Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic reviews

I went intent on buying a Honda Shadow, but after rode off the lot with my 05 Vulcan 800 Classic. This is a great motorcycle. Plenty of power for a mid-sized bike, but the handling and the feel of the motorcycle are unbelievable.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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...

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...

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.

I have sold my '01 Nomad and purchased an '06 HD Ultra. I could not bring myself to sell the 800. My wife got her license this last July and has taken over the 800. My son and daughter also ride the 800 when they come with on tours. Much to my son's distress I put the orig pipes back on at my wife's request. I've installed a Cobra light bar and a flip a lever throttle lock as well as hiway pegs and desert daugs. I have had many offers to purchase this bike but I'm going to keep it period. I get a real kick out of some people who mistake it for a HD Heritage. I replaced the orig tires with Dunlop D404's and they have held up very well hand the handling is spot on. I agree with the reviewer that mentioned the negitive fuel pressure issue. The change to prime or res is the quick fix and is not worthy of a ding in the quality area. This is a great bike! You can't go wrong with the 800. Ride safe!