Kawasaki VULCAN 1700 VOYAGER reviews

Overall it's a great bike with some tweaks. Stock I could not stand the programing of the throttle and it was very jerky, and lack luster response which wasn't smooth with dead spots that felt like you were pulling an Airstream behind you. That all changed with a reprogram of the ECU . It is now how the bike should have been from Kawasaki! It pulls smooth without the flat spots. 6th gear is now very usable without it shaking and will pull smoothly from as low as 45 MPH. MPG is also much improved. Before I had to really nurse it to get 40. Now I consistently get in the low to mid 40's riding normal with a few harder accelerations . Comfort is very good and I have no problems doing long trips. The bags and trunk seem flimsy and the trunk lock is a joke. I have a 1200 Voyager as well and the bags are MUCH more heavy duty and way more solid feeling. Belt tension is set way too tight from the factory! It makes the shifts quite harsh 1 - 2 especially and does create some wine and moises. I still need to loosen mine. I was hoping that it would on its own a little but after 6600 miles it is still way too tight. and makes some noise. The dealer wouldn't loosen it when I had it in for service saying that is was "in spec" even though they said that the factory spec is very tight. The only other thing is the windshield is a bit tall for my preference. I like (need) a bit of wind to keep me a bit cooler in the Florida heat. Oh speaking of heat. As per the gauge they do run HOT. stock. The ECM tune changes the temp that the fan kicks on which keeps the engine temp down in traffic. It is a great reliable comfortable and powerful bike. Well balanced and definitely feels lighter than it's 900 lbs. With a few not very expensive additions it becomes WAY better! WAY more bang for the $$$ than almost all other bikes in this class. Show less

I love the way the bike handles. At 1,100 lbs. (with me) it is very nimble on the road. I did have to get used to the ABS system because at low speeds when the rear brake is applied, the front kind of grabs a little. The only thing I do not like is the location of the horn button. I've got regular size hands and have to take my hand completely off the hand grip to sound the horn. that's not too safe with Los Angeles drivers. Also, the audio system needs a mute button. I've been averaging 500+ mile Saturdays, have had no problem with the seat comfort and am prepping for a trip to Reno in August. Show less

Still loving this bike. I did have one breakdown which is very rare. We lost a rear wheel bearing on this bike on the Blueridge Parkway. This happened in an area where we had 0 cell reception. Lucky for us a park ranger drove past after 30 minutes that we were able to get to help us. We also met some very nice people in Bedford, VA. who were lifesavers. Kawasaki fixed the problem but would not cover the rear tire that wore out totally on one side due to the alignment issue. Overall, I'm still happy with this bike. Show less

This is a great bike. The only problem I have had with mine is the Power Commander I had put on. If you just change the slip-ons, dont put a Power Commander on it. It's just a waste of money. Show less

My wife and I just spent seven days riding the Blue Ridge Parkway, Tail of the Dragon, and the Striped Snake. This bike handles like a dream, it is more forgiving of balance errors (overloaded bags). The adjustability of the shocks are awesome. My only real complaints are the lack of a trunk rack (we added a Harley rack), the add-on diver's back rest isn't removable, and the seat isn't as supportive as I would prefer of someone my size. We are looking at a Mustang replacement. We put 2100 miles on this vacation ride and covered eight states (mostly back roads and twisties). This bike handled more like a sport bike than a loaded tourer. No, it can't lean quite like a sport bike but when was the last time you rode a 900 pound sport bike? I'm already looking forward to new versions of this bike for the future. To think, I've always been a Honda guy. Show less

Upgraded from a Yamaha 650 to this. It is a dream to ride both alone and with my wife. She is totally comfortable and enjoys riding more. It handles great in all respects. I took the ERC two days after purchase and she handled like a dream. Show less

I love this bike. It's comfortable and a great joy to ride. Handles great on the road and has plenty of power. Rode it to Niagara Falls with no problems. I would recommend this bike to anyone. Show less

This bike has performed excellent. Just returned from a 8 day trip to the smoky mountains. 3rd year in a row in this area. The Voyager has the grunt in any gear to climb 7 to 8% grades easily. It also handles the twisties of the tail of the dragon and any other road You want to travel. We averaged 42 MPG with riders and a full load of gear including a T-bag on top of the trunk. The 2400 mile ride was much easier on this bike. The comfort for My Wife was well above the Nomad. Cruise control is a blessing when it can be used on the straight roads. Overall Kawasaki has come up with another winner. Love every minute of our time on this one. Show less

So far, I love it. This is my first V twin. Love the sound and the way it keeps on pulling. There was an issue with the lock on the top case. The lock was misaligned. Easy fix by me. The fog light switch could be better placed and lighted so you know when it is on. I am not crazy about the multi switch to reset the trip meter. Could be more user friendly. (ie PHD press here dummy) I am used to a sport tourer, so I am finding the lean angle a little shy. It is just a matter of adjusting my riding style. Very comfortable bike. Once you're moving you forget about the weight. The paint finish is excellent. Mirrors stay clear. This bike can haul Azz. Single or two up it handles great. Looking forward to a long relationship. Show less

She's a month old, and just had her first service performed. I've taken a couple of short (300 miles in a day) trips so far, and she's a dream to ride on the hiway. Smooth and comfortable - could've done another 300 easily. With her low CG, handling is much better than I expected for a 900lb bike; and she has plenty of power, even two up with the bags loaded. Looking forward to riding the twisties this fall, and taking a longer road trip next summer. Show less