Kawasaki Vulcan S, 5000 Mile Review
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- Ride along as I review the 2019 Kawasaki Vulcan S EN650 after having ridden it for about 10 months and over 5000 miles.
The Vulcan S is versatile and well-mannered. At just under 500 pounds wet weight the bike is easy to manuever and great to learn on. The high-revving 650 engine packs a punch when you want it to.
0:19 Performance
1:46 Highyway Riding
3:23 Comfort
4:17 Stop and go traffic
5:06 Handling
5:38 Costs
6:06 Fuel Economy
7:09 Braking - Авто та транспорт
Took my 2022 round Europe this summer, 4300 miles, in 23 days, with my 13yr old son on the back, fitted a Givi sissy seat with rack and universal soft panniers and off we went, we put in riding days of between 250 and 500 miles, stopping and camping a few days here and there to break up the riding, the bike was perfect, 150 to 200 miles to the tank, depending on whether i was on motorways or normal roads, low centre of gravity and seat height inspires confidence, even when tired, only flaw if you can call it that is the seats, but we broke up the journey stopping every half a tank of fuel for 15-20 mins and it was just fine, i own other bikes "designed" for such journeys, but the vulcan was far superior for the trip in my experience, i have owned many bikes over the years, more powerful, more expensive, with fancy tech, but the vulcan is the only one i would buy again, i cannot recommend it enough to anyone thinking of buying one.
What an incredible adventure! Thanks for sharing the story. I can imagine the Vulcan S handling that very well.
Sounds sick!
@Minimalist MGTOW Rebel 500 is known to be comfortable and easy to learn on. I do think a lot of people would want more power, so the Rebel 1100 would be a great option. Either way you can't go wrong with the Honda reliability.
Sounds fun. Couple of months ago, I rode it from New York to Los Angeles. 3000 miles one way. Was too tired to ride back home, so left it on brother's house there and I flew back. He said He will ride it back to NY but hasn't. Missing my bike. He must be abusing it there. smh.
Went to Italy and back from the UK, Bike never missed a beat. I put a screen on her that helped a lot with the wind, seat very comfy, unlike my friend who was on a Honda Rebel who was in pain most of the time. Over all a fantastic bike to ride.
Thanks for the directness and straight foward honesty. I get tired of hearing filler conversation and guys repeating things. This was refreshingly very well done review.
Thanks for remaining objective, a lot of these other reviews are very opinionated.
Straight to the point, good voice over, good footage. Keep up the good work bud, I appreciate it
Excellent review! Thanks for going into all the many important details.
Excellent video, Scott; 5 stars for getting to the point and stating the facts accurately, in a well-organized fashion.
My 2021 "S" reflects your comments completely. As an older rider, (65+ years in the saddle), I needed a windshield, but the OEM "tall" wasn't working. I added an inexpensive "lip" and that took the oncoming air up over my helmet.
The OEM mid-range seat was horrible, and I got the dealer to switch it for OEM choice #3, and it made all the difference in the world.
The S definitely presents a learning curve, and the throttle is no exception. I found adjusting all the play out of it helped a lot with the twitchiness.
Given my age, this will very likely be my last bike, and I'm OK with that. It's a very enjoyable ride.
Thanks for the feedback and additional tips! These bike windshields are confounding. Glad to hear your clip-on helped. Stay safe!
If you were to change the rear spocket to a smaller one it would lower the rpm at highway speed which would allow you to cruise at higher speeds more confortably. It would also cure that on/off throttle thing and give even better fuel mileage.
It's true you would lose a little of the quickness, but not enough to really notuce. The OEM spocket is a 46 tooth spocket. At Dennis Kirk you can choose between a 41,42,43,or 44 tooth spocket. Myself I would go for the 42 tooth.
Very good review and I agree with your thoughts. I rode one at a Kawasaki Demo day last year and loved thus bike. For the money, very hard to beat.
We enjoyed your coverage of this fine bike. Good job.👍🏼👌🏼😊
Thanks for the review. I've ridden a lot of the same roads.
A Very accurate review of the Vulcan s.
I have had my 2017 model for nearly 4 years.
If you want a cheap way to improve the brakes fit EBC pads in them, don't wait for the kawasaki ones to wear out just fit the EBC pads in asap it will totally improve the brake feel and stopping power.
Of course if your budget is more then fit good braided hoses also.
Nice review, helped a lot in my decision. Thanks!
Thank you kind sir for leaving a brutally honest review.
I have a 2022 with 8000 miles. You hit the nail on the head with this review. I'm having my seat redone. And putting tong willy pipes on. It sounds like a moped from factory.
Scot, hey slow rider-nice work on this video! Very fluid and consistent with information presentation. You have better with time-like a fine wine! As you produce more videos-the higher the quality of the video presentation. Don't stop, you can only get better. For me, it's "ride your own ride", don't let other push you into riding outside your skill level. They only show that they have no respect for themselves because "newbie's" can't ride at their level! They wonder why nobody respects them-good grief! Keep growing Slow Rider, your doing great!👍🏍️🤓⭐🐻 Doug
Great honest review of a down to earth rider!
Great review. Immediately knew you were in Maryland just after 3 seconds of video. Can always tell!
he must be far away from Balt..
or any big blue city, and all of it’s ghetto filth.
Excellent thorough review, hope you gain more subscribers.
Keep it up
Very kind of you, thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent review. Thank you.
personally, i find riding highway at 85 is a non issue. revs are higher but ride is fine. i did replace the stock seat with a corbin and its much better for long rides
I bought my 2015 new and still love it. This assessment is spot on. Since I am more experienced now I wish it had 10 more hp but other than that I have put 5300 miles on it and have no mechanical issues with it. Change the oil every year and lube the chain every 400 miles and it's a solid bike.
Liked your bike review on my favorite bike. New subs here keep it up 👍
Thanks for the review, and thanks for sharing your opinion on windshields. Been wanting to get one, but yes, have heard much about buffeting. That said, I much prefer the look without one. Think I'll go without. Cheers and ride safe!
Honest review, thanks
As a new wannabe I'm seriously considering the Vulcan S. Thank you for this review.
Owned my for 21k miles. Been a great bike and very reliable.
Its been a year, did you get one!?
I agree with everything you said.
The seat is no problem for me and I ride for hours at a time. I generally get around 150 miles per tank, unless I go to absolute empty, then it’s a bit further.
I don’t mind the wind! On the freeway at 80 and I love NOT having a windshield.
The twisties is where this bike shines. I do loads of mountain riding and this bike is a dream for a cruiser. You’d have to get a new, modified Harley at $35k to get a cruiser handling the curves as well as this bike does.
I’ve ridden 40k in three years and absolutely love my bike.
Great video! I'm looking at either the Vulcan S or Revel 500 as a first bike. A lot of pros & only a few cons for each bike. Including the throttle response of the Vulcan S. I've heard/read several people talk about it being "twitchy".
Hi Scott, I am 66 years old and own a 1500 Vulcan nomad and purchased a 2017 650 S to knock around town. It is so much easier to get on and off of, and very nimble and controllable with the weight being low. The 1500 Vulcan nomad has become very heavy for me to control at my age. I put a tall windshield on because I’m not a fan of the wind, I’d rather go with comfort and it helps. My only gripe is I wish it had a higher top end. It is very fast bike, however, for cruising the highway it’s not exceptional because I’m used to the 1500 just cruising along at low RPMs. It has very short gears and I wish fifth and six would be longer! With that said, I love my 650 S!
Just change the sprocket... get the gearing you want.
I really like the instrument layout. Very nice.
Thanks Sammy! I agree, and I think Kawasaki has done a great job on the Vulcan S, Ninja, and Z900 instrument layouts.
Puig makes a nice looking windscreen for the Vulcan S. If I ever buy a Vulcan S I will change the rear spocket from a 46 tooth to a 42 tooth. That will lower the rpm at highway speeds.
I installed a cafe style cowl on my 2018 Vulcan S that I bought from a seller on Ebay. I bought the cowl in a carbon fiber finish, and I am impressed with the quality and finish of the cowl. It did not come with any installation instructions and needed assembly. Anyone with a reasonable amount of mechanical skills can assemble and install this cowl. It fits nicely on my Vulcan, and it looks like it came from Kawasaki. I am 6' 1". The cowl kicks the air just over the top of my full face helmet. It's a lot better than nothing at all and worth the money I paid.
Well since you're tryna sell it what's the link
Watching this at 2:16 in the morning and the voice audio was oddly relaxing 😂
Nice Review !
Good info. Thank you.
Good review.
Good review!!
I'm thinking of getting the Vulcan S. It sounds like a good bike. I'm a return rider. Don't want to spend big bucks and don't want a heavy bike at this juncture.
Hi Scott, my first time to your channel was a good experience. I’m an old guy bike shopping right now and never heard of the Vulcan S. I liked to see the tachometer as the main display, that suits me. However you assumed that viewers have a lot of background knowledge already in the respect that you did not show the actual bike itself, you also did not reveal info about engine size, power or tec spec, so you’re gonna make me work for that now. Lastly, if you follow any of the ads on UA-cam you’ll see that there are plenty of male grooming products on the market that you might want to recommend to your Yeti friend in that last thumbnail 🖖live long and prosper young man!
Good feedback, thank you Phil! You're right, I never seem to think much about specs but I will consider doing that more. And yes I know what you mean about the grooming product ads that are inescapable these days 😳
Great video
wow this color is awesome
I love my 2016 Vulcan 650. I also purchased the factory windshield and experienced the same as you. I installed a Booster Plug to fix the twitchy throttle. I'm considering selling the Vulcan 650 and purchasing a Honda Rebel 1100 DCT.
My seat is quite comfortable, I believe it’s the extended reach seat, but the rest of the bike has been switched over to reduced reach(extended was on it when I purchased). Get the “booster plug” it helps a ton with the throttle and engine braking. Great bike though definitely super fun to ride!
agree summed it up in a nutshell. Handling is due to it running a sports bike like set of tyres and peg clearance. It performs more like a naked (all the kawasaki 650s have the same motor, and my guess is they are more similar than dissimilar) rather than a traditional cruiser. Its cheap if you don't prang it. Well suited to urban, or mid range commutes, rather than regular freeway trips. I had a 2020 for about 18mths and put 19000km on it. I had a national cycles deflector on it and found there was like a threshold where over 100kmh buffeting went up dramatically. Below that it was indispensable for comfort.
Traded it in on an 2022 Indian Scout, as the Vulcan S is strongly associated with provisional licensing system in Australia, so near everyone trades them in, even though they can be derestricted and are quite useable beyond that point.
The seat gets better and softer the more you ride it. I now don't have any issue with it.
Could as well be your butt that get softer :D
Thank you, I will make my licence this year and probably I will buy at the beginning of the next year a 2022 model :)
Good luck with getting your license. You'll love it, especially if you get the Vulcan S! 👏
Just found your video because I'm researching for my next bike. I liked your presentation and how you spoke clearly and calmly and could be heard. Just for that you're way ahead of a lot of other presenters. I would like to be able to explore some of the back roads around where I live. Does the Vulcan S do well on gravel roads? I don't mean crazy BDR stuff that would take a dirt bike to navigate, just the maintained county roads that happen to be gravel/dirt/sandy depending on the weather.
Thank you so much for the feedback. I took my Vulcan S down a dirt/sand/gravel road. The street tires have such poor traction, but if the roads are flat you will be okay. I decided not to do it again simply because the bike got SO dirty and I was concerned about the little rocks causing damage.
T Rex racing has Crash bars/engine guards and a skid plate just for the Vulcan S. I'm considering getting the skid plate since I intend to take mine on the road for some moto camping. Different tires would give a better response as well, from what I've been told.
Just found ur channel.Awesome video! Thank you. You're spot on abt the throttle having no in between! Can you please shed light on the gear to speed relation for this bike? I see you accelerating to 60mph in 3rd! Or to 40mph in 4th. How do you know that you're in the right gear? I get this clunky sound at high gear low speeds on my 2019 Vulcan 650s. Thanks again!!
Thanks for the feedback! If you let the engine RPM get too low while driving, that will cause "engine lugging" and you should shift to a lower gear. I would typically stay in whatever gear keeps the RPM over 3,000. If RPM falls below 3,000 shift to a lower gear.
I love our Vulcan S. I do have to agree that the seat is not the best after approximately 60 min, and my wife hates the passenger seat. I have found a decent aftermarket windshield from Madis that is very adjustable and has a quick remove feature.
Must have the ext. Seats !
It is not the seat, but the forward controls in combination with a light sportbike. People can call it a Vulcan and/or a cruiser, your ass tells a different story.
Great straight to the point review. I’m not sure which year yours is? But we recently picked up a 2018 with 220 miles on it for my wife. Like you said, the throttle was very twitchy at low/parking lot/heavy traffic speeds. That is until I added the Booster Plug after reading about how they richen up the fuel/air ratio. This smoothed the throttle tremendously at those speeds. I think the 2020 models may be the last year the BP is available for the Vulcan S? Because that’s the last year they are offered for this particular bike.
Thank you! I have a 2019. Great point about the Booster Plug. I actually installed a BP shortly after I got this bike and I didn't notice a difference at all. I think I will remove the BP now that I have been riding it for a few thousand miles. If there is any difference I should definitely notice it.
Great video, new subscriber here.
the correct sizing for a windshield is the top of the windshield should be right at the top of the nose or right below the eyes.
Never owned a bike...don't even have a license for it....but I'm really liking this one ! Any other recommendations?
Thank you... 👍
ive had small bikes, big bikes. Last was the indian FTRS1200.
Missed by vulcan S every time
I love the color
That blue and the Orange are my two fave Vulcan S colors 👌
Quite agree about touchy throttle, same with my ninja 650
Just seen your video, and I’m new to the motorcycle community. Looking for my first bike to purchase in the next few months. Is cruisers an ideal first bike or is there other models you’d suggest
The most important advice I can think of: Get something that you really like. Having something with a low enough seat that lets you put both feet flat on the ground, or at least close, will help a lot while you are learning. Cruisers are typically lower, but get whatever style appeals to you most.
This video might help give you some ideas. ua-cam.com/video/UsLLPYyXTGc/v-deo.html
Great video dude. I'm considering buying a 2019 as my daily commuter in the city. What do you think? Is it up for the task or the suspension is not that comfortable for that?
Thank you. One of the strong points of the Vulcan S is adaptability. It does equally well in city or highway riding in my opinion.
I have this bike love it but could do with more power so looking to upgrade to a rebel 1100 or a Harley Nightster
Before I got the Vulcan I was looking at the Rebel 1100. I would probably go with the Rebel bc I like to be different.
I had a Honda 1300 VTX which I thought needed a 6th gear really bad because even at 65 mph it sorta felt like you needed to shift to 6th but there wasn't a 6th. So I thought I might be hurting the engine to ride it at 75 mph to 80 mph all day. However, I just went ahead and did it any way cause I wanted to go fast. I just put ear plugs in and stopped worrying about it. I did that for over 100,000 miles and the bike was still running good when I got rid of it. 100,000 trouble free miles riding it "hard". So the conclusion is.... Don't worry about the fact that your RPMs seem a little high when you are going 75 or 80. Then engineers who designed bikes know what they are doing and aren't going to allow a bike to be hurt just because you are going 80 mph quite a lot unless maybe you are riding a 250cc. Plus, if you just don't like the sound.... just replace the front sprocket with a slightly larger sprocket or replace the back sprocket with a slightly smaller one. That works well.
Great video..At what mileage did you first have the valves adjusted and approx cost for that service?
Thanks. I sold the Vulcan S before it was due for valve adjustments, so I'm not sure about the cost. The owner's manual states it should be done at every 24,000 miles.
I have the 2023 nonABS and would agree with everything stated including seat comfort. The stock seat for a mid rider is as comfortable as the saddleman explorer I had on my last bike.
I have gotten use to the seat, and I ride mine daily
Thx🎉
The 6 to 8000 thing is also the dual shutter disengaging
I agree on that throttle, it's actually super annoying to me when riding, I wish there was a way to adjust it, I barely move it and it gets moving to quick lol!
Im considering a Vulcan 650 and. Yamaha bolt for my first bike, first time ever, timing is finally better to fulfill a life long need.
Deciding factor would be 1. Best out of Vulcan vs Bolt for first time buyer. 2. Easy to learn use 3. Reliability and maintenance costs.
Any thoughts are welcomed.
A tough choice, but you can't go wrong either way. You didn't mention price as a factor, but you would find the Vulcan cheaper. Availability can often be a determining factor also.
@@slowridertv
Both the Vulcan and the Bolt are in the $7000 price range, that being said a 2008 Kawasaki Mean Streak just popped up in my radar.
10k miles on the odometer, 3" long shot exhaust, hard saddle bags and extra seat. Owner asking $3500, after a long review of all things considered I'm thinking this will be a better first time bike and a keeper for some time.
I'm 47 yrs 5,10 220 lbs, looking for a nice cruiser to take me on a 10 mile round trip to work and occasional joy trip.
@@rahoulloubles I had to look up the Mean Streak. That looks like a really nice option! A bit heavier, but I see a lot of people praising the excellent brakes, and it seems to get great reviews.
try madstad engineering for windshield that works ,,,thanks for the video
Well I've enjoyed the video for the area looks like PA... If not, I like it.
Very close. That is Maryland.
Appreciate
Hi abit late to the review 🤦😂 just looking at one of these for a second bike. Was wondering have you tried a pillion with it for short trips?
I did not try a pillion myself. However I spoke with a couple who both rode occasionally and said it was fine for short trips but the seat was uncomfortable for anything else.
For a brand new rider, would you recommend the 2022 Vulcan S ABS or a 2020 Harley Street 500 w/ abs?
Vulcan S for sure. I did the MSF course on the Street 500 and got the Vulcan S as my first bike.
@@slowridertv I learned on a grom and love that bike but I can rekluse clutch the Vulcan s or street 500. I can’t do that w/ a grom. I haven’t test rode the Vulcan s or the street 500 yet. I like that the Vulcan s has abs, a lil bit more power, ergo fit, forward controls, comfy and displays things bigger/brighter, lighter than harley too, and more info. Not all the street 500s come w/ abs. They’re hard to find w/ abs - I’ve been looking. I like the street 500 styling though.
I’ve also been leaning towards a Navi just cuz it’s cheap and automatic and customizable, but that wouldn’t be a main bike for me.
My list is narrowed down to about 10-12 diff bikes I’ll share w/ you b/c I’d love to hear your input on it. I only have 2 days of riding experience. :( Not going on highway either. Don’t want to.
List of bikes I’ve been looking at:
Zero SR/S - i love the feeling of this one. Honestly i don’t feel the weight of it either. It’s over 500lbs but it feels like a 300 lb bike. Only reason i don’t make it my first bike is the price tag. Maybe this would be better as a 2nd/3rd bike after more experience.
Honda Navi - i hate that it’s carb’d but i like everything else and how customizable it is. I would def do mods to it. Am concerned about various issues that befall it though. Would not be my main bike.
Harley Street 500 - love the styling but hard to find one with ABS pre-owned. I can rekluse clutch 2014-2020 models.
BMW G310R - can rekluse models 2016-2020. Like that it’s blippable for downshifting as well.
Honda CTX 700X/ND DCT
Kawasaki Z400 ABS
Honda Grom ABS - if i find one on an extreme bargain, i would maybe grab it, but i can’t rekluse it :(
Yamaha MT-03 - rekluse 2020/2021 only
Yamaha R3 - rekluse 2015-2021
Kawasaki Vulcan S - rekluse 2014-2020 models.
I honestly don’t really care for the Yamaha’s but i have yet to see them in person. They keep getting recommended to me.
@@lostintheclouds8719 All very good choices. I suppose it really comes down to what kind of deals you can find, and the styling that you like.
Do you like any of the Royal Enfield bikes? They have a new Super Meteor 650 coming out that looks like it could be good.
@@slowridertv I took a look at the meteor 350 but only online. I’m just not attracted to that brand for some reason. They don’t seem to hold their resale value either
Try to use Givi Windshield A660 for Ducati Monster 821 14-16 in Naked Screens and you will be happy!
Hi there, just wondering which mirrors you have installed there?
Fenrir mirrors. I found the placement and size a pretty good improvement. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087C2RB5H/
What's the fuel mileage a to 80-90. That's how fast everyone does on the turnpike daily. I'm wanting a bike. Tryn to see if this is ideal
I don't have an exact number but I think it's high 40's at those speeds.
@@slowridertv that's about right, at around 90-100 its still getting 35-38 mpg
But how do you FEEL about it? 🤔
No led headlight? Behind all others? Has tyre oressure on the tft?
No LED headlight yet, even on the 2023. And no tyre pressure sensor either.
What year is that. Blue is my favorite color and I wish I’d have that one rather than this matte black/grey with green dinky stickers on it
That color is "Storm Cloud Blue" available only on the 2019 so far.
As someone who currently owns one. If your looking for a heritage cruiser IE something like a Harley, or a Indian, this ain't it. However if your looking for a SPORT cruiser that can keep up with other 650 sport bikes, then this is what your looking for. Its quiet, its fast, its got mean horsepower at 7,000 rpm. And it's really nimble weighing less then 500 lbs.
I had to edit this comment, as thinking about the bike brought me to think about things I hated about it. IT'S QUIET, like driving a stock Honda civic quiet. The rear blinkers are only attached by a cheap piece of rubber and will pop out with road bumps " had it happen many times where my riding buddies would tell me my rear light signals were hanging by the wire" its literally just a rubber piece with a slight edge holding them in. Riding 2 up is possible but uncomfortable for the passenger.
Overall it's a good starter bike, but you will be looking to upgrade within a year or two.
A heritage is the best choice 4 the money
Is there a vibration at 70 or 80 mph?
I did not notice any unusual vibration at any speed.
Which aftermarket windshield did you try?
I tried a Madstad. Could not get rid of serious buffeting no matter which position I tried.
How much was your destination and freight/pizza charges?
I have seen total fees ranging from 1,000 usd to 1800 usd depending on the dealer.
@@slowridertv Wow, that's too much fat! I will see how much I can get reduced for these fees or they can keep the bike.
Can you tune them to get a higher output?
Moore Mafia has done a tune. They have a video where their adjustments increased peak HP from 58 to 61. ua-cam.com/video/hX5mJqFytqI/v-deo.html
@@slowridertv thanks I live in Charleston and have just started doing my research on a work transportation bike..and it's on my list thanks
If you want something comfortable buy a car, when riding a bike real men don't need windscreens just jacked arms. HELLL YEAH BROTHER! WOOOO
🤣
Is it a wheelie-able bike?
I have not tried it myself, but here is an example ua-cam.com/video/5zqJY2W_xGk/v-deo.html
This bike costs almost $14.000 in my country
So does a candy bar tho .
125 mph uk 🇬🇧 😁🏍️💨💨💨
I’d buy one if it was not chain drive.
I can’t imagine you’ll find anything other than chain drive at that price point. One advantage is that it lets you easily change sprockets to smooth out the twitchy throttle and lower RPMs at highway speeds.
@@joej2353 Not doing chain drive at my age. Been there done that.
Gg
The seat sucks! 3.7 gallon gas tank.
The only thing that ever cleaned the head buffeting up entirely for me and kept me in a smooth pocket of air was a re-curve windshield made by freedom shields. Custom measured to my line of eyesight. It was for a different bike entirely but thought I would at least share this.
I had a wind screen and I also removed it!
Very accurate. I really enjoy this bike, but it has lots of cons.