[twowheeladdict]

Thanks for taking the time to provide a detailed review of your bike. I only have a couple of comments where I my results were a little different than yours.

The bike is higher than my Vulcan 1500 Classic so my 32" inseam is about maxed out. I love the feel and the greater clearance is preferable since I've scraped the footrest on my 1500 several times on turns.

I have a 32" inseam and have the heated pillowtop seat and a sheepskin pelt on the seat and have no problems touching the ground with my legs spread a little. Are you sitting back on your tailbone or upright when you are on the bike? With the seat and sheepskin I can actually see over the stock windshield when I am sitting upright.

Trunk space:
The side bags are the best I've used on a bike. Easy access and more room than others like Harley. The Harley's main trunk is better designed since I have fit 2 large helmets where I can't in my Voyager. I recently switched to an open face helmut which can fit in with 1 full face helmut with some careful positioning.

I put both my XL full face and my wifes SM full face helmets in the truck with no issues. I lay them on their sides with the openings facing each other and the face shields facing the back of the bike. I believe I could put two XL helmets in there. Ours are HJC bluetooth Modular helmets.

 

[Proud50]

i'll try rearranging how I am putting the helmets in the trunk. Thanks for letting me know you got 2 full face helmets in the trunk.

 

[expplane]

After 600 miles on the Vulcan Voyager 1700...

Excellent assessment. Please do one after about 5000 miles for those of us contemplating buying a 2011 Voyager.

 

[Guardian]

Fuel warning. Unexpected operation. Once it goes on, it should stay on. The fuel warning goes on and off. But, pretty consistently, at the time it goes on, there is 4.1 gals consumed. The tank size is 5.3 gals. Can you get every drop of the remaining 1.2 gal. out of the tank? Anyone run it dry? The fuel needle is erratic near 1/4 tank. From 1/4 tank the value (needle) drops non-linearly and radically. At fuel warning, the gas gauge drops to below empty very fast even though you have about 1 gal left. Does anyone know if you can really get the last gal out of there?


This is my biggest complaint also. Yes you can, but dang it, it scares the living crap out of me to try it more then the twice I did because I barely made it to a gas station the 2nd time, I literally coasted into it and it died 4 feet from the pump. The first time it took 5 gals right on the button. So while I say yes, driving conditions and style could affect that also. I'm with you on this, that needle needs to be more in tune with the actual gas in the tank in my view.

 

[aeromax4]

1700 Voyager

I just bought a 2010 1700 Voyager. traded my 08 900 LT Classic. My wife took a ride with me one day and that was it, she loved it and now my 900 was too small for the two of us. I live in Brookhaven, Pa. and we rode to Leesburg, Virginia for our first ride on the Voyager. Aside from the heat that this machine puts off, I felt like I was sitting on a toaster over, The bike was a pleasure to ride. The radio was not what I expected as it would fade in and out of the stations and the speakers could be upgraded but the seat was as good as I hoped it would be. Never had to stop for a break, the seat is very comfortable, Wife never complained once the whole trip. Wish I could find a way to deal with the heat as I do enjoy ridindg on those hot days of summer. Ride Safe ................

 

[Outforit]

I just bought a 2010 1700 Voyager. traded my 08 900 LT Classic. My wife took a ride with me one day and that was it, she loved it and now my 900 was too small for the two of us. I live in Brookhaven, Pa. and we rode to Leesburg, Virginia for our first ride on the Voyager. Aside from the heat that this machine puts off, I felt like I was sitting on a toaster over, The bike was a pleasure to ride. The radio was not what I expected as it would fade in and out of the stations and the speakers could be upgraded but the seat was as good as I hoped it would be. Never had to stop for a break, the seat is very comfortable, Wife never complained once the whole trip. Wish I could find a way to deal with the heat as I do enjoy ridindg on those hot days of summer. Ride Safe ................

Hi there, I'm from Pa too. Wilkes-Barre. I too have the 2010 Voyager Grey/Blue. I have the rear speaker and they make all the difference in the world for the sound system. As far as radio reception, when I first got my bike it sucked, after ten days of ownership it spent 7 weeks at the dealer, I got hit by a truck. Long story, but when I got the bike back the radio reception was much better, and there was someone here that had the same complaint and his dealer fixed it, he said something about the antenna wire was grounding out under the fairing somewhere. Maybe that is the same issue with yours?
If you don't have an I-Pod I would highly recommend one with the I-Pod cable....sure the cabe is 100 bucks but to me also worth every penny. Just make sure that you get a nano I-Pod because the larger ones with a hard drive will lock up.
Heat......yeah it's there, but I do not think it's all that bad. We are on a trip in connetitcut and when we left Pa it was 90 deg. I keep the lower vents open and I was ok.......and I'm the type of person that sweats when it's above 60....lol

Enjoy the new ride

 

[aeromax4]

Hi there, I'm from Pa too. Wilkes-Barre. I too have the 2010 Voyager Grey/Blue. I have the rear speaker and they make all the difference in the world for the sound system. As far as radio reception, when I first got my bike it sucked, after ten days of ownership it spent 7 weeks at the dealer, I got hit by a truck. Long story, but when I got the bike back the radio reception was much better, and there was someone here that had the same complaint and his dealer fixed it, he said something about the antenna wire was grounding out under the fairing somewhere. Maybe that is the same issue with yours?
If you don't have an I-Pod I would highly recommend one with the I-Pod cable....sure the cabe is 100 bucks but to me also worth every penny. Just make sure that you get a nano I-Pod because the larger ones with a hard drive will lock up.
Heat......yeah it's there, but I do not think it's all that bad. We are on a trip in connetitcut and when we left Pa it was 90 deg. I keep the lower vents open and I was ok.......and I'm the type of person that sweats when it's above 60....lol

Enjoy the new ride

You are a few hrs. north of me up the NE Extension. I too sweat and the heat from this bike don't help. I keep the vents wide open and I'm thinking of taking them off. I bought the Red and Black model same as the classic lt I owned. I'm making a list of my complaint to pass on the the dealer when I drop her off for the first 600 mi. check up. I don't want to be working on it myself till I have given them the chance to fix it. Thanks for the response and ride safe.............

 

[studderbumps]

looks awesome!! sounds great!!

:good:i just bought my 1700 voyager today 1/29/10 will have to wait for the snow and salt to clear before i can comment on the ride. looks awsome !! sounds great !!

 

[raw6464]

After 600 miles on the Vulcan Voyager 1700...

Temperature gauge. Would be nice if there were numbers on the dial showing the temperature

TEMPERATURE GAUGE TICKS IN FAHRENHEIT
C=120
1=140
2=160
3=180 Middle Tick
4=200 Fan on at 203
5=220
H1=240
H2=250

Just remember there is a 20 degree difference between each tick and the middle tick is 180 and you can do the conversion on the fly while riding.

 

[robd]

2009 1700 Nomad

After 8000 miles on my 1700 Nomad I love riding more every day. On some of your comments:

Belt drive - absolutely bulletproof so far.

Transmission - same clunk on 1st to 2nd. Had the Service Manager ride the bike, he says it seems normal to him. Tip about higher revs works for all other changes but not between 1 and 2 (up or down).

Power roll-on - this is my first year after two on a 900 Vulcan so I am still very impressed by the power the bike has.

Price - compared to the competition Kawasaki has got it right. But I would pay more for switching fome platic to crome.

Fuel warning - I agree with all comments, most I have ever put in was 4.5 gallons.

Ride safe!

 

[Robert G Andrews]

I have dropped my Nomad whilst standing still. The Crash Bars too all the weight

After 600 miles on the Vulcan Voyager 1700...

1. Weight distribution. I test rode a Goldwing. The center of gravity on the Goldwing is much lower then on the Voyage. What this means is that the Voyager is "heavier" in the sense that when you center it from the side stand you can really feel the weight of the Voyager over the Goldwing. The weigh (mass) of the Goldwing and the Voyager is about the same. It’s the weight distribution that makes the difference. On the Goldwing, the weight is lower - the engine seems lower, as is the gas tank.
   
2. Belt drive. I am not comfortable with this. I would rather have shaft drive on a big bike like the Voyager. That is just my bias. There may be technical reasons for belt over shaft. If they are trying to save money with belt over shaft I would say that shaft is more reliable, this is what you want on a touring bike, and any money saved with belt diminishes at least one aspect of the Voyager as a touring bike. Don't mess with the drive train. Use reliable and maintenance-free shaft drive.
   
3. Transmission. I hear a giant clunk on a first gear to second gear shift. This is louder than other bikes I have owned. The drive train also seems "loose" with a lot of play. Maybe this is due to the belt drive - not sure. This is my biggest complaint so far.
   
4. Radio. Seemingly weak reception on FM
   
5. Valve Chatter. Sometimes, on acceleration, I hear some valves making some unusual noises.
   
6. Power roll-on. My bike has only 600 miles. I have never done full throttle. But, rolling on the power, it seems there are some slight "weak spots" - meaning that there is some hesitation. On my other bikes, full throttle from 45 mph or so was smooth. Maybe this is a function of the fuel injection and DC motor operated throttle.
   
7. The price is right. About $16,000 vs. $22,000 for the Goldwing. If you want a touring bike and can't afford a Goldwing then the Voyager is at the right price point. The Voyager out the door is about $5,000-$7,000 less than Goldwing and Harley touring bikes.
   
8. Temperature gauge. Would be nice if there were numbers on the dial showing the temperature
   
9. Fuel warning. Unexpected operation. Once it goes on, it should stay on. The fuel warning goes on and off. But, pretty consistently, at the time it goes on, there is 4.1 gals consumed. The tank size is 5.3 gals. Can you get every drop of the remaining 1.2 gal. out of the tank? Anyone run it dry? The fuel needle is erratic near 1/4 tank. From 1/4 tank the value (needle) drops non-linearly and radically. At fuel warning, the gas gauge drops to below empty very fast even though you have about 1 gal left. Does anyone know if you can really get the last gal out of there?
   
10. Crash Guards. I have not dropped my bike. But others have. From a dead stop, one person in this forum said they had several thousands of dollars of damage. A video on YouTube shows a Goldwing laying on its crash bars with no damage. The back crash bars on the Voyager do not seem to fully protect the luggage. I don't know for sure - and I don't want to find out by real experience.
    
11. Feels like you are riding something. Going from a Honda VTX1300, and before that a Suz. Katana 1100, riding this big touring bike, it feels like you are riding something substantial.
    
12. Six speed. My Honda VTX1300 had 5 gears. At 65 mph there seemed to be some serious RPM's. Since the VTX had no tach there was no way to know the RPM. On the Voyager, 65 MPH in 6'th gear is an easy 2,700 RPM.
    
13. LCD display. Lots of good info including estimated MPG calculation. Good to see fuel consumption at various speeds when estimating range.
    
14. MPG. I consistently get 35 MPG. Full tank to fuel warning is 144 miles. Fill up is 4.1 gals. 1.2 gals in the tank at fuel warning.
    
15. Gas. Needs Premium - Ouch.
    
16. Lights. Main beam and 2 fog lights in the front. Long row of ultra-bright LED's in the back. Good.
    
17. Floorboards. Better than pegs. Plus, heel shifter.
    
18. Positive Neural. When stopped. You can never miss N from 2nd gear
    
19. Antenna. Some say it vibrates and falls off. I check mine from time to time. Needs a lock washer. In this forum, some say replacement antenna is about $100.
    
20. Needs more color choices. For 2010, only two color choices. Maybe have more choices. I wanted the red/black. Dealer #1 with red/black would not meet my offer price. Dealer #2 had gray/blue and we reached a deal. I like the gray/blue better. Red/black seems a little dark. The blue looks black under low light. In the sun, its deep blue metal-flake. Either Vulcan color is not the SCARY Yellow I see on Goldwings. No Voyager color choice is a bad choice.
    
21. Exhaust sound. Pretty good. Maybe could be a little louder.
    
22. Dealer Invoice (my estimate based on 2009 prices scaled to 2010 list prices)

List Price $17,299
Dealer Invoice: $14,858 (all dealers pay the same - no volume discounts)
Freight Charge: $275 (all dealer pay the same amount form Kaw to dealer)
Assembly credit: $-162 (kaw subsidizes assembly and prep)
Ready to sell cost - $14,971 (this is no profit to the dealer) (my estimate)
There is a 5% holdback on this bike. This means that the dealer will get 5% of the LIST PRICE back from Kaw at the end of the season if he sells this bike.


All the above observations are my opinion, and I'm stickin' to it.

I have dropped my Nomad whilst standing still. No damage the bars took all the weight

 

[Robert G Andrews]

We have just been on a short camping trip. 1692 km. Pulling the trailer fully loaded . Fuel economy went from 6.2 km per 100ks to 7.3km per 100ks. Pretty happy with that. Didn't think much of the sand flies t Agnes Waters though.

 

[silverspurs]

We have just been on a short camping trip. 1692 km. Pulling the trailer fully loaded . Fuel economy went from 6.2 km per 100ks to 7.3km per 100ks. Pretty happy with that. Didn't think much of the sand flies t Agnes Waters though.

translation into Yank speak please...
the way I'm reading this, you got better gas mileage pulling the trailer?

 

[Lindsay]

I believe he means he used 6.2 liters of fuel per 100 kms and 7.3 liters per 100 kms

 

[studderbumps]

I have 2010 voyager hit a deer 7-1-11 I was running about 50, me and the bike hit the pavement and slid the bike uprighted itself i jumped up and went after it no luck it ran over a bank about 20 ft. down hit a small tree was standing up but facing down the steep bank. tow truck pulled it up the bank never turned the bike over or slid it up the bank he did a great job getting the bike out. The crash bars did there job no damage from the asphalt only to the crash bars(never bent just scrapped up) the tree did most of the damage (farring, clutch handle,speacker trim, and some scratches from brush)
But what really concerns me when I started it the motor now knocks, checked oil and it is fine. Any ideas ???

 

[silverspurs]

I have 2010 voyager hit a deer 7-1-11 I was running about 50, me and the bike hit the pavement and slid the bike uprighted itself i jumped up and went after it no luck it ran over a bank about 20 ft. down hit a small tree was standing up but facing down the steep bank. tow truck pulled it up the bank never turned the bike over or slid it up the bank he did a great job getting the bike out. The crash bars did there job no damage from the asphalt only to the crash bars(never bent just scrapped up) the tree did most of the damage (farring, clutch handle,speacker trim, and some scratches from brush)
But what really concerns me when I started it the motor now knocks, checked oil and it is fine. Any ideas ???

holy crap!... your lucky to be unhurt!... wondering if while the bike was sitting at that steep angle some oil got into places it normally doesn't belong... if so, after running the engine a while this might correct itself... but I'd have somebody that's qualified check it out... glad your ok...

 

[Robert G Andrews]

holy crap!... your lucky to be unhurt!... wondering if while the bike was sitting at that steep angle some oil got into places it normally doesn't belong... if so, after running the engine a while this might correct itself... but I'd have somebody that's qualified check it out... glad your ok...

Mate it's probably your knees doing the knocking, give them a bit of oil. Seriously after a spill like that I would take it back to the garage and give them a look at it.

 

[Robert G Andrews]

Drop the bike

We have just been on a short camping trip. 1692 km. Pulling the trailer fully loaded . Fuel economy went from 6.2 km per 100ks to 7.3km per 100ks. Pretty happy with that. Didn't think much of the sand flies t Agnes Waters though.

I have dropped it a couple of time and zero damage. They have put the crash bars in the right spot. With respect to the weight, it is a problem but one I am prepared to put up with. The more we ride the bike the better I like it. Hoping to do a trip from Toowoomba to Cairns in September towing the trailer.

 

[silverspurs]

We have just been on a short camping trip. 1692 km. Pulling the trailer fully loaded . Fuel economy went from 6.2 km per 100ks to 7.3km per 100ks. Pretty happy with that. Didn't think much of the sand flies t Agnes Waters though.

I have dropped it a couple of time and zero damage. They have put the crash bars in the right spot. With respect to the weight, it is a problem but one I am prepared to put up with. The more we ride the bike the better I like it. Hoping to do a trip from Toowoomba to Cairns in September towing the trailer.

G'day Robert;
Ahhh the land of OZ... spent a couple of years there in the mid 1970's beaut place... great place to ride a bike with a deep motorcycling tradition... I need to get back there, rent a bike and take a month or two seeing the sites... how's your winter going down there?

 

[Dozrtravlin]

translation into Yank speak please...
the way I'm reading this, you got better gas mileage pulling the trailer?

To translate into Yank and UK (hope this helps)

6.2 km per 100 litres is - 16.1 km per litre, 37.9 US mpg and 45.5 Imp mpg
7.3 km per 100 litres is - 13.7 km per litre, 32.3 US mpg and 38.7 Imp mpg
(approx)

Some idiot over here when we went metric decided that average km's per 100 litres was a better way of working out fuel consumption.
Needless to say it is a useless method for day to day use. Doesn't let you calculate a range. Luckily MaKaw put in the option for km per litre in the trip computer

My 2009 averages about 17.5 km per litre around town day in and day out, from the pump and via the on board computer.

All things considered Love the Voyager, got used to the weight, frightened me a little at first after road bikes and then a C50 Suzie, had to get an Air hawk Seat for my tail, and if I want the bike to handle a little better around town I just bring my feet back under me and lean forward a bit, road bike style.

Besides look at the fun you can have customising the Vulcan's I have spent heaps on it, shines like a new pin, and now every time I look at some bling or accessory my better half heads for a dress or shoe shop to get even

Like the Gold wing but it it is a huge beast that looks out of place running around town on errands.