Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic reviews

I went to buy a Harley Road king but the price was rediculous. Across the Street was a Kawasaki dealer and my wife suggested we go there and check it out. I didnt want a crouch rocket and was amazed when I saw this 02 Vulcan sitting in the showroom that looked like a Harley. I even asked "you sell Harley's here"? No, thats a Kawasaki Vulcan. The price tag? $7995.00 "WOW" Just what wanted, chain drive, carburated, perfect. The owner came over and said "this is the last motorcycle you'll ever buy. They never come back for anything". My wife asked "Whats the best yo can do" The final price was $5200.00. My wife asked if there was something wrong with it. Its brand new, if its junk, I'll make a lamp out of it for that price. Im a mechanic by trade. This bike is flawless. The welds of the frame, the engineering, the handleing, it runs perfectly. At 33,000 miles, not an ounce of trouble. General maintenance is all it needs. Most important, it has solid lifters so be sure to check the valve clearance at least every 10,000 miles. Thats it. This motorcycle will last you a lifetime. Stopped at a WaWa one night. A guy with a new Harley there with his friends stopped to talk. He owned an 02 Vulcan Classic and got rid of it and bought a Harley. "what a mistake" he said. I loved that bike. I have been back to the Harley dealer 4 time for oil leaks, still not fixed. What a mistake I made, he said. Dont make the same mistake. I said, I know and I also know that most electronics among other parts on Harley's are made in China. Very sad! The Vulcan is the first japanese vehicle I have ever bought. The head mechanic at the dealer where I purchased it said, "It's built in Nebraska, how much more american can you get. Boy was he right. You will fall in love with this motorcycle. It has plenty of power, my wife and I ride 2 up, It weighs much less than a Harley and it is the most perfectly balanced bike on the market and it looks just like a Harley. I've had people ask me about the color, metalic red, they say, "I didnt know Harley had a color like that" They dont. Its not a Harley. Theyre shocked. For the price you pay for this motorcycle, you can afford to fit it out with all kinds of addons. A windshield, bags, floorboards, crash bars etc. I've known people who have over 90,000 miles on this bike, and it still runs great. Dont be fooled. Dont think its junk. IT'S NOT! Later on in years there are some bigger beautiful cruisers Kawasaki makes. Im not gonna get rid of what I got cause I dressed it just like I want it but you cant beat Kawasaki, And the new ones are really tempting and dependable. Hey, Years ago they made aircraft engines for fighter planes. They know what they're doin. Show less

Want to commute on a comfortable motorcycle that is nimble in the city and cruises great on the highway? Want to get good gas mileage (50-60 mpg.)? Want to look good on a classic? Want to lean into corners more than the average cruiser? Want to be able to rev you rpm. and feel sporty? Want to perform better and faster than the 1300-1600 cruisers? Want to have lower insurance rates and low ownership costs? If the above criteria is what you are looking for in a motorcycle, look no further. Even in 2014, this cruiser still beats what else is available. I'll be riding this for a long time. Knock on wood, but no problems or maintenance issues. I get to enjoy riding this more than having to fix something. Feel confident to take this on a long trip. Show less

I am on my second Vulcan 800 Classic. The first one was nice but a little bit of rust from the previous owner not keeping it garaged bothered me. I found a great deal on a VTX so I sold my first Vulcan. I later realized how much I missed my first Vulcan that the first opportunity I got to get another one, I did. I could not be happier. This one had no rust and looked great. I can cruise around with other cruisers or wind it up to be a little more sporty. It loves to cruise at 80-85 and the engine feels so smooth at that speed. I think it has the same sweet spot as my VTX 1300 but this Vulcan is only an 800. Slow speed manuevers are much easier than my old Shadow 750 and VTX, too. I've had cruisers, standards and sportbikes and this one is perfect as it is between the average cruiser and standard. It handles well and inspires confidence. Like I mentioned before, the Vulcan likes to rev so be aware that you might be going faster than you thought. After 16 bikes in six years, I think I found the perfect one for me. It gets 48-55 mpg. and it is easy to get out of the garage without the weight being overbearing. It is perfect in the city and comfortable on the highway. Show less

I bought this bike from a previous owner who customized it and babied it, basically. She has about 20,000 miles and feels like she only has about 1,000! This bike is comfortable and easy to ride/control! I bought a "Johnny Pag" 300cc brand new for $3,300 and thought I was getting a deal!! I rode the thing for 300 miles and was scared I was going to kill myself only going 40 miles an hour! Something definitely wasn't right...so I looked into trading her in for a bigger better bike. When I came across this, the dealer promised me I would have a blast with this bike and even talked me out of getting a Sportster 883 and it was so worth it!! I can't stop thinking about it when I'm not riding and I ride it every chance I get!! I love it!! I feel safe and I know I can rely on it! I would recommend this bike to anyone, especially if your not wanting to spend thousands on a "Harley"! Personally, I think this bike beats out a Harley all day!! Show less

I just got a used 05 Vulcan Classic 800 with ONLY 3200 miles for a great price. I wasn't planning to buy this bike. I was visiting the dealer to trade in my old bike for a new V Star 1300 Tourer. Instead I purchased the Vulcan 800 Classic and kept my old bike. The bike fits me perfectly. It is not over powered, but not slow either. Top speed on a flat road was 110 mph in 4th gear, but I pegged the speedometer in 5th gear on a downhill. The bike was stable at those speeds; slight wobble, but it wasn't bad. A former bike I owned was uncomfortable and unstable above 70 mph. This Vulcan 800 has the same acceleration and power as that bike but without the issues. This bike is about evenly matched with the 1100 cruisers. I ride with the big boys and I can keep up with this bike. I am very happy so far. Show less

I bought my bike new in 1999. I loved it the first time I rode it. I've riden it all over Ohio and Michigan. I'm getting it ready for this riding season, looking forward to many miles and hours of fun. If all goes right, I will be riding it to Albuquerque, New Mexico to visit my best friend this summer. Show less

Great bike! As a matter of fact, I like the bike so much, I went out and bought another one for my wife. Now she loves hers too! I ride most everyday to work, since I work 10 different counties in my state. After riding all day long, I will come home and she's ready to go riding...I'll be tired and will usually say, Not tonight honey, I have a headache... Show less

This was my first bike, and still is (obviously). I looked around at all the dealers and couldn't find a nicer looking cruiser for the price, and honestly, with no regard to price, this was my favorite looking bike anyway. It has nice metallic paint and a nice pin stripe to accent it. There is no end to chrome on this thing, it has a nice big chrome headlight, and really has that old school look. Very nice looking spoked wheels too. It is most definitely a knock off of a Harley Softtail, but I like it. I like it's styling more than the Harley. And there is no comparison on price. I got a great deal because it was last years model they still had in the showroom and wanted to clear it out, it was discounter, and had no frieght or pdi. The bike is nice to ride, smooth, easy to handle, and has lots of power. I've rode through the mountains with it about 3 times now, and it was great. The seat gets a little hard after too many hours, but I'm sure sitting on most bike seats would yeild the same results on long trips. It also has an easy to use steering lock and helmet lock (my new bike I got (enduro) has the steering lock in an awkward spot). Anyways, I am very happy with my bike, and would recommend it to anyone who wants a stylish cruiser... And this 800cc v-twin definetly has lots of power... Show less

I give it 5 stars now only because we tore it down and started over. I won't even get into the internal parts we replaced in the engine and a rebuild of the carb, but now it runs like a bike should and you can feel the power and smooth performance it should have had to start with. Take some advice keep and eye on it. You will need to do a lot of motor work in the next 10/15 thousand miles. Have a buyer so now I can get a Honda or one of the top rated bikes. Beware of the dealer you buy from. Last time here so ride safe folks. Show less