2009 Kawasaki Vulcan

[SuziQ07]

I promised some pictures of my new 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I went out for a short ride tonight; and some parking lot practice. I'll probably feel more comfortable on the Vulcan right around the time the bike has to be stored for winter! The weather has turned much cooler lately in NY. I ordered two fleece neck gaiters from L.L. Bean yesterday, in the hopes they will keep my neck warmer on the motorcycle. My next purchase should be long underwear to wear under my jeans while riding!! :tongue:

[mole2]

Very nice ride SuziQ! Good luck and ride safe.

On another note, it got into the 90's in the middle of May here and it hasn't let up yet. lol


:)

[Water Warrior 2]

Oh my goodness that is a sweet looking bike. Have to say it will be a while before you tire of riding it. And congrats for being so dedicated to just go out and practice in a parking lot first thing. That alone will be a great skill builder on a new bike. The rider has a winning bike and the bike has a winning rider. Suzi your attitude makes me happy and puts a smile on my face.

What's next ? Farkles, farkles and more farkles. :2tup:

[dhgeyer]

Nice ride! Same color as the one I had.

As the weather turns cooler, one of the first, if not the first, accessory you might want to consider would be a windshield. Not only helps some with the cold, but takes the pressure off your chest at speeds of 50 mph and above. Kaw makes one for the bike. I've never tried it, but it looks very good. It costs a lot for what it is. I've always had good luck with the Spitfires, which are very easy to mount, cheap, and can be had most anywhere.

[blaine]

I put a NATIONAL CYCLE street shield EX on my Kawasaki.It fits the bike well,looks good,and offers good protection.I paid $149.95 for it, and it arrived in 3 days.It has a 4 point mounting system that is very sturdy.I have used the SPITFIRE shield and there is a night & day difference between the two of them.The SPITFIRE is small and not very sturdy as it only has a 2 point mounting system and is not very thick in comparison to the Street shield.

:2tup: :)

[Water Warrior 2]

SuziQ a good way to keep warmer is wear a rain suit. It will stop the cooler air from penetrating your clothing. Some of the products available actually make a fashion statement and a smart statement at the same time. I prefer the outer rain suit to an inner rain liner that comes with jackets and pants because you have less undressing/dressing on the road.
Ckeck with "webbikeworld" for their evaluations of available clothing options.

[alantf]

Oh my goodness that is a sweet looking bike.

Yeah - keep rubbing it in, when you know I want one & can't get hold of one! :poorbaby:

[Easy Rider]

As the weather turns cooler, one of the first, if not the first, accessory you might want to consider would be a windshield.

It also deflects bugs, birds and rocks !!!

And makes the overall riding experience more enjoyable.......except for those with an overwhelming need to prove how "tough" they are. :whistle:

I find that I can ride down to about 55 F. just with extra "layers"......like she mentioned.....even with a big windshield. From there down to 45 F., my one-piece snowmobile suit does wonders......except for the neck and chin. Below 45 and I'm done.

[SuziQ07]

Oh my goodness that is a sweet looking bike.

Yeah - keep rubbing it in, when you know I want one & can't get hold of one! :poorbaby:

I'm sorry... :cry: Must be very frustrating for you. Can you pick up an older one near you???

[SuziQ07]

Thanks for all the wonderful compliments on my new bike. I truly appreciate all the words of wisdom too. I am going to do some research on a windshield...I really should consider one. A rain suit or chaps etc. would come in really handy this fall too. My neck and legs get a bit chilly. I just started riding in early April 2010...so I'm not accustomed to the cold.
Rode my new bike about 100 miles today...it was in the low 70's and sunny (poor GZ sat alone in the garage)! My Kawasaki makes a few odd noises. When I pull the hand brake lever it makes a buzzing noise and then eventually goes away. After parking in the garage and turning the bike off I heard a high-pitch whiny noise...perhaps a fan as the bike cools?!?! So strange...I've got to give the dealer a call next week. I was really impressed with the bike overall however. Thanks again for all your help!

[Sarris]

The front brake noise is probably just breaking in the new pads, and yes, the whirring noise is the thermostatically controlled radiator fan running to cool the radiator coolant down after shut down.

There is usually a 500 mile (?) break in service and I suggest you make a list of questions and ask them then. I think what you're hearing is normal.

Good luck and enjoy your new bike.

:)

[Water Warrior 2]

Oh my goodness that is a sweet looking bike.

Yeah - keep rubbing it in, when you know I want one & can't get hold of one! :poorbaby:
Would it be cost prohibitive to get a good used one on the mainland ?

[Water Warrior 2]

As the weather turns cooler, one of the first, if not the first, accessory you might want to consider would be a windshield.

.....except for the neck and chin. Below 45 and I'm done.
Have you tried a light weight bala clava ? Thin, light and stretchy but cuts the wind very nicely. Just a thin layer over your chin and neck will make a big difference in your comfort level. And a helmet slips on easier too.

[alantf]

Would it be cost prohibitive to get a good used one on the mainland ?

Problem is, due to the Spanish "mañana" syndrome, there's no place,really, where information like that is stored in one place. Craigslist is virtually unused over here, & if I found any it'd be a $200-$400 trip every time I went to look at one, plus the cost of ferrying it back. When I got the geezer, there wasn't one in Tenerife, so the local bike shop found one on one of the other islands, but that was new, so shipping came included in the book price. If they still made the European version, the guy at the bike shop would do the same with the Kawasaki.

[dannylightning]

so is it way to fast for you lol.... very nice bike congrats..

[SuziQ07]

The front brake noise is probably just breaking in the new pads, and yes, the whirring noise is the thermostatically controlled radiator fan running to cool the radiator coolant down after shut down.

There is usually a 500 mile (?) break in service and I suggest you make a list of questions and ask them then. I think what you're hearing is normal.

Good luck and enjoy your new bike.

:)

Thank you so much Sarris...you've put my mind at ease! What you're saying makes perfect sense to me now.

[SuziQ07]

so is it way to fast for you lol.... very nice bike congrats..

It's a lot faster than my GZ...still getting used to it. I fall back into the seat when I take off! Now I can actually pass some cars when the light turns green! Of course I'm still trying to go easy on it with the engine break-in. My dad tells me to not go over 50 mph for the first 500 miles!!!!! O_o

[Easy Rider]

Have you tried a light weight bala clava ?

After I see how my new helmet handles the cold......that's on my list.

[burkbuilds]

SuziQ07, your new bike looks great.
The noises you are hearing are indeed normal for the Vulcan 500. If you get a high pitch squeal when you use the front brakes lightly that is not "normal" but it is

pretty common. After I had the dealer try several things on my Vulcan to quiet the squeal, I finally just replaced the OEM pads with some good quality aftermarket pads

and problem solved.

Good quality cold weather gear can extend your riding season a good deal longer. You've gotten some great tips on here, windshield, balacava, and such. I will

add that heated grips (about $75.00) are really nice to have and are fairly simple to install. I've found that my hands are the most exposed part of my body. Even

with great insulated gloves, it's usually my cold fingers that put a stop to my riding in Winter.

I hope you get some nice mild weather to ride in before the NY Winter's shut you down. Enjoy the new bike.

[mrlmd1]

That problem can be partially/mostly solved with a windshield that extends out over the grips to block your hands from the wind.

[Water Warrior 2]

Symtec grip heaters are only about $35 in the U.S. Both of our bikes have them and they are great. They very reliable and heat the entire grip whereas some heated grips only heat part way around. Suzuki heated grips are very expensive and only heat part way round the grip.