Here's Why The Kawasaki Vulcan S 650 SUCKS! Everything I HATE (Honest Review)
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
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Here's Why The Kawasaki Vulcan S 650 SUCKS! Everything I HATE!
I'm a huge fan of the Kawasaki Vulcan 650 S, but I like to provide all perspectives. Today we're talking about all the things I dislike about the motorcycle. Some are more serious while others are a bit of a joke. Enjoy!
#vulcan650s #kawasakivulcan #vulcans
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The look for me is one of the biggest positives about it. I love the fact that it doesn't fit in with either a sport or cruiser it's got a "personality" of it's own.
Big facts !
A lot of people hate that its a cruiser but quite... TBH I would like a deeper louder engine/exhaust note, but at the same time not attracting every cop within a half mile radius every time you wanna have a bit of fun is a major positive of its own.
I think it looks really good.
😂😂😂
The ‘Hate List’ is so thin you start with ‘ugly mirrors’
Pretty funny
Sounds like a "you problem" ( here "you" refers to jon)
Yeaaah! 😁
Not for nothing, but I just want to be in the wind. I don't care about the lifestyle or impressing anybody. Put me on any bike and I'm happy.
Me too man. All that matters is the lean in the turn and the wind in your hair.
Whatever I can ride and afford is good enough for me too. I just like Harley's the best but I know in the not too distant future I won't be able to handle the weight. I'm already wishing my bike was lighter.
As it should be....
Mr. Nonchalant wind in your helmet you mean right?
Joe SixPack would you say the same about a 3 wheel (ryker) ? Lol
When I purchased my 2019 Vulcan last June I sent a photo to both of my Cousins who ride Harley’s. Within minutes both of them started sending me listing for used Harley’s for sale and one of them stated “The law is on your side you have 24 hours to change your mind and return it to the dealer”!!! I wrote them back to Bite Me, I’m not a Harley dude. Now after a full season of going on some rides with them they can’t believe how I beat them every time in any length of a race. They love the Retro “Stormcloud Blue” and how everything is blacked out. Don’t have to own a Harley to be cool, or happy.
Tout le monde veux une Harley Davidson !! Les génies roulent en vulcan s 😉
Je suis débutant (bridé à 47CV), et je ne roule qu'avec des amis qui ont des plus grosse cylindré et surtout des roadster ou trail, et ils ne comprenaient pas comment la petite vulcan faisait pour suivre 😜
Vivement les beaux jours je n'en peu plus !!
Kawasaki is number 3 most reliable bikes made.
My brother has a Harley heritage. I bought a new Goldwing for $25,000 the Street glide was about the same money. The wing blows it away . Stereo, Navigation , walk mode power windshield, six cylinders and much more.its so fast in sport mode I sold my Kawasaki Versys 1000LT because I don't need it to blast around and it's a Honda .
I’m looking for my first bike, I’m leaning towards the Vulcan 900 and I’m not experienced at all with dependability in a motorcycle or what’s best for your wallet. That being said; all you have to do is research how things are produced and what’s under produced or over produced and I’ve come to the point of this comment; Harley’s are over produced meaning that 1 bike will have parts from China, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, America and so on (you get the point). Again, I am not experienced with Harley’s so I can’t say that they are a bad bike or a good bike but I can say that they are WAY too expensive FOR ME and judging by the over production; it never means a good thing for ANY product to have all these different parts from different countries all bundled up into one package. For now, I’m going with Japanese because all the best machines come from there.
@bob marley Exactamundo!
You've just convinced me to buy one!
Why
@@nihalmanjunath2758 because all the reason the vid guy gave isn’t actually even bad lol. This vid is actually more sarcasm instead.
@@touluevang3471 oh okay lol thanks
So it's not for children or the imachor. COOL
Way under powers get the 900 Vulcan classic if grabbing a Kawi I promise the thing rides smoother than any other out there and feels like a fat boy for half the price
A bike so perfect the only thing to hate about it is the fact that there's nothing to complain about. Great video dude
ugly headlight and tail light.
@@TheAnnoyingBoss look up the kellermann taillight and indicators (3in1 LED). great new look. Got it on my vulcan s and looks badass!
The Vulcan S 650 is an awesome bike. In terms of first bike / beginner it's a God Tier. And it's also a very decent middleweight one. It's a great machine that does exactly what it's supposed to do and it even has some "power" if you need it, at least more than it should have for a 650 cruiser. Comparisons with belt models are pointless, this kawa is not meant to be in that league and doesn't want to be. I mean, dude you started this review by criticising the mirrors. THE MIRRORS. Just think about that for a sec.
I agree this is my first bike already cornered with it it drives damn fine.. ( still owning it )
Kawasaki needs to sell a vulcan 1300. Inbetween the 1700 and the 900
Yeah you were reaching hard to find the negatives in this vid. The vulcan s is a great bike. Another great vid man.
Lol. Right!? I had to get real nit picky. Hahaha!
My first bike was a 2015. It sucked ass. Hated the bike
Bike really dose suck! No aftermarket and it's slow.
I agree he is trying hard to find negatives.
@@whatisthis6126 I mean you brought a cruiser and complain about speed? Its got more than enough speed unless you wanna ride like a dickhead tbh.
Synopsis: it’s not perfect, but pretty close. Give it a belt drive and LED lights, maybe a better seat and you’re good.
You can add a better seat on most any bike including most Harley's, you can upgrade to led lights on any bike. The only thing that would be hard to do is changing from chain to belt, but if that is the only complaint you can come up with, and all the positives this bike has such as great reliability, great price, great looks, and lots of cool mods, you can't go wrong getting one.
I rented 2017 on vacation last year and fell in love with it. Now i had my 2019 cafe edition since May of last year and couldn't be happier, the only reason i would sell this bike if they came out with 1000cc vulcan s.
-Mirrors
-Chain Drive
-Style, can't fit in
-Throttle control
-Lean Angle
-Seat comfort
-Turning Radius
-Difficult to wheelie
This has been an amazing motorcycle for me. I own this exact model. I agree with you that the seat could absolutely be upgraded. The mirrors could also be upgraded. But my biggest complaint of this video is the styling comment. This is Not a Harley. This is Not a Sportbike. If you are worried about fitting in, you need to get some new friends. I have received the biker wave from both style of riders. I have been ignored by both. And I couldn't care less. I throw my leg over that bike and ride. This motorcycle is too much fun to ride to complain about petty issues or comparisons with [insert favorite bike model here]. This bike has its own unique style and can be enjoyed by all types of riders with all types of skill levels.
Max Champion I love mine too. I got the Retro Stormcloud Blue for color. Love it!
I got confirmation that Mustang is Currantly making a seat for the Vulcan S. Should fix most of the issues.
The fact that’s it is it’s own style makes it a serious contender for me, looks like an overall fun bike
is this meant to wheelie ?
You buy a bike because YOU like it not because your friends do. If they're really you're friends they'll be happy for you regardless of what you get.
I did 4 hours on this bike at around 80mph, very small intervals in between to stop for gas and such. Definitely capable of highway riding, but I would get a windshield and new seat for sure.
I disagree with you..I Love the Design and style of Vulcan s. In fact i may just buy one for myself when this Covid 19 Lockdown ends.
Why wait?
@@aluisious Yes i already brought it last September and i Loveee it.
@@rickyl.colney7489 congrats bro, I also agree styling is a chief's kiss.
Happy riding and keep safe!
@@mohamedabdalnaem9776 Thanks Bro.
I'm 6'2" @ 280lbs and have the seat and pegs set to mid-reach on my Vulcan S. This is my very first bike and was awesome to learn throttle control on. I've found 2nd gear perfect for low speed parking-lot maneuvers. The one thing I can definitely 100% agree on is that the stock seat is crap after 45 minutes. I've had a super happy butt after I upgraded to a Corbin Gunfighter Saddle.
I completely agree that seat is rough, I will look at the Gunfighter Saddle thank :)
Micah Johnson No problem🤙
Glad you added height and weight. I’m also 6’2 and 250 lbs and finding a good starter bike for “big bois” is a little tricky. Don’t want to be that big guy on a tiny clown bike 😂
@@andrewnelson1369 same!! I’m 6’1 255lbs and I’m looking for a first bike. So of course, I’m on CZcams researching. I think even though this video was trying to bash the Vulcan S. I think I’m going to buy it. 🤷♂️ if it sucks after 6-12 months, sell it and get something else.
@@shaunjones5625 I ended up deciding on the Honda Rebel 1100. Placed my deposit in April and still no bike. This is the last month I’m waiting before canceling and getting my deposit back
Hmmm... I’m 10 minutes in, and I still haven’t heard any reasons to hate the Vulcan. Lol...
Hahaha!
2:55 disagree with you bro.. I LOVE!! the style of the bike Totaly my thing.. 419 thats why i Love it, its a Uniqe hybrid kind of bike. One of its kind Uniqe
The look grows on me the more I ride it. No doubt it's a unique machine - and a BLAST to ride!
Best bike for the money. I absolutely love this motorcycle. 😎
My biggest complaint is the ugly headlight that’s shaped like a peach 🍑. Other than that it’s a pretty good bike.
Yeah that headlight is fugly for sure.
I feel you it should have the cb650r light
Headlights are easy to swap....👍👍
Me too. I hate that headlight. Just the most basic round bucket headlight would improve the look of the bike immensely.
David Katic I totally agree. Any round normal looking head lights. Did you see the 2020 Rebels? Is that too hard???
My only complaint is that there isn't another one built around the z900 that I could trade up to.
i would be happier if kawin made a 800 version of this engine so we could get the vulcan s 800 and ninja 800
Right!? That crossed my mind as well. That would be a rad contender with the vmax and other muscle cruisers!
Heard Honda is coming out with a Rebel 1000. Maybe Kawasaki will follow suit.
Lets hope so ! If they put out a 900 Vulcan S would be just perfect !
urbanstyle20 If they do, it’ll most likely be the same engine as the Kawasaki Ninja 1000. Let’s hope.
The only legitimate complaints I've heard about the Vulcan S are the bounciness in the rear suspension and the seat not being as comfortable as it should for a longer ride and the headlight needing to be upgraded to a bright LED bulb. Ninja 1000SX is the Sport Tourer. Kawi should use that engine or the Z900's engine to make a Vulcan SX.
One year since I bought mine, and I will keep this jewel until it die. Awesome machine! Change the mirrors, add a low wind shield, change the back stop light to R&G custom led light and to finish add an arrow rebel exhaust... Full dark... That mine that the way I love my bike.
Do you still using this ?
I am 55 and recently got a Kawasaki Vulcan 650s... I love every bit of it... Reliable, Punchy and yet Comfortable. I have done 12-14 hours of riding in a day but no issue with the seat comfort ( not too demanding or too critical about it i guess 😃).
The only issue is that the exhaust keeps scraping on every speed breaker in India due to its low ground clearance.
Enjoy every ride ... God speed 🙏
good to know about your story, Me to from India and wanted to get the bike, but little confused between recently launched super meteor 650
Hi, thank you for sharing your experience.
One question please. Was the Vulcan 650 your first bike?
I am 46, and I am looking for my first bike 🚲 and as I new rider am quite worried about this choice, as I do not want to buy too much of a bike for me for the first time. But then at my 1.81m height and 110kg weight, I do not want to look weird on a very small bike under me
Thanks and all the best.
They're awesome! I love mine. Everywhere I go, people come over to take look. I easily out run my friends on bigger cc bikes. She's fast out of the gate and has great stamina too.
What’s your top speed ?
The reason why people hate on this motorcycle is simply because it smokes their harleys 😂
I'm honestly on the fence between a ninja 650 and this primarily for commuting to work. I grew up racing and being around cars and especially competing against the Porsche guys, I learned it doesn't matter what you got so long as you like it. Personally, I kinda like the looks but it would mainly be about comfort, power and efficiency for me. I don't want to race or hoon around but I would like a little fun and bursts of speed every now and again. My girlfriend would also like to ride with me so comfort for passengers would be a big selling point for me too
I came in thinking you'd convince me not to get this bike because I only heard positives and I like the look of it... seems like my choice is made 😂😂😂
Thanks for helping educate us mate 😉
Hey great video. I actually passed this over SEVERAL times due to the title. I wasn’t going to let any friggin review discourage me from getting what I fell in love with. So, yesterday I came home with my new 20 Vulcan S. My last was a Sportster 1200 and it’s been 15 years or more. I’m 67 now and seriously got the (MC-let’s b clear) bug. I looked and did my research and it wasn’t until after days of looking I got stuck on this particular bike. So I wasn’t gonna watch this video, no way. After bring it home I’m right away thinking this is a LOT more bike than I anticipated. I’m so out of practice. I’m waiting for a MC Safety course. I was curious about the turning and you basically dispelled my fears. Of course, I’m still bonding and practicing practicing practicing. I’m 67, man. So something’s gotten a little more rad in these engines to my thinking. Overall and so far I LOVE it. I also have a little bit of healthy fear that I’m working on. It’s been a while but really I LOVE guys like you who get out on these machines and ring their necks a little. Ok, so really a tongue-in-cheek “I hate it” video. I get it. I’m also really relieved. Thanks, so good of you to post these things for old guys like me haha..
Hey! Congrats on the new bike! I'm glad you understood my dry humor/"tongue and cheek" distain for the bike. Lol. Reality is there is very little not to like about these machines. Like I mentioned in the video, I really had to dig deep and nit pick to find anything negative. Thanks for watching and commenting! And enjoy your new bike! 🤙🏍
For anyone thinking about getting this bike as their first. Do it, pull the trigger. I bought mine a 2019 ABS version in the matte green. And I love this bike. I have since put a TBR exhaust and booster plug on it and it has transformed the bike for me. It sounds the way it looks now and the booster plug alleviates the jerkiness in 1st and 2nd gear. The bike is agile and she’s fast and controllable. I’m 6’4” and over 200lbs and the bike is awesome. I hated the stock sound so changed that and the mirrors I’m planning on changing before summer comes just because I have broad shoulders. Other than that, I cant complain about this bike. It’s awesome!! It’s a perfect city cruiser!
Awesome.
So you reckon I could not go too wrong with a Vulcan 650 as my first bike?! I am also a big guy, standing at 1.81m tall and 110kg/220 lb in weight, but most importantly, I am a 46 y and just getting my motorcycle driving license.
I have been researching for my first bike for some time now, and it seems I have found a bike that I would like to have, even if I have never sit on one before .
What do you think?
Thank you for your thoughts on this.
All the best.
@@alinmarcu4953 cant go wrong with it, or even the Rebel 1000 would be an awesome bike to grow with too. These bikes even though CC wise are higher, they’re very easy to ride.
The U turn is the rider. I took my safety course on my Vulcan S.
same mate
Jon. You are a Ticket walking and talking even sitting (no bull shitting). You make all of the rest of us look innocent in a court of law. Thanks man. That's why I'm a subscriber!
Hahaha! That's what I'm here for! 🤘😎
Vulcan S is a bike for an adult, not a teenager stuck in a grown man's body.
I know why you really hate this bike Jon! You hate to get off of it! Hahaha!
Keep up the great vids man!
Hahaha! Spot on!
I got a 2018 Vulcan S and absolutely love it ... use to have a Vulcan 900 custom and i prefer the Vulcan S .. Way more fun to ride around .. Got windshield , Saddlebg , passenger seat rest and footpeg . Bought it used equiped like that last summer for under 5K ..
How does your passenger like it and if you don’t mind my asking how tall are you and your passenger?
@@davidoakley9387 Sorry for the delay.. don't come here often.. I'm 5'9 -- 235 lbs .. I prefer to ride alone only person to hop on with me is my daughter when she needs a ride to work or friends.. she's 5'5 -- guess 135
Louis-Carl Leduc no problem thank you for your time 👍
Bring it out to Tucson and let’s show this town some much needed Vulcan S love!
My one complaint is I wish my Vulcan had a bigger gas tank, Even that isn't really a issue I love this bike best bike I have owned
How many miles until it runs out ?
The bike was designed, I would say, for 80-mile commutes, unless you get an upgraded seat. At the 7200 price point, and 58 mph it's hard to pass up. Couple that with extremely low maintenance, it's a winner.
a 60 dollar air hawk seat cushion ..
Looks like those mirrors adjust in and out on those rods mabe.
The styling. I was sold the second I saw it. Between cruiser and sport bike. That was exactly what I was looking for and I did not regret it for a second. Already did 25k + km on mine, driven it across half of europe. And I loved every single second on it. My biggest complaint? The horrible stock exhaust. Luckily got taken care of it by a local exhaust manufacturer, who did an amazing job to get my aggressive braaaap and stututu.
I own one and ride it as a DC. The stock seat and exhaust sucks, and some things that should be standard require after market purchasing. All negatives about this bike can be fixed via Amazon. The bike is great and if you are on the fence--get off and get you one of these. They are fun to drive and worth more than their low price.
It was opposite day when Jon made this video. 😂 What he meant was everything that doesn't suck.
Hahaha!
One main complaint for this great bike is it doesn't transform into an Autobot.
🤣
Just bought one. I haven’t had a bike since high school 35 years ago and found this one, basically brand new with extras for under 5k. My grandkids think I’m fight crime on this bad ass bike. Looking forward to this summer.
Loved the satire!!
I love my 2018 Vulcan S 650. I've added a windshield (as i was getting blown around too much as I'm 162cm and 53kg and 50 years old), two brothers exhaust system (sounds great), heated hand grips (hate the cold), added a tail tidy and changed the rear light and i have put padding on the seat (my bum is happier now). Loved riding it around the track at Phillip Island when i got the chance ....Overall a great bike!!.
For the most part I really like the looks of this bike. It's different...like how a Vrod was a Harley...but different, in a neat way. One thing that I don't care for is that junk behind the rear fender. Relocate the plate and integrate the lights into the fender and it'll really improve the back end. I'd ride one.
Do you think this would be a good beginner bike for me? I am *in love* (6'1, 170 lbs)
The thing that it still uses chain makes it suck a lot.
I own a Kawasaki Vulcan S since 2018... and i DO love it, ,mate.
13:57 mins I'll never get back.
I’ll completely agree with the seat comfort. I’ve only had mine a year now, but that 1 to 1.5 hour seat limit is true for me as well. I ended up biting the bullet and getting an aftermarket seat.
Hi! .. I would say there is not a cruiser, nor a adventure bike out there that make seat feel good after 1-1.5 hours.. Never seen so much riders standing on their pegs, as the latter years..
Would you recommend this bike to a first time rider? I don't like the idea of buying a bike only to sell it and "upgrade" down the road. I want a bike I can grow into and love the whole way through.
Yes. The bike doesn't disappoint. It is an ideal beginner bike and it will grow with you as you develop the skills to handle what this machine is fully capable of at higher RPMs. The dude in the video is doing wheelies on the thing, lol.
1 Thing I dislike, every time my local dealer gets one, they sell it before I get to test it. 8)
I have to ride a cruiser because I'm short and can't put my feet on the ground on other bikes. I like the chain drive better than a belt, it is very easy to change the rear spocket to fine tune the dreaing to my liking. There are several sizes available for the Vulcan S.
As far as the quickness and fear of a speeding ticket. When I was young I only knew two positions of the trottle, all the off (idle) or all the way on (wide open). Now that I'm OLD I've learned there are other postirons for the trottle. My friend says he likes to grab a fist full of trottle, I like that term.
I currently own a $37,000 Harley Davidson and I ask mtself why when I can have much more fun on a Kawasaki Vulcan S for around seven grand?
As far as highway riding, I'd put a small windscreen on the Vulcan, I would not want to ruin it's good looks with a large ugly windscreen. Puig has some nice smaller ones and even a flyscreen that would look good.
We don't travel like we use to because of my wife's many health isses so I would not put saddle bags on mine, but I would have a passenger backrest with a luggage rack and buy a leather round top bag for the rack to keep our rain suits and light jackets in.( The top trunk on my Harley has me spoiled).
I like watching your videos because you are young and ride like I use to. I hope you never get seriously hurt on one. I wreck one in 1984 and messed my left leg up real bad, that probably is what slowed me down a bit.
I had a freind who was older who use to cut doughnuts on blacktop with a Harley 74. He and his friend would be riding down the road at 6o mph and trade places, crazy huh?
I also had a high scool classmate get killed on a Kawasaki 900 a couple years after we graduated when a car pulled out in front of him.He hit the brakes, but it wasn't enough, so he slid the bike down and went under the rear of the car. He was wearing a full face helmet which made contact with the rear bumper of the car and popped his head right off.
So please ride witin your ability, I hope you never get hurt. I've ridden almost 400,000 miles with only one bad accident. Enjoy every journey.
The only things I agree with you on are the mirrors and the chain. I can deal with the chain, though. I'll be replacing the mirrors when I get one. I plan on getting a 2015 with a huge windshield on it in a few weeks! Gunna be sick. I have been riding a 250 for 4 years. It's time for an upgrade!
I genuinely came here to find even one video of negative comments just to settle my urge to buy one of these, and this video ended up being more convincing that I want one than any other
It's a ton of fun for the money! 💯🤙
That's what I got ... Kawasaki Vulcan S 650 ...never had a problem from Houston Texas all the way to Alaska .... round trip ...
Wow
For $7,500. vs $20.k + for a used Harley-Davidson ... I’ll take the Vulcan and still have money for a 1000 super sport
Chico Chico 20k?? Rofl you can get anything for 20k most are brand new not second hand... you can get a brand new 48, an new indian scout maybe? A victory octane if it was 2016.... lmao I know a vrod going for 16k.... 20 thousand? What’re you smoking? I just jumped off marketplace where there is a road king 2010 for 7k.... sportsters and 48s everywhere between 5 and 8, only dyna glide breakouts and fatboys are 20k plus.... please explain to me what drugs you’re taking? I’m not joking... I just want to know what is killing your brain this much? Fuck your Vulcan and 1000ss. 🤣 they’re both pieces of shit... oh and I’m speaking AUD so technically it’s 0.60 of 20k UsD 😂😅 20 grand 🤣 Jesus give me 20 grand I’ll convert a sportster with a PandW600 engine on each side for 20k.. 🤣
Judging by the many reviews I've checked out on this bike I think there just might be a lot wrong with you..... :)
I guess he just liked the fast stupidity riding. Not cruising. Get a windshield for most of his issues. Mirrors are "ugly". Who the fuck cares about mirrors. lol. This dude is just all about looks and fast speeds, not really any functional comments in this video. "shouldn't buy a bike to fit in.. Most people do.." No. No one does. Only dipshits who don't deserve to ride at all care about looks. I remember when I got my first bike. 77' suzuki 750 and fixed it up and the road that thing for 80k miles. I didn't give a shit how it looked.
Chain Drive. Taking about shit that, again, no one cares about when you love to ride. How does a chain have more headache when they are easier to fix up and switch out.
I truly agree. This guy is a negative man. Kawasaki has been making bikes for so many years. Yet he does not appreciate.
I guess the point of the video is that if he had to list down things to hate about the bike then this is his list. He did say from the start that there is a lot to like about the bike.
@@abhalimmohamed4313 Kawasaki making bikes for years does not give guarentees about this model. Although this video title is obviously clickbait, cause the guy does not appear to be that negative about the bike.
barrie Williams Yeah I thought that to for a few days before I watched it.. so tongue in cheek and honest for sure..one man’s opinion but I found it useful.. yep.. hey ride safe :-)
This was my first bike I loved it. However, for long distance like 7-8 rides out of state it got very uncomfortable. If it wasn’t for that I would still have it.
It's a 650. Nothing wrong with it. I ride a vulcan 900 and always want a little more power. it has enough to commute and also to be fun at times. I think I have out grown it and can't wait to get a new vaquero!
I love how subtitles define engine sound as music
So I've owned my 2018 Vulcan for over a year and a half and I've yet to scrape a peg. I even swapped off the pegs for kuryaken floorboards that stick out about .75" more than the stock pegs and I still have yet to scrape them. I feel like you're cornering incorrectly or something. Are you gunning it through a turn, or braking right before a turn and causing your bike to squat lower? The only time I've ever dinged anything was over a speed bump because the ground clearance on the muffler is real low for how long the bike is. I can also do a U turn in a two parking space block which is standard, it's super solid and wants to stay on two wheels thanks to how low the CoG is.
So basically your title is click bait. Why would you do that ? If you want to have a reputation as an honest reviewer then make the titles honest.
Just purchased a 2015 vulcan s as a beginner bike. I love it. Still getting experience on it!
Cant argue with any of that. Love Mine.....
Cool video was curious on any valid hate points and as I figured not many. Agree with the seat pain though. Added the windscreen, Dakivic exhaust, led headlight and corbin seat for comfort. Love this thing.
I was thinking on the 650 S too, but the dealer was sooo ... we don't have one and , blah blah blah, and no estimate on the monthly $$.... I went down the street and bought a Bolt. Never regretted that move at all.
I own this bike. The thing I really hate about this bike are very uncomfortable seat where you can't drive more than 2 hours and accessories are very expensive. The backrest cost AUD1000 here in Australia which is 10%of the bike price. Front shield almost 500.
I don't know if there's a set standard on turning radius but my goal is generally 2 parking lot spot or tighter. Im not all that knowing on the matter just think that the bike is trying to be a little Muscle Cruiser, and I'm just thinking the chian drive is more direct power from motor to wheels. Just a thought of mine that cruisers that are big on torque and belts have a touch of "give" or "play" to help the back tire not brake traction. I don't mean this in a Cruiser vs Sport, more like a pickuptrucks are to cars if you will. Drive Shaft can do power, and Tourqe my guess on bikes is the wight and balance. So we don't see them often.
Getting my 2023 Vulcan S in in a few days (bloody paperwork)...watched this review like 2 years ago and got instantly hooked. Thanks alot in helping me choose the right ride for a beginner like me.
I love it in red. And personally, I think it's the best stock sounding cruiser. Doesn't make me want a different exhaust right away
On what u said about turning radius. The reason people say that about a lot of bike is that they don’t practice there low end speed maneuvers so they don’t lean the bike when going slow because they don’t know how.
I got a dan moto exhaust and aftermarket mirrors. Love my vulcan s. Mine is a cafe , has the small cafe wind deflector around headlight. 2016. Love it!!
My 2001 1500cc nomad is shaft driven and I love it. No lag, no skips, little maintenance to the drive system, only draw back is changing rear tires, i seem to go thru them pretty quick(2 yrs) or 10,000 miles is about my limit!
I've owned mine for a few months and have a couple thousand miles on her. I run on backroads for fun. Took a 600 mile round trip weekend run, mostly highway. I would recommend a windscreen for most riders, but the bike has no issues at highway speeds and is a blast to ride on the twisties. The cheap look of the mirrors is the only cosmetic complaint I have, but I don't care enough to replace them. The throttle does take some getting used to.
For the European market it falls in the "dead zone". We have stepped licensing. It's too powerful to ride with a middleweight license but it's not powerful enough to take your heavyweight license with. There is a small gap in the powerbands (the dead zone) which the 650s slots right into. That's a big downer.
Having concidered this bike , now you mention it. Belt drive would be a great upgrade & it is odd looking for a cruiser.
Maybe a shaddow phantom would solve these issues.
I totally agree, it's a great bike but it feels like it's always ready to speed. It doesn't have much chill but I love it alot. Growing up I always wanted a cruiser with a street bike engine, and this is just what I wanted. Great review on a great bike
I think that was all pretty fair. I have this exact same bike and have the same gripes. For my tall frame at 6'3, I would add that highway pegs and floorboards are needed. But overall, it's a pretty great bike for its price.
Picked one of these up at auction and gotta say was not thrilled, seemed boring, was just going to resell it. Stuck a "Dan Moto" full exhaust on it and absolutely transformed it into a terrorist machine. Receives the "Most likely to get a ticket" award. Got a stable of 12 +++ machines and when i just want to get giddy i jump on this one. Can be a very versatile bike if you want to commit $$$ to it.
I used to have a 2007 Vulcan. It was a great bike: I used to pass Harley’s on the road all the time... had the Ninja 500 motor on it... only problem I had was it rusted like a mofo (it was a constant battle after awhile), I wanted a bit more torque and the electrical system was a bit wonky.
That said, I’m not a huge cruiser guy. Next bike is probably a GS1200 or a Multistrada as none of my stable is great for distance right now. To answer your next question, yes I am in my 40s, dammit. X-/
The Vulcan EN-500 was a great bike. The Vulcan-S 650 is its replacement. The 500 had a belt drive and a lot of chrome, the 650 is chain drive and no chrome.
Both are sport cruiser sleeper bikes.
I rode one and wasn't all that impressed . I thought it would feel faster than my big heavy Vulcan 1600 but it doesn't . I thought it would smoke my bike . It doesn't
I had Harley's ,triumphs , Honda's .I now have a 2023 vulcan-s ...this bike is better than the others I owned .JON doesn't know what he is talking about .Jon , go buy a Moped .
You may not have picked up on my sarcasm in the video. As stated early on, I really had to get picky to find dislikes. The vulcan s remains one of my favorite rides. 💯🤘
He said within a minute “theres not alot of things to hate about it” and “theres alot of things to hate about it”
F-K I love this bike! This is my first bike. When I’m not riding my bike, I’m watching CZcams videos of other people riding my bike.
Bought my 2021 last Saturday it's my first bike! I'm 6ft tall linebacker build wear a 2x here's some insight from a stocky dude:
I have the Extended reach forward controls and they are very comfy. The seat is complete garbage tho, my commute is about 22 miles each way in Orlando FL and my butt gets sore about 20 minutes into it.
My shoulders are pretty wide so getting a comfortable grip on the throttle is a little weird cuz my wrist bends a bit awkward. Which makes it a bit tricky for smoother throttle operation, not sure if it's normal or if the handle bar might be too narrow for my natural position. Also he wasn't wrong about the slow speed movements, 1st is really jumpy and seems too fast but 2nd feels like she'll stall. I've been dragging the rear brake in slow speeds to try to smooth her out but still need some practice.
Lack of a windshield sucks big time, I'll most likely get the Cafe Racer edition screen to put on.
Headlight still being halogen is a weird misstep by Kawasaki, not to mention the weird ass shape the housing is. There is an LED headlight you can get that keeps the original housing shape or you can completely replace it with a round headlight.
Other than that it's an amazing package. I see it as a True Sport Cruiser. It's got the ride position and styling of a Cruiser with the handling and engine performance closer to a Sport bike.
CAN'T RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH FOR MY FELLOW BIG BOYS.
You test the turning circle by stopping, putting the bike in neutral or turning it off. The put the bars into full lock and walk it 180 degrees either to the left or the right. The smaller the radius of that half circle, the better the turning radius is.
Leaving this video up is good because it warns people not to take this channel seriously.
About to buy mine next week! All black 2023 model. Sooo excited!
I have no doubt it is an honest review but is it really professional and objective, regarding the real cons? I doubt it after watching about 20 of the other users' reviews. My conclusion: bikes are like flowers - some love the roses some hate them. Anyway, thanks for your work and arguments, which (in fact) pushed me even more, to buy this beauty.
lol love this video, pretty much sums up all i do with my vulcun. let me know when you come into tucson or sahuarita so you can take my bike for a spin lol
All the rest of the world knows that its an outstanding bike from technical perspective. Harleys are more charming. But thats it.
The reason there is a stub sticking out of the mirror bar is so the mirror lens can be moved further out.
1)The stock seat is horrible after 40 minutes
2)throttle on off feel when bike is warm, runs lean down low with stock tune, noticeable in 1st and 2nd gear. Also makes it tougher to ride smooth.
3) chain drive annoying to maintain
4)sound is meh even with aftermarket exhaust, prefer vtwin muscle sound
Gut-Z Guy I got a delkevic exhaust on mine and it sounds amazing.
I was coming in expecting "this dude spitting 'bout my pride and joy!?" but nah, they're all fair criticisms and actually kinda useful to know for anybody weighing up whether to get one compared to all those reviews singing its praises, no bike is perfect and it's good to know what draw backs there are.
But you are absolutely right about trying to go slow on it, the bike makes you want to open your throttle, when I get stuck in a 30mph zone it doesn't feel right. Whilst not a problem, you just have to be more conscious of it because it's easy to go above it.
In terms of it looking ugly, I think its look work for certain colours, when you've got a matte black or a white version the bike looks gorgeous. When I was first looking into it, I thought the bike looked ugly, but sat on one and was like "but this feels so right". I found one in matte black and was pretty much sold and I think it's a gorgeous bike, I was gonna try and see if I could replace the headlight with something off of an old Vulcan for a more class look, but it actually grew on me so I didn't in the end.
Well said, brotha! Thanks for watching and commenting! 🤙😎
Thanks for the roast. I bought one 3 months ago and 2 things I agree with. The stock exhaust sounds pretty damn good if you get up on the throttle! 2., It does not have a great turn radius. This is only by comparison to a sport bike. I felt really comfy and confident making tight turns or U-turns on my R6, as it has a narrow wheel base. The Vulcan S has a longer wheelbase, thus wider turns are required in some cases. Honestly I would NOT want to navigate a motorcycle safety course on the Vulcan S. Nice bike though and I'm still getting use to it. I do miss my R6 though, lol.
I took the MSF on my S. Of course the guys on the tiny loaner bikes had no issue on the first try through a cone course, but after a couple of tries I was nailing them too. Passed the course with perfect marks. My Vulcan-S was the biggest bike in the class. 🏍️
I almost bought this bike for my first bike ever, but I went w/ the SV650 instead. Absolutely LOVE it but....I still want a cruiser too lol. I have a dirtbike, I have a standard/street bike, I want a cruiser as well.. lol. Came back to look..
You is the first person say this bike sucks but from what I've seen this is a great bike
I’m looking for one ! After your review I’m definitely getting one !
How many bones have you broken learning to flip and roll like that ?
You can't lean as much as you can on a sport bike? No shit, no other cruiser or bike can lean as much as a sport bike lol.
The bike encourages you to drive it hard? That's on you brah, other riders on liter bikes can keep it in their pants so 650cc ain't no thing!
Styling is subjective some people hate it, some people like it, but that isn't a fundamental issue with the bike.
All stock seats and mirrors are generally trash I agree, but that's more of a niggle than a problem that can't be fixed with time and dime.
Overall it's a good bike but definitely could use some updates and improvements (like full LEDs, new dash, seats) maybe in 2021 as the 2020 model is already out and it's pretty much exactly the same as the 2015 model...