Kawasaki's Vulcan Puts the Hammer Down

2007 Kawasaki Vulcan
Along with sharp looks, Kawasaki has delivered a mid-size metric cruiser with the feel and substance of a full-size bike
Named for the Roman god of fire and metalworking, Kawasaki's Vulcan range of cruisers represent a fair share of both of those heavenly disciplines. There's enough forged and cast metal in these bikes to keep even journeyman deities distracted from their usual volcano-stoking duties.
Actually, Vulcan models have been on the road for over 20 years, and this newborn Vulcan 900 Custom shares an engine recently revised for use in the new Vulcan 900 Classic. But what sets it apart is the carefully crafted, minimalist custom styling that causes it to resemble the bespoke choppers you see on various television shows, more than it does the full-fendered and full-bodied cruisers that make up the rest of the Vulcan line.
From its prominent 21-inch cast front wheel and its slim fender, the Custom's design draws the eye in one continuous sweeping flow past the contoured fuel tank, the sculpted engine cooling fins, the staggered, slash-cut chrome exhausts and the one-piece “gunfighter'' seat to the bobbed rear fender. If Kawasaki's cruiser designs were always derivatives of a certain Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer, the company has nonetheless developed that theme with commendable artistry to produce one of the most definitive examples of the genre in this Vulcan 900 Custom.
That's not all. Along with the sharp looks Kawasaki has delivered a mid-size metric cruiser with the feel and substance of a full-size model. Its new 903cc engine has the sound only a common-crankpin V-twin can produce, but its overhead-cam design, fuel-injected induction system and balance-shaft vibration control combine in one extremely sophisticated powertrain. A smooth five-speed gearbox and tolerably light clutch action provide the necessary synthesis for a machine that is easy and pleasurable to operate.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com...
issued: Monday, December 18, 2006
updated: Monday, December 18, 2006
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