Maggie

 

It was just a matter of time before Ally upgraded her Honda AERO and upgrade she did. She traded in her 07 AERO 750 and doubled her engine size to a new 07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 fi. She quickly named her new ride       " Maggie " after the native Magpie bird from Australia. It is a gorgeous bike and the handling is amazing. She has now experienced what an extra 200 lbs of motorcycle feels like. With the overall weight increase as compared to her AERO the bike actually becomes easier to handle. You get less buffeting from the wind and from passing trucks, they corner extremely well and have a great center of gravity and balance. Actually, her Vulcan Classic is nearly identical to my Nomad with the exception of the extra touring package and 100 lbs of weight my bike has. Otherwise, the frame and engine are the same which makes it much easier for me if I want to do maintenance on them. If I learn one bike, I will then know them both.

Obviously, the doubling in engine size makes for a very powerful bike, but top speed is something I am sure Ally will never reach. :) What is nice though is the amazing torque this engine puts out which is evident when riding in the mountains. It will pull you straight up a mountain without problems and elevation or altitude does not effect its performance because of the fuel injection system.

We immediately had to make some adjustments in order for Maggie to be comfortable to ride for Ally. New ISO hand grips to deaden the vibration, a new riders backrest and extensions ( risers ) to elevate and bring back the handlebars to put them in a more comfortable position. Riding the bike when she first got it caused her nothing but grief. A 20 mile ride would leave her aching from having to sit forward and reach for the handlebars. Since the installation of these aftermarket parts, the bike fits her comfortably now and she can ride long distances.

This is going to be a bike she will hold onto for a very long time. I recently rode it and really enjoyed the bike. I am sure she will enjoy it in the years to come. At least now she can keep up with me. :)

Maggie