spare fuel bottle

[mrlmd1]

Originally Posted by gz

. My concerns are just issues of unvented gasoline that wants to expand causing problems or maybe just a wasting of money (remember me on the compressor issue? My M.O. generally is if you don't need it don't buy it.)

Those gas canisters are NOT going to blow up. The gas is not going to expand inside the can or vaporize with extreme pressure to pose a danger. They are very strong and have been used for many years for camping and offroad riding and have no problems associated with them. They are meant for carrying fuel and are designed for that purpose.
If I were you, I would get 2 of them, then you have an extra 40-50 mile range before you run out if gas stations are so few and far between. Or you can get 1 gal flat poly cans that can mount on the bike, but they are not as strong. Just put the cans in your saddlebags and you'll be fine.

[Gz Rider]

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[blaine]

Originally Posted by Gz Rider

My reasons for the Vulcan may or may not match yours. I look for fuel economy first as that's the whole thing that put me on a motorcycle 3 years ago. Easy maintenance is next and the air cooling sells if for me as one less thing to worry about. The fact that it was a twin vs a V means it should have a little more room for my hands to work on it. It's chain drive which is more maintenance but it's maintenance I understand. I'm not completely against belts but shaft drive makes me nervous that if anything goes wrong I may not be able to handle it. I like spoked wheels and tubes because I know mounting them will not be a problem. Tubeless can present some problems with the first inflation.

The Vulcan is actually a water cooled engine.I like a water cooled engine because they last longer,being built with closer tolerances,and temps stay more constant in hot weather.My older 454 has cast wheels & belt drive.They eliminated both in 95.I like both the belt and cast wheels,for ease of maintenance and tubeless tires. The belt is quieter & cleaner.Through some research I found out that there is a H.D belt that's fits my bike.I installed a new one at less than $200.00.I will never need to replace a belt again.I like the tubeless tires because if I get a flat on the road it is easier to fix.Plus they are easier to keep clean.Over on the Vulcan forms,there are people looking for the cast wheels all the time,so they can do away with tubes.The cast wheels are getting scarce & more in demand.
:cool:

[Gz Rider]

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[blaine]

Quote/ In 1990 Kawasaki introduced the smallest of the Vulcan models, the VN500. Powered by an air-cooled 498cc parallel-Twin engine, the Kawasaki Vulcan 500 /Quote.
Yep, they are definitely wrong. :cool:

[Gz Rider]

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[blaine]

Originally Posted by Gz Rider

That pushes me more toward the Yamaha v-star 650. Another discontinued bike.....

What is it with this industry?

Same as Honda discontinued the 600 in 08. :??:
A lot of mid-size cruisers for sale around here gets top dollar because you can't buy them new.I guess that's why I got $2250.00 for my 99 G.Z. A 2004 Vulcan 500 with 40+ thousand sold last week for $4300.00.It sold the first day it was listed.

[greatmaul]

Wow I hadn't really heard of the 454 LTD. I'll have to add it to my list for stuff to search for. I'm ok with either water or air. Actually, I feel a bit safer with a water cooled engine, but that's just me. I'm new to motorcycling, but have spent a lot of years wrenching on cars and swapping out water pumps is definitely something I've done a few times.

Fuel economy and easy maintenance are definitely at the top of my list.

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Those gas canisters are NOT going to blow up. The gas is not going to expand inside the can or vaporize with extreme pressure to pose a danger. They are very strong and have been used for many years for camping and offroad riding and have no problems associated with them. They are meant for carrying fuel and are designed for that purpose...

Very glad to hear this, too, as this was the impression I got about these cans from looking online. I actually was thinking of getting a pair, eventually. This one popped up at $9.99 plus shipping for the 1.5 liter size and I just couldn't resist.

Originally Posted by Gz Rider

By the way, I like that totalmotorcycle link you posted!

Glad to help! I love looking at that site even though it's hard to navigate. "Real world" mpg numbers vary wildly and the only numbers listed are self-reported, but at least you can get an impression of what kind of mileage a bike is capable of.

[blaine]

Originally Posted by greatmaul

Wow I hadn't really heard of the 454 LTD. I'll have to add it to my list for stuff to search for. I'm ok with either water or air. Actually, I feel a bit safer with a water cooled engine, but that's just me. I'm new to motorcycling, but have spent a lot of years wrenching on cars and swapping out water pumps is definitely something I've done a few times.

Fuel economy and easy maintenance are definitely at the top of my list.

The Kawasaki 454 LTD is a motorcycle produced from 1985 to 1990, also known as the EN450. It is the forerunner of the Kawasaki Vulcan. The engine was a precise copy of the Kawasaki Ninja 900s, with two fewer cylinders. The Kawasaki 900 had a 908 cc engine. Removing two cylinders from the 4-cylinder divided the number of cc's by two. (908/2 = 454, thus the name).[1] Included was the liquid cooling, the bore and stroke, the double overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder. This gave it a great deal of power for its size, redlining at 10,000 RPM while delivering 50 horsepower. The 454 is considered a good starter bike for having a low seat height and light weight, as well as an efficient use of counterbalancing to limit vibration. The Kawasaki 454 is well known for its high rate of acceleration, having raced against a 454 ls big block Chevrolet Corvette and beating it to both 0-60 and the quarter mile by more than a second.

[Gz Rider]

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