A lot of bike to like

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/05/2004 (8128 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE left and right side of my brain are having a fight. The subject of this cranial cage match is Kawasaki’s new VN2000, the argument being what is the most impressive feature of the biggest V-twin production cruiser ever.

The objective side of my ever-active, but-seldom-adroit, thought process says it’s the 2053 cubic centimetres of raw-boned displacement. Or the incredible 141 foot-pounds of torque. And maybe the 116 horsepower as well. The problem is that my subjective side says forget all this numerical mumbo-jumbo and let’s just crank up some long, smoky burnouts. And since my right wrist seems to be hard-wired to my more impulsive side, it seems that it’s a-throttle-twisting we will go.

So there’s seems to be a lot of smoke pouring out from under the Kawasaki’s almost-impossibly-meaty 200/60R16 rear rubber. Anything that causes a slow-down in traffic is a perfect excuse to latch onto the front brake lever and dump the clutch; traffic lights, little old ladies using a crosswalk and “hey, honey, let’s just stop here and gaze at the beautiful moon tonight. Don’t mind the acrid smoke wafting up to your nostrils.”

Honda’s introduction startled the cruiser world with the prospect of a Japanese company usurping the traditional North American stranglehold on big-displacement cruisers and having the biggest, baddest V-twin on the road. Kawasaki obviously took this lesson to heart, because the VN2000 has huge 103 millimetre pistons and an otherworldly 123.2 mm stroke.

But the VN2000 is more than just displacement one-upmanship. Team Green does things a little different from Honda and while the Vulcan has a high-tech electronic fuel injection system, its pushrod-actuated valves are pure retro-tech. It all works, though, because not only does the 2053 cc twin have enough power to melt the widest vulcanized rubber, it’s fairly sophisticated as well. Vibration is minimal thanks to dual counterbalancers and rubber mounting and what little there is, is more reassuring than annoying.

All that power flows through a slick-shifting five-speed trannie (though at least two of those seem superfluous, considering the massive spread of torque) to a rear belt-drive system that cushions the shock loads from the big engine.

Unlike other Kawasaki cruisers, the VN2000 also has big brakes. Not only are the front discs 300mm in diameter, they’re squeezed by four-piston calipers. They may not be as impressive as all that torque but they’re up to the job.

Despite a seat that initially feels quite firm, the Vulcan is quite comfortable. The ergonomics aren’t as radical as some cruisers and the bend of the handlebar is particularly pleasing. Passengers won’t be as comfortable since the rear perch isn’t nearly as broad.

Long and low was obviously the design brief for Kawasaki which means that the seat height is commendably low. On the other hand, the need for that long, low look does compromise ground clearance. The Vulcan is quite nimble for a bike that weighs nearly 340 kilograms, but using its relatively stable cornering quickly results in grinding floorboards.

One oddity is that the VN2000’s sidestand is even lower, requiring substantial effort to pull upright when starting a ride. Hefty types won’t have a problem, but my weedy arms got a workout.

Back on the positive side, the Vulcan’s fit and finish is exemplary, the best I’ve seen from Kawasaki since the ZRX1200. The paint seems deep enough to swim in and the chrome lustrous. The VN2000 got more favourable reviews than any Kawasaki cruiser in memory.

All that quality does cost, however. The VN2000’s MSRP is $18,999, $3,700 more than the Vulcan 1600. It’s certainly Kawasaki’s strongest entry into the full-seized cruiser market yet.

–DIL Auto News Service