Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak reviews

I bought this bike used with the 2000 miles on it. I like the bike except the stock seating position seems a little cramped, need some highways pegs I guess, but something to strecth out a little more. The brakes are weird for 6 pistons, I mean the front is touch almost grabby, but the rear seems soft, but once you get used to it you can manipulate them fine. Performance is definitely not a highlight on this bike as it is stock. HD wideglides will take this bike off the line. But I have read on here of guys putting about an extra 20 HP on these bikes, and that would do it for sure. So if you want preformance, get ready to add a few hundred bucks. I have V&H Pipes on it and they sound great, not too loud but just right. All my stock badges are removed and everyone stares at it. So you can be sure you will riding a nice bike. Over all, I would say Kawasaki built a good bike. I like it. Show less

It took more than 16 years to get a bike again. Lots of visits to the showroom to drool. Had to bring a friend to test ride because I did not have a license. The folks at the shop were right about jumping in over my head but, of course, I bought it anyway. I was a bit intimidated going from a 750 to 1500 with all those years in between. I love the bike. Can not think of anything I would trade for it. It sounds great (Vance & Hines) and rides great. Surprisingly smooth with lots of power. The only down for me are the drag bars which are not terribly comfortable when you have short arms. If practical, I will change them and, plan to put heel/toe controls on it. Show less

I bought my Meanie used with 3,500 miles on her and have put 12,000 miles on her since 04. Very stable at over 100 mph and very reliable in all but the coldest conditions. I have installed a DG Hard Krome exxcelerator pipe and Thunder mfg big air kit with power commander unit. Mods have changed stock rear wheel hp from 55 to 72. Torque up from 70 to 83. Not too shabby for the price paid. I would probably buy it again. Very striking in appearance, but I wish Kawasaki wouldn't have put those stupid tribal stickers on the tank. Would also love this bike more with mid-controls instead of the medium forward ones. Show less

Only riding two years, first bike a 95 Virago 750. I wanted a cruiser with a some punch and this is it. I've ridden larger machines but none as quick and fun as this. Have bags and memphis wind shield, added some chrome but the rest is stock. I push it hard all the time and it has never let me down. Sound is fine for me as I don't need it extremely loud. The candy gold gets looks all the time, lots of compliments. Only complaint is the fuel warning light comes on when there is more than 2 gallons left in the big 5 gallon tank. On very long rides, I do get a bit of a pain between the shoulders due to the bar position but nothing that doesn't go away after a short break. Great handling machine even when topped out at 185KM/hr, no wobble, and awesome braking. You can get down low in the curves and scrape the pegs without feeling the least bit out of control with the low profile radial tires. Show less

Before buying my 2002 mean streak, I searched on the web to find this site on the rider reviews. Because of the great reviews, I finally bought my bike at a low mileage (almost brand new at 2200 miles because the owner was starting a new family in 2003 and didn't have the time) and WOW I couldn't believe it's great handling. All around phenominal bike! Show less

As this is my first bike, I researched and reviewed bikes for about 3 years before settling on my '03 Streak. Once I decided on and bought the Streak, the rest is history! I've never made a purchase in my 42 years that was so perfectly matched to me. It's an eye catcher; many people think it costs much more just based on its appearance. It's equally at home cruising the city, going hard and fast or touring through the backcountry. It rides comfortably and I've never gotten road rash on my many 250 - 300 mile trips. In my opinion, it's the best mix of cruiser, with power, sport bike handling and touring sensibility. Show less

I've had the Mean streak for almost 4 years now and "never" had a single problem with it. It's reliability is great. Kawasaki has a steady customer here. Show less

I researched this bike for several months befor buying it. I wanted a EFI, shaft drive, liquid cooled, cruiser. I was told a 1300 is good for highway cruising and 1600 is great. So I went for 1500 in the meanstreak. The brakes are great but take getting used to due to 6 pistons stopping the front. Torque is great for take offs, throttle control is great. No overheating in the Texas spring so far. Hope it continues! Show less

I have riden for 20+ years. Not a weekend warrior, but I ride a minimum of 300 days per year. Have tried so on many different bikes. Believe when I say The Mean Streak is a pleasure. It's got a great disign, tons of power and is well engineered which makes it easy to control. The price is also unbeatable!! Show less

I started riding this past summer and the bike that I started on was the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak. Over the past summer my Dad and I made six trips and went over 3000 miles. With most of our riding in Montana and Idaho, we got a lot of riding on winding roads, hills, and going through small towns. The bike handles corners well and is smooth at both high and low speeds. I have never had a problem with its performance when it's really cold or hot out. The cylinders do put off a lot of heat, however, and wearing chaps is a must, I've found. My bike is all stock with an after market windshield, and I can't say that it lacks in any area. Show less