2023 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero - Complete In Depth Review!
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- Опубликовано: 20 окт 2024
- The 2023 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero has arrived and it is a show stopper. It literally stops people in their tracks in the Jim Gilbert's showroom. This bike is also an incredible value and has a number of features that aren't talked about enough! In this video, I walk you through the details that make this bike great, to help you decide if it's right for you! See the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero in person by connecting with the amazing team at Jim Gilbert's PowerSports here: powersports.wh...
![2019 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero First Ride Review [Japanese Harley?!]](/img/1.gif)
That engine has a liquid-cooled alternator, Hydraulic valve adjusters, and comes stock with Iridium plugs. The shocks have bearings instead of using rubber bushings at the shock mounts. The linked braking system only activates ABOVE 12mph, so you can still drag a little rear brake to tighten turns, or use only rear brake on a dirt/gravel road, going down a parking garage incline, etc... High quality steering head bearings too.
Having hydraulic lifters is a big deal to me...saves lots of money.The op doesn't know or forgot to mention it.
I have an 03 Vulcan 1600 classic that runs like its new.
@@scarystories190 probably looks like its new too. I had an 08 that was 11 turning 12 when i had it but i sold it for pocket cash when the plannedemic happened. It was a great machine. So budget friendly. Lots of bang for buck literally. Had 3800 miles when i bought it and i paid 4k for it. I enjoy when vehicles are built to be very reliable for thr 2nd 3rd 4th 5th owners. You dont get that with honda groms where they just wear out from day 1. I saw a video of a guy he popped a wheelie on his grom coming out of the dealership buying it and it busted plastic pieces coming back down and a grom is a learner bike and a hooligan bike so it shpuldnt break from wheelies. You never wheelie these big bikes so they stay in good shape just being mile munchers and you can pick them up used for good prices, and when the bikes dont cost a fortune, the insurance becomes way more affordable.
have this bike for almost 3yrs by now. What can I say, every time 'm riding it feels special. Totally recommend this giant bike. 🤘
What an amazing bike this is, and the Kawasaki Vulcan as a brand with all of its models have become American cult classics, and I love that.
I just purchased a very used (75K kms) 2009 Voyager and for all intents and purposes it seems to be the identical bike with a trunk and lower fairings added. Note the K-Act system only applies the right front calliper if the rear brake is applied alone at speed. Also, the blank on the left fairing is for the switch for the (optional on the Varquero) driving lights. Mine has a 12V outlet on the right fairing. The gearing on this bike is crazy high and I can't see using 6th unless you are cruising at 120 kph or so. Belt drive is nice for its low maintenance. This is a 900 lb bike but it still moves off and accelerates nicely. Its certainly not like riding my Concours 14 but plenty of power where its needed for sure. One thing I like is the ease of changing the air filter which is on the left side under the centre cover. Changing same on the Concours is a half day job of fairing removal and wiring harness bracket moving; a real pain.
I intend this bike for long trips where comfort is king. We'll see if it fits the bill.
I have a 2011 non abs model picked up earlier this year with under 9k on it and have found it to be perfectly capable commuting and long-range touring machine. Many people ask regarding make and model. Great price with many features, this Vulcan line is very dependable with minimal maintenance costs. Thank you for sharing your insight. Ride On
Great machine i bought new in September 2022 put a bunch extras the best upgrade i have done is i got the ecu flashed by ivan totally waked the bike up love this machine worth every penny great review 👍
Thanks for sharing your experiences with it!
Looks like my 2011 Vaquero, though mine doesn't have ABS. Great bike for its intended purpose. For anyone looking to buy one, jump on some forums and read about Ivan (ECU flash, very worth it) and changing the airbox. My only issues are that the turn indicator switch is iffy, usually after rain, and the throttle position sensor fault (FI 18) that seems to clear up after I clean the throttle body. The only thing on mine that screams "cheap" is the stupid tank bib/cover thing down the center. And probably the radio, but that's what mods are for. There's enough space under the fairing for a small amp if you don't want to lose bag space.
That bike is PERFECTION
I went from a Honda shadow to the voyager which is very much like this one . I absolutely love the voyager ! What a great back . Lots of power , very comfortable ride . Me and my wife can ride it for hours . Kawasaki won my future business as they make a great product . I’ve had it 6 years and have never had a problem with it . Not one .
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
best kawasaki videos on YT!! you going to do a voyager video? got me interested in that one now
Another highly informative VDO about a interesting cruiser, thanks mate 👍
Fantastic bike. The Vaq is definitely due for an update though.
Yeah, it's not the most up to date when it comes to tech, but it still sells REALLY fast as is. People seem to like it as is.
Just went from Yamaha Road Star to 2023 Vulcan Voyager, can't wait to riding season, heading to BC from Ontario (it is like xmas)
Been binging these videos and helped me decide on the kawasaki eliminator(maybe the vaquero in the future). Would be cool to see like a yearly recap of your top bikes for each category
I definitely plan on doing that this year. I had a family member with health issues at the end of 2023 that really threw a wrench into most of my winter plans this past year. I think you'll see the types of things you're looking to see as I move forward. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks for these videos man, i love mechanical things and these bikes are just gorgeous.
Thanks for watching!
This is an amazing bike! I own a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan Custom 900
Nice Vulcan review, thanks. About the weight and braking, if compared to a Ninja 1000, if both were going 100 kph, and braked equally at the same time, would they both stop at the same point, or is the added weight a factor for this heavier Vulcan Cruiser bike?
Man-O-man... would love to see a stripped down version of this machine... This would blow-away the Breakout... Come on Kawasaki. Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 please.
I live in NH, bought a new 21' last Spring. Mine's metallic dark grey & maroon highlights. Similar to my 79' KZ1000 ST almost regarding the metallic dark grey/black. The braking system is great though.
It would be really nice if kawasaki would stop discontinuing accessories for these bikes, such as the KQR tour pack mount, ipod adapter (which this bike is still wired for even though they discontinued it a few years ago) and I believe the coms system.
Aftermarket is definitely the way to go, mine has mustang seat, 9.5 inch klokwerks windshield, 14" ape hangers, bluetooth, custom made tour pack mount to work with the KQR system. I love the bike, just wish kawasaki would support accessories like harley does.
❤
I didn't know kawasaki still has a heavy cruiser. In the netherlands we dont have it anymore.
ECU flash, exhaust, and air filter upgrade will boost the HP to 90 and torque to 115. The ECU is a must if you want this beast to run at its full potential.
YUP....Go see Ivan. Difference is night and day.
horsepower? option for spotlights? seems nothing has changed since intro
Love this bike!
4000 cheaper ? More like 12 at least here in Edmonton. The 23 Road Glide started at 36 and change. Did you test ride the Road Glide ? Harley dealers will let you test ride any of their bikes. Apparently the Japanese dealers usually don’t.
It would be nice if Kawasaki would replace that cabling with a usb cable in the left pocket.
I'm pretty sure there is an adapter for that?
Does it have a phone charging usb port?
Another great video. Maybe I miss it but is it belt or shaft drive?
I did forget to mention that. I was pulled away between scenes at one point and forgot to point out that it is belt drive.
What’s the average range on a full tank?
Honestly, I'm not sure. You may want to do a google search and see the range of efficiency in some owner's forums. Motorcycle mileage can vary based on how they're ridden, so finding a range from actual riders is often the best way to get an accurate picture on that.
My guess after having been on a vulcan 1600 and 2000 is it probably gets about 40ish mpg. I knkw the 2000 gets better fuel economy than the 1600 because the motor carries the weight better . This is like a 1700 I think, plus its a full bagger. So im guessing anywhere from 38 to maybe 43 mpg depending on how you ride bro. Something like that. If its a 5+ gallon tank, youre looking at a range of about 200 miles. Give or take. Maybe a little more, a little less. It depends on how kuch you weigh, your load you carry in the bags, the weather, your road enviorment.. for a motorcycle its a big range bro. It probably can go aboht 250 miles because its probably like a 5.5 gallon tank. Or a 5.4 or soemthing like that, idk. But you dony want to run it totally dry
Can I connect the Cell Phone to the Stereo to play the music I want?
No, but you can get a FM to Bluetooth adapter for $30 or so. I don’t have one of these vaqueros but those that do say the FM to Bluetooth works well
Yes you can, either aux cord or by $30 Bluetooth adapter
THANKS BUD this bike is awesome. And for the price you cant beat it. suck it HARLEY.
Great storage. 1/2 size helmet fits
Hey there my name is Brett and I own one of two kawasaki vn1700 vulcan
that kawasaki nz apparently only brought two into new Zealand
Is that batwing removable or should I just go with a 900 if I don’t want that?
I'm not sure what you mean by the batwing, but the styling is pretty fixed on this... Moving to the 900 does give you a completely different feel in power and handling, so you'd have to decide if performance, or style matters most to you.
No the fairing isn't removable
So you can connect your phone to the radio? That is one thing hanging me up from purchasing one of these Vulcans.
Sorry to miss this. There is a bluetooth adapter that plugs into the wires on the right side compartment, and you can connect your phone through bluetooth, or other method for your music.
@@PeterLoweOne awesome thank you for the reply! Great video btw.
We need to ditch speakers in the fairing and put it all in the helmets bro. That way we can sleek up these fairings so theyre mkre timeless looking
It sounds powerful and is the sound of the stereo good?
I think the Stereo is very good! I was impressed with the sound.
I can only speak for my 2011 model, but it's probably the same for the current one. The stock audio is sufficient for below 55 mph, but the sound quality suffers as you go louder at higher speed. I installed a small amp under the fairing on the 20A accessory circuit and upgraded the speakers to get a more complete sound at higher volume. I also installed the Engineered Adapters 6.5" kit as the stock speakers are 5.25". It all depends on what and how you like to listen. I'll probably ditch the stock head unit at some point for one with better EQ and Bluetooth.
Probably going to be trading my 04 FZ1 in toward one of these in a season or 2. Not really a cruiser guy but since my bike is best in the twisties and Wisconsin doesn't have a ton of those I find myself wanting bags and comfort more than the occasional rip your face off knee dragging speed. As a bonus I can put the wife on the back and we can both enjoy the investment vs say a Ninja sx or GSX-S gt where it will be just me.
Haha. I'm reading this as I'm standing I front of a 2024 Ninja 1000 SX about to film it. But I totally hear what you're saying. Makes sense to me!
@@PeterLoweOne That's awesome, can't wait for that review, very cool bike. It was on my short list too but like I said, where I live I have to bend/break the law to fully enjoy a sport bike, probably not a good idea.
2nd
Just opening my car to be going to drive back home 😄😄
Late evening motoring documentary for me here in Europe…..
Better than tv
Do they come with hill hold control?
It doesn't, but to be honest, with the front and rear brakes of a motorcycle, good technique should eliminate the need for that feature. You can definitely work around it.
man, how can I buy this bike if I am on the other side of the planet?.. I hate I don't have access to this..
Time to move to Canada? 🙂🇨🇦
What about the TUNE everyone says it needs.
My 08 VTX 1800 has linked brakes
I don't think you've talked to "everyone". As I've mentioned, this isn't going to be for everyone (it's not for me) but Kawasaki is clearly on to something with this bike exactly as it is, because we literally cannot keep them in stock. The people that have been buying these bikes are thrilled with them as is.
The Ivan ECU flash. These bikes are quite capable, but they're not running at peak from the factory. The airbox pulls air from the left side through a tube between the cylinders into the throttle body on the right and the bike runs hot. Ivan will flash your ECU based on your intake and exhaust setup to idle smoother, get steady power, and run cooler. Worth the money, IMO.
@@PeterLoweOneupdate: EVERYONE was right. 😊
Very nice review. I`d also be interested to know what the weight, wheelbase, fuel capacity numbers are, & if it is chain or shaft final drive. If I were interested in an "all day road machine," the Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager or Vaquero would be at the TOP of my short list, and over comparable Indian & H-D offerings.
All of those specs can be found on the vehicle detail page at www.kawasaki.ca if you're Canadian. .com if you're American. Etc. I love the looks of the Vaquero. It's not the type of bike that I ride personally, but I completely see the appeal of these bikes.
@@PeterLoweOne Thanks Peter. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero & Voyager are bullet-proof Indian & Harley-Davidson slayers, no doubt !
Bike weighs about 865lbs has a belt drive an I believe it has a 5.3gal fuel tank which if riding normal gets you about 200miles per tank on the highway
@@rockintwisties2011 Thanks most kindly. This amazing bike should have a REVERSE gear, as well......
@@blusnuby2 belive it or not it rolls backwards very easy an its balanced very well I have a 2012
Whoever is in charge of picking the colors for this bike should be fired. Imagine this bike in a beautiful black or red
The colors are about the only way to differentiate between model years. I say this with love as I ride a 2011 Vaquero.
They had a burnt orange color a while back that looked really sharp
Im 5'8 would this bike be too big for me?
I don't think so, the seat height is actually quite low. It's not a light bike, so you'd have to get comfortable with it, but yeah, height isn't the issue with a bike like this, it's the weight that can be intimidating to someone with less experience.
No, I'm 5'8" and it's fine
Is the Vaquero mechanically identical to the Voyager?
As far as I can tell, yes. There may be minor differences, but the majority is the same.
Is it shaft or belt drive????
It's belt drive.
Is this a 2013 or a 2023? Same bike.
⬆️ He's got jokes!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Same bike for years. If they put Bluetooth radio on the bike with a touch screen you would sell it more to the younger generation.
Maybe. But they already sell every one of these that they make. They have to spread their engineering money around and I'm guessing that tweaking a higher volume bike is going to have a greater return than tweaking this bike. I hear you, but I also understand how a bike like this stays as it is. Like I said, they're selling these pretty easily right now. Every one that Jim Gilbert's PowerSports gets in is either pre-sold or gone within days. So it's not like they need to make it more desirable. The target market understands what this is, and they continue to buy it.
I have now heard twice that this bike is Bluetooth enabled. I bought my 2023 in January of 2024. There is nothing in the manual about Bluetooth, and the dealer doesn't know how to pair it to a phone. I love the bike, I'm keeping it, but this is disappointing.
You could be reviewing a 10 year old Vaguero and nobody would notice. It's the exact same bike!
But I''m reviewing the 2023, and for anyone looking for that model, they now have a video. Let's be honest. There aren't a lot of videos of the 2023, so how would anyone know what these bikes are about if I didn't make the video?
Sure like a 30 yr old street or road glide
Just FYI, doing the rounds to raise awareness... We're almost ready to go with our bluetooth adapter on the Vulcan. Here's a preview video of what we have: ruclips.net/video/ld4mN_OGpP4/видео.html
Why the hell is this bike not available in Europe, Kawasaki? The only cruiser option from Kawasaki in the UK and Ireland is the Vulcan S, which is ridiculous tbh. Not interested in that bike at all.
Actually on long hauls I don't want (RUMBLE) any vibration 😬
You don't feel it while you drive, but you'll feel that when you are sitting. Having said that, if you don't want a rumble, then a big V-Twin isn't for you.
You know a bike is a "legacy" model when it has a squelch control for a CB lol 😊
Haha. So you're saying that isn't compatible with Apple CarPlay? 😃
Step 1 Buy the bike
Step 2 call "Ivan Performance"
Waiting for long time to review? It’s been around since 2011 and hasn’t changed.
I review the current model year vehicle each year, whether it's been updated or not. That way if someone is searching for a 2023, or soon a 2024, they'll be able to see exactly what they're getting. A lot of people think that certain bikes have no changes, but there are often small tweaks that don't matter to some people, and do to others. So whether a bike changes or not, I'll review the current model year.
He lost me at "I dont like cruisers, I like a lot of the other bikes"
You should still give the video a try. I'm ALWAYS honest. I recognize that my viewers are going to ride these bikes, and while I'll ride them, I don't own one. I still think I have good information for you, but I think it's important for reviewers to be honest about their biases and their experiences. I tend to point out the same thing when there's a bike that I've owned, or that I'm a big fan of. If I'm overly enthusiastic about a bike I'm a fan of, I'm honest about it. If I have less experience than some of the viewers on a bike like this, I'm honest too. Despite my honesty, I do the research to try to create useful videos for the target market.
Accessory wise very limited. I have a 2023 vaquero. Limited. So he s not being honest. Especially with speakers.
Kawasaki can definitely upgrade the infotainment Center. It’s a complete joke by today’s standards
Oh they can... But not everyone wants that. I just bought a Z900RS. I love the tech of the TFT displays on the other models... But what I want in a motorcycle doesn't have to have that tech. Believe me, I've spent my career studying and learning automotive tech... If anyone would want it, it's me... But there's something about NOT having that tech that appeals to some people.
I guess what I’m getting at is they could have a model with nothing in it if your a bare bones kinda guy and have a model with the new display to have gps and what nots. I do totally get the bare bones thing I like that look myself but I figured if I am getting a bike I want to rack up huge Km on I might as well have that stuff integrated from stock so I don’t have a bunch of unsightly add ons all over the place. 👊🏼 great informative vid tho Brother.
@@403punk3 Yeah. I hear what you're saying. You're not wrong. The thing is, they'd have to redesign this bike to do that, and that would cut into profitability. Kawasaki is never going to dominate the cruiser market. They're selling every one of these that they can make, so making a more desirable unit that they'd have to continue to price appropriately, might make sense for us... But it might not make business sense for them. If you can't produce it in the numbers you'd need to, it could hurt their bottom line instead of help.
@@PeterLoweOne I’ll buy that. I did however take a look at the Z900RS in person today. Was hoping to see the SE but they didn’t have one. That blue paint is very nice on the base model though. You might have said in a comparison vid but are the pegs in a different spot on the SE or are they the same to the base model?
@@403punk3 So if you click the link at the bottom of this comment, you'll see my direct comparison of me sitting on both. Some have said that the pegs are in different positions on each bike, but I don't see that in my comparison, so you can judge for yourself by checking out this link. ruclips.net/video/yWEtnMBjXRA/видео.html
Hi
Stock tires on any kawa are horrible in the rain. Get Michelin
they need to release a new harley killer engine... more hp&torque.
That would be cool to see an updated version of this, but I wonder how much pressure there is for Kawasaki to do that? These are much less expensive than a Harley, and they continue to sell virtually every one they make.
Just bought mine and really getting her out on Sunday to pop her cherry