Kawasaki Vulcan 750

KAWASAKI VULCAN 750

CRUISER COMPARISON

Ready to rumble

OSCAR WILDE, IN THE IMPORtance of Being Earnest, wrote that "In matters of great importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing." When designing its Vulcan 750, Kawasaki apparently did not subscribe to Wilde's philosophy, which might explain why testers ranked the Vulcan's appearance at the bottom of their respective lists.

The Kawasaki's engine, however, fared much better. The 55degree, 749cc V-Twin boasts double over head camshafts, eight valves, and pumps out the kind of midrange punch expected from a Twin. Gearshifts are smooth and positive, and thanks to a counterbalancer and rubber mounts, the liquid-cooled engine is pleasantly smooth, whether chuffing down the boulevard or consuming long stretches of interstate.

The Vulcan’s ergonomics are more spread out than those of the Intruder or the Virago, making the Kawasaki a good choice for larger riders. The pullback handlebar is a bit too tall for our tastes, but the seat and footpeg locations are almost perfect. And thanks to the Vulcan’s 29-inch seat height, placing your boots flat on the pavement isn’t a problem, either.

It may be comfortable, but the Vulcan comes up short in the handling department. In daily commuting, the Kawasaki’s soft suspension handles bumps and chuckholes with aplomb. Turn up the pace, though, and both ends wallow irreverently. Ground clearance is also severely limited. Portside, the footpeg, sidestand and sidestand bracket touch down hard enough to upset the chassis. On the right, the footpeg and exhaust pipe ground out.

But like its classmates, the Vulcan isn’t about exploring lean angles or the limits of tire traction. Rather, it is dedicated to enjoying the virtues of cruising, whether trolling the city or escaping its confines. And as long as its rider maintains that mindset, the Vulcan 750 is a

success.

$5599