Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Motorcycle Reviews on Cycle Insider (25)
Avg. Rating

Bought the bike new,it now has 72460 miles on it. I replaced front wheel bearings, everything else is original! Still runs strong,no sign of any possible failure!!run Valvoline 20 50 motorcycle oil. I have had to put three new batteries in it, not bad for 15 yrs service. This is my 10th bike I've owned and by far the most impressive in every way. If it ever wears out,I'll be looking for another vn 2000.

The bike has been a dream. It has power, speed and looks. The ride is great. The bike is wonderful.

I bought mine in May of '07 and I love it. I gave my old Vulcan to my wife. I put on Vance and Hines exhaust, a hyper charger, Commando 3, torque cones, Mustang seat and windshield. On her I have taken short and long trips. I have no problem handling her. A lot of people I've heard say she's too heavy, but you just have to be careful where you turn or park.

Looking all summer at bikes, our heart was set on H-D, but we were keeping an open mind. We stopped by the local Kawasaki shop to see what they had to offer and looked at a couple of bikes they had out front. We were not really interested until we went inside the showroom. My wife wanted a red bike, and there it was! A beautiful brand new 07 Vulcan 900 Classic; and right beside it was a brand new black 05 Vulcan 2000. I knew when I sat on it that this bike was for me. Talk about attention to detail! The radiator is tucked up in the frame so well you hardly notice it there; the black motor cases are really cool; then you have the chrome rocker arm covers and heads. And the pipes are beautiful! He had them priced right to move em out the door too! Picking it up off the stand you really feel the weight of the bike. In the upright position it seems to be well balanced. Then you start it up and hear those pipes rumble to life and think to yourself, "Wow, these are stock! For a bike that weighs 820 pounds it is balanced well enough you can throw it into a turn with confidence. First gear seems a little short, so I usually take off in second gear. The bike has plenty of torque, so that's not a problem. Sitting on the bike the floorboards fit fine and I like the wide cruiser style handlebars. Braking is excellent. Twin rotors up front and one in the back will bring you down from speed in a hurry. Also, the lifters are self adjusting, so you don't have to take it to the shop for that!

I RECENTLY PURCHASED AN 05 V2K AT FIRST SIGHT. I KNEW IT WAS A PERFECT FIT LEG POSITION, SIZE, STYLING AND MOTOR. I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT HONDA'S AND YAMMY'S AND OF COURSE THE H-D'S, BUT AFTER READING SOME OF THE ARTICLES ON THE WEB, DECIDED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE V2K FOR OWNERS SATISFACTION THAT HELPED ME DECIDE ON THIS BIKE. I've ONLY PUT A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES ON IT BUT SO FAR PLENTY OF POWER, LOTS OF LOOKS AND FITS INTO MY BUDGET AND LOTS OF THE RIGHT RUMBLES WHEN THE BIG DOG TROTS DOWN THE ROAD, NOT TOO LOUD BUT COOL. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WARM DAYS AHEAD. THIS WAS THE BEST BUY FOR US.

Well, I've owned The Beast for just under two years now, and I couldn't be happier with it. Every time I twist that throttle, I get a huge smile on my face. Ridiculous power, comfortable riding position, and very low maintenance. Though the stock exhaust is great, I would highly recommend Vance & Hines Powershots. They produce a hearty rumble at low speeds, but when you crank the throttle, they will bark and definitely get people's attention (in a good way). Other bikes really do look like toys compared to The Beast. My buddy has a Harley, and after over $3K in modifications, his bike is still slower and sounds like it's about to break down. If you're on the edge about purchasing a Vulcan, just do it. You'll love it.

Hello Everyone, I hope you are having fun riding. I need to re-evaluate my tire wear from my previous review regarding the Bridgestone factory tires. Yes, this is my 3rd review. I want to encourage everyone to update their reviews. Let's get this information out there about the fantastic Bike we are riding. VN2000! What I have wanted to say is, in my last review, I told you I do not abuse my tires at all. Well guess what, not watching the PSI of your tires is abuse. I caught myself not watching my tire pressure nearly as often as I should of. Most of us are probably guilty of that. Did you know even a couple pounds of tire pressure can make a big difference in the riding/handling of your bike? So let's all watch our tire pressure and make those tires last longer. I had new Dunlops installed recently. I am going to be checking my psi every two weeks. It will be interesting to see what kind of mileage I will get. I really haven't put but a few miles on the bike since my last review so this is it for now. Great riding everyone! Jerry

Hello everyone, Just another update on my machine. I'm very pleased with the bike so far. I have 6300 miles on it this year. I came to a conclusion 2 months ago while I was taking a road trip down Hwy.44. There is no reason to go out and buy a Harley later on. I already have the best bike out there. A bigger, more powerful, vibration free, smooth, fast, heavy, kick butt machine. The only thing that irritates me about this bike has nothing to do with it being a Kaw. It is the wear on the rear tire. I do not abuse the tire what-so-ever but it will need replacing by 7000 miles or so. Kind of disses me. You can buy a 40, 50, or 60xxx mile tire for a car. Well, why not a bike? I mean it is a little ridiculous. If you're thinking about buying one.... DO IT! :)

I recently purchased this bike as a left over 2005. The dealer here in austin gave me a great deal. I had a 2003 honda vtx1800 retro before this one. I was a little bit leery of the weight of this bike at first, but once you start rolling that disappears right away. This bike feels much stronger than my honda. You can really tell that this bike has much more torque and horsepower. You would never believe how well this bike handles for such a large bike. I would recommend this motorcycle to anyone looking for a great cruiser. I have owned several harleys and cannot even begin to compare them to this bike. There is no contest at all. For some reason there are plenty of 2005s left over. I would suggest that everyone take a good look at the Vulcan 2000.

Hello, and before I owned this 2004 Vulcan 2000 I had a 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior, and a Honda Magna 750. Simply put, I could not be happier with a bike than how I am with my 2004 Vulcan. I purchased a late model and have put on over 11,333 miles in less than a year. That is with the Minnesota 6-7 month driving season. Not only is this bike reliable, powerful, well put together, and fuel efficient. She also is as smooth, almost vibration free now as when I first purchased her. If you are looking for a great long distance, as well as commuter bike, this is it. don't let her girth scare you off, it is well displaced. This bike is just as happy doing 60 on a back road as it is doing much much more on an open interstate. I have had zero mechanical issues with this VN2000. Even though this bike is over 100 lbs heavier than my Warrior, it handles better in my opinion. This is not a beginner bike as it is to big and powerful. Also you need to be fairly strong to push this bike if it runs out of petro; been there done that. Also, if you ride it hard you will be buying a lot of back tires as this bike rips when given the go ahead. E-mail me if you have any question on vn2000's. Come give one of these a ride and nothing else will compare.

Well, what can I say? This is the first cruiser that I have ever owned. I was skeptical that it would lack the power I was used to when I rode sport bikes. My (large) gut has ended those days. Thank god for Kawasaki and my Vulcan 2000. This bike has given me everything my wife and myself need for either a relaxing ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or a heart pounding drag down the straightaway with my buddies. The longest ride I've been on so far is about 2 hours. Comfort was acceptable, but a couple of rest stops were needed. Can't wait for spring to return!

Awesome best describes this bike. I bought it Aug. 18th, 2005. I traded a 2000 Road Star, which I put 65,000 miles on in 3 years time and I liked the Roadie a lot. Although the VN2000 is not as comfortable, I enjoy riding it more. I have owned at least 15 bikes since 1969 some new and some used, but all where large and rated fast for their time. Kawi really did it right on this one. It's as close to a custom type bike as you can get. I commute 100 miles per day year round, thanks to southern California weather. Fast, fast, fast, with style.

I am a big guy, and one look at this bike I was in love with it; it fit me like a glove. I did my research on it and found out this was the bike for me. The seat that the bike comes with sucks, so Corbin fixed that problem and back rest. The kick stand is too low; I have to fish for it... But the power is of the wall. It was like in the 70s when you had your first hot rod; well, this was that feeling again, raw POWER. The weight is a bit heavy when it comes to backing up, but I'll get used to it. All in all, it is a great bike that I'll have for some time.

This bike is a real powerhouse of a cruiser I'm a big guy and was looking for a bike that felt right under me. This one done it. I tried H-D prices and big bikes to small - it handles well for its size. It takes a little getting used to at really slow speeds but well worth it when you get it cranked up. I've also noticed the chirping sound but it's no big deal for me the seat on the other hand is a different story I can ride for 15-20 min and then something got to happen. No matter how much I shift and squirm, I just can't get comfortable mustang seat is on the way.

Ive had the bike for 7 days. All I want to do is ride it i have 540 miles on it. changed the oil last night when I got home from work. So easy any one could do it. I have been riding since 15 1/2 I'm 46. this bike rocks i also own a 05 r1 I love that bike too. But the vulcan rules sooo much fun .Soooo much torque easy to ride I know a bunch of harley owners that put thousands into there bikes to get more power. My vulcan stock has more. Next is a set of pipes from hard krome 3 inch big guns and a power commander if your on the fence about this bike buy it and have some fun. Tomorrow's ride 300 miles. There's so much to say about this bike the handling at low speeds great. The power is off the wall. Looks great. Most important, very very low maintenance and the deal kawasaki has. Put enough down to bring the price to under 10,000 and its only 49 a mounth at 4.9 for two years after that 9.9 i hope this helpes someone. If there thinking of buying one.

I just purchased my VN2000 this weekend. I've only been riding for about 3 years. I started out with a Kawasaki ZX6 Sport Bike. For the past year or so, I often thought I'd enjoy a cruiser more. I also wanted to ride to/from work more often, and the ZX6 was just not that enjoyable on 50 miles of highway. I was looking at Harley Fat Boys and V-Rods but came to the quick conclusion that you get a lot more bank for your buck with Kawasaki. (Plus I already had the credit line open) I test rode the 2000 first. The model I took out at the Vance and Hines pipes one them and they were awesome! After I rode the 2000, I decided to test the 1600. I figured as a less experienced rider, if I couldnt tell the difference, I would go with the 1600 and save 3 grand. Wow, big difference. I could tell right away that the 2000 had so much more power, and the bike just felt better. Maybe it was the VH pipes, but I was sold on the 2000. I decided to take home a black one that they had outfitted with windshield ($219), painted saddlebags ($960), and engine guards ($250). I only wanted the windshield, so I had them remove the other accessories. I've put 200 miles on it so far and love it. However, I have 2 problems with it, which seem to be common for this bike from what I've read. The seat is pretty hard and gets uncomfortable after a couple hours. So I've already ordered a Mustang Seat upgrade. My wife has been riding with me, so a sissy bar will be ordered soon so she wont fall off when I gun it. The biggest problem so far, is the chirping noise that seems to happen around 50mph. It seems really common for the bike which I hate, because it makes me feel like its not fixable. I'm going to call the dealer tomorrow and see what they can do. It sort of ruins the experience for me, so I try to go slower or faster to make it stop. I just wish I didnt have to worry about it. Other than that, the bike is incredible, I get chills just looking out the window seeing it sitting there.

I BOUGHT MY 2004 V2K 2/16/05. ABSOLUTELY A THRILL TO RIDE. 7,300 MILES SO FAR. THIS BIKE IS NOT FOR THE INEXPERIENCED/NOVICE RIDER. V2K IS 810LBS WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS. LOTS OF TORQUE IN ALL 5 GEARS. BE CAREFUL...ROLL ON THE THROTTLE (HOLD ON)IN 5TH GEAR AND YOU WILL BE IN TRIPLE DIGITS VERY QUICKLY. WHEN RIDING WITH PASSENGER HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION AT LOW SPEEDS. SUSPENSION IS STIFF BUT I LIKE IT THAT WAY. MUSTANG SEAT A MUST. STOCK SEAT HORRIBLE. KICK STAND IS TO LOW BUT I AM USED TO IT. THUNDERMFG.COM SELLS A LONGER KICK STAND FOR 170.00. I HAVE HAD NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 2000 MILES AND JUST RIDE. I HAVE OWNED A HD, 96 ELECTRA GLIDE. TOO MANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

I love this bike because of the engine. Before I bought it I wanted a custom bike for that big deep loud sound. WELL, big engine, and cobra pipes solved that. When people hear this bike with cobra pipes they think it's a custom bike, jet, cigarette boat, when I hear a Harley go by me it sounds like a mini bike. By the way the handeling is great to.

After having 1000 miles on the bike I have found out more on its likes and dislikes. I found that your limited to leaning over on turns. The floorboards will suffer and cry if you drop over to far in a turn. They do however have the ability to move an inch or two so you don't chew the boards off. I have a factory shield which adds a small amount of buffeting behind 18 wheelers versus no shield at all. The shield is worth having for highway riding. The stock grips are slick when soaked from rain, replacements are required to lower stress in rain soaked conditions. The rear shock system is not as stiff as I would like. I have bottomed it out more then once and its fully extended. I may have to go after market for that one... Plus side - handles very nice. The key term is "power on tap" no matter what situation your in and need some speed, it's there. The bike is a sweet ride. My wife jumps on back and we do 200 mile plus days after work. Kawasaki has a large number of bolt on items and I tried to stay with thier bags/sissy bar-back rest/passenger floorboards. I used most of these on my bike. So far so good.

When I started my journey to find a touring bike, I absolutely had NO intention of buying the VN2000. I had really thought I would purchase the Suzuki C90 or Yamaha's Road Star or perhaps the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. However, when I when in to visit the Vulcan 1500, I spotted the Beast (the blue one) and was immediately mesmerized with it. The first thing was the size of the beast. I then put it out of my mind (or tried to) and test drove the 1500. The salesman then asked (caught me looking at the Beast again) if I wanted to test drive it. Yeah, why not, just for the heck of it. That was a huge mistake! Like night and day! The power, smoothness of the ride, and looks immediately sold me! Why worry about upgrading later?? Do yourself a favor and test drive one of these beasts! You won't be disappointed!

Just completed an 1800+ mile trip to Colorado and back and the bike handled it superbly. While I experienced a little buffeting by the wind it had very little affect on this heavy bike . My fellow riders who had bikes that weigh roughly 200 pounds lighter had to fight the wind more than they would have liked and with me in the lead they noticed that I was not having to fight it hardly at all. My gas milage ranged from 190 to 230 miles on a tank before the low fuel light would come on. The lowest being due to the strong head winds through Kansas and part of eastern Colorado. Getting out in the freeway with heavy traffic posed no problem in the large cities because the acceleration you had on tap you can literally make traffic seem to come to a standstill. (Those of you who ride one of these will know what I mean). Because of the large tires rain grooves effected it very little but on the other hand the larger tires will growl a little louder on the rougher pavement . My only dislike about the bike is tappet noise at 65 and 70 .Its not overwhelming but it is noticeable but only when i was paying attention to it. Great overall bike

I too was looking at the Road King and a Heritage while also considering the Vulcan 2K but felt that I would always wonder what all that power would be like. Now I know and am glad for the choice. Actually at roughly 70-80% of the cost of one of the Harleys - after accessories - with almost double the stock horsepower it was a very easy decision. This bike rumbles along effortlessly at almost any speed. It has an overabundance of tourque in any gear - depending on the rev's - and except when moving around at parking lot speeds, you barely notice the presence of a passenger. I read reviews of the 2004 version having to stiff of a rear suspension. I personally find it is fine however my wife felt it was a little bumpy on the rear wheel. Other than that, this bike is a dream to ride! BTW - If anyone is wondering what the top end is, with saddle bags and going up a slight grade on the highway I got it up to 199KPH - roughly 123MPH I think.

WHAT A BIKE!!! I moved up from a Vulcan 1500 Classic, which was a great bike but the 2000 is even better. More power, better ride, bigger fuel tank and believe it or not better fuel economy. This bike is more than I expected and a blast to ride!

I too, like others were put off by the shear size of the big Vulcan at first glance. I test drove some Harleys and the big Honda. I was all set to get the Road King Classic or Road Glide, when I walked in to the Kawasaki dealer to look at the big Vulcan one more time,...(just to eliminate it from my mind). I test drove it and that was all it took. I was sold on the VN2000. It's so much more bike. I'll pass on the Harley Wings for now. Power, grace, agility. I love the way it looks, sounds, and performs. This heavy bike is very managable in motion. Good stuff baby!

First, a warning. This bike will cause you to spend a lot of time away from home. This is a bike for someone who likes to feel the weight of a motorcycle, have the power to cruise the open roads, but also have the option to cruise down local and main streets and while listening to the low rumble of your bike. It handles so well in all situations. I'll own this bike for a long time to come.