Topic: anybody that rides lots of different bikes....

[the technological J]

i have a  78 cb 550K  Ive always wanted to upgrade to a 750(sohc) .... my father just bought a kaw vulcan 750 and that thing rips its a nice ride and alot my style (its a 2002 with 2500 miles so its like brand new) i was just wondering if anybody has ridden a vulcan 750 and a 750 SOHC (with out too many upgrades) and how so they compare.... and anybody can join in on what they've rode and enjoyed but i wanna know about 750 or lower..... thanks

[HavocTurbo]

First off..

The 750 Vulcan is a v-twin. Completely different feeling. The torque that the Vulcan puts off where you can feel it is much more than the SOHC. The v motor is louder, has a different sound to it, and can be easily called....

Boring.

Second, the seating position is different, as are the foot and hand positions when riding. Shifting isn't all that bad but there is quite a jump from the bike when getting back on the throttle when compared to the SOHC. All thanks to that torquey v motor.

What the Vulcan has, that the SOHC does not is the ability to blend in. It all boils down to looks. It looks and sounds like a relative of a Harley Davidson. Kind of like the Honda 750 v motors.

The other thing is it is water cooled. Nothing bad about that other than looks. Less fins, less "mean-ness".


Ok enough of my personal feelings about a bike that I'm glad I never had to work on.

Seating is more relaxed on the V.

Engine feels like it's more powerful because of the massive low end torque when compared to the SOHC.

Chassis is more stable because of the geometry on the V, but you cannot ride it as far into the corners as the SOHC.

Sounds and looks like a v-twin.

More aftermarket options for it because of the huge time period that they made the little guys without little change.

Better brakes. Better shift feel. Better clutch feel. Better bar feel (due to the laid back position).

It is basically a cruiser where as the SOHC is a standard. There is a world of difference between them.

[HavocTurbo]

Please don't get me wrong.

I like the Vulcan, it's just that it's a v-twin. They are a whole different world in my opinion.

But I wouldn't ride anything else across the country if you know what I mean. 

Hope that helps.

[ofreen]

My dad had a 750 Vulcan, now my little brother has it.  I've ridden it quite a bit, including a ride from the Seattle area to Rexburg, Idaho.  It has a pleasing engine, plenty of torque, as mentioned above.  It will get 50 mpg while traveling if you are smooth on your throttle transitions.  Which is good because it has a small tank.  The seat bottoms out after less than 100 miles, and it is a little cramped for someone 6 feet tall.  Put a duffle bag behind you to lean on, and you can easily run through a tank of gas before stopping.  The engine is more modern than the SOHC 750 and it shows.  Kawasaki designed the bike back before they (and the other Japanese makers) realized the cruiser crowd wasn't interested in refinement, so they put on decent brakes, liquid cooling, shaft drive, DOHC 4 valve heads, adjustable suspension, and all that other sissy stuff.  They also made it ugly, but that is a matter of taste.  My dad thought it was beautiful.  He rode it until he was 76 when health problems made him give it up.

If you like cruisers and like the way it looks, it is a good bike.