How many miles do you put on your 500?

General questions, information, and/or comments about the Vulcan 500. For specific questions, post them under the applicable topic.
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Turbojoe
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I ride: 2004 Vulcan 500
Location: Mesa, AZ

How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Turbojoe » Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:34 pm

I bought my used 2004 Vulcan 500 in July of 2011 purely for economic reasons. 50-60 mpg vs 20-25mpg with the car (PT Cruiser) is a no brainer. Since then I have yet to drive the car to work even once. Rain, shine or monsoon conditions I'm on the bike for the 19 mile ride each way to the tune of 20,000+ miles so far. I actually feel out of place in a cage now when I have to drive mine to get groceries. I just love Tiffani! I got her with 7400 miles and she now has 27,600 on the clock. I fully expect to put 100,000 miles on her and with my 250+ pound fat ass on her that's quite a feat! I think she's up to it though. I start a new job next week that will cut my commute in half so I fully expect her to easily outlive me.(I'm 57) My best MPG so far has been 61.24 mpg. I'll be trying to beat that number now that the drive will be at 45mpoh and under rather than 70mph+. We'll see......

Joe
The nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.....

2004 Vulcan 500

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Triangles
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Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Triangles » Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:35 am

I picked up my first Vulcan 500 (Alecia) in march 2010, An '06 with under 3K miles on the clock. I'm now at 18K miles and counting. I have a new job with a 32 mile each way commute so I will be racking up the miles faster! The best mileage I've managed was 61.9. That was being stuck behind a semi for 2 1/2hours at 55mph. With my relatively new final drive of 17/38, The High Speed part of my commute is a smooth pleasure (5-6K rpm) instead of a buzzy uneasyness (6.5-7.5k).

My second Vulcan 500 (Sarah) is a '94 which I got dirt cheap with 9k miles on her. I'm now at 15k and am using her as a test bed for my perpetually on hold, engine management/fuel injection project before adapting it all to Alecia. I hope to have some time to make some advances toward having this completed sometime in 2014.

Joe,
I think it's funny that the Chrysler went backwards with the PT cruiser. I used to have a '95 neon that would routinely get 34-38mpg then they built the PT off of it and shot the mileage to crap. I got my best mileage when I had to travel for work but they wouldn't pay me mileage and I was on the clock till I got back home. I drafted semi's at 55 all day for 480 miles on one tank yielding 44mpg average.
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Turbojoe
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:35 pm
I ride: 2004 Vulcan 500
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Turbojoe » Sat Aug 24, 2013 2:26 pm

I love my PT Cruiser to death but 20-25 mpg mileage average really sucks for a little 2.4 liter engine. On a few trips to California I did manage 29.9 mpg. Never could break that magic 30mpg barrier. In town mpg isn't much better than a 1980's Chevy pickup though.

When it comes to drafting with the bike on the freeway I always look for UPS and FedEx trucks. Far less buffeting and I can usually drop almost to idle behind them. Those guys are always in a hurry so speed never drops. I always wave thanks to them when they exit the freeway. :mrgreen:

Joe
The nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.....

2004 Vulcan 500

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pappy1118
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I ride: Black '07 vulcan 500 LTD
Location: Canton, Michigan

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby pappy1118 » Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:39 pm

Last year I put a little over 4k on it. Looking daily at the weather reports. SPRING? YOU OUT THERE?
Tim
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

RonB
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:12 pm
I ride: 01 Red Vulcan 500

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby RonB » Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:48 pm

I've only put about 100 miles so far on mine. :) However plans are over the next 12 month to put between 6-7k on it. I made a excel calculator to figure the difference between driving my car vs bike based on percentage of miles driven. I will save nearly $600.00 if I drive the bike 40% of the time.

I am really itching to get out there.

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Turbojoe
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I ride: 2004 Vulcan 500
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Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Turbojoe » Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:15 am

I'll probably click over 30K this weekend. Forecast high of 88 degrees today and 85 tomorrow. I love Arizona! Times like this make the summers from the depths of hell worthwhile to endure. I seldom go out for pleasure rides anymore but this weekend I may just take the back roads up to Sedona to break in the new rear tire that I'm replacing this morning. I've been wanting to make that ride for the longest time but something always gets in the way. I should have noted the mileage on the car when I got the bike. In almost three years since I got the bike I doubt I've driven the car more than 1,000 miles. Nothing I need the car for is more than 10 miles away and I ride the bike 99% of the time. If I had a trailer for the bike I'd probably sell the car and get a beat up piece of crap $500.00 car just for anything bigger than groceries. I've been riding for 45+ years but never relied on a bike like I do now. The only real down time I've had with this bike was a swingarm bolt that broke at the threads. An obvious defective bolt. (There was also the header failure but if you have a Vulcan you already know one or both of the headers are going to break right around 25K miles) No fuel system problems, no electrical problems. I just service it regularly and ride it sensibly. Heck, I'm so easy on it I got just under 15K on the rear tire and could go even longer but I may not get a chance to change it for a while so it's getting done today. I don't think I'm getting rid of this bike anytime in the foreseeable future!

Joe
The nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.....

2004 Vulcan 500

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Triangles
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Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Triangles » Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:56 am

I am so jealous right now! I think I'm going to go out for a ride today. I Just can't take this arctic weather preventing me from riding anymore. It's been almost 2 months since I was last able to ride. This is pretty much how it has been here since mid December!
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Turbojoe
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:35 pm
I ride: 2004 Vulcan 500
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Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Turbojoe » Sat Feb 15, 2014 3:07 pm

I ride no matter how wet or how hot but I could never live or ride in snow. I guess a lot of other people can't either. That's why it seems the population of the greater Phoenix area more than triples in the winter from "snowbirds". I already know exactly how and what time of year I will die. It'll be in winter and the car that runs right over me and keeps on going completely oblivious to what they have done will have Minnesota plates on it. I swear they are the worst drivers on the planet. When I see a car with Minnesota plates I get as far away from it as possible. If you're from Minnesota and you're offended by my post you should be. Learn to drive or STAY IN MINNESOTA! Rant over....

Well of course because I want to go out for a pleasure ride today something puts the skids on that. Just got called in to work for a really stupid "emergency". What the heck, I'll take the overtime.....

Joe
The nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.....

2004 Vulcan 500

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bikerbill
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I ride: 1997 Vulcan 500LTD named Hidalgo

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby bikerbill » Sun Feb 16, 2014 3:08 am

Can I chime in on this thread? :)
--
'Biker' Bill
'97 EN500LTD 'Hidalgo'
269,000+ miles so far
VROC #3833
IBA #635

SlipStreamer Enterprise II, Vista Cruise,
Cobra Spots, Drifter solo seat,
Pro-Tac backrest, ScottOiler,
F&S luggage rack, LED lights,
4-gal AUX fuel tank

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Triangles
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I ride: '94 Black Cherry Vulcan 500, '06 Candyfire Red Vulcan 500 LTD
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Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Triangles » Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:57 am

Bill,
I think it would be safe to say your mileage is probably more than all the rest of us combined! What are you up to 150K? 200K?
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bikerbill
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:07 pm
I ride: 1997 Vulcan 500LTD named Hidalgo

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby bikerbill » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:22 am

Triangles, I keep my mileage updated in my sig.
--
'Biker' Bill
'97 EN500LTD 'Hidalgo'
269,000+ miles so far
VROC #3833
IBA #635

SlipStreamer Enterprise II, Vista Cruise,
Cobra Spots, Drifter solo seat,
Pro-Tac backrest, ScottOiler,
F&S luggage rack, LED lights,
4-gal AUX fuel tank

User avatar
Triangles
Site Admin
Posts: 819
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:35 pm
I ride: '94 Black Cherry Vulcan 500, '06 Candyfire Red Vulcan 500 LTD
Location: Toledo Ohio
Contact:

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby Triangles » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:44 pm

bikerbill wrote:Triangles, I keep my mileage updated in my sig.


I know someone who needs their eye's checked!
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burkbuilds
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Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:29 pm
Location: Rome, Georgia

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby burkbuilds » Wed Apr 02, 2014 8:49 pm

Wow, Bill, that is pretty awesome. I thought I'd put a lot on my 2009 by having almost 45,000 on it when I went down in April 2012 but that's nothing compared to your miles.

GeorgiaRider
Posts: 168
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 5:51 am
Location: NW Georgia

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby GeorgiaRider » Thu Apr 03, 2014 6:37 am

36K miles on my 2006 model (bought it new in 2007). Still love the bike. We should make BikerBill High Mileage Emeritus of the group or something.
GeorgiaRider
2006 Vulcan 500

Kuryakyan Foot Peg Extenders and Pegs
Memphis Shades Alley Cat Windshield
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mr.clean
Posts: 38
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I ride: 06 red Vulcan 500
Location: Round Rock,Tx

Re: How many miles do you put on your 500?

Postby mr.clean » Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:36 pm

10,000
VRA 1-68 President
Round Rock Vulcan Riders


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