Anybody know anything about a 1985 Vulcan?

[Big R]

It's not for me btw. But a friend of mine is looking at one. Any weird quirks / motor problems that he should be aware of?

Thanks in advance folks!

 

[DrJ]

My second bike was a 1985 Vulcan 750. Worst bike I've ever owned. Motor has a 2-step camchain system. The factory manual warns that the valvetrain is very complex and only a trained mechanic should work on it. But it does have hydraulic valves so no manual adjustment required. Mine would never start if the motor was hot. I bought it at 4,000 kms on the clock and there were already metal filings in the oil. It's a stubby, unattractive bike with too much plastic but it was very comfortable. Good torque. I was riding on the highway one day and the oil pump failed and the motor seized at 120 km/hr. That was 17 years ago and I haven't owned a Kawi since.

 

[Drewski]

My second bike was a 1985 Vulcan 750. Worst bike I've ever owned. Motor has a 2-step camchain system. The factory manual warns that the valvetrain is very complex and only a trained mechanic should work on it. But it does have hydraulic valves so no manual adjustment required. Mine would never start if the motor was hot. I bought it at 4,000 kms on the clock and there were already metal filings in the oil. It's a stubby, unattractive bike with too much plastic but it was very comfortable. Good torque. I was riding on the highway one day and the oil pump failed and the motor seized at 120 km/hr. That was 17 years ago and I haven't owned a Kawi since.

... but other than that... how was it??

Geez DrJ, they can't hit a home run with EVERY model!?!?! ;D

 

[DrJ]

Sorry Drewski but you can't convince me to get back on a Kawi, well maybe an old Zephyr 550 or a W650.

 

[Redbird]

If I may be so bold to paraphrase DrJ...

 

[Big R]

Thanks DrJ. I forwarded this page to him, and your post may have convinced him away from the bike. He said it had about 26k miles on it too.

 

[Drewski]

Sorry Drewski but you can't convince me to get back on a Kawi, well maybe an old Zephyr 550 or a W650.

No problem. I could say, "Your loss", but truly it just means more Kawi's for the rest of us that love 'em!

 

[Rat_ranger]

My dad had a vulcan 750 for close to 10 years. It was at almost 60k miles when it had its first "major" issue. The oil seal behind the flywheel started leaking and shorted the stator. Parts would have run about $150 for new stator and seal. The problem for him was to replace it would require pulling the engine, and a few tools he did not have. The cost for a mechanic to fix it was too high for the bikes value, so my dad sold it to a guy who could fix it for $500, and bought a 03 vfr800. He made multiple 3-4 hour highway trips on the vulcan with no issues other than wishing it had a larger tank. I rode the bike a few times and thought it was a great bike as well.

 

[Big R]

Thanks man! I'll pass along the info.

 

[axelcrypt]

I had a 750 Vulcan for 2 years. Loved it. Sold it when i bought my 1500. Wish i still had it. Only trouble i had was with the electrickery. Someone had messed with the wires before i got it. Lights were wired wrong and a couple connections were sloppily done. Little tall in the front end...crosswinds bothered it more than some of my other bikes. The guy who bought it from me weighs about 250lbs and rides 2 up with his petite wife. Had 50k kilometers on it when i sold it.