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Vulcan 2000 Classic LT

7K views 33 replies 15 participants last post by  whoaru99 
#1 ·
How many people with the 2000 classic LT out there??? I have a 2007 with 50,000 on it. It is a big bitch that is for sure and she is powerful.
Have heard all the discussion before about the Vulcans and the alleged PLASTIC OIL GEAR that some said affected all Vulcans. Something I have
heard is bogus according to Kawasaki Corporate people. Allegedly according to Kawasaki, it only affected the 1500 model and was replaced with the metal gear after a certain year. What is the take on that from other LT model owners????
 
#3 ·
I have an 06 classic LT with 33k on it. It died on the interstate the last week!!! I had the dealer come and pick it up as I had no way to get it home. The power commander had fried. runs with it off but the ecm is off to Ivans to get flashed. I can't wait to get it back.
 
#5 ·
Its a tuner. The power commander 5 from dynojet is a great add on part (until it fries) that enhances fuel and ignition. It helped make the popping stop after pipes and air filter upgrades and also raised redline, top speed, and POWER. I have never seen one cook before but I guess it happens.
 
#7 ·
I think I will keep mine as it is, factory pretty much I am guessing. I will b e more than happy if it just keeps on going without any major incidents for a long while. `I was more than happy to hear that the plastic oil gear problem was not on the classics but rather the 1500's and apparently only certain years. Originally when I got this, a Kow dealer's service manager had erroneously said that he had a guy he knew got rid of his after hearing that another guy with the classic LT 2000 had the plastic gear go out and fry the engine. It was as if the P.O.G. PROBLEM infected the entire line of Vulcans regardless of model or size. Kawasaki said it was only the 1500's before a certain year. Kind of stupid for a dealerships people not knowing the facts or trying make themselves aware of fact rather than fiction. For someone to "get rid of" their bike based on such poor information???? I had thoughts of dumping mine if that turned out to be true. Then people online websites and publications write stories for others to read painting the entire Vulcan line to have problems with not just the POG but write as oil pump problems. Now I have not heard of that being a fact from any source so far. Vulcan oil pump failures!!
 
#6 ·
If anyone is interested in a Power Commander III or Power Commander V w/Autotune I have both/either I'd let go at pretty low cost. The PCIII is used, the PCV and Autotune are new in the box. For a 2008 VN2K and whatever else DynoJet says they'll fit,
 
#9 ·
I have a 2010 V2K Classic LT and absolutely love it. The suspension is unlike anything I have ever ridden with the 8 way rebound dampening. Kawasaki put quite a cage around these with the changes in timing, etc. I have had airboxes on 750cc motorcycles that let in more air than my V2K. To remove the cage one has to mod all four of the main components making up an engine across the exhaust, air intake, timing and fuel. While the first two can be easily done with aftermarket mods the power commander is the only way to fix the last two on fuel and timing.

The next thing to know is that the power commander only allows one to change the initial values to preset ones. Without Dynojet's Auto Tuner to go with the power commander the bike will never perform at its optimum. Even if the barometric pressure changes at the same sea level the map was made at, the bike will run richer or leaner accordingly. Ride into the mountains where barometric pressure is higher and oxygen lower and it runs rich. Ride along a coast at sea level where the barometric pressure is low and oxygen abundant and it is running lean.

I have never had any problems with my V2K on anything. I have read about other owners doing the cheap mods like with the resistor for the timing, etc and those are the only ones I had ever heard of the electronics frying, etc. Dynojet's products are pretty much plug and play and designed for the motorcycles they fit. I'd have to think with the reply above, about it frying, it must have been a manufacturer defect on that one OR it was not installed or used properly. The power commander ties into a bunch of aftermarket products and if one connects a single wire in the wrong location it might fry something. It will monitor all kinds of things if properly tied into them and available on the bike to do so. Like mine is set to monitor the water temp as I put gages in my fairing to monitor it so, I tied it into the power commander also. With the way my bike performs with the power commander and auto tuner I'd never go another way!

The best mod for these V2Ks I think is replacing the American sales transfer gears for the European sales gearing. The V2K is geared very low for American sales and the euro gears moves the whole gear pattern up. Now if you like the torque of being able to do second gear dead stop take offs then this is not what you want. For myself having to grab second gear not even half way through a left hand turn is not what I want for a cruiser type bike. To give an idea of how the euro gears changes things, I now shift into fifth gear at about 55 mph and it is like shifting into overdrive. At speeds of 70 or more on the highways it is not so high in the RPMs. Smoother ride, better gas mileage, and better engine longevity.
 
#11 ·
Yes, that is the earliest I shift. Any sooner and with the higher gearing it will fall on its face. I definitely could wait much higher into the RPMs but unless their is a need, I am just cruising usually. To me if I am shifting at normal RPMs I get better gas mileage and more time in the saddle between fill ups. In the owners manual for the American sales bike the recommended shifting works as following: 1-2 @ 12 mph; 2-3 @ 19 mph; 3-4 @ 25 mph; and 4-5 @ 31 mph. I got that right from my owners manual. So with the standard gearing for American sales you are shifting that at basically double the recommended range. I wish the bike came with a tach to see what kind of RPMs it is running, but it doesn't. When I was younger the low gearing and torque from it would have been right up my alley for burning tires and riding wheelies but anymore I just like to cruise so don't need as much of the torque.
 
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#13 ·
Nothing even close to that hard. If you do your own basic PM services it is not much more. I will try to post a link below but as this membership is so new I am not sure I can yet. Either or just paste it into the address bar if not. This site has been around forever and only deals with the V2K mods and such. Go to the site and on the left you will see "Modifications". On the pull out you will see "Euro Gears". It will walk you through doing it all if you so choose. I have the tear down manual for my bike and verified all the info on the site to it and it is correct for my bike on torques for bolts, etc. Even the part numbers listed are correct. I ordered mine from Babbits Online. Just follow the directions exactly and do NOT loose that pin. Also do not forget to remove the shim from under the speed sensor so it is closer to the smaller diameter gear.

Also, keep in mind when I say shifting at 55 that is an approx. I am an old rider and listen to the engine on when to shift and am not looking at the speedo. On the speedo it may show 52 to 55 but the RPMs are sufficient it is not boggy going into 5th gear. With the new digital speedos they are a little slow behind the engine RPMs. I too am probably winding it up more than recommended even with this gearing but I don't like the feel of it dragging its way up to an acceptable RPM. I like to grab the gear so it is above the boggy part of the RPMs being too low.

Welcome to Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Tips, Tricks and Useful Ideas
 
#15 ·
I bought an '09 2000 Classic LT this past March with 57,200 miles on it. I paid $3,500 for it and had it shipped from NM to OH for $600. I put the Hard Krome/Roadburner 3" Straight pipes on it. I am very happy with this bike. It is truly a beast. I'm 5'11" at 320 pounds and this bike hauls my fat butt around like it's nothing.
 
#19 ·
I have a pcIII, barons big air box and freedom 2 to 1 pipes on mine. It was also a a dyno. I would like the revs a little higher. The power curve has a lot more to offer. Not sure the 200 more revs is worth the cost. I just got done riding the blue ridge parkway.. she is a screaming beast wanting to be let loose. What a great cruising ride. Im taking her out to Sturgis and the mountains there like the needles. I would like to see what I can get out of this massive 2100cc engine.... safely
 
#20 ·
Ok so you have performance taken care of, can I ask what the resultant HP and torque are, you should have gotten HP runs before and after the dyno, I also have a PCV, B.A.K. and cobra 2-1 pipes but on your bike's little brother, my hp does not get any where near yours, but hey I bought it so that is on me.
I just finished reading the 2000 page. Yes Ivan Raised the rev limiter, Raised not eliminated, but 5350, come on the 900 is 2000 higher. Found there is not much more to get out of the 2000, 99.4 HP Stock, :eek:, that scares me, and Ivan can only squeeze 8 more HP out.

However the rest of the flash looks to be a gaggle of good things, that would make the bike much more fun.
I can tell you put some Engine lce or Water Wetter in the radiator and the heat will calm down a little.

You have some decisions to make.

Ride Safe.
 
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#22 ·
I didn't use the pcIII I have the pcv, when i put it on the dyno, that.beast has a lot more in her than the couple of hundred more revs especially in the lower gears. I'm going to see how much one I can squeeze out of. her... safely... she's a bigger heavier girl than yours. I will update it here when im done.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Since I was last poster and you didn't quote anyone else, I'll go on a limb and presume your reply was sorta to me.

I have a 2008 VN2K with Arlen Ness Big Sucker intake, Vance & Hines Powershot exhaust, and Euro gears.

Had a custom tuned PCIII on mine. Even if you could squeak a few more HP with a really, really good PC-V tune (which is speculative), from the direct, hands-on experience of both a custom-tweaked PC and Ivan's flash, Ivan's flash is better.

If one wants to twiddle, sure, PC gives you that opportunity. If you want a better overall drivability experience and full power in every gear, go with Ivan's.
 
#32 ·
FWIW, I extended the warranty twice through Kawasaki on my VN2K because with all the noises it makes I was sure it was going to blow. Nope.

As someone joked in a different thread, Kawasaki must translate from Japanese as "lots of strange but harmless noises". LOL.
 
#33 ·
All this talk (admittedly 2 years ago) about raising the rev limit to unleash more power would work, except the bike has a monster stroke. The weight of the pistons, the strength of the rods and maximum linear piston speed have to be taken into account when designing engine. In my stable, I also had a 2006 Suzuki SV1000S which had a bore/stroke of 98/66mm vs. the Kawasaki's 103/123.2mm. Having ~half the stroke, the Suzuki spun very near twice the speed to redline, they both make similar advertised crankshaft horsepower at 120S, 116K but the torque was a wee bit different. The Kawasaki is advertised at 141lbft @ 3000rpm and the Suzuki 75lbft @ 7200rpm.

I mention this because engine speed (while maintaining good torque output) has a lot to do with power output and another 200rpm on the Ivan's flash could make a difference, might be noteable, might not be. I haven't yet seen any dyno sheets before and after performed on the same bike and the same dyno. They may be buried here somewhere, I don't know but if anyone know's where, I'd love to take a look. When I drive down to have him flash mine (45 minutes) I'm hoping to pick his brain a little. Running the engine beyond design speed will start to exponentially reduce engine life to the point where the rods just can't take it and let go. No one wants that and I suspect few are willing to split the case and start replacing factory bits with one-off racing parts, if anyone has, that's also something I'd love to take a look at.

I bought my 2008 V2KLT knowing it was the biggest, I wanted to upgrade almost nothing and they might not be made for much longer due to slow sales (bought in 2/10, sitting beside a brand new '07 V2KLT also). Kawasaki did not market this bike well, nor did they develop the platform at a pace to keep up with market demand. Building the engine a max size might have been a bit of a limiting factor but the 1700 is about the same height and that platform has evolved into what people want, thus the better platform longevity. I wish more had been done and sooner but when makaw designed the 1700, that's where their efforts went and marked the beginning of the end for V2K production.
 
#34 · (Edited)
I believe all the VN2K dyno sheets on Ivan's site are various configs of same bike on same dyno.

If you have detail questions his preferred method of communication is phone.

FWIW, I've never hit factory rev limiter on mine before the flash so the 200 or 300rpm increase is immaterial for me. But, the dyno curve shows there is power there. That said, I thought I recall reading somewhere that max power on VN2K is close to redline/rev limit so it's hard to actually get the most out of it without hitting limiter. I think the bump is supposed to make it a bit easier to do that (a bit more cushion, so to speak) for those so inclined, not necessarily to actually spin it all that much faster.

Frankly, it's hard to truly understand the overall transformation until you've driven one with the flash.
 
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