Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS arrives

Luxury grand touring bikes have long been associated with the Honda Gold Wing, the benchmark of grand touring excellence. In recent years, other Japanese brands have come to the fore, with Kawasaki now staking their claim as being the new King of the Road.

Kawasaki have recently released their new Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS - certainly an impressive bike by anyone's standards. Offering everything in the way of rider comfort, it is designed for long distance touring, with or without a passenger. While equipment levels are high, its RRP of $25,499 is also welcome.

As a flagship Kawasaki model, the Vulcan Voyager ABS comes equipped with a number of new systems and a number of firsts for Kawasaki. K-ACT (Kawasaki Advanced Co-active braking Technology) ABS ensures smooth braking control for confident, highly effective braking. Kawasaki's first fully electronic throttle valve system offers smooth, natural engine response and easy starting in cold conditions, whilst electronic cruise control and multi-function instrumentation complete with an audio system compatible with iPod and other systems are also standard equipment.

The newly designed 1700cc longstroke liquid cooled V-twin engine is based on that of the VN2000. Offering both power and torque gains, the engine is mounted in a new compact light weight frame designed for agile handling and maneouverability. Delivering comfort on long distance rides is a large front cowling and windscreen, with the cowling mounted to the frame so that any wind buffeting is transferred to the chassis rather than the handlebars. There are also leg shields with air vents that allow airflow to the legs to be adjusted and rider and passenger comfort is further enhanced by a sculptured seat designed for comfort and ease of mounting. The passenger seat is complemented by padding on the trunk that provides back and arm support and rear floorboards keep the feet comfortable. Overall comfort during long distance touring on the Voyager is further enhanced by dual rear air shocks.

There is plenty of storage with a 50-litre lockable rear trunk that is large enough to fit two full face helmets, whilst opening side 38-litre panniers are also sealed and lockable. Up front there are lockable gloveboxes for storing small items and accessories with an iPod jack located in the left side glove box. The Vulcan has a 60s era American sports car theme, with curved surfaces from one end of the bike to the other. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is first rate, with care taken to ensure that the Vulcan looks good from any angle. Available in a choice of titanium or black metallic, the Voyager is now available at Kawasaki dealers.

Source: JUST BIKES, June 2009