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Hi There

1K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  roadpouring 
#1 ·
I’m John from NYC. Just finished MSF Basic Rider Course and after much searching and discussion, bought myself a one-owner, 4700 mile, 2006 VN750, all
original and in mint condition. Bought from Cycle Exchange in Andover, NJ as I really liked the idea of having a short warranty on the bike and the guy I bought it through there was amazingly helpful and patient with my newbie questions. (Chris - highly recommended!)

I have learned an immense amount lurking about these forums the past several days. Anybody have any sage advice for a first time owner, and especially a first time Vulcan owner? Any observations about a 13 year old bike with less than 5k on it?

I pick the bike up for my first ride on Thursday. Psyched to join the Vulcan club!
 
#2 ·
Welcome and congrats on your first bike. Only advice now is to just get accustomed to the bike and riding in general and build your confidence. Be careful this time of year with all the wet fallen leaves and invest in good gear if you plan on riding through the cold season. These bikes are great but like anything else have their quirks Not every single bike shows the exact same problems. Since you have an 06 with such low miles you just want to make sure the dealer changed your fluids and such. But other than that, take it as it comes, every thing you’ll need to know is on this site. It’s been my single source for well over a year.
Good luck
 
#3 ·
I have a 2006 and when I checked the final drive splines they were dry from lack of being greased at factory.
They weren't damaged so I greased them good and reassembled.

Yours at 4700 miles are likely okay even without grease, that is... unless they're rusty.
It would be wise to read up and check them, at some point.

Welcome to the forum!
 
#5 ·
I'll re-stress the "check the splines". I was given that advice, but didn't realize that if the splines fail, you have to replace the entire final drive assembly $$$. Follow the instructions written by member "Fergy" which is linked in the "10 things" post Knifemaker posted. You may not want to tear into your bike right away, but this is worth it.
 
#7 ·
You lucked on that one 47 HUNDRED miles? Wow. Despite the low mileage, I would still do a COMPLETE service, including the splines. Most will recommend you change the tires, and since I can't inspect the, I will too. However I have bought 10 year old+ bikes before with the original tires and went ahead and wore them out. Motorcycle tires are different from car tires. Even if you see no sign of cracking, the rubber will have hardened, meaning you will have less traction when leaned over. I mostly ride highways straight up on a cruiser. Most all of my lifetime of riding could actually be called touring. Not into short rides around town. The carburetors may be gummed up, or they may not. It depends on whether the bike was stored with fuel in it.

You have a very low mileage last year of production bike. If it is stock, I would leave it stock, at least for now. Though they were made for 20 years, there aren't many nice ones left. If you want something to turn into a bobber, I wish you would find something else. The Vulcan 750 is a very special bike to me. Two bought new ones have carried me almost 190,000 miles. They are a perfect fit for me, and that even includes the stock seat.

Other than the splines, the most common failure is the oem cam chain tensioners. They tend to last 10,000-15,000 miles. And when they fail, they can cause the cam chains to break or jump teeth, destroying the engine. You will hear a rattling sound before they fail completely. I put manual tensioners on mine.
 
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#8 ·
Thanks for the responses!

I picked up the bike today and put about 70 easy miles on it. Unfortunately didn’t have any more time than that for today. She’s a real beauty and runs, drives, and rides incredibly well.

The bike was completely gone over by the dealer before I bought it. Fresh oil change, new battery, and I specifically asked them to open it up to check and lube the drive splines.

I feel very lucky to have such a nice bike as my first ride. I intend to keep her all original and treat her well for a very long time.

I’m sure I’ll continue lurking about here and learning all I can about this beautiful machine.

Thanks again for the great welcome!
 

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#9 ·
Welcome. Not saying I don’t trust them, but we have had a few folks over the years say they asked their dealer to “lube the splines” only to find out later they did not. (They greased the other end of the drive shaft)

I see you have the increasingly hard to find luggage rack. A bonus 😉
 
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