2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD Motorcycle reviews

I was looking for a lightweight, comfortable, water cooled cruiser with plenty of get up and go. I looked at the new offerings from Honda, Moto Guzzi, Suzuki and Yamaha and they were either too heavy, too slow, too expensive or uncomfortable. By chance a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD model came up for sale on Craig’s list near me and after a test ride I was sold! It’s fast, comfortable, light, easy to maintain and reliable. This is a gem of a bike and it looks great as well, especially in red. Gets 55 MPG which is pretty good for an old, carb cruiser. Show less

I've had my '04 Vulcan 500 for approx. 2 years now. I bought it used from the original owner who had put 14,000 miles on it. It's been a wonderfully reliable, beautiful bike. I took a 2500 mile tour last summer and I concluded that it is not the most comfortable ride (probably because of it's small size and not so cushiony stock seat). Nevertheless, I have been overall extremely satisfied with this bike. Show less

I was first drawn to the world of motorcycling by the chromed-up cruiser image, which is a strong point of this bike, but now that I've been riding, I've discovered I enjoy twisty back roads for 6 to 10 hours at a go, which is also a strong point of this bike. It'll do it! It's feather-light (for a cruiser, anyways) and handles accordingly. It just plain steers where it's told to. Steering input is moderate to light, depending on your riding posture, but it never feels twitchy. Adjusting the rear preload can increase both feedback and cornering clearance, and can make the bike feel anywhere from plush to stiff. The foot pegs touch down in corners long before anything else does. Actually, nothing else ever has, and there's still generous clearance before the pegs scrape. Dad says he made himself dizzy at Deal's Gap on this bike without scraping at all. The bike's light weight also pays off in fuel economy (~60mpg on 87-octane, or about 160 miles before reserve) and acceleration. Highway speeds see the small engine spinning smoothly in its real power band, so passing isn't a problem. Get aggressive with it off the line, and you'll wonder if maybe it has another cylinder or two hidden away somewhere. A small tug on the lever is enough for the smooth clutch. About the only time the bike isn't smooth is 40-50mph in 6th; accelerate past that, and things settle down. As the title suggests, this bike is agile and peppy enough to count as sporty, but what about touring? I'm scrawny, and that helps: the seat, while nicely padded, is fairly narrow, so if you're looking for full coverage for your full moon, you may want a larger bike for longer rides. Also, squirming room is limited by the step in the seat, which really ought to be an inch or two further aft. The bars and pegs, however, are almost perfectly placed: I need neither stretch nor hunch for the grips, and the pegs are forward, but not so far as to make me feel less in control. Wind pressure at highway speeds can be annoying, but is mitigated by either a windshield or a full-face helmet, and is just plain eliminated by both together. The pillion just plain sucks. Like I said, I'm scrawny, but hopefully your passenger is more so. Even my butt is too big for that pad, and the peg position has my knees bent past 90 degrees. It's tolerable enough for toodling around town and some brief hooliganism, but anything more than an hour probably counts as torture under McCain's new legislation. Aesthetically, the 500 is a hit. A large, glittering spoked hoop at the end of a raked fork and a fat rear tire under a bobtail fender (with hidden bungee attach points!) lend it some chopper 'tude. According to gawkers who try to guess, the engine looks twice as big as it is. I even had a guy in a Jeep shout "I like your bike!" through a megaphone. I'm not sure if it's this bike in particular, or just having a bike at all, that makes such a great conversation starter with the ladies. Hell, it works with men, too, if that's your thing. I guess bikers intrigue people in general, which is where this bike pays double: you'll look like a biker, but ride like a motorcyclist. Show less

I bought a carry over 04' Vulcan and am only about half way through with the break in. I am most amazed at how well you can throw this bike into corners, I often find myself scraping the pegs and still looking for more. Braking is good but the front sqeals alot (I noticed this on several 800 Customs as well, 800 Classics have different brakes). About the only thing I can say is lacking is acelleration, but I did move from a 1100cc 4cylinder bike to this so maybe my expectaions were high. It is quite supprising for a 500 though. It would have run circles around my Virago 750. The lack of aftermarket is pretty disapointing. You just have to use your imagination and you'll do ok. I made my own saddle bag supports for $4. Show less

I bought my 500 in October 2004. I bought it used with only 180 miles on it. I have really enjoyed it and have no complaints except for one: The seat. That seat has to be the ugliest thing I have ever seen. I hope I can find a shop to make me a new seat, one without the passenger seat so I can have a solo-seat. I am going to try and do more riding so I can tell you more. Show less

I am just getting my 2005 Vulcan 500 LTD back from the 500 mile service. So far, it has continued to surpass my expectations. My reason for purchasing this bike was affordable transportation to and from work. I am averaging just under 55 mpg. Kawasaki has put a lot into creating an environmentally friendly machine in the 500 LTD. Show less

I've had my Kawasaki for 4 months now and I've put over 1300 miles on it. I ride it to work every day and I love it. It's a great bike for those that are vertically challenged like me. I haven't had any problems with the bike so far. It starts up and runs great. The performance is quite good. It cruises nicely on the highway with plenty of throttle left for passing. I guess the only thing I don't like about the bike is the lack of availability of after market accessories. Show less

I bought my 500 LTD in April '04 and couldn't be happier. It's my first bike and I can't say enough about it. The fit is perfect, the power is outstanding and the looks are beautiful. Not to mention the price! Like others have said, the only drawback is that the accessories are few. I've got 1000 miles on mine and I'm having the best time. Riding is all I can think about now, thanks to my Vulcan. Good luck with yours! Show less

Got mine July 31 and have put 160 miles on it so far (less than a week). Has great performance and is very comfortable. I've been riding to work and back for a few days and just can't stop. It's a great bike for beginners and those who've been away from riding in a long while. Several people have asked me which Harley it is but I have to tell them it's a Kawasaki. Can't wait to take it on a long ride! Show less

Just got my bike first week of June, the first time I saw it at the dealer I already liked the look and style. It is really easy to handle and the pick up is really good, this bike could cruise easily at 65 mph. I would recommend this bike for beginners or for someone looking at bikes smaller than 800cc. The only down side is I can't find after-market products. Show less