Impressions of the 1700 Classic (No Nomads in yet)

[strobe]

I will start by saying I am 6'4" tall so that plays into every vehicle I buy. I will also say I was quite excited when I saw the first pictures of the new Vulcans.

My local dealer had a 1700 Classic LT today, which the dealer says is basically the same as the Nomad, just like the 1600's were. I decided to have a seat and see what I thought of the bike and honestly was not overly impressed.

The entire bike felt a lot smaller and lighter than the old Classic, but that could be a center of gravity change on the bike I guess. The floorboards seemed further back, kind of compressing the riding position and I seemed to be higher in the seat than before. The smaller tank and the way the seat extends up the tank are also strange to say the least. The rake on the front also seems to have decreased, though I am not positive but it sure felt that way. This will help at low speeds, but again felt very foreign.

My initial impressions are not good to be honest. If the Nomad and Voyager do follow this overall design, there is no way I will be riding one anytime soon, it felt more like I was on my friends H-D Fatboy than on a Vulcan. I just found the entire bike a bit odd for me. I have heard others say that if you are in the 5'6-8" inch range you will likely be more impressed than taller riders.

I remember the first time I sat on the Nomad, I knew that was bike I wanted. At least now I don't have to work on approvals for a new bike.