[dhgeyer]

Well, I'll just add my congratulations. I had a Vulcan 500 for a while, and I know firsthand that it's a great bike. There is a good chance that you will never outgrow that one. There really is no need for anything bigger unless you want to start doing long tours. Even then, there are many who would argue that the 500 is plenty of bike for the job.

If you ever decide to do your own wrenching, you'll find it easy to work on. They made that bike forever, and it's about as bulletproof as anything on the market. The Ninja engine, slightly retuned for more midrange torgue at the expense of a few high end ponies, is very fast and responsive up to its top speed. Coupled with a 6 speed tranny, it's one beautiful handful of fun.

You did good!

Just don't let the kiddies drool on it too much when you ride it to school.