P.s.
If anyone is looking for a starter bike for next year i will be selling my Yamaha”ha” XJ 550 Maxim for $1500. $1800 if you want a passenger seat bag and tank bag included. i will be selling it in August, because i am looking for a cruiser between 750 and 1100ccs

I’ll have to narrow my list down to five alternates in order of preference when I get my insurance and registration. Looking at the application form, I notice that I have to explain each “slogan”: that should be fun

IDIC (infinite diversity in infinite combinations)

LLAP (live long and prosper)

Re: Wild Hogs- no, but now I have something to dig up and watch! I recall seeing the ads for that, if I’m thinking of the right movie- John Travolta and Tim Allen were in it. Thanks, Chris

BTW: You have seen the movie “Wild Hogs”?

I am optimistic, however, that the training I’m taking plus the ease of handling the Vulcan is purported to have will make it comfortable for me. There is a reason, though, that motorcycle lessons are usually done using bikes of about the 250cc size. Any bike 500cc and up is basically too big to “toss around”: 400 pounds and up (over 600 pounds for the Vulcan) means even getting the bike on its wheels from a prone position is a challenge.

I’ve put my deposit down and now “own” a Vulcan: I put some pictures up on Facebook which, hopefully, folks can see. I won’t be taking possession until late April/early May, once I’ve completed my basic motorbike skills test at least. I sat on it today, though: it feels pretty good, and my feet sit flat on the ground. But this is definitely a big bike, and I could feel the weight as I shifted it from leg to leg.

One really important consideration regarding the Vulcan: the bike name is way cooler than “Boulevard”, and lends itself to all sorts of custom plate ideas

Jim

If I had unlimited money and had at least a couple of years of riding under my belt, I’d probably look at something like the Harley Electra Glide or Vulcan 1700 Voyager. That is, I’d be looking at larger engines, frame-affixed fairings, and more luggage: the basic riding position/style is the same.

And of course, everyone’s idea of cool is different. If I developed a large surplus of cash that I needed to remove ( ) and was going to buy a bike to play with I’d probably get a BMW tourer, because I’ve always liked their looks (Hate the cars, like the bikes. )

Something like a BMW 1200 RT:
http://www.superbike.co.uk/imageBank/r/R%201200%20RT%20LE%20Image%201.jpg

I’m partial to a particular riding “posture”: I guess you’d call it a cruising position. The cafe racer style bikes have you bending forward and putting your knees up near your chest, sort of a “foetal” position and that doesn’t appeal to me at all. The “standard” bike position is very upright, which I am okay with, but my preference is to have my feet a bit in front of center line and be leaning back a bit. Not quite a “chopper” position, where your hands end up above your eyebrows, but more relaxed. Another key factor for me is low seat height, so my feet are flat or close to flat on the ground when I extend them.

Harleys are nice bikes, and I wouldn’t fault anyone for wanting one. In the last couple of decades since they brought out the Evolution V-Twin motor they’ve gone from being oil leaking perpetual maintenance machines to well-behaved but still definitive bikes. The 1200 Sportster is what Shane has (hopefully I get this right).

For myself, I prefer a somewhat more “sedate” ride, and wanted something with a liquid cooled motor. As much as I appreciate the qualities of the Harley, it didn’t “leap out” at me like the Vulcan did when I looked at it. That is a bit of a weak explanation as to why I picked the Vulcan over a Harley, but that’s the best explanation I can give. I guess that’s why there are so many bikes with similar but not identical features: bikes are pretty individualistic machines, maybe even more so than cars.