This is the bike I'll be taking on the journey. (You can click on the pic to see a full-size version.) It's a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic with a few additions like a Mustang touring seat, Leatherlyke saddlebags and a cheap JC Whitney top case.

I thought about taking my '83 Honda GL650 but I think the Vulcan is a bit better suited for this trip. The main reason I didn't want to take the GL650 is because of it's age. It's getting to that age where some parts are hard to find. I was afraid if I had a mechanical breakdown on the trip, I would have a hard time finding a shop willing to work on it. Many shops won't work on bikes over 20 years old.

The Vulcan has a bit more cargo room, it has a bigger gas tank and it gets slightly better gas mileage on the freeway. The Honda is great as a commuter and it rips up the twisties on the weekends but I don't think I'll be doing much ripping on this trip.