vulcan custom 125

[richj]

Hi, im new to this forum. My name's Richard, or Rich for short & i'm 20.

I want to get my first bike. I have been to look at a vulcan custom 125cc bike in a local shop. I have been told the engine is a honda 4 stroke pushrod type.

heres a pic of the bike....

https://viperlin.net/Bikes/Vulcan/img/custom125.jpg

https://viperlin.net/Bikes/Vulcan/Custom_125.html


I am too much of a need for speed freak to get a fast bike at my age. I know for a fact i couldnt control the temptation. I think this bike will top out at about 65mph.

But what i would really like to know, is does anyone have any experiance with this bike / engine.

Will the engine last or are they known to be problematic ?

Is it going to stop quickly if i need it to?

The bike appears to be very cheap for what it is. The shop wants £1500 on the road. Is this the right sort of money to be paying??


Also, what are your opinions of the bikes looks??


Thanx for any help.

rich.

[badlydamaged]

I'd guess that engine is the same as used by the Honda CG from the description and picture (and that Vulcan have made a CG copy), and If this is so you have no worries with regard to reliability and engine longitivity. Should go on forever if the oil is changed reguarly and parts should be cheap. Its got a nice disk on the front which should be adequate to stop you considering the likelly speeds you will be doing. I dont think the bike looks too bad really (although Im not a fan of 125 customs) , and £1500 sounds a good price for it! The site says that new they are £1700, so if its nearly new with very few miles on that price sounds about right (if it is new and youve beat him down on the price, well done!!).
Looks like it should be a good little bike, and very reliable with CG running gear. Hope this helps, and good luck!
Jonathan
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My bike: 1988 Kawasaki KH100 Status: Polluting Devon with two stroke smog and noise pollution!
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[Sacarius]

I was interetsed in these aswell so would also appreciate any info from anyone that has owned one.
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[Ade067]

I have no experience of the Vulcan Cruiser but I DO have experience of the Vulcan Harrier 125 (the CG copy) you can read about my experience of that bike here ... https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=26191

Just scroll down the page until you come to my post

You can come to your own conclusions after reading my post,ok so mine may have been the 'bad apple' but it comes to something when my dealer is not selling them anymore and has sent back the bikes they had in stock,one of which was sold but they stopped the sale after seeing the state of my bike.At the end of the day its you're decision and you're hard earned money...you decide how to spend it

[Viperlin]

since i noticed a lot hits to my vulcan page i though i should sign up and see what the fuss is about thats taking my bandwith

i've looked up the engine and it's considered a very reliable engine, i'm going to try and find someone local with one and see how they go first, the harrier could have been a bad apple or something or the harrier was just bad (my stockist does not have them in) , but i'm pretty much buying this custom one new in silver as it's the cheapest thing i can find that i wont get the piss taken out of me for. and i like the bike a lot

when i get it i'll try and remember to post back how it goes (about september)

and did u actually get the custom?

btw the aprillia RS125 now costs around £3000 insurance where i live so i cant get that anymore.


(yes i know i'm weird liking both sportsbikes and cruisers, but i do)

[Viperlin]

ok the update is: DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE

half the chrome is plastic which boucnes when ridden, the metal and fixings are pathetic and would probably last a year, the frame is piss thin as a pushbikes so dont expect it to survive a drop let alone a small crash.

fork out for a second hand bike, most are about the same price but much higher quality

[Ade067]

I rest my case.

They may look nice n smart but I've seen better build quality on a wheelbarrow,in fact thinking about it I wouldn't even trust them to build a wheel barrow let alone a bike

On another note my Hyosung Comet GT125 has now done 3000kms and all I've had to do on it is adjust the rear brake light switch as the brake light was on permanately,other than that its been perfect

[Jammy-G]

For that money you can buy yourself A LOT better.

My bike does just over 70, is reliable and cost £300. For 1500 you could find a nice NSR or RS. i know you said your not a speed freak, but bikes only go as fast as you make them go, and the extra power could come in useful to get you out of trouble.

If your looking at a bike like that, you can expect to be constantly spending money out on it. Electrics will be crap, and as someone else said, most of it will be plastic
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[thx1138]

Forgive me bumping an old thread, however it is the reason I found this forum, it turned up in a google search a while ago, before I bought my Vulcan Harrier


There is precious little information about the bikes on the net, that I could find.

I've not seen a custom in the flesh, I wouldn't bother, if the finish is anything like my Harrier.

I am pleased with it, as I got it new, with over £100 off the price cos of some scratches, and it's got me back on two wheels.

However, I was under no illiusions about the over quality of the thing for the money.

Fuel guage stopeed working. Don't they all? Never had a reliable fuel gauge in my life, has a reserve switch though.

Back light vibrated loose, and the chain guard fell off. Both because of inadeqaute lenght screws. Finish is pretty poor, the pegs on the side panels are ever so fragile, and easily snapped when removing them, extreme cuation must be excericsed. I broke mine, but to be fair, I was using my knee as a lever, whilst dragging the bike round 90 degrees, to squeeze it into my front garden.

The rev counter failed, and my dealer replaced it within 48 hours.

Engine seems good, brakes work fine. Brake light got stuck on, as the brake pedal wasn't returning far enough, that was an easy adjustment to make.

I've had it since August 1st. Rode it through an absolute torrential downpour, town centre flooded out, cars broken down in puddles, it handled well, despite the skinny tyres.

Ridden it two up to Ampthill, up a steep hill, it climbed it albeit it a little slower than the cars that overook me. Taken it to Wellinborough and Milton Keynes, and Luton, on a round trip without getting off. Vibrates a lot, this leads to tiredness in the legs. At 6ft 2" this bike is maybe a little too cramped for me. though. I'm applying for lots of jobs all within a 20mile radius, so the good mpg makes that viable.


So, it rides well enough, I like it. Let down my cheap finish. The authorised dealer does get the parts promptly, and the warranty is honoured (though if you read the small print, it doesn't cover a whole lot). If i'd had another few hundred pound, I wouldn't have bought a CG-125 that it was based upon, but something else, and got a loan to meet the balance

With my meager budget I'd had it in mind to buy a new MZ, but got a shock when I saw the new price tag.

Bearing in mind the cheap finish, and the extra cost of a new Custom, I'd avoid the custom one. Harrier may suit some people.

Here is a link, as the original posters one, no longer seems to work

https://www.vulcanmotorcycles.com/harrier.htm

[thx1138]

Once again I am bumping this thread.

I'm not a forum necromancer, really!

But since posting in this thread, occasionally people have e-mailed me asking about spare parts, dealerships etc.

So, I just thought that I would add, Bedford Bikes and Cars use Vulcan Harriers as their trainee hire bikes, for people wanting to past their test. So, I assume they would also be able to source spare parts.


On reflection, I'd probably not buy another Vulcan, and would source a second hand Honda. For instance, I bought a basket case cg-125 that was donkey's years old, and the finish on the chrome etc, was better than my Vulcan was after riding through one winter...

[21chappers]

i would suggest for you to ask jenks. he had one and sold it a few weeks ago.

ive seen it and ridden it and definately for that money wouldnt suggest having one

[Jenks]

heya.

right - STAY WELL AWAY.
i brought one last september and it was nothing but problems. if it is welded. it WILL break, as its very badly welded. Parts will just fall off for no reason... Like the few weeks before i sold it, my exhaust just broke and fell off????? Electrics WILL fail. the breaks are terrible. Yes its by far one of the best sounding 125s around, but i would suggest not touching it with a bargepole. - The suspention is terrible, Expecially with pillions too - very 'Rickety' Youll need new tires very quickly as the standard ones strugle to hold u in a streight line, never mind a corner. - the tanks are prone to leaks, The standard chain is very very thin, and cheap - it will snap. (And i have experiance with this happening )

Oh and parts? you try to get anything for them, and ure stuck. i managed to find the dealer for parts (As vulcan went into liquidation) and they just want rediculous money for anything (IF THEY HAVE IT!)

----I am too much of a need for speed freak to get a fast bike at my age. I know for a fact i couldnt control the temptation. I think this bike will top out at about 65mph. - bike will top out at about 55 (IF THE SPEEDO KEEPS WORKING UPTILL THAT)

But what i would really like to know, is does anyone have any experiance with this bike / engine. - Yes too much.

Will the engine last or are they known to be problematic ? It will last - but with problems

Is it going to stop quickly if i need it to? Nope.

The bike appears to be very cheap for what it is. The shop wants £1500 on the road. Is this the right sort of money to be paying?? Id pay £50 for a brand new one, to set fire too.


Also, what are your opinions of the bikes looks?? - looks fine new, but alas, 2 days on the road, and uve got ureself a half functioning ratbike.

I find it more fun too take a ride on one of those ripoff kids rides at a fair.

Steer well clear is my advise.
(All these points are why when people pmed me about buying it - i said i sold it - i didnt want it ridden)

Jenks
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1978 MZ TS 250 1 Supa 5
1992 yamaha fzr1000 exup
1998 aprilia af1 sintesi

[burnrubber]

i am getting a vulcan 125 at the end of the month i have ridden it and found it to be a nice ride i have a mz etz125 at the mo im part exing it in to get the vulcan

[Jenks]

Dont........
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1978 MZ TS 250 1 Supa 5
1992 yamaha fzr1000 exup
1998 aprilia af1 sintesi

[bevcov]

hi i need parts for my vulcan can anyone help?

[Andy_Pagin]

[Rogerborg]

And the model number, engine code, and pictures.

Some of them appeared to be the same bike as the Pioneer Nevada and later the Lexmoto Lowride. But don't assume, verify.

If you ask over at https://www.chinesemotorcyclepartsonline.co.uk/ they're pretty good at identifying parts-equivalent models. You do need to give them something to work with though.
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[bobob]

I have a vulcan good motor but parts to much bike is gd going for spares cos Los keys num 07745567991 price for parts leeds
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