Mean Sireak
MEAN SIREAK
CYCLE WORLD TEST
Kawasaki's latest Big Twin is cruising a very tough neighborhood
MARK HOYER
THE NAME "MEAN STREAK" SUGGESTS somebody who might have a beer with you, bum a smoke, finish it, then put the butt out on your arm while smiling and saying thanks. But despite the name on the side of the tank of this newest Kawasaki Vulcan, it ain’t that kind of bike.
In fact, not only would it not put its ciggie out on your arm, it doesn’t even smoke. So what are we looking at, then? A sort of “Miffed Blur?” Nah, it’s really kind of a nice motorcycle dressed up as a badass.
Cosmically, Kawasaki was going for the Chrysler PT Cruiser/Plymouth Prowler retro hot-rod vibe. At the same time, with this being almost 2002, there had to be technology and performance to lend substance to style.
So in starting with the Vulcan Classic FI platform and the long-running 50-degee, 1470cc Twin they’ve used since ’87 (still counterbalanced and rubber-mounted for smoothness), the engineers examined ways to boost performance. Increasing displacement, it turns out, wasn’t an option according to the Mean Streak engine man on hand at the press introduction, who said there simply ain’t no more room for that-she’s got about as much bore and stroke as she’ll take. So the means left for getting more power was pretty straightforward-better breathing and more revs-and in this regard the Vulcan got the standard hot-rod treatment. Throttle-body diameter in the twin-throat injection was increased from 36 to 40mm, while the four-valve heads got bigger, reshaped valves (with larger, more durable seats) for better flow, and camshaft lift and duration were both nominally increased. In fact, intake duration is a pretty long 280 degrees (max would be 360, but then the valves would never close). The reshaped valves are so-called “nailheads,” which in addition to simply flowing better, also are considerably lighter, allowing the engine to rev higher while still using the same valve springs as in the old powerplant. Post-explosion, the cylinders empty gases into larger-diameter header pipes.
The interesting thing is that when we strapped the Meanie to the dyno, its low-to-mid power and torque curves were virtually identical to those of the last fuel-injected Vulcan we ran, the Nomad. The top-end lines, however, were a mile apart, the new bike’s numbers healthily increased past 4000 rpm. At peak, the Mean Streak makes 64 rear-wheel ponies and 74 foot-poundage, about 8 more bhp and the better portion of 1 ft.-lb. up on the Nomad, with virtually no bottomend losses. Plus, the Mean Streak revved 300 rpm higher, all the way to 6200 before the limiter cut in. All we can see are positives here, and it makes us wonder why we didn’t get this horsepower all along. Glad to have it now, anyway, and hope to see it in the other Vulcans, too.
In the harsh light of the 89-bhp/99-ft.-lbs. Honda VTX1800, however, the Mean Streak sure ain’t looking like a merciless tire-smoker, and although it may compare favorably to the new Yamaha Warrior, we won’t know that until we get one to test. The Mean Streak, however, we’ve got, and it’s hardly the same riding experience as the VTX when you’re wringing the loud handle. Still, it’s a pleasant and very lively cruiser to ride. In fact, the bottom three gears-the only territory that really counts with a bike like this-are impressive and entertaining. Certainly the power increase gets the bulk of the credit here, but the redone gearbox plays a role as well. The five speeds feature lower ratios (while final drive remains the same), as well as being spaced more closely, and gear width has been increased a millimeter for strength to cope with the added power. A side benefit of narrowing the ratio gaps is improved shift quality, since the speed differential between disengaging and engaging gearsets is lower, thus making less impact. Also, the already stout clutch now features a more durable paper-based friction material, rather than the cork-based stuff used in the other Vulcans.
Okay, so “lively” and “entertaining” are all well and good, but what’s it do in the quarter, man? A respectable i3.47 seconds at 97 mph. No match for the VTX’s 12.12 aí 199, but a lot better than the 14.6 turned in by the carbureAd Vulcan we tested back in ’96, and way better than mc^t of the V-Twin mega-cruisers we’ve run down the strip.
Certainly launching wasn’t a problem on the Mean Streak, what with the wheelbase up 1.5 inches over the Classic, 1.2 of it coming from a longer swingarm and the rest from a different offset with new beefmaster tripleclamps. This adds up to a 67-inch trip between the axles. Rake is the Vulcan standard of 32 degrees, while trail is 5.7 inches, considerably shorter than the 6.5 inches bequeathed upon the latest Classic.
The real chassis difference here, though, is that there’s genuine damping going on front and rear. Factor in the first radiais ever fitted to a production Vulcan-sportbike-size 17-inchers at that-and you’ve got yourself one planted yet suppleriding cruiser. Rolling into comers is loweffort and reasonably neutral, and if you’re the sporty type, you might even find yourself having fun in big sweepers. Tighten things up, though, and you’ll first touch the footpeg feelers, then not long after the frame/footpeg mounts and also the exhaust. In this regard, the Mean Streak is a bit of a contradiction. The 43 mm inverted cartridge fork designed for the bike is a quality piece.
And the air-adjustable twin rear shocks perform pretty admirably, even if multiple bumps in succession confuse them a bit. This Vulcan feels of the earth, connected to the road The available cornering clearance just doesn’t do the new bike’s performance image much justice. Acceptable for the class, yes, but as we’ve seen in the past few months, the class standards are a’changing. Overall, though, a fine-handling cruiser that feels light on its wheels.
In fact, after riding the VTX then jumping on the Mean
Streak, a tester said, “The Kawi feels like it’s 100 pounds lighter.” Actually, it’s more like 150 pounds lighter! While at 599 pounds full of gas, the Mean Streak isn’t exactly a lightweight, it is in comparison with the 754-pound VTX. Being lighter certainly helps braking performance, but cmisers almost always stop well. Even if equipped with wooden-feeling brakes and flaccid suspension, chassis length imparts stability and keeps the fat rear tire more firmly on the ground, allowing the rear contact patch to do meaningful work. For the Mean Streak, add the fact that it is equipped with a pair of 12.6-inch discs at the front, the pinch upon which is put by six-piston calipers copped from the ZX-9R. These may be the best ever brakes stuck on the front of a cmiser, with phenomenal initial bite and tremendous outright power allied with great sensitivity that isn’t, ah, overly sensitive. They’re good. As for the rear disc, it’s big too (11.8 inches), and has a two-piston caliper.
More than likely, though, you’ll not be laying on the big squeeze entering Tum 1 at Willow Springs International Raceway, but rather the first driveway at the local biker hangout, at which point you’ll probably pull in the clutch and wring out the throttle a few times for effect. How’s the Mean Streak sound? The engine note is pretty nice for a stock system (looks good, too), although one tester commented he thought this was an engine that really wants to sound good. If more decibels are your aural taste, the aftermarket is full of systems that will bolt right on to the Mean Streak since pipes that fit the other Vulcan FI bikes fit this one. Look for a slew of slip-ons soon, too.
Several folks around the office mentioned the more than passing resemblance to the VTX, and unfortunately for Kawasaki that’s how history will catalogue this, since the VTX broke cover first. But as an overall visual package, the Mean Streak is a pretty tight and tidy piece. The fuel tank has a lovely shape, with no exposed seams to jar the eyeballs-more expensive to manufacture, but worth the extra dough on a bike like this. Cable routing and wiring are pretty good, even if there are a pair of external oil hoses running untidily around the rear cylinder-and the giant right-side footpeg bracket is the epitome of unlovely. Also, there’s the Vulcan-trademark exposed voltage regulator/rectifier mounted on the bottom left-side frame rail under the swingarm.
They tell us it’s out there for the sake of cooling (right next to the undoubtedly hot under-frame exhaust “boombox?”). A Kawasaki guy pointed out, however, that when fitting an aftermarket exhaust system, that large-volume collector behind the rear wheel (necessary to make horsepower quietly) goes away and the electrical stuff can be mounted under the engine in the newly opened space. ’Til then, there it is.
Other gripes? These tumsignals date at least back to the Zephyr of the early’90s and have turned up on just about every kicked-back bike in the Kawasaki lineup from Drifters to W650s. And bright sunlight renders some of the idiot lights invisible-like the yellow low-fuel warning, for instance.
Nice features include the slipper clutch, which allows you to absolutely blow downshifts with virtually no kill-the-engine, chirping-tire penalty. The ignition has a novel feature that allows key removal while the bike is running. You can turn it back to Off (or to Park) without reinserting the key, though it can’t be turned on again without said key. Cool. Also, there are adjustable brake and clutch levers, a great seat and a reasonable cruiser riding position. It all adds up to a Mean Long Streak, should you wish to head for points afar. Better do it alone, though, for despite the fact that she said she liked it, slapping the girlie on the backside wasn’t the most successful romantic move. While passenger-seat-to-footpeg distance got the okay, the little pad itself pretty much rated a veto. Sorely lacking.
Okay, so what do we have here? It’s a cruiser, an image bike, that acts in every dynamic sense more like a motorcycle should, and a very good one at that. Power is meaningfully increased, suspension is excellent and looks are very, very clean. Plus, with a price of $10,999, it undercuts its competition by thousands. But with a 9000-rpm, dohc Harley, a ground-pounding 1800cc Honda and a 1602cc Yamaha with an aluminum frame to go up against, the Mean Streak is in a very tough market. It’s the best Vulcan yet, no doubt, but in the Year of the Power Cruiser, will that be enough?
EDITORS' NOTES
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE VULCAN was big. Its 1470cc V-Twin could stand unembarrassed size-wise next to the 1520cc Six in the Honda Valkyrie and 1298cc Four in the Yamaha Royal Star, its principal competition in the Retro Cruiser Wars back in ’96 when the Vulcan 1500 Classic was bom.
Come the 2002 model year (can it be true?!), and the Mean Streak is looking decidedly middleweight in the face of the new Big Twin Players from Honda and Yamaha (325 and 132cc larger, respectively, for VTX and Road Warrior), while good old Harley-Davidson turns the world on its half-helmet with a high-revving 1130cc power cmiser of its own that appears to be anything but a just-add-water effort.
Of course, the irony here is that the Mean Streak is the cruiser we’ve been asking for all along-more power, real brakes, good suspension and clean hot-rod styling. Only it’s starting to look a lot like everybody else went and exceeded what we’ve been asking for...
-Mark Hoyer, Sports Editor
IT’S BEEN A BUSY MONTH, WHAT WITH ALL the power cruisers rumbling through the Cycle World parking lot. An ovemighter during the “Forgotten Four” aboard the V-Max and Honda Magna eased me into the laid-back life of heels-forward motoring. I then had my arms literally yanked by the Screamin’ Eagle Stroker, a torque monster that leaves the line harder than any sportbike I’ve ever tested.
The unveiling of Harley-Davidson’s new V-Rod left me slack-jawed with its long, low and mean raw-aluminum sheen. What’s more, the bike rides as good as it looks.
All pretty tough acts to follow I thought as I climbed aboard Kawasaki’s latest Vulcan. And I have to say, were it not for having just ridden a round robin of heavy-hitters, the Mean Streak would have been a standout. As it stands among this crowd, it’s a refined cmiser highlighted by smooth power, slick shifting, strong brakes, a sturdy fork and very neutral steering. Nuthin’ really mean about it, but that’s not all bad. -Don Canet, Road Test Editor
VULCAN MEAN STREAK? WHAT’S THAT, Spock having an off day? Trekkie yuks aside, and I hate to say I told you so, but see how much fun cmisers can be when you give ’em some steam and a decent set of sproingers? The Mean Streak is a bike for enthusiasts, not just a re-entry vehicle for 53-year-old insurance agents afraid of the throttle.
For my money, this latest iteration of the Vulcan theme does everything better than the retrostyle sleds that have come before: go, stop, shift, ride, corner and look. This is the 1500cc V-Twin we always knew Kawasaki could make. It’s not just a good cmiser, it’s a good motorcycle.
Of course, as in comedy, new-model timing is everything. Kawasaki clearly targeted Harley-Davidson’s Deuce (Best Cruiser, 2000) with the Mean Streak. Pretty much a direct hit, too: same power, same hot-rod styling, better brakes, better price. It’s just that now the Milwaukee bull’s-eye has a new name: V-Rod.
-David Edwards, Editor-in-Chief
1500 MEAN STREAK
$10,999
