2005 Kawasaki reviews

I have had mine for a year and a half and find it to be an excellent bike. I have had it up over a hundred miles an hour and it rides smooth as glass like you are going sixty. This is my first Kawasaki but it won't be my last. I have Vance and Hines pipes which make it sound like a whole other bike. Mine has a hypercharger also. It works great. Show less

This is my first bike, but I had ridden a couple others first. This bike is hands down the best of the bunch. It has extremely smooth power, awesome brakes, superb handling and it looks amazing. I get compliments on it nearly every time I ride it. I wouldn't trade this bike for anything. Kawasaki really did their homework when creating this monster. Show less

I bought this bike used from a friend in Baton Rouge two years ago (he hated to part with it but he's into racing 400s now). Boy, talk about a great investment. I'm now 49 do the math; I've been out of riding for 20-plus years. I got it right the first time back. This bike is everything I expected and more... I wouldn't trade it for anything. I ride with a group of guys and their sons and daughters. We have a blast in the woods and trails! Buy this bike; you can't go wrong! I like the lime green too! Show less

I bought mine in May of '07 and I love it. I gave my old Vulcan to my wife. I put on Vance and Hines exhaust, a hyper charger, Commando 3, torque cones, Mustang seat and windshield. On her I have taken short and long trips. I have no problem handling her. A lot of people I've heard say she's too heavy, but you just have to be careful where you turn or park. Show less

Looking all summer at bikes, our heart was set on H-D, but we were keeping an open mind. We stopped by the local Kawasaki shop to see what they had to offer and looked at a couple of bikes they had out front. We were not really interested until we went inside the showroom. My wife wanted a red bike, and there it was! A beautiful brand new 07 Vulcan 900 Classic; and right beside it was a brand new black 05 Vulcan 2000. I knew when I sat on it that this bike was for me. Talk about attention to detail! The radiator is tucked up in the frame so well you hardly notice it there; the black motor cases are really cool; then you have the chrome rocker arm covers and heads. And the pipes are beautiful! He had them priced right to move em out the door too! Picking it up off the stand you really feel the weight of the bike. In the upright position it seems to be well balanced. Then you start it up and hear those pipes rumble to life and think to yourself, "Wow, these are stock! For a bike that weighs 820 pounds it is balanced well enough you can throw it into a turn with confidence. First gear seems a little short, so I usually take off in second gear. The bike has plenty of torque, so that's not a problem. Sitting on the bike the floorboards fit fine and I like the wide cruiser style handlebars. Braking is excellent. Twin rotors up front and one in the back will bring you down from speed in a hurry. Also, the lifters are self adjusting, so you don't have to take it to the shop for that! Show less

The Kawasaki Z1000 is by far the best bike I have ever owned! Not only does it handle nicely, get great gas mileage, and ride fairly comfortably; the power is incredible. I have put almost 8000 miles on it just this summer alone without a single problem, which is great. Not to mention that insurance is very affordable! The other cool thing about this bike is that mods are practically limitless, and no one has one, let alone knows what it is, so it works as a conversation starter. If you want a 140HP engine (after some work) slung between two tires, this is the bike for you. Show less

I love this thing! It has gobs of power throughout the rev range - it has so much low end that you can loaf along in 5th gear at 35 mph but cranks on top as well. It gets great mileage, has excellent handling for the weight and is extremely comfortable (with a seat swap). The retro style is way cool. My other bike tends to sit in the garage because the ZREX is so much more fun to ride. Show less

I just bought this bike in July, and it was everything I thought it was and more. I put about 1,500 miles on it. It now has 7,500 miles. I commute to school and work on this bike when possible, only 15 miles one way. The gas mileage is amazing; way better than my truck. It's very comfortable too. I have a few friends I ride with and it keeps up with their bigger bikes. I recently bought new tires for it and it acts like a whole new bike. The old tires were squared from highway miles. I'll make sure I don't do that. Twisties only :)
I would say it's a great starter bike and commuter. I'm thinking about getting a bigger bike next season. Show less

I grew up riding dual purpose and standard motorcycles before taking a break from bikes for about 10 years. Finally got back on them two years ago (sorry I waited so long) by getting a '98 Honda Shadow ACE 1100. While it's a nice bike, I was not really sold on the cruiser riding position. About a year later, I decided to get something a bit bigger, a '04 Honda VTX 1800C. Another nice bike, but very heavy with the same marginal riding position. I had to get rid of it because it was hurting my knee when I had to move it around. I looked around and found a 2005 Concours with 1600 miles on it - practically new! Took it out for a 250 mile ride the next weekend, and fell in love with riding again. I love the riding position, the touring capability, the power, and the handling. I won't ever go back to a cruiser. Show less

It's a really sweet bike. The 636 is a dominant force over the 600cc field. The power and handling are above all. I wouldn't want any other bike. Show less