Voyager vs. Harley Ultra Classic Review

[macmac]

Good read. makes me want to ride a Vo more than before. A guess is by 12 the frame will be settled in, and then the engine will shine. By 12 the seating will be back a bit too as a guess.

No doubt the HD dunlops are real tires and a lot of whats wrong in the Vo handling has to do with the oem junk kawii puts on as tires. NP, you just cook off that first set and get real tires.

I see the HD has a heat shield the Vo hasn't got in the write up. That problem has been addressed.

What I really don't know is the How to Fuel mod the Vo, which will probably get it to beat HD mpg's and get it faster than it is. Also cooling it off.

Hd's tend to have alt whine, so a little Vo engine whine should make them on par.

HD has had 20 years to get it right and the Vo has had 1.

I see the Vo has the rear boards like the last 1600, bk plastic, that should be changed. The Vo according to the ladies is a hands down winner till you mix it up with a radio. Maybe by 12 there will be a better radio.

The HD wins on brownie points and handling, The Vo beats the HD in engine, where yer money should really be.

HD needs to get away from the push rods. That day has been over a long time. They could still be there, one for coffee, the other tea, but 4 push rods beattin' and poundin' around is simply nuts in 2010.

There was no mention of charging systems. If the HD is as it has been with permanent magnets and a 2 wire rec/rec, and I am unaware what the Vo has, but if it is like the 1600 at all the Vo wins there hands down, no bones about it. Just don't break it!

[ponch]

Hey Mac:
Kawasaki doesn't have a history of making incremental changes with their cruisers. I doubt the Voyager will change much unless it's a glaring problem, but I'd like to be wrong.

I sold my Nomad, and now I am looking at bikes. I was hot for the BMW, but it's a bitch to find what you like as there are only 3 dealers in a 120 mile radius and two of them are 120 miles away. Talk about alternators, BMW's put out.

I have looked at the Voyager a couple months ago, and like greg said, it's not much cheaper than the HD. When you consider the things you'd have to add to make in comparable, there is hardly any price difference. That being said, I looked at some HD this past week. I sat on an Electraglide Ultra and a Roadglide Ultra. Interesting bikes, beautiful paint, fit and finish. The EGs are 2010 left overs and I probably could get them to move on the price if I was interested, but the RG was list.

My plan is to test ride the BMWs, HD and a Voyager and then make up my mind. The only issue that is pushing me towards the cruisers is my wife: She hates the way BMWs look (as well as the goldwing and C14) and she'd prefer to comfortable when she does ride with me. All that being said, ergonomically speaking, the R1200GS Adventure fit me the best out of any bike I have ever sat on. Of course my wife asked why they come with organ donor boxes...Understand my wife gave me the nickname ponch after I brought home the Nomad and said when are you going to start writing tickets, ponch, so it stuck. I dont' know what to do about the organ donor boxes though...

Originally Posted by macmac

Good read. makes me want to ride a Vo more than before. A guess is by 12 the frame will be settled in, and then the engine will shine. By 12 the seating will be back a bit too as a guess.

No doubt the HD dunlops are real tires and a lot of whats wrong in the Vo handling has to do with the oem junk kawii puts on as tires. NP, you just cook off that first set and get real tires.

I see the HD has a heat shield the Vo hasn't got in the write up. That problem has been addressed.

What I really don't know is the How to Fuel mod the Vo, which will probably get it to beat HD mpg's and get it faster than it is. Also cooling it off.

Hd's tend to have alt whine, so a little Vo engine whine should make them on par.

HD has had 20 years to get it right and the Vo has had 1.

I see the Vo has the rear boards like the last 1600, bk plastic, that should be changed. The Vo according to the ladies is a hands down winner till you mix it up with a radio. Maybe by 12 there will be a better radio.

The HD wins on brownie points and handling, The Vo beats the HD in engine, where yer money should really be.

HD needs to get away from the push rods. That day has been over a long time. They could still be there, one for coffee, the other tea, but 4 push rods beattin' and poundin' around is simply nuts in 2010.

There was no mention of charging systems. If the HD is as it has been with permanent magnets and a 2 wire rec/rec, and I am unaware what the Vo has, but if it is like the 1600 at all the Vo wins there hands down, no bones about it. Just don't break it!

[cdneh]

I can see the value in comparison shopping in the US but not so in Canada. The Nomad is half the price of an HD and you a great ride with lots of standard features and a history of reliability. I could own two bikes for the price of one harley and if spending that much would consider doing so.