Kawi vs. Honda Cruisers

[BubbaGump]

So there are 2 bikes I'm lookin at - the Vulcan 900 and the Shadow 1100. I like the styles of both, they both seem comfortable, although I haven't test ridden either yet. Any pros/cons anyone have over the other?

A lot of good information on this site from a lot of people. Keep it up!

[TheImp]

I have a vulcan, but I can't compare this to those two. The vulcan 900 classic has gotten good reviews around on the net in both comfort and power and looks. I believe the shadow does as well, but the important thing for you to do is to sit on each one at a dealership and get a feel for them.

[ZooTech]

The Vulcan 900 has fuel injection, belt drive, and a disc brake in the rear. Both the Spirit and the Sabre (not sure which one you're considering) use carbs and shaft drives, and the Spirit has a drum brake out back.

Both the Spirit and the Sabre sell for $8,599.00 with no accessories, but you can buy the Vulcan LT (windshield, bags, etc.) for $100 less. One review I read said the Vulcan has as much power as a V-Star 1100 but weighs 50lbs less.

In the end, buy the one that fits. There should be some decent deals on the Shadows. I hear most of the Vulcan 900's are sold before they arrive.

[BubbaGump]

Thanks guys. I'll definitely be testing quite a few bikes before I buy, but these two are at the top of my list! Love your Mean Streak Zoo. Looked at one and wow they have nice style

Thanks again!

[Z (fka Sweet Tooth)]

I have a Vulcan Classic 800 and my husband used to have a Honda Shadow Sabre 1100, he now has a Vulcan Classic 1600. The Vulcans are better balanced and lower to the ground. The Honda was really top heavy for me and and I could JUST BARELY flat foot it. Performance wise the Honda was a smoother ride and faster on the low end because it was lighter, eventhough it felt heavy because of the balance point (top heavy).

Also if you are begining, the Vulcan is more forgiving, the Honda 1100 loves to bolt off as soon as you twist that throttle. Which is not a bad thing, but for beginers it can be dangerous.

I personally love my Vulcan, the gears are easy to shift, the clutch is perfect, the throttle is just right, not top heavy which is great when I have to push it back and forth.

[BubbaGump]

Great info Sweet Tooth - thanks so much! I haven't ridden in years, but spent a lot of time on all sorts of gear - trikes, quads, motorbikes, etc. so I don't think I'll have too much trouble getting the cobwebs shaken out. Although I won't be abusing my body like I used to - it takes wayyy too long to heal!

I will definitely pay attention to your comments when I test them out to see how they compare. I'm 6' and 220, so I doubt I'll have much trouble with the bigger machines, but don't want to get something oversized that's unforgiving and hard to maneouver.

Thanks again!

[Z (fka Sweet Tooth)]

If your 6' and have ridden before then you should be fine on the Honda, but dont overlook the Vulcans' because they are also nice.

The thing about test drives, is that dealers usualy don't let you test drive because of thier insurance. The only one is usualy Harley because the dealers fall under Harleys insurance umbrella.

Good luck and have fun!

[BubbaGump]

Pffffft....they'll let me drive A wad full of bills seems to do the trick. hee hee. I have a few buddies who have bikes and have been great at giving input (sometimes unsolicited), so I'm sure b/w this site and them I'll buy something that I'll be happy with.

[DivideOverflow]

I like the Shadow Spirit 1100, personally. It is a very good size, has hydraulic valve adjusters, shaft, and is very low maintenance. Plus, it has plenty of pep for almost anything you need to do. I liked it because it wasn't as low as some of the other cruisers, so it fit me a little better, and it seemed to have more cornering clearance.

I didn't get one, but I was looking at them for a while.

edit: forgot to mention, I am about 6'0 220lbs also.

[axidjw]

the 900 is a good bike..my friend rides one and is comparable to the spirit 1100..the spirits center of gravity(top heavy feel) tends to feel the same as the vulcan adn power is about the same..the spirit and vulcan have about the same look to them and about the same price. Either bike would be a good choice. The shadow sabre like i have feels a little heavier than the spirit 1100 and a lot heavier than the vulcan but its relative(they all weigh about the same and you will only notice it till you get used to driving any new bike). The sabre will want to turn in on itself faster than the other two because of its weight but it tracks better in corners than its spirit brother. The spirit is better suited for highway riding and the sabre is more for around town cruising(although i have ridden mine for 1000 mile weekends with no problems. The sabre is faster than its brother off the line and if you crack the throttle it unloads tons of bottem end torque..it will scare the crap out of you if your not ready for it..
I guess it depends on what kind of "look" in a bike your looking for..the bikes you were comparing are both really good bikes

-john-