was suffering from sensory overload as well as a little bit of buyer-mania.

I got the insurance and registration set up today and rode it in to work. With some finesse on the throttle and judicious gear selection it is possible to ride it without being too excessively loud.

I gotta say, though, I LOVE this bike. I pulled out onto US41 and did my normal acceleration to get up to speed. When I shifted from 2nd to 3rd I noticed I was already at 50 MPH (the limit on that stretch is 45). I can see that it will take some serious self-discipline to keep from getting into trouble. Fortunately, my years of apprenticeship on the GZ250 have taught me humility and patience.

[Easy Rider]

as well as a little bit of buyer-mania.

I can see that it will take some serious self-discipline to keep from getting into trouble.

A new bike buyer blinded by the stars in his eyes..........NEVER !! (says the guy who swore he would never own a RED bike). :roll: :crackup

I don't know how much passing you did on the GZ but the technique is different now.
You do NOT have to crank the throttle and wait for it to wind up BEFORE you pull over into the other lane. :biggrin:
If you do, you will be eating trunk. :shocked:

And along with that, you don't "need" to wind it up so much just to get a good run at the next gear; a little practice will lead you to the best shift points; they can be lower than before.......once you get over the "wow" factor, that is.

[dhgeyer]

Only wheelie I ever did was on the Vulcan 500. By accident. Wanted to beat a hot car off a light. I did. Be careful with that thing! You do know that it's the same engine and gearbox as the Ninja tuned a little differently, right?

[BillInGA]

"wow" factor

You said it, brother! :biggrin:

[BillInGA]

Only wheelie I ever did was on the Vulcan 500. By accident. Wanted to beat a hot car off a light. I did. Be careful with that thing! You do know that it's the same engine and gearbox as the Ninja tuned a little differently, right?

Roger that. No desire to do wheelies. If I wanted to ride on one wheel I'd get a unicycle.

But still... I found myself watching a sporty car go by at the stoplight thinking to myself, "I could blow you away, buddy." That's when I have to pull myself back from that dangerous mindset.

[burkbuilds]

Bill, yeah, the exhaust looks pretty goofed up, but at least they come off easy and you don't have to go all the way back to the exhaust port. I have no idea what Kawasaki wants for those Mufflers though, but at least you've got several dealers in your area to compare prices with. I'd check to see what they want for them and then decide what you want to do. I am assuming that your mufflers are like mine. They are simply clamped on. Just take two support allen head bolts out near the rear and then loosen the bracket that clamps it onto the exhaust pipe directly below the seat area and then just slide them off. It's so simply I often do that just to polish mine.

[Water Warrior 2]

Muffler tuning with brute force and ignorance comes to mind. Would have been less work to remove the mufflers and clamp on straight pipes. I'll stick with factory sound system for my bike, I doubt I can do a better job than the engineers and designers.

[dhgeyer]

Only wheelie I ever did was on the Vulcan 500. By accident. Wanted to beat a hot car off a light. I did. Be careful with that thing! You do know that it's the same engine and gearbox as the Ninja tuned a little differently, right?

Roger that. No desire to do wheelies. If I wanted to ride on one wheel I'd get a unicycle.

But still... I found myself watching a sporty car go by at the stoplight thinking to myself, "I could blow you away, buddy." That's when I have to pull myself back from that dangerous mindset.

Yup. We get so soon old and so late wise.

[Easy Rider]

It's so simply I often do that just to polish mine.

Well you sure had ME fooled.
I thought you were a pretty rational kind of guy !!
:poke2:
:crackup

[dhgeyer]

It's so simply I often do that just to polish mine.

Well you sure had ME fooled.
I thought you were a pretty rational kind of guy !!
:poke2:
:crackup

This from a man who enters his motorcycle in beauty pageants. And wins.

[Easy Rider]

This from a man who enters his motorcycle in beauty pageants. And wins.

:shocked: :neener: :retard: :biggrin: :haha2:

And I want you to know....that was unwashed and unpolished too !!! :2tup:

[IceBreaker]

Hey Bill....are still doing that Atlanta to Denver ride this summer? Hope you are completely healed from your injuries....(from running)! I guess you would be on your Vulcan if you are still doing the trip, right? All the Best!

[BillInGA]

Hey Bill....are still doing that Atlanta to Denver ride this summer? Hope you are completely healed from your injuries....(from running)! I guess you would be on your Vulcan if you are still doing the trip, right? All the Best!

Yes, I am all healed up, and I will be making the trip to Denver. Departing 7/24, expecting to arrive on 7/26. I will be taking the Vulcan.

You can see my planned route here: Atlanta to Denver (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110147118192428259197.000486148f1b26b29c8f1&z=5)

I'm finalizing my packing list and I'll be doing some fully-loaded test rides to make sure everything stays put.

[Easy Rider]

I'm finalizing my packing list and I'll be doing some fully-loaded test rides to make sure everything stays put.

I forget your history and experience but doing 3 eight hour days in a row on a bike....especially one not really designed for "touring"......is not a realistic plan. For most riders, not even close.

If you've "been there" before, then never mind.

If NOT, then you need to actually take an 8 hour test ride, 4 out and 4 back to see what it's really like. I've found the most I can reasonably do in a day is 300 miles, or about 6 hours a day; for your trip that would take me about 5 days.

[BillInGA]

you need to actually take an 8 hour test ride, 4 out and 4 back to see what it's really like.

I rode Atlanta to Nashville (and back) several weeks ago - a couple of weeks before Nashville got all that rain and flooding. It was before I got my windshield installed and I got beat to hell by the 25+ mph winds. My planned route was 525 miles, but due to a navigational error the trip ended up being 550 miles. At the end of the day I was ready to get off the bike, and the next morning I was ready to get back on.

And that was on the GZ250. With the few miles I've put on the Vulcan so far, I can tell it is a much more comfortable bike. I'll be taking a 3-hour ride tomorrow morning on the Vulcan so I'll be able to get a better feel for it.

[Water Warrior 2]

you need to actually take an 8 hour test ride, 4 out and 4 back to see what it's really like.

I rode Atlanta to Nashville (and back) several weeks ago - a couple of weeks before Nashville got all that rain and flooding. It was before I got my windshield installed and I got beat to hell by the 25+ mph winds. My planned route was 525 miles, but due to a navigational error the trip ended up being 550 miles. At the end of the day I was ready to get off the bike, and the next morning I was ready to get back on.

And that was on the GZ250. With the few miles I've put on the Vulcan so far, I can tell it is a much more comfortable bike. I'll be taking a 3-hour ride tomorrow morning on the Vulcan so I'll be able to get a better feel for it.
Sprinkle a bunch of talcum powder in your shorts, it will make things comfy for a longer ride.

[dhgeyer]

Bill,

You haven't mentioned this and it hasn't come up here. Did you get a service history/record with the bike? Do you know what has been done and when? If not, that's definitely something to look into before a long ride like you're planning. DOT codes on the tires indicating how old they are? More than 5 years and they don't have the stickiness (traction) they should, even if the tread looks great. When was the last tune up? Is the chain at the proper tension, and if so, is it anywhere near the end of it's (the wheel's) adjustment? When the chain is stretched too much it needs to be replaced. Spark plugs OK? Brake pads and shoes good? Check the ends of the clutch cable for wear. They almost always break at one end or the other, and if you look once in a while you can usually see it coming. Bad news to have one break mid trip. Brake fluid look OK? How about the battery - if it's not a maint free type how's the fluid level? Tire pressure of course. Oil and filter goes without saying. Got spare bulbs? Fuses?

I know you've been busy, but I would definitely go over the whole bike before taking off across the country. If you've already done all this, then never mind.

[Easy Rider]

At the end of the day I was ready to get off the bike, and the next morning I was ready to get back on.

You might be OK then. My enthusiasm doesn't wane until sometime about the middle of the second day.

Do you have a "plan B" incase of bad weather, etc. ??

[BillInGA]

Exhaust with coverplate:

http://s1.postimage.org/MRD7i.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxMRD7i)

and exhaust with coverplate removed:

http://s3.postimage.org/cJEwJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqcJEwJ)

I finally managed to fix my loud and mangled muffler problem. I got a short piece of 1" copper tubing and attached it to the cut off inner pipe / baffle with JB Weld. After it cured, I used JB Weld Stick (a putty-like version) and formed it around the area that had been cut away around the pipe. I also used the putty to fill the three drilled holes as well.


http://s4.postimage.org/vfQBJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVvfQBJ)

The end result is the mufflers now sound like they ought to. Much quieter and no more harsh, really loud popping and backfiring during deceleration.

[mrlmd1]

Check out this link I also posted on AC's thread, from the Iron Butt Riders

http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm

[Easy Rider]

The end result is the mufflers now sound like they ought to. Much quieter and no more harsh, really loud popping and backfiring during deceleration.

Good job. I think you should consider that a temporary fix, though, and start shopping for some replacements. Hopefully you can find a used set somewhere.

[BillInGA]

Check out this link I also posted on AC's thread, from the Iron Butt Riders

http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm

Good article, thanks. I added a few more nuggets of knowledge.

[BillInGA]

The end result is the mufflers now sound like they ought to. Much quieter and no more harsh, really loud popping and backfiring during deceleration.

Good job. I think you should consider that a temporary fix, though, and start shopping for some replacements. Hopefully you can find a used set somewhere.

Definitely a temporary fix. The JB Weld putty is good up to about 250°F. I don't know how hot it gets at the end of the tail pipe, but my expectation is that it will degrade over time. If / when it does start to degrade I have some high-temp RTV to fill in any cracks that may form.

I've been talking to some folks on the Vulcan forums trying to line up some used pipes.