[Shome]

Originally Posted by himalyan_ice

I bought the Vulcan S on Sunday • December 06, 2020.


The bike felt good, albeit looked a bit ugly. Loved the W800s engine, torque and style. However the company has decided to give it THAT number plate holder, switches made in Dharavi, no fuel gauge and absolutely silly pricing.

Congrats on the beauty, may you have thousands of kms of riding on this beast. She sure is a looker, love this color and the racing stripes.

Does have a digital fuel gauge

You dealer should have enough local contacts to fabricate all the guards that you need. Please go for a radiator guard ASAP, the rest can follow.

[Himalayan_Ice]

Thanks guys!

Will try and get the lines corrected after a double check at the studio.

Have ordered the cover for those side panels with open holes.

The dealership had its own stock of guard to sell so I didn't get any quotes from them, but I will check with the gent who sold me the bike again.

A heads up to all of you riding this one to not use long key chains. I had a key dangling from the other end of my ignition key carabiner, and it got caught between the steering column and body sections causing not only the key to bend, but loss of steering for a couple of short panicky seconds.

[trumpcard]

Originally Posted by himalyan_ice

I bought the Vulcan S on Sunday • December 06, 2020

Congrats on the bike, the vulcan 650 has always been underrated in our country!
Rode it once and was impressed with the bike overall barring the brakes.
I am based out of Gurgaon as well!
Look forward to meeting you one of these days!

[Exhuberance]

Congratulations on the new bike !
This is on my candidate list for sure. I have a question though regarding the ground clearance, is it manageable for longer rides/ city speed breakers ?

Thanks.

[Shome]

Originally Posted by Exhuberance

Congratulations on the new bike !
This is on my candidate list for sure. I have a question though regarding the ground clearance, is it manageable for longer rides/ city speed breakers ?

Thanks.

Yes it is, you just need to get used to how you want to take the speed breakers. If your city has those short sharp ones with an extremely steep approach, you will hit the catcon. I've hit is a few times, but nothings broken yet, touch-wood.

[mohit_a]

Originally Posted by himalyan_ice

I bought the Vulcan S on Sunday • December 06, 2020.

I looked at the Enfield 650 Interceptor, but not finding a test bike at the sector 14 showroom and being invisible for 10 minutes at the Sohna Road one, I decided against it.

The Vulcan S blipped on my radar, so decided to visit Aurum Delhi and figure a test ride.

Congratulations and welcome to the KVS club!

Haha, even I had incidentally stumbled upon the Vulcan after not getting a test ride of the RE 650 at my nearest showroom in Mumbai.

I've been really happy with the decision and hope you are too.

[Himalayan_Ice]

Originally Posted by Exhuberance

Congratulations on the new bike !
This is on my candidate list for sure. I have a question though regarding the ground clearance, is it manageable for longer rides/ city speed breakers ?

Thanks.

Longer ones are no issue at all. As for ground clearance, as long as you're riding solo there should be no trouble on sensibly made breakers. However the ones made privately (RWAs, institutions & individuals) will bottom the bike out nice and proper, unless you come to a near stop and waddle along.

Riding with a pillion could prove embarrassing more frequently than you'd feel comfortable with.

Originally Posted by mohit_a

Congratulations and welcome to the KVS club!

Haha, even I had incidentally stumbled upon the Vulcan after not getting a test ride of the RE 650 at my nearest showroom in Mumbai.

I've been really happy with the decision and hope you are too.

Not too much to be honest, I am appalled by the build quality and cost of accessories.

Do read on.

I did my first long(ish) ride on the Vulcan y'day. About 200Kms+ on NH8. I am on 450 odd Kms on my ODO. Here are my observations and suggestions.

The accessories for the Vulcan are hard to come by, and really expensive. For example a Hopeco & Becker luggage rack will set you back by about INR 11,000. A Puig leg guard by INR 21,000. A radiator guard by INR 9,000. Original Kawasaki accessories are even dearer (that is IF they even make the item you are looking for).

So I got the following brands instead:

A motofusion radiator guard - Around INR 2,300. The difference is that it's secured by zipties instead of screws.

An Asco engine guard - Around INR 8,000. Still have to get it fitted, so will update as and when I do.

As for the luggage rack, I got the saree guard cut, and installed the grab rails on the bike. Post which I got 5 steel bars welded between the grab rails. Once that was done, I got the welding sanded and powder coated.

The whole operation cost me a couple of hours for fabrication and leaving the guard overnight for powder-coating.

Total cost? INR 1,300

So that's a saving of INR 10,000 and I'll be honest when I say that that finishing is MUCH better than the plain eyesore welds done by the Kawasaki assembly team on the original saree guard.

Here are a few things you'll have to be careful about though:

• Get the battery terminals disconnected before getting the welding job
• Cover the motorcycle as best as you can while the welding happens
• The welding will have to be done ON the motorcycle for the best fitment
• The rack becomes a bit hard to take off after the install, so you'll have to be cognizant of that

You know, it's a 6Lakh motorcycle and for most, it'll be a stepping stone for to a higher category motorcycle. Spending ridiculous amount of money on accessories will make the difference between cost and re-sale even higher.

Also, if cheaper and equally effective options exist, the dealerships as well as local vendors should stock them. As far as I know, no big-bike shops in Gurgaon do.

Moving on, here are a couple of pictures from my ride y'day.





My list of pros and cons after spending about 10 days and 450kms with the machine.

Pros:

• City riding is fun! It's a very low-key looking motorcycle and no one expects it to rocket off (and that's when I am restricted to 4,000 revs on the upper side)
• It's quiet. That's extremely comfortable on long rides. Loud exhausts can be a real pain for extended periods. Yes, I do wear ear plugs while riding
• It's comfortable through random rough patches. Doesn't feel nervous, and neither do you.
• The riding position is comfortable (more on this later)
• It's got enough punch to overtake on highways even in taller gears downshifting isn't really required in most high to medium flow cases
• Hardly any engine heat experienced, unless waddling through traffic
• No clatter while riding
• Tank capacity provides decent range
• Even though it's a low-slung cruiser, I think it can take Himalayan touring. Will seriously consider Spiti with this one. Sure, I will have to crawl in some stretches, but the over all comfort, I think, will negate that
• The rear view mirrors are pure joy. Excellent coverage
• I felt there was more torque available at higher rev-ranges (thought I got only a small glimpse while overtaking on a couple of occasions). So cruising above and around legal speed limits should be no issue at all.
• The instrument cluster has all the necessary info and is easy to read while riding.
• Cleaned the motorcycle once (no washing yet). Seems like a simple enough job to do well.

Cons:

• Appalling fit and finish. Terrible. I can see the misaligned headlight parts every time I ride. A few plastic panels "move". The saree guard welding looked like it was done by a fresh apprentice in tier-II city fabricators.
• The rear-right indicator fell out after an uncharacteristically rough detour because of the farmer protests. But it fell out! How does that happen on a 6lac motorcycle? It's not even "that" American brand. It's a sort of loose rubber seal that can be popped right back in. So I did that. But imagine a loose rubber seal indicator on a "premium" motorcycle. My 2003 Enfield had better fitment of parts when I bought it.
• The indicators and break-light scream "cheap motorcycle" anyway. I will be looking for options as far as the indicators go. Supplements for the tail-light too. The modern look of the motorcycle and retro styled lights don't go at all!
• The halogen in the headlight will need replacing with an LED
• The motorcycle can be mistaken for a Bajaj Avenger pretty easily unless one is into motorcycles, or does a double take. Listen, I bought a premium motorcycle, at least give me a high gloss, LED fitted premium looking machine? Guess Kawasaki applies that only to its speedier models.
• That said, only one drab looking colour option, which in its original avatar I call the "morose grey". With extremely sad looking graphics, that you'll want to get sorted
• Importantly, while the "ergo-fit" option exists to make the motorcycle comfortable for your height, it is a paid thing. Abroad it's absolutely free, but in India they have decided to charge for it. I wanted to get the setup changed for easy-reach, but the price for all that (about 50-60,000) was hard-reach. Not a great trade-off.
• Little torque at lower rev ranges. But that's a personal thing. The tune on the W800 was way more suited to my taste.
• The "upset sewing machine" engine sound and exhaust note. Please note that non-OEM exhausts will get you a nice fat ticket (at least in Delhi)
• Didn't realize it while riding in the city but the handles get pretty vibe-y at around 4000RPM (75-85kph in the 6th). Didn't feel any in the footpegs and the seat, but the handlebar gets the shivers. Plan to get grip-puppies to remedy that
• The instrument panel looks ancient for today's day and age. It looks positively fossilized when I compare it to my 2018 Duke 390.
• In fact nearly everything looks two generations too dated when I compare it to my Duke 390. 6lacs needs better kit.
• I've been waiting for a small part since I bought this on the 6th. Hasn't come in yet. Hope it's not a regular thing with the Kawasakis and this delay is only because of the farmers agitation.

I do realize that I've more gripes than greats about this motorcycle. Buyer's regret? I don't think so.

However, the increase in power and increase in comfort are worth the upgrade.

Regardless, with RE launching the twins at the price they have and KTM delivering the tech at the price they do, this motorcycle should cost no more than 5lacs on-road WITH everything LED and 10x better assembly.

If RE launches a cruiser version of their 650, the Vulcan S will join the W800 in being straight booted out.

There is no machine in this specific category that competes (except Harley, and you all know the Harley story) and the next jump is a Triumph Speedmaster which costs 13 big ones on the road.

So if you're in the market for a mid-sized cruiser go for this, but with eyes well open.

Will keep you guys posted about the ownership experience as and when!

[TorqueyTechie]

2022 Kawasaki Vulcan launched in India. Priced at 6.10 lakh and available in a new color scheme Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray.

Source : Cars&Bikes

Quoting from the article

Except for the new colour, visually, the motorcycle remains unchanged. The new dual-tone grey and silver paint scheme is accentuated by Kawasaki green stripes on the fuel tank and matching reflective pinstripes for the wheels. Among its key highlights, you still get the ERGO-FIT sizing system which includes - adjustable handle, seat and footpeg. Other features include an analogue-style tachometer and multi-purpose LCD screen with gear position indicator, and black 5-spoke wheels.

[Sam77]

Originally Posted by himalyan_ice

Thanks guys!

Will try and get the lines corrected after a double check at the studio.

Have ordered the cover for those side panels with open holes.

The dealership had its own stock of guard to sell so I didn't get any quotes from them, but I will check with the gent who sold me the bike again.

A heads up to all of you riding this one to not use long key chains. I had a key dangling from the other end of my ignition key carabiner, and it got caught between the steering column and body sections causing not only the key to bend, but loss of steering for a couple of short panicky seconds.

Thank you for the informative and honest review. I am actually in the same boat and am unable to decide even after putting down the advance for VulcanS and a bank approval to foot the same........ the Kawasaki W Delhi guys did not provide a TD and had to decide based on the feel of the bike by sitting on it.

I had a HD Low Rider earlier and am still in the hangover of that torquey 103 CI engine......although Gurgaon roads dont seem to be the right for leisure riding any bike whatsoever .......thus looking for a more nimble, lighter to handle cruiser.

Benelli 502C did not appeal as an overall package and no visibility.

Royal enfield meteor feels under powered and their 650 CC cruiser seems to be a distant mirage with to firm dates/even an intimation of a launch...... interceptor deliveries are taking forever..... quite a disappointing situation.

[Mr.Ogre]

Originally Posted by Sam77

i

If torque is what you are after, this engine has oodles of torque. But if it is nimble and torque then Ninja 650 would be an apt choice, especially the current generation. It is flickable and doesn't feel cumbersome in traffic. Coming from a Harley, you wont mind the vibrations this motor is known for. For me the vibrations are never a deal breaker as long as it has bulletproof reliability, which this Kawasaki has.

[Himalayan_Ice]

Originally Posted by Sam77

Thank you for the informative and honest review. I am actually in the same boat and am unable to decide even after putting down the advance for VulcanS and a bank approval to foot the same........ the Kawasaki W Delhi guys did not provide a TD and had to decide based on the feel of the bike by sitting on it.

I had a HD Low Rider earlier and am still in the hangover of that torquey 103 CI engine......although Gurgaon roads dont seem to be the right for leisure riding any bike whatsoever .......thus looking for a more nimble, lighter to handle cruiser.

Benelli 502C did not appeal as an overall package and no visibility.

Royal enfield meteor feels under powered and their 650 CC cruiser seems to be a distant mirage with to firm dates/even an intimation of a launch...... interceptor deliveries are taking forever..... quite a disappointing situation.

I rode the VulcanS for 4500kms (only, thanks COVID) and sold it last month (to Kawasaki Chattarpur). Bought a 1000SX.

Primarily cuz I found it too vibe-y around our legal highway speed limits and scraped the footpegs in the mountains once too often.

Other than the footpeg scraping issue, LOVED riding it on bendy roads, and the exhaust note was beautiful every time I pulled it out of an uphill bend.

Also missing the accessibility of the motorcycle because the Ninja is a bit high for me. I am 170cm. Having your feet flat on the ground does wonders for your riding experience.

All in all, I have only one piece of advice.

If you buy motorcycles out of emotion, and want WANT a cruiser, at this point get a Harley.

But if you're a sensible person (unlike me), wait it out and pick up a motorcycle that the manufacturer seems more invested in.

[marcussantiago]

Resurrecting this dead thread because a little over a year ago, I bought a Vulcan!



The newer color scheme brings just a bit of life into the otherwise drab flat all-black color (which I also kinda liked but those deep red pinstripes are just tasty IMHO).





Was saving up for 35L Givi hard cases when I stumbled across an absolutely killer deal: 22 L Shad cases for just 14 k (including the mounting brackets!) Really completes the cruiser / tourer look.

So here's my experience so far: absolutely amazing.

I mean yes, there's been some downsides. Barely one month in, I was on a road trip with my club and we had to cross an absolutely colossal speedbreaker that was more like two humps with a third one on top to absolutely guarantee destroying the underbelly of anything lower than an adventure bike. And I beached it and broke the exhaust (header pipe things specifically). No other damage so we carried on and I took it in for repairs. Kawasaki West Delhi were able to bend it back into shape without needing to order a full exhaust replacement, so that was lucky.

I want to eventually sit down and write a long-term review for this forum now that it's been with me for over a year, but I'm also lazy lol. So for now, here's the highlights:

Pros:

• Okay, something that people need to be very clear about: this is not a "normal" typical cruiser. Which I suspected even before I bought it, but was confirmed once I was riding daily. Basically, Kawasaki went the route of "what if we built a cruiser that thinks it's a Ninja but is still a cruiser somehow?" Purists and Harley types will hate it because it thinks it's a Ninja at times. Sport bike riders (like my now-good friend Himalayan_Ice lol) will hate it because it's not sporty enough, basically.
• It is very comfortable. No question it's ticked that box in the cruiser checklist. At least for the rider, not so much the pillion (see below)
• It's absolutely bulletproof reliable. I thought my old KTM was reliable but this is a different level. I've had absolutely zero problems with it in terms of its build, performance, reliability, etc. There are some problems but what I mean is I haven't had like, breakdowns and issues in that sense. Royal Enfield purists will hate it because they won't know how to deal with a bike that never breaks down lol.
• Personally, I love the looks, but that's all up to personal taste. I'm not a big fan of chrome or the "old fashioned" retro type stuff, I've always wondered why cruisers need to be old-fashioned looking. And here's an answer, the Vulcan has absolutely zero chrome on it anywhere. Again, this might turn off some people, but I think it's an indicator that Kawasaki wasn't trying to make a typical cruiser like Harleys etc. Not that they can't do it (see: older Vulcans like the 900 et al).
• The power delivery is just perfect for me. In traffic, it's decent and well-behaved when you need it to be. But if you open up the throttle it'll surge your adrenaline just like a Ninja, where it gets its engine from. Yes, there isn't a ton of torque at the low end like most typical cruisers but there's enough to make me happy, so I honestly don't find it a problem at all.
• This cruiser loves to lean! Take it to the twisties and you'll be shocked at how happily it leans to attack corners, as though it thinks it's a Ninja all of a sudden. Again, sport bike purists won't be too happy because you'll scrape the pegs. But this is what I'm getting at when I wax philosophical about Kawasaki deliberately creating a cruiser that sometimes thinks its a sport bike. It's like it has a split personality.

Cons:

• That said, it's far from perfect, but then what bike is, really?
• The first and biggest complaint is that it's not a "true" cruiser. And that debate is more philosophy than anything else. But see the points above, I don't think Kawa was trying to make a "true" cruiser here.
• The looks are polarizing. You won't get many stares and looks when you're out on the street, because people do tend to assume it's an Avenger lol. Not a deal-breaker for me by any means, but this is a simple truth, it's just not that flashy of a superbike.
• The closest thing to a real design flaw on the part of Kawasaki is their stubborn insistence on installing a candle from a child's birthday cake into the headlamp assembly. It's pathetically dim. Of course, this is easily fixed with an after-market bulb, and optionally aux lights.
• Indicators etc are pretty bog standard, nothing exciting. A friend of mine with a Vulcan had Denali indicator lights installed and they're amazing, though eye-wateringly expensive.
• Instrument cluster is from ten years ago. Coming from a Duke 390 this was quite the downgrade and somewhat disappointing. Still, I got used to it quickly. And it's functional, it tells me everything I need to know, including the gear indicator, and it's easy to read. So I'm not really complaining there.
• And here's the biggest problem with the Vulcan, specific to Indian roads: Its ground clearance. I am now a tenth-level zen master of clearing speed humps sideways. I can even predict if the underbelly will scrape. It doesn't scrape on every single speed bump, but it happens on almost every ride at some point. Bad / chopped up roads aren't such a problem as long as you're going slow, which you would anyway if you were riding a Ninja or something. Bottom line: it's a problem, but if all the other boxes are ticked and your heart throbs for a Vulcan, you'll learn to live with it as just one of those compromises you have to make when you really want the thing. I'm a big fan of highway rides anyway, so I don't really feel a sense of regret that I can't take it to Leh Ladakh and ride up a rocky slope or some Dakar-Rally-level antics, coz that's not for me anyway.
• The pillion seat is, for a cruiser, quite stiff and small. The addition of a backrest works wonders, along with the supplied grab handles. My wife hasn't complained, although I suspect she's not admitting it's uncomfortable because she doesn't want me blowing even more money on a better seat. My aforementioned friend with a Vulcan got a seat made at Khajanshi (sp) at Karol Bagh and it's much nicer.

FAQ:


Q: What's the average? (standard Indian question lol)

A: Honestly surprisingly good for a 650 cc parallel. I get roughly 23 kmpl in city / daily riding. On longer highway rides it's gone up to 27 or so but I didn't do really heavy calculations. Also I failed maths in school, there's a reason I'm an artist. But yes, overall it's quite decent with fuel consumption.

Q: Can you handle it in traffic?

A: It's quite a long bike, but I've had few problems needling it in traffic. Again, I tend not to do the typical thing where bikers shoehorn their bikes into impossibly tiny gaps between cars and whatnot, I tend to just stick behind the car in front of me and relax even if it means I get home later. It's just too stressful. On a Duke it was stressful because I'd be tip-toe-ing it, on the Vulcan with the hard cases I can't be bothered trying to squeeze through a gap, seeing I'm too wide, and then holding up the impatient uncles in honking scooters behind me because I can't squeeze through a gap that everyone else can. So I don't really care lol.

Q: What's it like on the highway?

A: Just blissful. Exactly what I was imagining it when I'd gawk at it in the showroom before I finally bought it. I've done all-day-long highway runs without any fatigue or cramps or butt-ache or anything like that.

Q: How fast does it go?

A: If I wanted to go fast and set land speed records, I'd have bought a Ninja instead. But I've taken it up to some properly heady speeds and there's no sense of drama or vibration or anything. It's just solid and smooth, you just have to deal with the wind buffeting and wind noise, which a windscreen would probably help with. Haven't installed one so I can't say.

Q: Why did you buy a Vulcan when you could have bought [insert bike here]?

A: I have an answer for that but it's so long it would be a college-level thesis. So aside from everything I've already said so far, I'll save the pontificating and philosophizing for a long-term review if I ever get off my lazy butt and actually write it

[minzanurag]

Quite a nice summary of your experience with the bike @marcussantiago

Even though I am not a cruiser kind of guy but truth be told, I haven't seen a single Vulcan out there on the road. The only ones I have seen and read about are on Team-BHP and few here and there on random YT videos. As you have rightly mentioned, I could have mistaken a Vulcan for an Avenger

Cheers and happy riding!

Originally Posted by marcussantiago

Attachment 2428666

Off topic, is the second picture of the bike shot somewhere on the road leading from Barapulla to India Habitat Centre?

[marcussantiago]

Originally Posted by minzanurag

Off topic, is the second picture of the bike shot somewhere on the road leading from Barapulla to India Habitat Centre?

Yeah it was at the Lodhi Art Colony. Some lovely art there

[A350]

A great review @ marcussantiago thanks for taking time out to pen it here. The Vulcan seems to be a really well put together package (with the usual Kawa India quirks or pathetic lights and display) but the lack of ground clearance or rather the excess of humps on our roads make it a risky buy. Do take out time to update us about your overall experience with it.