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Old 06-17-2017, 04:39 PM   #1
denny 606   denny 606 is offline
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Vaquero at slow speeds

Anybody that has made the move from a 1500 Nomad to a Vaquero. Can you all give your take on low speed handling is the vaquero any less or more stable or feel lighter or heavier. I'm running an HD fork mounted batwing and a Harley tour pack as well. I'm doing some thinking , scary huh?
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Old 06-17-2017, 04:48 PM   #2
skullbagger   skullbagger is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denny 606 View Post
Anybody that has made the move from a 1500 Nomad to a Vaquero. Can you all give your take on low speed handling is the vaquero any less or more stable or feel lighter or heavier. I'm running an HD fork mounted batwing and a Harley tour pack as well. I'm doing some thinking , scary huh?


For me I ride two up most all the time
And it's a pig, but so was my 1500.
The vaquero handles everything better it corners like a dream.
To recap I think anything two up will be challenging. So don't base your decision on that. If your referring to
Your batwing to one fixed like the vaquero (IMO) I'll always buy a fixed fairing I like that much


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Old 06-18-2017, 12:06 AM   #3
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I like to think i've masted riding the vaquero slow. I normally would do high RPMs "3000 or so" with nice rear brake and clutch play. I can come to a slow stop no problem but like everything practice makes perfect.
 
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Old 06-18-2017, 08:42 AM   #4
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I came off a similar bike ( 1600 batwing and tour pack). When I first drove my Voyager I did notice that it felt lighter and was easier to handle. With the weight off the front and on the frame it's easier to keep in a straight line at stops and low speed maneuvering than my Nomad. The fixed fairing goes though the wind better at high speeds too.

I looked at the Vaquero when I was wanting to upgrade. I went with the Voyager because of the storage and I never liked the side-load bags although they do look better.
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Old 06-18-2017, 09:11 AM   #5
denny 606   denny 606 is offline
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I came off a similar bike ( 1600 batwing and tour pack). When I first drove my Voyager I did notice that it felt lighter and was easier to handle. With the weight off the front and on the frame it's easier to keep in a straight line at stops and low speed maneuvering than my Nomad. The fixed fairing goes though the wind better at high speeds too.

I looked at the Vaquero when I was wanting to upgrade. I went with the Voyager because of the storage and I never liked the side-load bags although they do look better.
I'm looking around a bit, is it much taller than the 1500/1600? I'm trying to get something a little lighter feeling st low speed. I rode an F6B and I thought it was real nimble feeling for a big bike and suspected it was a lot due to the Frame mounted Fairing, as well as being just a completely different bike.,I'm not against the Voyager but I'm seeing the Vaqueros out there with some good prices right now. Since I already have a Tourpack , I had thought I might get a quick release mount for it on a Vaquero if I get one at the right price.

The cheapest route would to just go back to the stock style windshield and get some weight off the front end, I've got 82000 miles on it and I'm not sure when I'm going to reach the point of doing more work.
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Old 06-18-2017, 10:29 AM   #6
mbarr10   mbarr10 is offline
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Ran A 1500 with a fork Mounted Reckless fairing. I was a pig, compared to the Vaquero. Fork is?? 28 degrees on the Vaquero VS 30 degrees on the 1500. And the Frame mounted fairing, between the 2 the Vaquero feels light. I can do a 2-3 second stop with the Vaquero without putting my feet down or moving the bars. Never could do that with the 1500. The Vaquero is more balanced. IMO
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Old 06-18-2017, 01:18 PM   #7
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Vaquero at slow speeds

Your right it's easy to stop for couple of seconds with out your feet down, it is way better balanced. It's a very nice bike, it was my dream bike since its birth in 2011, I put commanders on it, it handles awesome.
Two up it does really well, it just the slow speed parking lot stuff. The worst it pulling into a gas station with her on the back -pulling next to pump and trying to avoid the sometimes oil spot with the front tire, and OMG if I have to circle the pump island to the other side,
Her ass is walking


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Old 06-18-2017, 01:55 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denny 606 View Post
Anybody that has made the move from a 1500 Nomad to a Vaquero. Can you all give your take on low speed handling is the vaquero any less or more stable or feel lighter or heavier. I'm running an HD fork mounted batwing and a Harley tour pack as well. I'm doing some thinking , scary huh?
No, not scary. Check out this video, it's well worth the money.

The type of fairing and passenger shouldn't worry you after you DO the exercises.

And your body size matters not.

IT'S ALL ABOUT TECHNIQUE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_eEo9XpKw
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Old 06-18-2017, 02:07 PM   #9
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That DVD is worth the money. There's even a section where riders are doing the course two up.
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Old 06-19-2017, 11:24 AM   #10
denny 606   denny 606 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snake Ranch View Post
No, not scary. Check out this video, it's well worth the money.

The type of fairing and passenger shouldn't worry you after you DO the exercises.

And your body size matters not.

IT'S ALL ABOUT TECHNIQUE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_eEo9XpKw
I know about those techniques and use them but it doesn't help that much when you come to a stop on an off camber road or try to stop,with out dabbing a foot down in traffic . Like I said I test rode an F6B and it just had a lighter feel than my bike. Was wondering the same thing about the Vaquero. I've lost some of the strength in my right side due to stroke. It's these little problems that make me feel I need a bike with a lower CG. I'm just looking around right now but I don't want to go to a trike yet. Although lightening the load on my body might be
an option therefore a lighter or at least a better balanced machine under me is what I'm thinking on. Could just go back to a windshield and no Fairing und keep the tourpack home except for extended trips.
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Old 06-19-2017, 04:06 PM   #11
Sabre-t   Sabre-t is offline
 
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Originally Posted by denny 606 View Post
I know about those techniques and use them but it doesn't help that much when you come to a stop on an off camber road or try to stop,with out dabbing a foot down in traffic . Like I said I test rode an F6B and it just had a lighter feel than my bike. Was wondering the same thing about the Vaquero. I've lost some of the strength in my right side due to stroke. It's these little problems that make me feel I need a bike with a lower CG. I'm just looking around right now but I don't want to go to a trike yet. Although lightening the load on my body might be
an option therefore a lighter or at least a better balanced machine under me is what I'm thinking on. Could just go back to a windshield and no Fairing und keep the tourpack home except for extended trips.
If you are worried about the bike being too much to put a foot down in slow traffic, then it is, at least without some help. I have done a lot of stop and go traffic riding and can keep it going at a pretty slow speed, but sometimes you have to put a foot down.

Since you don't want a trike yet, you might want to look into Leg Up LandinGear:

http://landingear.com/

I don't know how well they would work on a side to side slope, but they would certainly help you with stop and go traffic.
 
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