![]() The 903cc 4-stroke fuel-injected V-Twin is the heart of all the bikes I rode in New York. Virtually the same, each of these Vulcans are built on a steel double cradle frame with a liquid-cooled SOHC powerplant. Maybe I need a comprising model like the baseline Vulcan Classic to fill in for both my wants. But when I think about where I ride the most of my miles, a high-styled cruiser like the Custom SE is better suited for the streets of LA. Deciding between the three middleweight cruisers while touring around upstate New York lake country.įorever the type of guy that wants to ride across this great nation, I tend to think I’d choose the Japanese maker’s middleweight tourer, the LT. Kawasaki has been offering such life decisions for more than 40 years – calling this one their “Middleweight Knockout” - and most recently I had to make the choice for myself. I had to endure the cavernous greenways and lakefront restaurants of Lake George in the hopes of deciding which Vulcan 900 was right for me: the 900 Classic, 900 Custom or the Classic LT. The week-long event wasn’t all fun and games, however. Kawasaki claims its 900 Vulcan achieves 45 miles per gallon, and toting 5-plus gallons of fuel, we rode all day without need for any stops other than to enjoy the scenery around us, buy some homegrown maple syrup and peer off at the New York and Vermont countryside with a smile. No surprise the annual event held it’s 26th anniversary in 2009, kicking off just about the time the first Vulcan hit the market.Ĭrossing back and forth Lake Champlain, both by ferry and bridge, our group of Vulcan cruisers gobbled up the miles with poise and efficiency. ![]() With undulating tree-lined roadways, gentle sweeping bends and world-class lakeside scenery, upstate New York touring is some of the best to be had. When we weren’t entertained with bike shows, paddleboat cruises or shopping our way through the immense vendors area, we were riding the winding greenways between lakes George and Placid. The Kawasaki Vulcan line of cruisers is a perfect fit with their low-decibel roar, good-natured handling and classic styling. Sure, it ain’t no Main Street at Daytona, but the attendees and locals of the annual Adirondack touring rally and expo like it that way. We had tested the Vulcan 900 Classic in a previous shootout, in which Pete Brissette said Team Green did a “very good job of crafting a classic look.” Kawasaki has since added to its attractive lineup two other variations.Īt Bill Dutcher’s Americade, like any gathering of motorcyclists and travelers, cruising the boulevard is just part of the excitement for cruising riders. Lighter in both weight and price, but not lacking in style or rideability, the middleweight Vulcans are comfortable, smooth and adequately powerful. Stuffed into its lineup between the parallel-Twin 498cc LTD and the new 1700cc Vulcans is the Vulcan 900 (903cc) series of cruisers. A thanks goes out to a family friend for the life-long motto I live by.Īdhering to the trend, if not leading the way, Kawasaki has its finger on the pulse of middleweight cruiser market. Hope this answers some questions as well and if any of you have other questions, hopefully I am now in a better position to answer them.At a time when bigger isn’t always better, and more expensive means more hits to your bank account than you have friends on FaceBook, finding a compromise (moderation) in the key to long life. The Ghost Bracket kit for use with the Paladin backrest has 15mm longer bolts and would not work unless you wanted them to go through the fender as well. With the removal of the fender trim, I had to use the original bolts that came with either the Paladin kit or the Ghost Brackets kit for non-backrest use. With the removal of the fender trim, it seems that the length the ghost brackets were jutting out remains unchanged. The backrest mounting spools went on the inside and the ghost brackets mounting spools went on the outside. The length between the mounting brackets is fixed and that distance is less than the length between the outer edges of the fender trim. ![]() There was no way I was going to be able to use them with the Paladin backrest. I ended up having to remove the plasti-chrome fender trim. I tried various configurations to find out what would work since I was given differing ideas from both companies as to how to install both products at the same time.īasically I ended up using the Paladin instructions. Spent early morning of Thanksgiving working on this so I didn't take pics in progress. Both companies said their products would work together. Ok i don't have pics yet, but I have installed the Paladin removable backrest.īefore I go any further, I spoke to people from Ghost Brackets and National Cycle.
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