Kawasaki VN 900 Vulcan Classic

Make Model Kawasaki VN 900 Vulcan Classic Year 2006-07 Engine Four stroke V-Twin, SOHC, 4 valve Capacity 903 cc / 49 cu-in Bore x Stroke 88.0 x 74.2 mm Cooling System Liquid cooled Compression Ratio 9.5:1 Induction Fuel injection: ø 34 mm x 2 with dual throttles Ignition  Digital  Starting Electric Max Power 37 kW / 50 hp @ 5700 rpm Max Torque 78 Nm / 8.0 kg-fm @ 3700 rpm Clutch Wet multi-disc, manual Transmission  5 Speed Primary Reduction Ratio  2.184 (83/38) Final Drive Belt Gear Ratio st 2.786 (39/14) 2nd 1.889 (34/18) 3rd 1.360 (34/25) 4th 1.107 (31/28) 5th 0.963 (26/27) Frame Double-cradle, steel Front Suspension 41mm telescopic fork with 7-way preload Front Wheel Travel 150 mm / 5.9 in Rear Suspension Uni-Trak with 7-way adjustable preload Rear Wheel Travel 103 mm / 4.1 in Front Brakes Single 300mm disc 2 piston caliper Rear Brakes Single 270mm disc 2 piston caliper Front Tyre 130/90 -16 Rear Tyre 180/70 -15 Rake 32° Trail 160 mm / 6.3 in Steering angle (left/right)  38° / 38° Dimensions Length 2465 mm /  97.1 in  Width 1005 mm / 39.6 in  Height 1065 mm / 41.9 in Wheelbase 1645 mm / 64.8 in Seat Height 680 mm / 26.8 in Wet Weight 281 kg / 620 lbs Fuel Capacity  18 Litres / 4.4 gal. Cruisers make up a hefty chunk of the streetbike market. Dig deeply into the sales logs and you'll discover that the fastest-growing portion of this popular category is the 650 to 1100cc “metric” segment. Kawasaki was quick to make note of this fact at the introduction of the Vulcan 900 Classic, launched this past March at the World Center of Cruising—better known as Bike Week—in Daytona Beach, Florida. “Our research has shown that to be successful in this mid-size category, the product has to have great style, be the right size and offer full features at a good value,” said Croft Long, Kawasaki's cruiser and watercraft product manager. This explains why the Classic is essentially an all-new motorcycle, a bigger, longer, lower, heavier, more powerful and technically superior take on the long-running Vulcan 800 Classic. The engine, for example, a rubber-mounted, liquid-cooled, sohc, four-valve-per-cylinder, 55-degree V-Twin, has grown in displacement from 805 to 903cc via an 8mm increase in stroke. Sculpted cam-box covers, deeply finned cylinders with stylized “power valleys” and revised case covers make the engine appear larger than it actually is. Electronic fuel-injection—34mm throttle bodies, one injector per cylinder—is another welcome change. Keeping with the “bigger-is-better” theme, the steel frame has a more rigid, larger-diameter, box-section backbone that supports a new gas tank with greater capacity—5.3 versus 4.0 gallons. A conventional 41mm fork, hung at a 32-degree angle, is paired with a wire-spoke wheel and 130/90-16 tire. Locating the like-styled rear wheel and the 180/70-15 tire, a triangular-section swingarm provides the appearance of a hardtail, but a single shock adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping is hidden beneath the seat. Two disc brakes, which replace the previous disc/drum combo, measure 300 and 270mm in diameter and are paired with twin-piston calipers. A new, more powerful generator provides an additional 70 watts of juice to run electronic accessories. With thousands of riders jamming Main Street, it was nice to saddle up and head out of town toward St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city. At moderate speeds along scenic coastal highway A1A, the Classic, with its broad handlebar, dished seat and floorboards, was comfortable and handled easily. When the road opened up, the flywheel-heavy engine responded smoothly and willingly to throttle inputs, the catalyzer-equipped, 2-into-2 exhaust system providing a pleasant rumble. While touring-minded riders will likely prefer the $8499 Vulcan 900 Classic LT, which adds a windscreen and leather saddlebags, the $7299 Classic is a lot of motorcycle for the money. Big-bike style at an entry-level price? Sounds like a recipe for cruising success. Source Cycle World

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