[Guest]

I have ridden bikes of all kinds for 40 years and currently own six, including two Goldwings and two Lc 1500 Intruders. It is great to see Suzuki, has made a motor cycle made for men. (Unlike Harley which is designed for dwarfs and women) Personally I love the sound of the Intruder, especially when I pull up next to Milwaukee iron and the Intruder just cackles to Harley: "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

Two things I think Suzuki should do is to get Bridgestone to offer 2" wide white wall tires as an option, and trash those stock pipes! Put Vance and Hines on them and Jet them for straight pipes and install the new K&N air filter. You have a bike that is nearly 200cc's bigger than the jerks ride so why not let it demonstrate its superiority? With both of my Intruders I have seen Harley riders drool. It is the bike Milwaukee would have built if they knew what they were doing and is at least ten times better than any Harley. I should know! One more thing why is Clymer and the rest not putting out a book to show how to work on an Intruder is it because they never need it? My experience would indicate that. Harleys, on the other hand are rolling apprenticeship programs for mechanics.

 

[Guest]

Wow I'm thinkin you don't like Harley riders! :lol: I ride a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Nomad FI with Cobra pipes however I agree Vance and Hines are the better pipe on my Mean Streak I run Bub Chamber maids, just wondering if you have thought about putting a Hypercharger on your bike? It really wakes them up along with your other mods.

 

[Guest]

Thank God for Big Sky !!!

Hi Jim!
It isn't that I don't like Harley Riders, because my first introduction to motorcycles was my oldest brothers 45 and later 74. Since 1983 with the introduction of the Evo, Harley even made a concerted effort to get rid of the type I can't stand and a better class of people are starting to buy them largely because of Ford Motor Company's Finance division making them finance for 10 times what they are worth and I am being generous.
I guess I remember their "Jap Junk" slurs. The arrogance of refusing to wave on the road like the real bikers did. Rather than going into a whole bunch of details, tell you what look in the adds for used Harley's and check the price and then look at the milage on the bikes. The Metric Cruisers put more riding on their bikes in three months than the so called Harley bikers. The point being, don't call them a biker until you see them ride. Just because they dress like clowns doesn't count!
The Hypercharger is really good looking and on the right bikes they are great mechanically too. However on most Legacy Classics (LC 1500s) the carbs are mounted above the heads slightly and are downdrafts. From what I have gleaned the new K&Ns along with the correct real world jetting
is the way to go. The ones who are really in the know recommend using the stock needles with a .020 shim and Mukuni jets rather than the dynajets. If I am correct a stage III requires a 117 rear and 120 front. Also in addition to the right pipes, and jetting, a Dyna 2000 electronic module completes the package for a real screamer. The power comes on at 1000 rpm's higher. The one that has done the testing of this is a guy called HC (Half Crazy) His testing was more than extensive and he even used two complete sets of carbs to run his tests. One major discover was that the dynajets had the wrong taper on their needles and this hurt the running. Hope this helps. You have some good ideas. (I may put a Hypercharger on my SuperVee since it is 90% Harley with an SS G series carb feeding Chevy Pistons and rods.

Oh and lest I forget Sonny Barger, the main Head of the Hell's Angels during the early seventies said in an interview that if he was going to do some serious riding he would buy a Japanese bike. I think he said Kawasaki, but that interview was before the LC1500. And Sonny was/is no bodys fool! (That should tell you about Harley) The bottom line is if you want to ride by a good bike, if you want to learn how to deal with every possible mechanical and social failure buy Milwaukee Iron, they are a rolling apprenticeship program for mechanics. :lol:

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim,
I really would be remiss not to mention the fact that none other than the icon of infamy "Harley Davidson", is the one that got the Japanese into the motorcycle business in the first place. Honest to God they did!!! That information is on the Offical Harley History VHS (maybe dvd by now, they are too stupid to cover their tracks. Harley would help the hangman tie the rope used to hang them :roll:
They shipped the machine tools to Japan to reproduce the 74's, and they went by Ryuko. Now think about it, what does that say? The very first thing the Japanese had to work with was a damned Harley!!! If they were worth anything surely they would have stayed with the concept. No... the Japanese learned early on that Milwaukee Iron must have just been designed to destroy itself and the patience of the owner.
So it is historically accurate, according to Harley archives that Harley got the Japanese into the motorcycle business and the Japanese showed Harley how to make one. It's true, that is why Harley front ends are made by Showa the same company that makes the Goldwing ones. Also, did you know that during the Mexican American war that Poncho Villa escaped being captured because the American soldiers after him were all on Harley's and Poncho was on an Indian. I know it is funny but it is also true and Harley is the one telling it it is on the Factory tape. Like their owners they aren't the brightest bulbs. :lol:
The thing you can take comfort in Jim, is by buying a good bike you made the smart move. Your Kawasaki isn't an after thought and they are not new to V-Twins. That is why theirs are so much better mechanically and price wise, it is because the Japanese unlike Harley, learned to do it right. Since you own a Vulcan, you already know that. On second thought maybe I don't care for Harley riders. Goofy people are hard to admire! 8)

 

[Guest]

Re-Jetting the LC 1500

Sorry but the main jet sizes I gave were for a stage I rejet setup and I forgot to mention you also need a 37.5 pilot jet for the right balance. Dyna jet for got to mention that also.

So without further adieu, here is the hot setup for a stage III scorched earth setup. With Vance and Hines use a Mikuni jet 157.5 for the rear cylinder and a Mikuni 160 for the front, then use 37.5 pilot jets. After you drill out the brass plugs over the air jets screw them in until they bottom slightly easy does it then count by half turns out 2 and 1/2 turns for each or you can try 1/8 less for the rear and 1/8 more for the front each one will just knock your socks off. Both Stage I and stage III are identical in every regard except the main jet sizes. Stage I uses 117.5 rear and 120 front while stage III uses 157.5 rear and 160 front. The electronic module also is a Dyna 3000 not 2000. That's the hot setup!!!

Also, since you have to take the float bowl caps off anyway replace those phillip head screws with 5x12 sockethead cap screws (What we call allen heads) Remember use a good #2 phillips screwdriver and press hard and turn slowly because Suzuki somehow took a ridiculous screw made of tin and torqued it to 4000 ft lbs. using the allen heads will make life so much better. Don't worry anyone can do this, just be careful and tape up any carb openings that something could fall into including your intake manifolds. (common sense goes a long way)

For those worrying about the idleing characteristics. The big boys say on Mikuni 36's that the bike will ide without needles or jets in (not pilot jet). If you go to www.motorcyclecarbs.com they normally keep these kits in stock. It just cost me $87.85 for two bikes and that included a bag of 5x12 socket head cap screws (allens w/lockwashers) the bag has 25 of them. So your price will be less than half that and right to your door. Enjoy!!! One more pointer alway use only Mikuni jets and the stock needles in these carbs. Dynajet has the wrong taper. The trick with the needles is to remember the word ED, because the stock needles are stamped with an "E" for the rear carb and a "D" for the front. Believe me they look identical otherwise . However your carbs will know the imposter.

 

[Guest]

Another interesting place on the LC 1500 is the anomoly that lives behind what looks like an air filter cover for the carb. It is the big chrome triangular shaped box on the right side.

This is called the pair valve and it is not on any of the European models. It is there solely to make sure the enemic version will pass any stupid polution controls some half witted bureaucrat might come up with. After a year they carbon up and fail to work anyway. Fuel milage is not affected with or without it. In Europe this chrome thing is used as an aux tool box.

Essentially what it does is exploit the low pressure situation that occurs between intake and exhaust and by use of a reed valve captures any raw fuel not used by the cylinder and by use of the high pressure condition it is sucked back into the cylinder to be burned.

What it does successfully do is increase the weight of you LC by five pounds and keeps you from using the chrome thing for a tool box or puting a Harley etc type on to confuse other bikers into thinking it is Milwaukee doing it right for once.

If you would like a full explaination and a removal kit for just $20.00 and ten minutes of your time go to Mocc's Place and check out what he has on it.

 

[Guest]

If you haven't already visited, go to this website www.intruderalert.com. Its the ultimate bastion of Intruder info.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Rick, you're right!!!

 

[Guest]

1500

IM GONING TO BUY A 1500 ON MONDAY IS THIS A GOOD BIKE NEED HELP ????????

 

[Guest]

Re: 1500

IM GONING TO BUY A 1500 ON MONDAY IS THIS A GOOD BIKE NEED HELP ????????

No it is not a good bike, it is a :!: GREAT :!: bike! Go for it and good luck!

Mike

 

[Guest]

1500

[mike thanks got the bike today silver on silver 9030.00 tax tags and title do you think i got agood deal ???????[/b]

 

[Guest]

Re: 1500

IM GONING TO BUY A 1500 ON MONDAY IS THIS A GOOD BIKE NEED HELP ????????

Way to go Rich, you have just become the proud owner of the best kept secret in the bike world. It just gets better. If I can be of any help feel free to ask.

Sorry I wasn't around to answer you my birthday was the 24th so I was kept occupied elsewhere. You are not going to believe how long your tires wil last on your bike. We have two, my brothers is a 2000 and mine is a 2001 and both have the original tires on them and they look practically new!!! I have read on the LC1500.com site that is common with the Bridgestones. I changed ours out every year with the Goldwings.

Check this place out www.Moccsplace.com There is a lot of how to info there and a guy named HC is probably the formost authority on carbs and can show you some awesome changes. If you are into Highway riding you will love the stage three set up, it makes it run like a hemi on steroids he claims. I feel like it is like going from a two barrel to a fourbarrel carb on a Vet. Anyway ride safe and enjoy, hope to see you out there doing it.

 

[Guest]

Hypercharger for LC1500

Has anyone heard good or bad about the Hypercharger offered by Chrome? It uses hoses to rout the airflow up into the airbox. It is quite pricey at $449.00. I wonder if it offers any significant airflow over dual K&N filters. Also, what about increasing the air that flows into the 1500's airbox. Anyone done any airbox alteration? I have a 2000 VL1500, with cobra pipes and a jet kit. Love the bike. Rode an 800 Volusia the other day with Hypercharger and jet kit. Boy do I have a nice bike

 

[Guest]

Just got mine today!

I just got mine today! I haven't ridden a bike since College... and that was a Honda XL 600R (Enduro)...

This bike is really nice looking... I look forward to many hours of fun with it...

 

[Uncle Bob]

Welcome and enjoy !

 

[Guest]

Thanks

Thanks..... rode another 50 miles today... butt's a tad sore... but that's because I have a rather large butt... LOL

 

[Uncle Bob]

Guess I ride more than the average, I have a Volusia and I know a lot of people complain about the seat but just hang in there and your butt will get used to it. Sort of like when you ride a bicycle for the first couple of times in the spring, you get sore but after awhile you get used to it.

 

[Guest]

Harley's are absolute junk. I've owned two. A '78 Dynaglide and a '00 Fat Boy, because I was stupid enough to believe HD's current marketing nonsense about improved quality. What a joke! The new one leaked oil as much as the old one. Honestly, the only difference between the notorious AMF Harleys and the current ones is that they polish the new ones more to justify the absurdly high sticker price.

Now I drive a far better Great American Cruiser: An '02 Honda VTX 1800 made by the good folks of Marysville, Ohio. I would have bought a 1500LC but I picked up a barely used VTX from a financially desperate owner who needed quick cash: $7K cash with less than 900 miles on the bike and not a scuff mark anywhere.

While the VTX has an absurd amount of muscle, slightly better cruising range and a tad bit more cornering clearance, its ergos aren't nearly as nice as the LC1500s, and ergos are what makes a cruiser a pleasure to own. The VTX also feels a LOT heavier than the LC. All the other stuff is pretty much magazine and marketing noise...

Of course, another bike with great ergos is my V-Strom AND it's waay more fun than any bike has the right to be.

 

[Guest]

Hey Woofy, sounds like you know a bargain when you see one. What is great about the real world of motorcycling is to have fun and ride what you want. Getting in the wind should be the main concern. Hope to see you around.

Since an LC's front tire is the size of a Harley's rear tire does anyone know where to get good tires for it at a reasonable price, in other brands say Metzler, Perreli, Maxxis etc ???

 

[Guest]

Hey Doc!

I tend to prefer Metzeler tires, mostly because they seem to handle better in the wet as I ride year round in rainy Seattle, and they seem to wear pretty well.

I am running ME880 tubeless radials on the VTX and Tourances on the 'Strom. Both tires delivered substantial improvements in ride, stability and wet weather handling compared to the stock rubber they replaced.

Both sets of Metzelers were purchased during sales at Seattle Cycle Center.