2010 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Classic vs. 2010 Triumph Thunderbird

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

You ARE using those pipes only for off road riding and closed course competition, right? I'd hate to think anyone as vitally important as an MO Super Moderator would be doing anything illegal.

Oh God forbid! I don't know how you could even doubt for a second.....I'm crushed, really.....

Since AMA racing is at such a low point I figure as long as the corners aren't too tight I should be in with a chance....Moke is going to help with the tuning so I can get the pre-requisite ka-Pow backfire on throttle closings....

[Kenneth_Moore]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

Moke is going to help with the tuning so I can get the pre-requisite ka-Pow backfire on throttle closings....

The Mokester may be smarter than he looks. I had the Vee tuned by the dealer for the 1st time Saturday (it can only be done properly with the Suzuki software). The bike clearly runs much better, but throttle closings at speed are causing occasional backfires. It never did that before. Maybe it's a "Suzuki thang."

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

The Mokester may be smarter than he looks. I had the Vee tuned by the dealer for the 1st time Saturday (it can only be done properly with the Suzuki software). The bike clearly runs much better, but throttle closings at speed are causing occasional backfires. It never did that before. Maybe it's a "Suzuki thang."

Any open exhaust will do that. With the stock exhaust you usually don't hear it. Mine burbles right along going on closed throttle but shifting it pops.

[pushrod]

I haven't seen a Kawi (as far as I know), but the T-Bird looks a LOT better in the paint than it does in photos.

The tank seam and that freakin' huge sprocket cover drive me up the wall, though.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

Yay Triumph for coming out with something other than yet another V-Twin. I'd like to see that engine in something other than that particular bike; in the photos the bike looks goofy; the tank is too high, the angle downward too severe. I wonder what kind of HP that P-Twin could make if someone were to get busy on some performance parts...

Very interesting that the article framed these bikes in the context of Harley Davidson. Fat Boy...Wide Glide...can we start the HD versus the rest of the cruisers argument again?

Triumph sells a 1700cc kit and accessory performance pipes for the T-bird.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by Dr_Sprocket

Yup. Someday, pehaps. As long as I can fit on a sport-tourer, I will. If I must go the cruiser route, then I want a sporty cruiser. Which actually begs the question:

What is the sportiest cruiser out on the market now?

IMO, the Warrior is still the bike to beat. Here's an article of the last time we compared the Warrior to another contender 2009 Muscle Cruiser Shootout

(Don't pay heed to the title of the story shown in the hyperlink. It's actually a link to our last muscle cruiser shootout.)

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by Dr_Sprocket

What is the sportiest cruiser out on the market now?

Speedmaster. 550lbs wet = 200 pound advantage over the big twins. Only 10 hp difference even in stock strangled form. No matter how much hp you get out of a Warrior or other big twin they are still 750lb honkers.

Heck the 1200 Sporty qualifies also, even with the heavier newer frame.

Guzzi 1100 California.

[anrajala]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Speedmaster. 550lbs wet = 200 pound advantage over the big twins. Only 10 hp difference even in stock strangled form. No matter how much hp you get out of a Warrior or other big twin they are still 750lb honkers.

Heck the 1200 Sporty qualifies also, even with the heavier newer frame.

Guzzi 1100 California.

There must be some misunderstanding here. The guy was asking what is the most sportiest, not what is the most horrendously underpowered. California has, what, 50 rwhp?

So we are talking something like 2.3 Rocket and 2.1 liter Kawi. Used Valk with a whisker under 100 rwhp and 100 lbft would be a good all-rounder scoot for errands. For beginners Raider S with 83rwhp and 105 lbft.

- cruiz-euro

[Buzglyd]

Originally Posted by anrajala

There must be some misunderstanding here. The guy was asking what is the most sportiest, not what is the most horrendously underpowered. California has, what, 50 rwhp?

So we are talking something like 2.3 Rocket and 2.1 liter Kawi. Used Valk with a whisker under 100 rwhp and 100 lbft would be a good all-rounder scoot for errands. For beginners Raider S with 83rwhp and 105 lbft.

- cruiz-euro

The Bigger they are the Harder they fall, eh Euro?

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by Buzglyd

The Bigger they are the Harder they fall, eh Euro?

We have different ideas about what "sportiest" means. I think that the SprintST is the "sportiest" Sport Tourer because it isn't a brobdingnagian exercise in weight gain like the ST1300, FRJ1300, Concours14, etc. Anarajalalalala thinks that "sportiest" means "most HP" regardless if the bike pushes 1/2 ton of curb weight or not. To me "sporty" means "able to change direction with having to throw out an anchor" and "doesn't need outriggers to keep from tipping over". Anrajalalalala thinks "sporty" means "straight line acceleration".

So, yes the smaller lighter cruisers are more "sporty" to my way of thinking. Your mileage may vary.