Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic reviews

why advertised as a HD, it's a metric!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Show less

Save yourself the trouble, get a Harley. I bought this bike because I thought it would be as nice as a Softail. I was very disappointed. From the factory it felt choked, accelerated slower than my Versys 300. The windshield, at its highest setting, was too short for me and I was bombarded with turbulence. In less than a week my left floorboard was dangling off. A pin had sheared. A month later my front brake caliper fell off, I was thankful it didn't catch the spokes. After getting the caliper bolted down I went on my first long trip, 270 miles one-way. It was torturous. The stock seat was utter garbage and I ended up taking the windshield off, which was more comfortable than keeping it on. I only got 26mpg, I was disgusted in the 100 mile fuel range. On the way home my rear-cylinder's header cracked and the exhaust tube fell off. The dealership paid for half a set of Vance & Hynes. They were far better. I also bought a new intake and a DynoJet PC5, the bike was finally accelerating decently. Though my mom's Harley Street 750 was far faster. Also I was now getting around 35mpg, a drastic improvement over stock fuel mileage. Then my fuel pump went out. After that I was getting 80 miles out of a tank and never exceeding 90 mph. In December my stator went out at 4,859 miles. I was so done with that cheaply built Kawasaki garbage. I traded it, got a Harley Electra Glide. Best decision I made regarding that Vulcan. Show less

The purchase of this bike was my first motorcycle and I still own and drive it everyday. I drove the bike from Connecticut to South Carolina and the bike performed very good on the highway and still runs very good with regular maintenance done according to the chart. I just had my third set of tires put on the bike so I'm ready for many more miles. I purchased my bike in Groton, CT and the staff was very friendly and helpful to a first time rider, very good on the price and would recommend them to anyone. My bike is stock from the factory and have not put on any accessories yet, but I'm getting saddlebags soon. Show less

I was looking for a project bike for urban use. I picked up a used VN900 Classic with low miles, Cobra exhaust, ECU and air intake. I knew immediately I was going to make it into a bobber. Riding it home in stock form, the stock seat is rough. Only after about 30 - 45 minutes my butt was sore. It's similar to a VStar 650's seat. It's not a big deal as this was going to change. It's down on power, which I expected. I have a Roadstar 1700 and sold a Triumph Speed triple 1050 to get this Vulcan. Again, not a big deal for around town. On the freeway, 60 is the sweet spot, 70 is where the engine revs are getting high. On the plus side, the gas needle doesn't budge which is awesome. The Cobra dragster exhaust doesn't sound that great. It's loud with no character. I put some different baffles in which helped some. There's lots of plastic which surprised me. Fenders, side covers, engine covers, all plastic! As a bobber, this is a great, fun bike. I haven't touch my Roadstar in months, preferring the Vulcan. It's a lot lighter, more nimble and a kick in the pants to ride. I put on tracker bars and Avon grips which totally changes the ride character to something you want to ride aggressive. Show less

First I love this bike and would buy it again. The only problem I've had is the kick stand wore out at 15,000 miles. It had to be welded and re-drilled. Apparently this is a common problem. The seat needs to be softer. I get a sore butt after 30 minutes. A smaller person may not have a problem. You will need a windshield if you go faster than 50-55. If you don't have a windshield, better hang on tight! At 65+ mph., it has a vibration that will hurt after a few minutes. This is a common problem of this model. I get 42 mpg. with or without a passenger. It has plenty of power, the balance is great and it is really fun to ride. Show less

If you are wondering if this bike is too big for you, it's not! At first I was intimitated by anything over 500ccs. After taking the MSF course, my confidence returned and I was ready to try the big metal (well, the medium metal). The Vulcan 900 inspires confidence with stable handling, excellent (but not extreme) performance, and iron-clad reliability. Unlike other reviewers, I have no issue with the seat. The only issues I have are with a lack of a tach, and the inaccurate gas gauge (good thing the low fuel light is good! I've only gone 900 miles with my Vulcan so far, and I've kept the speed below 65 mph, but gas mileage has been 56 mpg. This really is a great bike for someone coming back to the sport. Show less

I bought the bike in March, 2009 and have done about 7000 miles on it. I mostly commute to work. I have done 2-up, short road trips with my wife. The bike handles very well and has enough power when riding solo. The mileage is great. Until 5k, I was getting 45 mpg and now i get 50 mpg riding solo. It looks are nice and no heat issues at all as it's liquid cooled. There are no mechanical issues with the bike yet. I got the oil change done three times so far and nothing else. Riding two up, 900 cc is not enough on highways. Its not that it's really bad, but you have just enough power. If you want sudden acceleration in 5th, you won't have enough left. The seat is not too comfortable. After 1.5 hrs, you feel you have to get down and stretch After riding this bike for close to year and half, I feel that this is a very good entry level cruiser bike for people to get into riding. It might not be a good choice if you want to use it for 2-up riding and long distance trips. Show less

I bought this bike used (5800k) this spring after 16 years of not having one. My last bike was an 84 Honda V45 Magna. I'm very pleased with the power and seating position of this bike. It feels light and is easy to handle at low speeds. It goes down the road arrow straight and is very smooth. After about 60 MPH though, there is some vibration but not unbearable. The bike should have a 6th gear for the open road. I plan on replacing the front pully on the belt drive to help with this. The bike is fuel injected so it starts nice on cooler days. I find the suspension to be much better than on the old Magna. The seat is not bad but is a little hard on my old butt on longer rides. She doesn`t have the snap of the old Magna.....but I didn`t expect it to. Oh and did I mention I love the sound of those Cobra pipes. Show less

I bought this bike about 3 weeks ago. I have only rode dirt bikes and that was 30 years ago. I am still a newby, but so far I love this bike. It is very easy to ride and every time I get on it, I don't want to get off. It just keeps getting better. It has plenty of power and looks great. I got the plasma blue and it gets a lot of attention. It's everything that I think a motorcycle should be and more. This one is a keeper. Show less