1998 Kawasaki reviews

I am a returning biker, after 30 years I decided to get back into biking or motorcycling. To be honest, I was really conned into buying this used Vulcan Classic. I am not a V-Twin or Crusier type but after riding this one for a few months now I must say I am a true convert! This bike has been tricked out with the extras plus in 2003 the engine got a makeover and now it is a 1650cc racing motor complete with race cams and race piston kits installed. It runs fast enough to scare me and handles like a dream. Smooth shifting and quick acceleration make it a fun and exciting ride. I paid too much for it but what the hay, it's worth it for the extra excitment factor. It did stall out quite a bit at first but having the carbs cleaned seemed to have solved that problem. Show less

Bought a 1998 Vulcan 800 that had only 1600 miles on it. However, the bike looked brand new and was virtually mar-free. Good power for a single rider but will handle two people well. I really appreciate the narrow handlebars and decent seat height. A 215 mile ride was no problem and handled as admirably on the interstate as well as on the county two-lane roads. I might go to the 1100 cc size with my next bike but the Vulcan 800 is a wonderful ride and easy-to-ride bike. Show less

I have been two wheeling it for 30 years and have owned most makes of bikes. This is by far the best I have ever owned. Great performance and no problems. It is great on the highway and in the city. I have added many after market goodies but the seat was first as it was not very comfortable on long rides. The dealer has been outstanding to deal with. Show less

First, I have to admit that cruisers don't appeal to me. However, this is my buddies bike and I keep it garaged in the winter and have ridden it quite often. Comparing this bike to Shadows, Viragos, and Intruders that I have ridden - this is the best metric cruiser. There is a lot of aftermarket available for them. The engine is always easy to start and runs great. Loads of bottom end power, but it flattens out pretty soon and the top end for such a large engine is really lacking. For a large and heavy bike, it is very well balanced and handles pretty well, although it is easy to scrape on corners, even around town. It is comfortable, loud, and gets attention. Chicks dig it! Four stars. Show less

I bought this bike in 2000 with less than 2000mi on it. Bone stock with nothing done to it, it ran 16s the 1/4 mi. I put drag pipes, and a stage 3 k&n jet kit on it. With thoes add ons it improved to low 14s. Ihave toasted many Harleys, Shadows, and Mangnas. After seeing how this bike looks and performes I would never concider riding a direrent brand of cruser. Next its the Kx7R Ninja For me. Show less

I love this bike!It has all the power that can be used on the street and is comfortable enough for 10 hours in the saddle. The weight is a bit heavier than other bikes in its class, but the comfort makes it all worthwhile. This is a great bike for the real world. Show less

After researching for six months or better(and waiting for money) I went to my local Kawasaki dealer to look at a 2001 VN800. The first thing I noticed is the quality of detail. All, except turn signals, chrome is metal. Which I have found out is quite rare on foreign street bikes. While at the dealer I found they had a used '98 for sale. So I took it for a ride and now 7500 miles later I have found that I made a wise choice. My wife and I have put at least 1000 miles two up, and have ran into one deficit. Headwinds are this bikes Kryptonite. After running at 85 mph for over 80 miles we ran into a bad headwind and that was all she wrote. All she would do is 80 mph against the throttle stop. Show less

I bought this bike new in January 1999 from my local Kawasaki store for $8,500, half the price of a new Fat Boy. It has 13,000 miles on it now, and except for regular service, all I have done is replace the front tire. After I bought it, I added a variety of Fire and Steel accessories to make it more touring than cruiser. Also a Cobra exhaust, Thunder Mfg. intake, carb rejeting and removal of the air pulse system and fuel evaporation system gave a remarkable increase in performance and sound without giving up gas mileage and reliability. The Mustang seat was the best investment in looks and comfort and I recommend it for long rides. An all around great bike, looks and runs great, and of my three bikes, my favorite to ride. Total investment is still less than half of a Harley Fat Boy comparably equipped. Keep the rubber side down! Show less

Having only owned my '98 Concours 18 days, I can't say as to how reliable this bike will fare, but in this time I have logged over 1000 miles and feel justified in giving a riding impression. In the last month I was lucky enough to take long test drives on a '95 Honda ST1100, '97 BMW 1100RT, and the Connie. When it came time to plunk my money down, I bought the Kawi. No regrets. The others are good, but the Connie's just as good (and faster) for a lot less cash. Great riding position too. I've read in several places that it buzzes the hell out of you, and so shyed away from it at first. Mistake. My bike doesn't seem bothersome in the least, and my last cycle of 8 years was a Goldwing, so I know what smooth is. Above 70 or so you do start to feel the motor, but mine is in no way annoying. Like the Beemer, you just know the motor is alive. The Honda is almost boring in this respect. My assumption is that it's sensitive to proper carb and balancer shaft tuning. I get very consistent 40 MPG. Not a hint of trouble yet......'till I get my first speeding ticket! Show less

I bought this bike used from a guy who only put 2,000 miles on it. He also put cobra drag pipes and a low windshield on it. This bike is very nice!! It doesn't look or feel like a 800, It feels like a bigger bike. I'm 6'1 and 230 and it goes allot faster than I thought it would. I was cruising at about 90mph and I had a lot of throttle left. Well worth the money. Great for short trips. Show less