2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT

by Alice Brown
(Louisville, KY)

My first bike was a HONDA SHADOW 750 ACE and I thought at that time, that was the best bike in the world because she took all the bumps, bruises and drops while I learned how to ride. That was November 2007. Well I wanted to move up and I wanted a HONDA VTX 1300 but this guy had a bike that had been sitting in his garage for a year and he wanted to get rid of it. I asked if I could see it and when I did, I fell in love. She was sitting in the corner, all dirty and sad, waiting on someone to love her....so I bought her right then and there. My Rosie has been my best friend since January 2009. She only had 92 miles on her and she was itching to get on the highway. She has never failed me. We have gone up and down the east coast and all the way to Vegas and back. She now has 32,149 miles.

That "big bike" look is one of the first things I noticed. While it may seem big and beefy with its longer 64.8-inch wheelbase and large front forks and fenders, my Rosie is relatively lightweight at 557 pounds and easy to maneuver thanks to a low seat height of just 26.8 inches, a welcome feature for anyone, but most especially inseam-challenged riders like myself.

The extremely low seat allows me to place both feet flat on the ground. While the seat is the wide bucket type, it does narrow substantially as it reaches the tank so I can scoot up to gain an extra half inch when placing my feet down. The handlebars are wide and low offering relaxed riding position. For me, the ergonomics of the bars made parking lot maneuvers and u-turns easy.

My Rosie fires up easily at any temperature. I love the floorboards and the heel-toe shifter. The heel-toe shifter took a little getting used to. Coming from a motorcycle with foot pegs and a toe shifter, I got a little confused at times if I should use my heel or toe. The heel shifter is really just a convenience for those who cannot get their boots under the toe shifter to go up in gears. In the end, I prefer floorboards as they make for a much more comfortable riding position. Because the bike is so low, I did scrape the floorboards sometimes while pushing through some of the twisty roads, but overall she handled solidly in these situations.

I could go on but I believe you see where I'm coming from. My Rosie is the best. I will never sell her...even after I buy my GOLDWING in five years.