Busa Too Vulcan 1500 Classic 6 Month Update

[JINKSTER]

First?...wow...lotsa new names since I last logged on...and a little preface for their benefit?...I owned, modded, maintained and rode my '03 Silver/Gray Gen I for 8 great, trouble free and fast years...prior to contracting diabetes which kind of took a toll on my physical and mental abilities to keep up with my beloved busa "Oren-Ishii".

and it stung...but it was time for me to slow down and get comfortable and the timing couldn't of been better as a friend at work had a '05 Vulcan 1500 Classic w/ 8K on it's A/C'ed garage kept odo...and the day after I sold my Busa?...I rode the Vulcan home...and was almost in tears doing so...even though something in my heart told me it was the right thing to do...but still...here I am on this slug of a chromed out metric cruiser that struggles to hit what my busa would do in 2nd gear...and what a crushing blow to my pride and ego that was...but as time has passed?...I'm pleased to report that this transition has slowly but surely become more palatable...maybe even touching on pleasurable.

Some of the good things have been...

• I no longer feel compelled (if not obliged) to haul butt wherever I go.
• This thing eats up interstates with style and grace.
• The seat is more comfortable than my living room recliner.
• It still has enough nads to vaporize cages in my side mirrors from a stoplight.
• I can do an oil/filter change in about 15 minutes....total.
• There is no chain/sprocket maintenance...it's a shafty.
• I can ride all day and still yearn for more.
• I'm a 55 year old diabetic who can still get in the wind on two wheels...safely.

One of the more recent things I've done has been to get a new set of Avon Cobra tires installed...

and they rock...I can finally steer this big girl with my azz again like I did my busa...the profiles have the steering dead neutral leaning into and out of turns, corners and curves...and I'm chuckling right now as it's weird that I mentioned the word "grace" above as I think I just found her new name...she's definitely no Oren -Ishii but she cleans up great and...I'd hit it! LOL!

next up?...is K&N, PC and a set of V&H Cruiser II exhaust...shocks, then braided lines and hoses all around...it never ends....does it? LOL!

anyways...I have many long term friends here and haven't been around in awhile and figured I'd drop in, say hi...and give ya'll an update...just in case one day ya'll see some crazed old man on a silver vulcan named "Grace" tearing up the dragon! LOL!

Ride Safe Folks and L8R, Bill.

 

[darciedog1]

Great looking bike.

 

[Poppy]

Glad to see you enjoying your boat anchor. That's what I call my Vulcan Nomad. You might want to check on eliminating the left side fake filter/breather and install a Baron Big Air Kit. That will wake the 1500 up a little and compliment the V&H, PC, etc.....Yea, it will.

Have you visited the Gadget Vulcan site much?

 

[JINKSTER]

Great looking bike.

Thanks!

Glad to see you enjoying your boat anchor. That's what I call my Vulcan Nomad. You might want to check on eliminating the left side fake filter/breather and install a Baron Big Air Kit. That will wake the 1500 up a little and compliment the V&H, PC, etc.....Yea, it will.

Have you visited the Gadget Vulcan site much?

Yes...and yeah...I'm still saving cash and mulling over my options as far s intake is concerned.

 

[Poppy]

Cool, all it takes is some $$$$.

 

[dadofthree]

Glad to see ya back on two wheels

 

[Adam G]

That is a nice looking cruiser. Glad you are enjoying it. Modding is fun! Expensive but fun.

 

[newman]

Glad to see you posting.

 

[GIXERHP]

Bill looks great and im glad your happy!
Thanks for the update you old Bastid!

Keep the shiney side up, and rock on my friend!
Any time your bored, call me!

 

[JINKSTER]

my Vulcan Nomad. You might want to check on eliminating the left side fake filter/breather and install a Baron Big Air Kit. That will wake the 1500 up a little and compliment the V&H, PC, etc.....Yea, it will.

Poppy...I've only had this new-to-me scooter a few month and know nothing about V-twins as I've been a life-long dedicated I4 kind of guy...but at this point?...I think I've read enough to suspect that maybe your Nomad is a carbed version?...because my "fake breather" is on the right side...which is actually a matching cover to conceal (2) cold air injection solenoids...(which I plan to jettison soon)...as this Classic I have here is a fuel injected model.

Now what I have been eyeballing is the "Kuryakyn Hypercharger Kit"....

But I'm not really certain how radical I want to get with this bike...and would like to retain it's all weather, long range reliability...so I may wind up just going with a stock replacement K&N, PC and Pipes.

any thoughts on this? T.I.A. Bill.

 

[Poppy]

My '04 Nomad is fuel injected. It is a 1500 and I had a real breather on the right side with an identical "fake" breather cover on the left. For a symmetrical look I guess. In my case, eliminating the left cover and installing an aftermarket assembly on the right side really improved the response without sacrificing MPG...If I drive it sensible, stay around 65 or 70 while traveling I will still get about 38 - 43 mpg, depending on weight onboard, saddlebag contents, etc....mine is about 800 lbs. wet so that range is still awesome IMHO.

The hypercharger looks cool and lets it breathe easier but I suggest finding someone at a bike night or bike function and asking for their opinion. I've heard that the performance varies and the reliability in the rain is an issue. Plenty of rainy afternoons in Florida, especially from Ft. Pierce and south....But the reality is anything other than stock will be a great improvement.