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Vulcan S ABS, Kudos to Kawasaki

5K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Ilya 
#1 ·
It's been about a month of our ownership, and I feel comfortable offering this about my wife's new 2015 Vulcan S ABS;

It is very easily the best 'right out of the crate' motorcycle I have ever ridden.

The engineering features, the looks, the ride, the feel, the ABS, the fuel injection, and the engine performance..... All are just right.

My wife is thoroughly enjoying riding her Vulcan S, and as she gradually gets her skills and confidence back up (during the engine break-in period) I am confident that this will be the only motorcycle she will ever need or want.

I ride a new Suzuki DR200S, which I bought specifically for the nimble handling, great fuel economy, and the 'commute to work' fun-factor.
But quite honestly, my bike pales in comparison to the Kawasaki.

I have ridden for well over 40 years, and have enjoyed riding and owning motocross bikes, street-trail machines, road bikes, fast bikes, slow bikes, and honestly, a large chunk of everything that Japan has ever produced.

(And no, just for the record, though I have ridden Harley Davidsons, I have never owned one. They are great cruisers, but they never really appealed to me.)

I'm really happy with my choice of the smaller Suzuki enduro bike, don't get me wrong.

But I'm very pleased and proud to have my wife riding and enjoying this excellent Kawasaki Vulcan S.

Two thumbs 'way up, Kawasaki.
You hit it out of the ballpark with this motorcycle!
:smile2:
 

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#2 ·
I agree..the Vulcan S ABS I bought for my wife is a perfect fit for her.

Having ridden everything from Hodakas to BMW K1600s and Harley Ultras I get a kick out of riding her bike. It has great low-speed handling, no discernible bad manners at highway speeds (this is a tough balance to get in a small bike) and having ABS at an adder of just a few hundred bucks is a no-brainer.

The ONLY thing I would change is to add a second brake disc/caliper up front, but that's just my sport-touring side talking...nothing really wrong with the brakes.


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#3 ·
Big Thumbs Up! I too have owned a few bikes over my 50 years of riding...even owned a Harley ONCE....never again....spent more time working on it and arguing with Harley to fix it than I did riding it...after two years I tried to trade it in and they refused to take it in trade telling me the Bike was a Lemon and they wanted no part of it. And they sold it to me originally.

Anyway...owned nothing but Kawasaki's after the Harley "Education" and never had a single problem in all that time. The Vulcan S for me is the PERFECT motorcycle, except for the seat..lololol....even my girlfriend thinks she wants a Vulcan S for her first bike....
 
#4 ·
They sure seem great! People really love them! I'd love to see Kawasaki come out with a 'big brother' version. Something with a similar feet-forward relaxed position that isn't quite sport touring (they already have the concours), but has bigger brakes, dual disc brakes up front and a bigger engine.
 
#5 ·
I agree...

Take the Vulcan 900:
Add LED tail/brake light.
Optional ABS.
Add second front disc brake.
Add flash-to-pass switch and emergency flashers.
Rework instrument display to include tachometer.
Offer optional gear position indicator.
Offer ErgoFit bars and seats.

Voila! Vulcan 900S!

I'd buy one...

Ride safe.


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#8 ·
I got mine as the first bike I've ever owned and it has yet to disappoint. It's maneuverable, has plenty of power, and has been comfortable for me thus far.
 
#11 ·
I agree VulcanSrider. Adding a few things soon like windscreen and exhaust. If I somehow outgrow this bike next riding season, though doubtful, I would probably think about moving up to something like the Victory Octane.
 
#13 ·
Yep. "cc" is nothing more than the volume of displacement of the engine and has nothing to do with bike size. That's why I cringe when someone says "A guy your size should get at least a 1500cc or it'll be too small" or something like that. There are 1500cc bikes, for example, with smaller frames, lower seat heights and closer reach to the controls than the Vulcan 900. In fact, having owned both the Vulcan 900 and Vulcan 1700 Vaquero; I can say that although the Vaquero is a bit wider and much heavier; the 'cockpit' is very similar. It was easy to go from one to the other; because they both 'fit' about the same.

The Octane is a pretty small bike. I just saw one the other day. Even if it's engine is a bit bigger. There's definitely a market for small bikes though! My wife is 5'0" and rides a Honda Shadow 750 Aero. She loves it, but she'd be a great candidate for something like the Octane or something else. Something a little stronger, with better features (ABS would be great!), but still remains 'small'.
 
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