2009 kawasaki vulcan 900 custom backrest

2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 900 CUSTOM BACKREST UPGRADE

Thankfully, V17вЂ™s chassis is more compact than the old V16, using a new frame that is much wider near the swingarm pivot section. When cruisers get really big (like the Vulcan 2000 still in the lineup), they inevitably get more ponderous. It also makes the bike easier to customize with aftermarket wheels and sprockets. A belt system has the benefits of being lighter, transmitting more power to the rear tire and not suffering the jacking effect on the rear suspension from a shaft drive. The new 1700 joins the rest of the belt-driven Vulcan lineup by eschewing the heavy shaft-drive arrangement of the 1600 in favor of a carbon-fiber drive belt that is barely wider than an inch. KawiвЂ™s Positive Neutral Finder makes slotting into neutral from a stop as simple as can be, but it does inhibit neutral access while the bike is still rolling. Gear changes through a heel/toe shifter are fairly light, as is the amount of pull required from the hydraulic clutch. Prices depend on which model, and all have no mileage limit.ДЄ new transmission contains an extra cog, gaining an overdrive 6th gear for low-rev freeway cruising. Ready-to-ride curb weight: 895 lbs.ДЇor those of you who appreciate enhanced peace of mind, Kawasaki offers its Good Times Protection Plan that can extend factory coverage by up to four years. Prices jump $1,100 to $17,899 and includes 3 years of warranty coverage.

Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS: In addition to an antilock braking system, this version uses K-ACT, a linked braking arrangement that uses 4-piston front calipers instead of the 2-piston units on the other V17s.Prices start at $16,799, bolstered by a longer 3-year warranty. Vulcan 1700 Voyager: The top-of-the-line V17 has all of the NomadвЂ™s accoutrements, as well as a large, frame-mounted fairing, comprehensive instrumentation and a top box that can hold two full-face helmets.Like the Classic LT, the Nomad is equipped with a 2-year warranty.

ItвЂ™s equipped with a windshield, hard bags, plusher seats and cruise control, resulting in a $14,399 base price. Vulcan 1700 Nomad: Handlebars are pulled back less and floorboards are further back to create a more standard riding position.Its warranty is extended from one to two years, and it is available in your choice of two 2-tone paint combinations. Vulcan 1700 Classic LT: A height-adjustable windshield, leather saddlebags, backrest and studded seats increase versatility and raise the MSRP to $13,799.Vulcan 1700 Classic: The most basic V17 starts at $12,299 in any color you like as long as itвЂ™s Metallic Diablo Black.Interestingly, initial development work began on the Voyager, not on the base-model cruiser versions. All of them use the same basic engine and chassis. The Vulcan 1700 platform underpins a line of five semi-distinct iterations for Kawasaki, from the stripped-down boulevardier Classic to the luxury-touring Voyager full-dress tourer. Shedding heat is a combination of nicely machined/contoured cylinder finning for air cooling and liquid-cooled upper cylinders. Even more impressive is a claimed 20% boost in horsepower. Kawi says the V17 motor produces 15% more torque than the V1600. The cruiser genreвЂ™s currency is big torque, and the new Vulc purportedly has 108 ft-lbs to trade, its peak arriving at just 2250 rpm.

If the on-board diagnostic system detects a problem, the ECU can default to one of three fail-safe modes. Power production is smoothed out with the addition of KawasakiвЂ™s first electronic throttle valve to the fuel-injection system that adapts to inputs from throttle position, load, temperature and air pressure. Twin counterbalancers (as opposed to the single balance shaft on the Vulcan 1600) quell vibes from the 52-degree V-Twin. The use of a single-pin crankshaft provides the loping sound weвЂ™ve come to expect from cruisers, spat out mostly sanitized from stacked, shotgun-style pipes with slash-cut exits. A 102mm bore was retained from the V1600, but the stroke was stretched from 95mm to 104mm to create an even 1700cc вЂ“ thatвЂ™s 103.7 cubic inches for those adverse to the metric system. The new mill is indeed new, not some enlarged version of the old 1552cc вЂњ1600.вЂќ Kawi says the engine is based loosely on the giant Vulcan 2000, although it uses a single-overhead-cam design with four valves per cylinder instead of the V2000вЂ™s pushrods.

2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 900 CUSTOM BACKREST UPGRADE

The new Vulcan 1700 is a significant upgrade over the old Vulcan 1600 line, starting with a motor said to offer 20% more horsepower. Kawasaki invited us to Marin County just north of San Francisco to sample its new line on the areaвЂ™s hills, coastline and freeways. Just introduced is a new-from-the-wheels-up 1700cc cruiser that includes a more powerful drivetrain and a nimbler, stronger chassis than the previous Vulcan 1600. KawasakiвЂ™s Vulcan cruiser is tired of residing in the shadows of the Big Twin market.

2009 kawasaki vulcan 900 custom backrest