Vulcan500.com

Hello All,
I'm quite new to motorcycling. Though I've had several MCs in the past, they were short lived: Crashed 30 years ago after having the bike for two months. It was okay riding at the time. Then bought scooter and it was boring, so it only lasted a couple months, then sold it. Then bought big bike: Too big. Sold it after couple weeks. Finally bought a Kaw Vulcan 500 LTD. Man, the bug has really bit hard. This thing is so much fun. I love it! This is my first real year of serious riding and the summer went too fast. No road trips yet. If you're from the SLC area, maybe we can get together.

Anyway, I sort of banged my way through adjusting the valves on the Vulcan. Also plugged a small vacuum leak in the emissions system. And while I was working on it, I put in some expensive plugs called "Brisk". I've tried several fancy plugs like split-fire, sonic, and racing iridium (all of them in my cars, not motorcycles). They accomplished nothing except to consume my time and money. Anyway, I just wanted to share that afer doing the service work, my gas mileage went from 56mpg to 68mpg consistently. The valves weren't really out of spec. (or very much.) So whatever you can get from this post, take what you can. The Vulcan does "seem" to have more punch after the service work as well. I'm inclined to think the Brisk plugs have a lot to do with the mileage jump since it seems most other Vulcan 500 LTD owners get about 55mpg. Feedback welcome. I'd like to know what you all get.

The posts everybody has been posting have been very helpful.

Wow that is phenomenal fuel economy! If I go slow, 55 and under and keep out of the throttle I can get 58-62mpg. Are you sure you didn't measure/calculate wrong? I highly doubt your plugs have much to do with any fuel economy improvement. So called "performance" plugs are pretty much snake oil. The advantage of an Iridium or Platinum plug is that it will last 2-3x longer than a standard plug.

Hello,

Yes, I hear you. I've tried three other so-called "performance plugs" and they were nothing but snake oil exactly as you said. The Brisk brand seemed to make sense for high RPM engines. Anyway, I didn't believe the first tank full, so I just continued it with a second. Same result. THEN, I rechecked again two months later with two tanks. Still the same. 67 - 68 mpg in city/hwy riding. Maybe the stellar mileage has something to do with my huge body weight which weighs a whopping 155 pounds. It could have been that with the small vacuum leak I was just getting crumby mileage, and fixing it got the bike up to normal. ??

I've got at least 50 lbs. on you I had played with the final drive ratios which made no change in fuel economy at least no measurable change. It did however get rid of the buzziness at freeway speeds. I wonder why you seem to be getting so much better mileage. Do you have a windshield? I've always wondered if that would help or hurt fuel economy. I just assumed it would help since I would think the windshield would be more aerodynamic than the wind hitting your body.

Since you are getting the mileage that you are, being 50 pounds heavier than me, I will take a stab that at least part of the phenominal mileage is our weight difference. I'm rechecking it again, but this time there is more 70mph speeds included with all of the tanks, and it looks like it is dropping down to 64. Just started #3 tank full, but with winter coming on, the cold may also begin to effect things. My guess is that fixing the vacuum leak probably was the major contributer to the large improvement and that perhaps the plugs added 3 or 4mpg.

Question: I would like to put some nice foot rests on this bike, but without adding the engine guard to hook them on to. Recommendations? The "long" pegs advertised don't seem long enough without the guard, to get those pegs out there a bit.

This little vulcan is such a blast. It's my fifth MC and by far and away, it's the most fun. Quicker than most cruisers. Some guy on his big Harley wanted to race on the way in today. This little Vulcan won! (At least to get to 70mph) Incredible. It's a bit terrifying on the interstate though. Never rode the 65 - 75 mile per hour rodes with any of the other bikes.

To keep up with interstate traffic around here I usually go 70-80mph indicated. I believe my speedo reads about 5mph high (at least compared to my GPS). I'm sure this doesn't help my fuel economy Also since I made my final drive taller, The buzziness over 65mph has gone away and I find myself creeping up in speed. The only thing scary on the interstates here are the idiots driving blindfolded or at least acting like they are blindfolded. Kawasaki rates the Vulcan 500 LTD at 50mpg so you are beating that rather handily.