Kawasaki lets the good times roll for its Vulcan 900 Classic cruiser and tour-tastic Classic LT right on into MY2023. They carry all the goodies from the previous year, but with new colorways to set them apart from their forebears.

You can choose between a boulevard bruiser build with generous blackout treatment and oodles of old-school custom charm or go with the equally old-school tour package. The touring amenities center around a large, barn-door windshield, bags, and passenger backrest.

An attractive, 900 cc mill drives this pair with a decent torque well to help pull it out of the hole with enthusiasm added liberally thereunto. It first rolled in 2006 as an alternative to the Harley-Davidson Softail line and has remained competitive due in part to its relatively low sticker price.

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2023 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic Performance And Capability

Power for the Vulcan 900 Classic comes from a 55-degree, V-twin engine with an 88 mm bore and 74.2 mm stroke. That gives it an actual displacement of 903 cc. It has a relatively mild compression ratio of 9.5-to-1, so not only will it tolerate low-to-mid octane fuels, but the bearings in the bottom end aren't beaten to death by the reciprocating mass in the top end. Theoretically, this should extend the engine's service life, but in practice, it's just one of the variables in that particular equation.

Fuel-injected, 34 mm throttle bodies meter the air-fuel mix with a second set of butterfly valves in the throttle body. This second set is computer controlled, meant to balance rider demand and engine capability for seamless transitions throughout the range.

Power flows through a standard clutch and five-speed transmission with a belt-and-pulley final drive. The Vulcan 900 Classic's top speed is a claimed 115 mph, but that is under perfect circumstances, so individual results may vary.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic produces 50 horsepower and 58.2 pound-feet of torque. That grunt comes on fully at 3,500 rpm, so you can count on tractable power fairly low in the range from the broad powerband.

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Design

The Vulcan 900 Classic line is all about appearances. From bottom to top, the Vulcan Classic channels the charms of yesteryear. Ample blackout treatment makes the custom-culture connection, while laced wheels and whitewall tires reinforce that look like nothing else can.

Right up front, the fairing maintains its full length, but the cut-down sides show off that big beautiful front tire. Beer-can skirts fatten up the front end on both models, but while the Classic rocks a dark look, the LT trades in the blackout in favor of oodles of chrome instead. Both push a cyclops headlight, but only the LT comes with the big screen that also channels the tour bikes of old.

The 5.3-gallon fuel tank rocks a teardrop profile. It has just a skosh of stretch for more custom delightfulness ahead of the deep-scoop seat that slings your butt a mere 26.8 inches off the deck. Both models rock a stock pillion pad, but only the LT comes with studded-leather decoration and a stock passenger backrest for your partner's comfort.

To be honest, the stock studded leather saddlebags aren't very big, but they don't wreck the look and provide at least some cargo-carrying capacity. A full rear fender mounts the gear in the rear to finish the look.

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Chassis

The Vulcan frame is actually where most of the magic happens. It's because of the geometry that the whole faux-rigid factor works at all. The dual-downtube/double-cradle skeleton sets the stage with its upper and lower lines meeting at a point in the rear to look like an old rigid frame. The look is specifically from the U.S. around the 1940s when the front ends were what they called “juice forks” but the rear ends were still rigid.

It's a mirage though as the articulated triangle with modern suspension components gives it a soft ride in spite of its looks with 4.1 inches of travel and adjustable spring preload. Up front, the forks have a 5.9-inch stroke but with no adjustable parameters, which is sadly the rule not the exception in this category.

Both models roll on laced chrome wheels, but while the LT has the whitewalls to the inside, the Classic carries them to the outside to add to its gangster chops. At 619.6 pounds soaking wet, I'm a little surprised that Kawi went with but a single front brake. Sure, it's big with a 300 mm disc and twin-piston caliper, with a 270 mm disc and twin-pot binder out back, but I feel like dual brakes would be a good hit anyway.

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2023 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic Price And Availability

The 2023 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic costs $8,999. If you fancy the fancy LT model, you can expect to add another $1,000 to the MSRP. While the LT comes in a monochromatic, Pearl Storm Gray/Ebony package, which is a bit of a snore, the stock Classic rocks a Metallic Spark Black/Metallic Magnesium Gray colorway. They can call it what they like, I call it Candy Root Beer over gloss black. I really like it, and I usually don't care for brown that much.

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Competitors

There's just no way around it; Kawasaki intends the Vulcan 900 Classic and LT to compete within the U.S. market. As such, they inevitably come into direct contact with Harley-Davidson's Softail range.

I would like to posit that, as much as they have in common, they do actually appeal to different riders. In the looks department, sure, the Vulcan 900 Classic and H-D Street Bob have a lot in common both in physical appearance and philosophy of design all the way back to the fake hardtail hardware. Not just that, the Vulcan 900 Classic LT is a clear ringer for the H-D Heritage Classic, but alas, that's where the similarities end.

The MoCo runs Showa Dual-Bending Valve technology to deliver a superior ride up front, which is the next best thing to fully adjustable. The engine is a 1,868 cc (114 cubic-inch) monster that, unsurprisingly, beats the pants off the Kawi with 119 pound-feet of torque at the shaft. Plus, H-D offers ABS as an accessory item so at least you have a choice. Naturally, price is the deciding factor, and at $16,599, the Softails are right at twice the price of the Vulcan, making it one of cruisers that no gearhead can resist.

He Said

“The Vulcan can be a trainer for larger bikes, or it can be a destination bike, especially the LT with its bags and glass. I always did like that Softail look, and clearly, Kawi did a solid job on its Vulcan platform.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “Being height-challenged, I'm not a fan of the forward controls, but it is a classic cruiser riding position. The low seat height, relaxed riding posture, and easy-going power delivery make the Vulcan 900 the quintessential cruiser.”

FAQ

Q: How much does a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 cost?

MSRP on the 2023 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic is $8,999. The Vulcan 900 Classic LT model is $1,000 more at $9,999.

Q: What is the difference between Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic and Classic LT?

The Vulcan 900 Classic LT carries all the features of the 900 Classic with the addition of an adjustable windscreen, saddlebags, and a passenger backrest.

Q: Is the Vulcan 900 a heavy bike?

Curb weight of the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic is 620 pounds. The LT model with the additional touring amenities weighs 657 pounds. With typical cruisers in the market weighing between 500 and 700 pounds, the Vulcan 900 Classic is on the higher side of the range.

Q: What is the top speed of a Kawasaki Vulcan 900?

The top speed of the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic is 115 MPH.