Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero 2023

Marc dives in our first english speaking motorcycle review with the big 2023 kawasaki Vaquero 1700. A Japanese bagger with an American soul. A collaboration with Cycle Canada, Canada's top motorcycle magazine.
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[@MoxieMike66]

I bought a 21' New over a year ago, my first "bagger". I've ridden all types of roads here in New Hampshire, back roads & highways. It handled road construction w/cheesegrater pavement awesome. I only paid about $18k US vs a same equipped Indian or HD which was almost 2x as much. I checked. If you want more power, you can get the ECU "Flashed" by a few people, a number of them on KZbin.

[@dpajc056]

I had a Vulcan 900 classic and loved it but had to sell it because it was missing a sixth gear and another 300cc in my opinion. On the highway it was just too buzzy without the overdrive gear This would be a great replacement

[@harahanmike3995]

I own a 2022. I have put 9100 miles on the bike in 18 months. I love this bike. As a 22 year Harley Davidson owner, this is the most comfortable, rideable bike that I have ever owned. Too bad that it comes from the factory SO lean due to United States EPA crap that it almost unrideable. I don't know if this is an issue in Canada. The popping on decelleration is sickening. The engine temperature control makes it run so hot, again, almost unrideable. The narrow band on the throttle "fly by wire" makes the throttle very twitchy. But once you get those things worked out, Man is it great!! I highly recommend it. Thanks, Mike

[@douglashawkins4402]

I have a Voyager and got the ECU flashed by Ivan. Now it's a fantastic ride.

[@johnmorgan9068]

Do the Ivan’s tune

[@garyrhode3755]

great looking bike...

[@Airtouch67]

Once you get the Ivan Flash or Moore's Mafia Flash... you are GOLDEN.

[@alyx172]

Cool bike! But what about navigation and overall smartphone connectivity?

[@me-xz2xn]

Yeah wasn’t the best review

[@scottw9716]

Chain? I was reading the specs says Belt Driven?

[@PowerSportsQuebec]

It is belt driven, the cams are chain driven.

[@maddog7999]

he was talking about the valvetrain

[@ATVGUYS]

@@maddog7999 Nice to see somebody was paying attention... ;) I'm a lifetime mechanic, maybe I assume that people understand my passionate rambling when I get into technical...

[@maddog7999]

@@ATVGUYS your delivery is perfectly fine. sometimes people miss bits and pieces while still processing intake from moments prior and some are not self aware enough to know they have that shortcoming and to go back and check before asking

[@infesting]

Hes specifically talking about the valvetrain when he says chain drive. He never meantions Chain FINAL drive

[@alp3781]

Great bike and a lot of bike for the money. If you are on the budget, you go no wrong. Its a simple bike, not too many toys on it, cheap to work on, however after test riding one, it was not to my liking. Top heavy, and in the Summer, plenty heat baked me.

[@vulcantunes4776]

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: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opWXnoGVhKyjhpY

[@Bass.Player]

Personally I don't like dull paint and no/very little chrome. How did you get that bike on the lift backwards?

[@dc2090]

should get a v4 engine update and blow away Harley.

[@CaptHollister]

What would be the point ?

[@dc2090]

bigger engine, more hp/torque than harley, higher p/w ratio, baddest cruiser on the block @@CaptHollister

[@CaptHollister]

The biggest, baddest cruiser on the block was the Honda Valkyrie, I had one amazing iron fist in a velvet punch. Kawasaki themselves had the VN2000. Harley had the V-Rod. None of these models are still around because biggest and baddest is not what sells cruisers@@dc2090

[@maddog7999]

absolutely no need to race harleys.

[@quacker998]

Maybe if you weigh 260lbs and haven’t adjusted the air shocks

[@AyaWetts]

I ride a Vulcan Voyager, and the thing is sooo heavy... really need a lighter bike, but its so comfortable and nice, its hard to give up even if i can't push it backwards by myself lol...

[@SweetLou0523]

I rode a shadow 750 for 15 years then just got a vulcan voyager. It has been....an adjustment. It's a great bike, don't get me wrong, but it is an absolute chore to ride. The transmission is dogshit awful, feels like I'm using a 10lb sledge to change gears. The throttle is awful, even after ivanizing,and it's heavy as all hell. I'm used to my shadow which pulled well, responded like a well tuned race car, was crazy easy to maneuver at slow and fast speeds, and had a fantastic transmission. Honestly I'm really wishing kawasaki hadn't just given up and abandoned their cruiser bike market and had put even the most basic effort in tweaking the bikes over the last 14 years that they've been totally unchanged. Here's hoping sometime next decade they refresh them and fix the issues.

[@AyaWetts]

@@SweetLou0523 Can't say I disagree at all. Just ripping out short distances or without luggage, I have a Rebel 1100, and its night and day difference how easy it is to ride, how high the performance is, and just how well it works overall.

[@michaelb.42112]

@@SweetLou0523 I am a re-entry rider and I bought a 2002 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 after heavily weighing all my options of reliability, ease of riding due to knee arthritis, and I must say I friggen' LOVE IT. The previous owner added one more tooth to the rear sprocket, so at 65mph this bitch is singing.

[@douglashawkins4402]

@@SweetLou0523 I guess compared to a much smaller bike it might seem like a chore to ride, but I think my Voyager is a great handling bike. Surprisingly nimble in the curves and very well balanced. I've never felt like it was a chore. Maybe I'm just used to heavy bikes. I had the belt adjusted and it made a huge difference in the transmission. Sometimes it takes a while to get your bike set up right. I could always buy a Goldwing LOL. $$$

[@johnmorgan9068]

87hp, 108ft-lbs

[@dragonslayer1294]

Belt driven

[@PowerSportsQuebec]

chain driven cams....noted in the video is the valve train not the final drive.

[@tweak991]

Compromise? I've never considered any of my Japanese cruisers a compromise, lol. I would definitely not compromise my wallet for just a sound and the ability to by t-shirts, lol.

[@SweetLou0523]

I have a 2010 voyager and the neat thing is, its identical to the 2023. No need to spend $20k on a bike because kawasaki has made zero production improvements in well over a decade. They added KACT and KAMS...thats it. They are too cheap to even fix the truly inexcusably bad radio (no bluetooth at all. Whatsoever. Not even an option for it) and they havent done anything to really make anyone want to buy new. Its a shame that they abandoned these bikes because with a few basic upgrades and improvements, they would probably sell a hell of a lot better. Unfortunately, other than being cheap, the vaquero and voyager arent competitive with the other touring bike options. Id love to go in and upgrade to a new voyager, but I have no reason too because theres nothing worth upgrading to.

[@scottmendoza8989]

Harleys are Made in India and assembled here why do they keep on doing this b******* not made in America