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Your Location: Home, Test Rides Spotlight This Month: Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter by Leif Andersen & Peter Ludwig 
On a recent July afternoon we had the opportunity to take the retro-styled Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter for our Road Test.
And what a Road Test it was! Before we go into the details, we would like to extend our thanks to Jim Gierloff of South Valley Motorsports,
at 11553 S. State Street in Draper Utah, for providing this bike for our evaluation. Though two of us were involved in this Road Test, we'll
write the article without going into detail of who thought what since our notes were quite similar at the end of the day.
Looks, looks and more looks! That's what this deep burgundy colored cruiser got as we rode it through Salt Lake City on our way to the surrounding canyons. The styling has very distinct 1940's Indian cues. So distinct, that during our lunch stop at Ruth's Diner in Emigration Canyon, an older gentleman walking past the bike complimented us on the nice restoration. We thought it reminded him of something he probably rode on one of his first dates after WW II. We left him in those "good old days" and didn't bring him into reality. Reality being that the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter is the perfect blend of 1940's retro-styling and 1990's technology. Former motorcycle racer Don Emde is credited with the design of the Drifter that Kawasaki first showed the motorcycle public at Daytona in 1997. From the full valanced plastic fenders to the black powder-coated front end and head light to the vintage looking exhaust, the Drifter screams Nostalgia. It is nothing short of a people magnet. 
The only criticism we had about the styling is Kawasaki's effort to give the head/valve covers and engine covers the
extreme vintage, unpolished as-cast appearance. Not that it looks bad, but it conflicts with the chrome finish on the air cleaners and exhaust
system. After much evaluation and discussions with some of the people that were looking at the Drifter, consensus is that chrome covers, valve
and engine, would be the way to go and we hope Kawasaki takes that into consideration for future versions of this great looking motorcycle. The 90 cubic inch, 1,470 cc, 50 degree V-twin engine uses a single crankpin bottom end. A counter rotating balance shaft and rubber engine mounts virtually eliminate vibration. The twin plug heads house single overhead cam shafts that operate four valve per cylinder. To reduce owner maintenance, there are hydraulic valve adjusters and automatic cam-chain adjusters. We estimate the horsepower output somewhere in the low 50's. Kawasaki claims 91.1 lb. ft. of torque at 3,000 rpm which we tend to dispute. Granted the transmission gearing is high, a twist of the throttle in the low rev range seemed somewhat disappointing for a 90 cubic inch engine. Though we didn't have the equipment to determine the exact rev range while cruising on the open road, around 70 to 80 mph, the smoothness of the engine resulted in the vibration being minimal enough to not be fatiguing or annoying. We assumed highway cruising in the mid 70 mph range would generate approximately 2,500 rpm. 
Power in the cruising range seemed more than adequate. A twist of the throttle between 60 and 80 mph is clearly
noticeable, even in the uphill sections of Parleys Canyon. We measured 60 to 80 mph acceleration at 8.1 seconds and 40 to 60 mph acceleration
right around 5.9 seconds. While riding in the city, we concluded that the dual 36 mm throttle body, digital fuel injection provided adequate
and consistent power as we accelerated away from stop lights, getting us to 30 mph in just about two seconds flat. A little more rumble from
the exhaust would enhance the sensation of the rapid acceleration this 700 pound bike has to offer.
The overall handling for a bike this size was just short of fantastic. Considering the 700 pound weight and the 65.2 inch wheelbase, the responsiveness through the turns was surprising. The other bike we brought along on this Road Test was a BMW RS1100 which led us through the tight turns of East Canyon. Much to both of our surprise, we were able to remain relatively close to the leading RS1100. Though we would lose a little time in the turns, we were able to power out of the turns and catch up quickly. The only complaint we had is that the foot boards would begin to drag as we leaned the Drifter through some of the tighter turns. Though the boards are hinged, preventing rear wheel lift, the scraping noise served as enough of a warning to get us to back off the throttle. A potential re-design of the foot boards might get it to where the handling capabilities of the Drifter can be fully explored and appreciated. Even though this minor obstacle prevented us from discovering the maximum lean angle, it did not dampen our enthusiasm for the overall handling capabilities of the bike. On the highway, the Drifter was rock-steady. We took the Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter up to 110 mph on I-80 and felt extremely comfortable - no wobble or shake, just a steady ride in the direction we pointed the bike. A windshield option for those thinking about a cross country tour would probably be appreciated. With a windshield and some saddle-bags, the Drifter would turn 500 mile days into enjoyable tales from the road. Braking was the only area where we experienced some disappointments. Rather than criticize Kawasaki for providing inadequate brakes, we concluded that bleeding the front caliper might be the solution to the spongy feel of the front brakes. Then again, dual front disk would be nice for a bike that, full of gas and with a single male rider, weighs right around 900 pounds. For the enthusiast looking for a retro-style cruiser with all the current, state-of-the-art technology, this is the motorcycle! The ergonomics make the Drifter one of the more comfortable cruisers I've ridden. Though our test bike did have the Corbin solo saddle, the standard, factory provided saddle looks and feels just as comfy. At the end of the day, after spending around 150 miles on the Drifter, I didn't feel like I'd even been in the wind. The factory suggested retail of $11,499 makes the Drifter a bargain when you consider all you get and how it packaged. Regardless of where you ride, the Drifter will turn heads and we guarantee you will experience difficulty in getting out of a parking lot without answering questions or getting at least a thumbs-up from those who admire the nicely executed retro-styling of the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter.  ~ Contributing Editor, Leif Andersen
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