2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Motorcycle reviews

The Mean Streak caught me totally off guard. I never expected a Kawi to ride and perform like this. I have ridden in 3 rides with several hundred other bikes of all types and the Mean Streak sticks out. I get more questions than ever with any other bike. Smooth and tranquil with plenty of energy. Show less

Purchased my M/S in July and couldn't stop riding it! I had it broken-in in about 3 days. This bike rocks. Lots of power and awesome looks and handling. Show less

Wow, what a sweet ride! I've never ridden anything that has impressed me as much as my Meanie has. I got my mean streak (blue one) in July 04' and have loved every minute! The bike has so much torque, it launches like a dream. I haven't done any mods to it yet but I'm looking into some pipes and a commander. Can't seem to find any pipes that I like, at least any good brands that will blow the windows out!! I would definitely recommend this bike to anyone looking for a nice cruiser with some grunt. Show less

Hey there, what can I say? I love this bike! I has a great look, gets lots of attention, has good power, and sounds good, too, with my V&H straitshots. Here's the thing I was thinking to improve my ride. After a longer ride my upper back cramps up. I'm not just whining here I am offering a suggestion as to improve the ride. I think that a new low profile seat and modifying the handlebars will give me a better ride. Not to mention the low profile seat will balance the bike better. It's a bit of a pain in the butt to always have to make certain the bike isn't leaning at all when coming to a stop. I think the center of gravity is off and will be much improved with a lower profile seat. Other than that I am very excited to add accessories and would appreciate any suggestions!! -The doctor Show less

I bought the 2004 1600cc Meanstreak in July and have put over 4000 miles on it since. The bike rocks. It looks awesome (I have it in Blue), rides smooth and the transmission is so good. The clutch and brakes are all great. The bike's not a crotch rocket, but it definitely moves. It doesn't feel heavy at all on turns or when going slow. When going highway speeds, the bike is extremely stable and offers a confident feel. My only gripe is: <Br> The bike is known to ping when it gets hot. Many of the boards have discussions on the topic. <br /> Since I loved the bike so much, I was determined to fix this problem. If you experience a ping(engine knock/pre-ignition) when the bike gets hot and you do heavy acceleration: If you have a stock bike, try changing the plugs to one-step colder plug (DPR7-EA9). Also, you will benefit a lot from adding a Power Commander III USB as the bike runs lean like all current Fuel Injection bikes today (which also contributes to the pinging). If you add pipes, you'll definitely need a PCIII. Between having a PCIII with a good map and the one step colder plug, your bike will no longer ping, run cooler, and will be significantly better than stock. <br /> don't read above as a problem per se with the Meanstreak. All the fuel injection bikes today are suffering from problems because the manufacturers are taking the easy road to get past EPA and smog requirements by running the engines lean and hot. So, any bike I buy, I just add the PCIII to it, check the plugs, and go from there. Show less

I have a 2004 Meanstreak 1600 and I love it! I have Muzzy two into one megaphone pipes and it sounds good. The handling is great, the comfort is good. Yesterday I took it out of winter storage and went for a ride, in Kansas late December. I had to... it was calling my name. I have had a few bikes in my life, but this is my first cruiser and I like it. Show less

It's a super bike right out of the box, but I have done some upgrades just to make "good" even better. I have placed 3200 miles in (4)months and really enjoy the quality. I recently participated in the Christmas Toys in the Sun Run, and even with all the Harley's on the side of road (overheated), My Meanstreak did not even work up a sweat! Very nice bike! Show less

First weekend with the my first bike and I couldn't be happier. After much research and deliberation, I went with the cruiser with sportbike soul after riding both last December in Hawaii, and riding several different bikes throughout my life. For years I thought I wanted a CBR, but this caught my eye when I was closely considering a Warrior. The shaft drive, cleaner lines, better looking wheels and slick pipes quickly changed my focus. This blue beauty turns heads at every red light and rivals the bad-ass attitude of the Harley V-Rod at half the price. The exhaust, while not loud, has a low, throaty rumble that lets you know there's plenty of power to spare at 80mph. I recommend this bike to anyone who longs for the feel of a crotch-rocket while retaining some feeling in their crotch! I look forward to many long Florida coastline cruises. Show less

I bought my '04 Streak about 1 month ago. It handles very well and has all the power I need to ride. I have had about 10 bikes and the last one was a Goldwing. Great highway bike but not much fun, so I quit riding for about 6 years after the wing. The Mean Streak put the fun back into riding but I would like to bring the bars back a little and may want to add a windshield, but it's hard to find one that will look right. Show less

This is my third cruiser. Went from a Yamaha V-Star 650, Honda Shadow ACE 750, and now the Mean Streak. There isn't anything I don't like about this bike. My wife told me I needed a bigger bike (I know I'm blessed), but even better, she said get the bike that you have always wanted. My short list was: HD V-Rod, Victory Kingpin, and the Mean Streak. I rode them all and *for me* the Mean Streak is the best. The only complaint I have (and it's minor), is that the mirrors are too short, I need to tilt my head to see what's behind me. I just need to find some after market mirrors I like. We did the California / Oregon coast this summer and had a blast. This bike is definitely fun to ride and was comfortable enough for long days droning as well. Now it's my daily commuter and handles that just fine as well. Show less