A fine touring bike that nobody buys.
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- Опубліковано 27 бер 2024
- In this video I ride a used 2023 Kawasaki Viquaro with only 4,500 miles that's for sale at New Port Richey Harley for only $12,995.
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A friend of mine bought one new about ten years ago. Rode it all over the country, put one hundred thousand miles on it with no problems, just maintenance and consumables.
I was a Kawasaki mechanic for twenty years and the Voyager line is a well built dependable bike! The belt drive will last approximately 90 thousand miles if you keep proper tension! Keep in mind it is watercooled so if you get stuck in traffic alot your good! Great video my friend!
I am not a fan of belt drive. It does have advantages over a chain, but I don't consider them to be worth it's problems. On a bike like this (but actually painted in SOME color, with lots of chrome and unpainted aluminum) a shaft would be far superior in every way. Way back in 1986, I had a Kawasaki 454LTD with a belt drive. I currently have a 2006 Sportster 1200 with belt drive. Belt drives are a lot more sensitive to wheel alignment than a chain. Because of their width, and the fact that they have no sideways flex, alignment between the front and rear pulley has to be perfect, or it will grind up both the belt and pulleys. And it is almost impossible to get the alignment that perfect. A chain can be a hair off, and still work ok. Belts and pulleys are also susceptible to damage caused by gravel or other objects getting caught between the belt and pulleys. You have to have some kind of tension gauge to check the tension, and I found that tension can vary widely with temperature. There is a huge difference in belt tension between 40 degrees F and 80 degrees F. A bike like this should have a shaft drive. I have owned several shaft drive bikes. They are wonderful. I currently have a bought new Kawasaki Vulcan 750 with 118,000 miles on it, and the shaft drive is still in perfect condition. I see the belt drive as a cost cutting measure on Kawasaki's part, and that one thing would prevent me from buying this bike. Of course, dipping it in flat black would as well. It's total lack of paint and chrome is probably also a cost cutting measure.
@@geraldscott4302shaft drive has absolutely nothing to do with paint and finish. you are silly!
@@geraldscott4302and belt dependability is far superior than chain up to 120hp
@@maddog7999 No it doesn't. What I meant was, this bike not only did not have shaft drive, which any touring bike this big in this price range should have, but that it was also super UGLY, because it did not have nice paint, bright aluminum, and lots of chrome, which ALL cruisers used to have not that long ago. As for shaft drive, back in the early '80s, the Japanese were putting it on everything. You could get a 450 twin with shaft drive. I had an '82 full dress Honda GL500 Silverwing with shaft drive. Now the only two shaft drive bikes I can think of are the Honda Goldwing and Fury. And they only seem to be available in FLAT BLACK. No way in hell am I going to ride a flat black bike. I think there is one thing that lack of shaft drive, and lack of paint, polished aluminum and chrome do have in common is that they are both cost cutting measures.
@@geraldscott4302it is cost cutting and weight savings and reduced maintenance over chain and the negative association with chain. I run all three on my bikes. Only a handful of brands still run shaft drive, Honda, BMW and Moto Guzzi and Yamaha on the SuperT only. I can tell you have a love for shaft drive and rightfully so but a majority of the brands went to belt on cruisers/touring nearly 2 decades ago. Even my Vulcan 2000 is belt. So to be upset with the Voyager/Vaquero line up from 2009 to have belt seems a bit unwarranted.
I love my Voyager. Thanks for being a Harley guy that acknowledges that it’s a good bike.
Yamaha shouldve kept making their Road Star. Those were awesome bikes.
I have an 04 i bought last year. Love it
I’m hanging onto my Stratoliner
Oh yea-i got road star and its really good bike
Thanks for the video. I just bought a 23 vaquero. 300 miles on it. If i new this was available at this price I would of jumped on it. Story of my life. Lol bought mine probably 3 weeks ago. Just went through my 600 mile oil change. Be safe.
Be happy....w/ your new Vaquero!
Bought a softail deluxe after I sold my last Gold wing. Wife couldn't ride anymore so I figured I'd find out for myself what the Harley hype was all about. Loved the deluxe but I felt I wanted something more after stepping down from the goldwing. Looked at Harley Street glide but didn't fit me like I wanted. The vaquero had a lower seat height and felt more comfortable. 19,899 in Canada in 2021. Sent out the ECM, shark road pipes and 11 inch shark road handlebars with a little taller windshield with the flip at the top. Excellent bike. Very comfortable and the ECM tune gives it better drivability. Wife goes before the bike. Love the videos. Al the best. Kent from Newfoundland.
I think the problem with these bikes is marketing. You do not see advertisements, they aren't at bike events with demo rides, Kawasaki just fails to put this bike out there for people to know about. If you go to a dealer, they will not let you test drive one unless you sign paperwork to buy it. I love these bikes, I think the styling is great, Kawasaki always had a great reputation of reliability, I just think they really s**t the bed with marketing this bike.
I think you are right.
Motorman nailed it with this review. Just bought the kawasaki voyager 2023 model. 17K OTD brand new. Love it.
Many people fail to realize many cannot afford a 28k HD. To top it off, many accessorize them adding thousands. This here, is so much cheaper, performs well, and you really do not need to put accessories on them. Personally, I love my 14 RK and will never ever pay 30K for a new tourer…but that’s me.
Me too, I make annually about 190k a year. I refuse to pay 30, 40, or more for a motorcycle. It's asinine to do so IMO. I refuse to do it and I buy my bikes (I have 2) used for that reason I've been thinking about replacing one of my bikes, and I may consider this bike. I'll have to test one out.
Accessories only add value if you like the accessories..
Accessories have a $0.00 trade-in value.
Most people fail to realize that, but it's a fact.
$28k is Sportster prices
But like he said In video. There is the used market.
@@pjhaebe have you been to a dealership lately? I don't know what sportster you're seeing that's $28k? That's Road Glide money. Sportsters start at $17k. Hell... you can get an 2024 FXDR for $17k. There was one at the local dealership yesterday.
I have 2 close friends who own that bike. They ride all the same places I ride and saved $10k compared to what I spent.
What is the name of this bike I cant find it. And he not helping by pronouncing it wrong
@@isaiah82682 it is in the video and the description.
I just sold my 2016 Voyager ,which is the upgraded version of that bike. I'm a Harley guy but got a deal on the '16, so I thought I'd give it a try. My first impression of it was, the engine is smooth and powerful. The trans can be quirky when shifting but I hear that's just the way they are. Mine had the Ivan re-flash . One of the reasons for doing that was to lower the operating temp enough, so you don't feel it's cooking you.The biggest thing I noticed was all the plastics on the bike felt flimsy. And that black plastic strip on the gas tank, has a built in squeak from the factory. It will drive you nuts after a short while. It does ride very nice, but had a heavy feel in general in around town riding. On the highway it's a road sofa. One of the complaints from my friend who has a Vaquero is, there is very limited aftermarket selection of parts for his bike. My Voyager had a bunch of nice aftermarket parks on it when I got it, but they are costly. It could use a 6 gallon tank also.,,
Not much in the aftermarket world for the Voyager and Vaquero that’s the main reason for trading it in, I still think it’s best deal out there for a Tourer
Considering a Voyager.Just want to ride the crap out of it .Dont want problems.Just ride,ride ride in comfort.Cruise control,heated grips and an am/fm im good to go.
I had one of these, and it was a damn fine bike. They come very lean from the factory, so an ecm tune is recommended. I actually liked the controls too. Individual controls for almost everything, so no layers of menus. The only thing i didn't care for was the spread of the numbers on the speedometer, and the seat was a little too wide. I have been thinking about buying another one.
The Vaquero is an excellent bike! I had a 2016, and it was great - and half the price of a new Harley at the time. The dealer I bought it from only got 1 per year, and it would SIT. They made me a heck of a deal on mine. Good review, Jerry!
I bought a new Vulcan Nomad 1600 in 2008. It was the price and the Kawasaki financing at 2% that sold me. I rode it all over including a trip from the Orlando area to the Dragon. It was smooth, reliable and comfortable. Not a lot of bells and whistles. Fast forward to now and I have a 2020 Electra Glide Police bike with a 114 and a stage 2. The difference in torque is amazing. I never thought I would want a Harley because of the high cost and everyone seems to have one, but the Harley I bought was used and the previous owner had added a great stereo, the stage 2, mini ape bars and a few other things. I can say that there is really no comparison. The Vulcan was a great A to B bike as another poster mentioned but it had no "soul".
So why didn't you cam the Kawasaki like you did your Harley? Maybe that would have provided the "soul" you seek?
@@gvs1173getting cams for a Kawasaki is not as easy as it sounds. I owned a vaquero for 5 years and worked at Comp Cams at the time. Tried to mock up a set for mine but found out that if it’s a miss getting another set of cams would be miserable as far as wait time for another set. At the end of the day after the very few aftermarket part and time it takes to make that bike your own you could’ve just bought a Harley in the end. Engine reliability on the 1700 engines are a bit dicey also. Get really reliable ones and ones like mine that will literally self destruct.
@@gvs1173 They just are not available for these bikes. The aftermarket for them is very limited. I have the 2005 nomad which is the predecessor if this one I love mine and have it customized for my taste but not alot engine wise I can do apart from the tunner, air intake and pipes
@@djrichhaughton Bummer, maybe that's partly why these bikes aren't as popular as they could be
You are exactly right Jerry💯!! I have a first generation 2011 Kawasaki Vaquero and just did a Saddlesore 1000 on it. I've owned this bike for 4 years and ZERO👌🏿issues. Good review👍🏿!!
Hey PotatoeJoe, I couldn’t agree more. Yamaha’s Road Star 1700 is one of the best bikes ever built. I’ve had a couple and still ride one absolutely love it. Flawless and super reliable.
Owned two Voyagers and a Nomad, loved all of them. Still riding my current Voyager.
Jerry, you nailed it on this Vaquaro review. Kawi did all it could do to mimic the Millwakee iron. But the one authentic thing they could not do was to copy the H-D mistic. Only Indian has come close and that was after parent company ditched the Victory line and transformed it into a 21st century version of the venerable Indian brand.
Kawasaki was closer with there 1990's Drifter line.
BTW, a couple if years ago you did a similar video on the now discontinued Yamha Venture Transcontinetal. Both videos sre well done! TY~
Wonderful machine, too many egos and wimpy peer pressure to be only seen on certain name brand. I would never buy American, look at Japanese bikes and cars, these are people who still care about repeat customers and not just your money right now, not to mention, the reliability is superb and outstanding.
I have always liked these bikes. A dealership had one for sale near me for 10k. It had bars, pipes, a mustang seat, and a few other items. When I got my insurance check from my wrecked bike (an animal ran out in front of me) it was gone. Ironically, the 2019 sportster that I bought new (sold during the pandemic because I wasn't riding it) was at the dealership. I did truly miss that bike, so I bought it again!
I think you hit the nail on the head with resale. Metric bikes don't hold their value compared to HD and Indian. I never rode a Vaquero, but I sat on one. I was really comfortable on it. Only reason at that time I didn't buy one is because I wasn't in a position financially to get a new bike. I like the styling also. The fairing doesn't look like any other bikes on the road.
I had a voyager and loved it. Biggest issues is it was very low on power for an engine of that size. A friend of mine also bought one and had the same issue. It just didn't have any torque. It was the most comfortable bike I have ever owned and you could not ask for a more dependable bike. I think the real reason no one buys this bike is because it does not have any modern amenities. There isn't a USB port on the bike to add music or connect a phone, they stopped making the Apple adapter to connect an iPhone for music, it does not have Bluetooth either all of which is pretty standard on a touring bike today. Yes you can buy a Bluetooth adapter for your phone to connect but you have no way to control your music through the buttons on the handle bars. Then Kawasaki stopped making the optional rear speakers as well. Pretty much all accessories for this bike have been discontinued yet the bike has not been modernized in any way to make up for that.
Great video, and from a New Mexican is Va-care-o!!! Ride safe, and thank you for what you do!!!
I have a 2012 and have enjoyed it more than my Harley and indian.
For people tight on a budget, definitely a good bike. Not made as strong as the plastic and all but overall it will give you some excitement and reliability.
I still have my vaquero...
I have been researching this bike for about a year and plan on purchasing it. There are plenty of aftermarket products and parts for this and I already have an extensive list and sites to purchase from. The fact this bike has been around for over ten years shows that people do buy them and they have built a large 'Vaquero' community. Japanese bikes simply work flawlessly and with simple maintenance will never let you down. My last bike was a 2005 Honda VTX 1800n and it just ran, absolutely bulletproof. Harley definitely has the marketing and the name but it also has the initial price tag along with equally overpriced maintenance that follows you around for the life of ownership, not for me. My friends and I all ride and none of us has ever purchased a Harley and we are all in our late 50s and early 60s. We have all ridden every Harley under the sun (Demo Rides) and non of us could ever justify the costs and headaches of owning one, sorry but there it is. Lastly, Bikes are a very personal thing and if a Harley, Indian or whatever bike strikes your fancy, go with it! A Bike is first and foremost a toy for big boys so whatever you ride enjoy yourself and be safe!
Besides the Gold Wing, the Japanese manufacturers haven’t been updating their cruisers, baggers or tourers.
Harley Davidson motorcycles are truly aspirational. Cyclists in the market really prefer a used hog as opposed to a new or used metric.That said though the Kawasaki touring line are fine rigs. Spot on Jerry.
That's a cool looking bike. I'd buy that as had heaps of Kwakas. We unfortunately don't get those in my country which is a shame. Yes agree Jerry peeps in the US probably don't buy them because second hand Harley's are not much more.
I saw one or two used models priced pretty attractively… my problem is when the seat height is too low, I find it slightly less balanced at a stop light. I would say the same for the BMW R18. Once you are rolling it all works fine, it’s just a fit thing. No such problem sitting on a street glide, but same issue on low seat softails for me. Bike looks like an absolute steal for the right buyer. You know it will be stove bolt reliable. Great review as usual!
I rode 99 nomad for years, great bike very reliable.
I looked at a 2023 Viquaro as my first touring bike. I am not "brand" loyal, however I settled on a 2024 Street Glide. I've had a '22 Honda Shadow and I have my forever bike as a 2023 Fatboy. Now, I am not saying the Viquaro wont do touring or anything like that, but as people mentioned before, you get what you pay.The Viqauaro interested me a whole lot and the price was waaaay cheaper, but it just wasn't so. Great review and certainly a competitive option for touring bikes. Be safe and ride on!
I have a ‘22 like the one on the test. Did the Ivan’s tune and a Freedom Performance exhaust. Love the bike!
I have a 2005 Vulcan Nomad 1600 love it Great bikes and good video Jerry.😎
I bought a Vulcan 1600 new in 03, just sold it. best bike I ever had. Not one issue.
Jerry I think a huge factor in choosing to buy Harley is the aftermarket and performance options. There is currently no limit on Harleys as far as aftermarket options. So people spend the extra money for the Harley with plans to make it into something their own. The aftermarket just isn't there for other brands.
I absolutely love my Vaquero. Pronounced Va-care-o motorman!!! I love that it is not a "me too" bike!!!
I line the look of these bikes!
They flow so nice
It is a very top heavy bike. When I switched to HD I noticed a major difference in handling. I enjoyed it while I had it but when I rode another large touring bike. The other thing is Kawasaki has not modernized the bike. They could have updated controls/rider interface/accesories.
This is a damn fine motorcycle. Definitely going to check it out.
I own one and it’s amazing!
Get compliments on my Voyager all the time- even the HD dealership guys talk about it... Save a ton on overall cost of ownership- you wont be at the dealer for service.
I bought a 2010 Voyager in 2012 with 2k miles. Totally stock. It threw off some heat, but was only uncomfortable when it was really hot out. Bike was comfortable, powerful enough for me and the wife was comfortable on it. I sold it in 2018. Bike was in great shape. When I reached out to Kawasaki dealers here in Northern Virginia, no one wanted it. Sold it on Craigslist. Sorry I did. Just wasn’t riding for a while due to other obligations. Hated to see the bike sit. Bought a 2015 Ultra Limited in 2021 for 5k more than I paid for the Kawi with 23k miles on it. Both bikes are fine. Can’t knock either one. I would be happy with either one.
I bought a new 2018 Suzuki Boulevard C90 back in 2019. I paid 10K for it. It was the best bang for your buck. I put 22,000 miles on it from being new. I rode it quite often, had it for 2 years or more. I sold it to a dealer a year or more ago and it still sits at the dealer. I kinda want to buy it back. It had shown good speed and was a good quality motorcycle in my opinion.
I had one, don’t remember the year model but it was without a doubt the hottest riding bike I ever had. The next year they put some ducting and a fan on to direst some of the engine heat away. Other than that it was a great ride. Moved over to a Goldwing and am now on my second wing.
Agree! Great bikes/value. When you just want a nice cruiser regardless of the name on the tank you cannot beat it.
Had a Vulcan 800 custom dad had a 800 classic than I went to a no mad until I went to work at the Motor Company in 2003 on my 3 Harley now. I like kaw ,then Honda when it comes to dirt bikes. Have way more fun at the Vulcan n V Star rallys . I recommend the Eureka Springs in the spring . Then the Hot Springs in the fall
I bought one new 2yrs ago, paid about $18k, similar HD & Indian $10k+ or more priced in my area. My first "Bagger" and I like it. My biggest problem is that I pretty much had to learn how to ride again after I got it. I'd been mostly riding a 79' KZ1000 ST for the previous 16yrs. Twice as heavy & less forgiving, dropped it 3x already, NEVER dropped the KZ. I think I need to take your class if you're ever in NH, lol! I took the NHMSF course to get my MC Lic 18yrs ago, passed w/no problem, hadn't ridden anything since I was a teenager, I'll be 58 in July. I love it on the highway & cruising, it's the slow speed stuff I need work on. It'll chirp the rear tire speed shifting, considering the weight & HP/Torque ratings, not bad for a stock 900+lb bike IMO.
Hey motorman t is strange that they have never sold well being a big tourer and to be honest i dont think they stock them here in australia either .most of the used ones are 10 years old or so .i have no idea why they never sold i know that the earlier models had a heat problem but kawasaki fixed that on later models with ducting an fans ,could be just an ego thing ive seen videos on guys who own the voyager and they rekon there great , and average price comfortable nice dash layout who knows .
Thanks for another good report. Shame these "Kaw" road bikes don't get more attention. They offer some good features.
I went with the Voyager 1700 for the trunk. Had I not planned on riding cross-country I would've gone with the Vaquero.
an excellent review! I believe a lot it comes down to people being label conscious; being that a new Voyager/Vaquero is about 20k, and that Kawasaki failed to update the motorcycle with current technology, many choose to stay away from this model. I have done a lot of research on the Voyager and for the small following this bike has, the owners seem to love its styling, price and reliability. With an Ivan's flash and the right slip ons, this model could be a long time keeper; i myself have been seriously considering a pre-owned Voyager. Almost none of the local Kawasaki related dealerships here will stock a Voyager....they know it will likely not sell anytime soon.
What I have found is people that get the Voyager/Vaquero tend to keep keep them. Same with the 2k and the 1700 Classic LT. Once an Ivan flash sovles the lean issue that all Metrics are saddled with from the factory, they quickly turn into "Forever Bikes" because they will run Forever. Pop put 160k on his '06 Nomad before he traded it for an 07 EG that he absolutely detested. He didn't keep it a year before it went bye bye.
@@SGTJDerek what didn’t he like about the EG?
@@Nervedraz electronics.
I am personally looking at 2 different ones right now. I have my Electra Glide Police but like to try this bike and the Yamaha Eluder.
I has a vulcan voyager. I was just horrible on fuel mileage. Unther than that, loved it.
My favorite Kawasaki answer is my 04 Vulcan 2000. 1 owner 16k on the odometer for 3900. It's a hell of ride!!
I say buy what you like and ride what you are comfortable with.
Japanese reliability, you can't beat it.
I went on a 1200 mile ride with a few buddies. One had one of these. He weighed well over 100lbs more than us. In terms of power, these Kawasaki ate my indian chieftain and my the Harleys alive. These are killer.
wish Kawasaki would make a stripped down version aka very much a Harley Breakeout... I would purchase today. You are correct In Minnesota dealers do not have them I looked for a year
I had a 16 vaquero. Worst thing I ever did was sell it.
not for me, but looks fantastic in that Matt Black. Everything else about the Motorcycle is great and everything you said is also accurate. But for that kind of money it’s a steel.
That’s a good looking bike
Take your time looking. I looked for years and my Harley fell in my lap under 9K and 15K miles. I love my fatboy.
Just bought this bike great deal. Love it
You bought the one in this video?
No a different one 2021 vaquero 5900 miles for $12,000 private party. Nice bike!
It needs a major update. Had a vaquero and it was great. Compared to what they have now, it’s nowhere close. Cheaper, yes, but needs more power, better electronics.
100% agree. It needs massive updating. They haven’t really changed anything since they came out. It needs CarPlay and a digital dash.
I'd ride that thing till the wheels fell off. I've always loved the Vaquero's styling.
I absolutely love my road king. I have ridden v-star and a few other bikes in my years. Haven't had the pleasure of riding one of these. I'll have to look into it. For the price it's not bad. 20k over the ,60k for a road glide. Seems very well price.
A Road Glide is 26K NOT 60K.
@@motorman857 43k but after interest and dealer mark ups. I'm pretty close
I traded in my 2016 Vaquero last December for a 2023 HD Softail Standard. The Kawasaki was nice at first, but became problematic after 40K miles or so. Little things practically every month started to nickel and dime me to death. Also, the dealership doesn't seem to stock common parts for that bike. So it was in the shop waiting for average 2 weeks every time something happened to it.
I love the Vulcan lineup and owned a few of them. The issue is no aftermarket support for these fine bikes. The Yamaha Venture is another fine bike but has no aftermarket support and the valve adjustment intervals were the killing point for me.
Geez, what a price! I wish I could.
I was looking at one of these but the space between the toe/heel shifters was too tight for my size 13 foot in boots. Salesman said there wasn’t any longer shifter arms available but I could probably take the shifters to a welder to have them cut and lengthened. Wasn’t what I wanted to hear looking at a new bike. I would have bought it if my foot fit between the shift levers.
What can you tell me about 04 Yamaha V Star 1100 Silverado?
I looked at that bike in 2011. It felt cheaply made. For example, Saddlebag plastic felt flimsy, like it was only half as thick as other brands. I just got that feeling about the whole bike.
You're right. But they are cheap.
Last week, I saw a new '23 and '24 model with the trunk sitting at a dealer with $19k, $20k price tags. Looked it over and noticed how small and flimsy the bags are. The worst part was the plastic latch stuck and felt like it would break if I squeezed too hard. That cheap feel and overall style would make it hard for me to get excited enough to buy one. The price makes it a practical choice, but practical is way down my list of reasons I buy a bike.
I agree, it's a good machine!
But the Japanese fail in big sales #'s in replica or copycat bikes because they use the same strategy as what worked with there once inferior but now reliable cars.
But most people don't consider motorcycles a necessity.
There's been exceptions like the mighty V- max, early Honda 1100 magna's, ect. But I've seen Japanese V4's and V-twins sitting brand new in dealers showrooms 2 three years old since the 1980's.
Not so with the goldwing, or the great 4 cylinder machines including the sport bikes.
Just because a fake diamond is more attractive and even more durable doesn't mean the masses will flock to it.
With that said, I'd ride the Kawasaki and love every minute of it (even without a bag over my head) if one came my way really cheap.
Back in the 70's a friend bought a vinyl jacket, it was brown with white stitching.
He swore it was more durable than a leather jacket and I should buy one too.
To me it looked like someone in a horse costume in that it looked kinda alright until an actual horse came around.
The Japanese vee engine bikes always reminded me of that jacket.
But victory/Polaris/Indian builds a ground up machine (really not better then the Japanese bikes) and it's selling like hotcakes (well it was until the Brandon administration) so there's that aspect.
Harley is committed to V- twin cruisers, that's what they do. They are seen as the genuine article. Kawasaki will discontinue these soon as Yamaha did with its cruisers.
I can only tell you what I’ve heard a lot of people say. Some say “If I want a bike that looks like a Harley, I’ll get a Harley.” Others would only buy a non-Harley bagger if it’s of equal quality. Those people will buy a Yamaha or Gold Wing or Indian. The Kawasaki always had the reputation of being low power with a trans and suspension that didn’t match up. I haven’t ridden one, so I can’t say for sure. I somewhat fall into that first category. I definitely wouldn’t be afraid of buying a Gold Wing. Otherwise, if I was buying a non-Harley, I’d want it to be entirely different. I’d look at BMW or Triumph, etc.
The ste r eo definitely needs an upgrade. That would help sales.
I have a 2002 Nomad . The reasons are what you said, no aftermarket support (especially the 1500 like mine), and people are hung up on if I am spending 19k I will get a used HD or Indian that I can customize the way I want. If I ever get another bike the Voyager is what I want to move up to but mine only has 7k on it and my budget isn't that high and to be honest I like my shaft drive. What people need to realize is when you go on rides most people don't care what kind of bike you are on. The concerns are.. can you keep up.. do you respect other riders.. and are you safe to hare the road with.
They may not be selling very well in FL and other places but they do sell pretty quick here in Eastern PA. Each time I see one listed as "used," it doesn't take very long before it's listed as "deal pending" and eventually sold. With that said, I've tried a few in the last year and every single one left me with a nasty hip cramp. They're nice and provide decent bang for the buck. But they're just not for me.
They didn't sell because it is not imbued with the intangible qualities usually associated with fetish goods. It's why certain watchmakers can sell watches for $20K-$50K that cost them $600 to make. Harley has managed to position their products as fetish goods to a certain degree and as such can get those punters seeking a 'worthwhile existence', to pony up the extra cash for their bikes.
How clever are the commands on this bike, compared with the clumsy, silly arrangement on my CVO Street Glide 2023...
That is a great bike for the money. However, I have found , it is a lot more top heavy than my Victory Cross Country and many Harley's I have ridden. I found that it is fairly hard to get off the side stand . BTW I am 6'6" not a problem with strength .
I had a 2011 Vaquero that I bought non-current at the end of 2012. Top heavy with touchy throttle at low speeds but on the highway it was a pretty decent ride. Even in stock form it had plenty of power for two-up touring but got poor fuel mileage for a touring bike. That didn't help given the relatively small fuel tank. Good lean angles as you noticed. Some folks reported heat issues from the engine but I never noticed any more than any Electra Glide has. The stock seat sucked, a hallmark of the Vulcan series in my experience. The stereo controls could be a little funky to operate and the speakers were useless at highway speeds. Factory headsets gave the stereo sound back on the highway. The front of the fairing is a total bug catcher. I wound up adding the Nomad trunk to mine but as you noted, there's not much in the way of aftermarket accessories. What that dealer is asking is just about what I paid for mine back in 2011.
Forgot to add that Kawasaki's MO is to set a design and then keep it static for years... that might have been one of the reasons that sales were poor.
Forgot to add that Kawasaki's MO is to set a design and keep it nearly static for years... that might be one of the things that hurt sales.
@@grumpyoldretiredcop8382 -
People crap on the bike for what it isn't (a Harley) than respecting it for what it is. People keep complaining that its design is static, but for Kawaski to see the need to upgrade, they have to strongly believe they'll get a return on their investment. And as it market shows, they won't. If their sales numbers are low for a sub $20k bike, than with upgrades pushing it over $20k, people will still not buy them.
I had one and regret getting rid of it. I wish they would just update it a ltitlle. Unchanged for ages. The radio looks like it's from the 70s.
The problem might be due to the dealership won't allow test rides so how would anyone know if they want one unless they can try it out first?
There’s a couple of guys where i work that have these bikes they don’t look to bad only thing i don’t care for is the saddle bags not a fan of the way they open
I'm 40 grew up with a dad and uncle that were club guys, I joined the same club as my uncle and for most my life from 17 on was Harley only, after finishing up a prison sentence and restarting life I couldn't afford a harly found a good deal from a guy at a church I started going to that sold me a Suzuki boulevard, at first the shame kicked in of having a foreign bike but even though it was a little underpowered from what I was used to riding it was such a smooth comfy ride, now I have a Harley again ( just cause it runs in my blood) but I love almost anything on two wheels my next big cruiser will no doubt be a foreign made bike not sure which one yet
I believe you've said you are 5'8", I had 1700 voyager and I'm 5'10.5" and it was not comfortable very long because you feel compacted
I think it's from the squaring of the tank then moving seat forward, Harley did the same
The older 1500 and 1600 kaw was more comfortable, on paper you lose power but riding the bikes you'd think they have same engine
My 1700 couldn't accelerate with HD 103
I was more comfortable for longer time on Kawasaki 900 classic
I can tell yeah why they break a lot there gears seam off especially on the vulcan all vulcans need a 6th gear also for some odd reason they began to run lean for some odd reason and cuts off on u they just have some faulty issues that needs to be corrected l
Better thant a $27k HD
I do a lot long distance trips no issues at all just regular maintenance
I think it doesn't sell for the fact that you mentioned...people are scared to have a different name on their motorcycle. I think there are other reasons, too, but that has to one of the major reasons.
I used to be a Nomad 1500 fan for years until i discovered HD. Harley provides something that no bike provides. If you know you know
My question is does this have the ability to handle like a Harley-Davidson in your tight low speed course?
Do they still make the Kawasaki Nomad? I guess it is the exact same bike just with a clear windshield like a Road King.
I had one
2015 Voyager 1700 - great, beautiful bike, but fell in love with an Indian Roadmaster, so .,.....
Looks like the previous owner was Batman.
What make of bike and how many horse power ?
I realize there are better performing bikes than a Harley. I’ve had them and I still have one other than my 23 ultra limited 120th anniversary. I have a 23 BMW t1250 GSA also and it clearly out performs the Harley. I’ve had Japanese bikes as welll that were great. But, between Japanese cruisers/ tourers the Harley is better looking and has better quality build materials. The Harley isn’t a super fast bike but, it’s plenty fast enough in stock form to do what it was designed to do. Most people put slip ons on and make changes for comfort. But, you’ll do that on Japanese bikes too.
Its out dated no tech really on the bike. The price should be lower cause of that reason. I am shock they still make this motorcycle. Yeah if I lived near that city that price is a steal and I would have a decent touring bike. I ride a 2014 Vstar 950 and I tour on that. I considered buying a another bigger touring bike. I will be on the lookout for deals this year and into the next. Good vid though I do like the color. I just want a bike with cruise control.
It’s minimal tech. It has ABS, linked braking, traction control, Sirius xm capable, and cruise control. Or at least the voyager does. Pretty sure they both got all that because of Kawasaki cookie cutter build. Although you do lose your passing lamps on the Vaquero I know that for certain. For right around $1,100 you can get it tuned, new high flow exhaust and LED headlights, and a Bluetooth receiver that plugs in the auxiliary port for Nav and music👍🏼 I traded my fully decked out Voyager in on Road King in 2021. Worst mistake I ever made, 3 months later got rid of the RK but my voyager had been sold.
I just couldn't do it, I would have to change my whole wardrobe if I bought that bike.
Before I start ,I will say I'm not a Harley lover or hater of the mark ,but over here in the UK you're paying anywhere between 32 to 45 thousand pounds for a big Harley,now for between 12 to 19 thousand pounds less ,you can get a similar bike from BMW , Kawasaki, Suzuki etc now that's a big saving big enough to get a new 600 cc sport bike to play on at the weekend and still have a few grand left to buy a daily run about bike , so the bike in the vid really does make sense,and Harley need to sort out their prices they are just not worth the cost imo