The New Kawasaki Voyager

[Dawg]

Hey can any tell me what they think of this article for Kawasaki, making the claim that it's new Voyager is the first Japanese full Dress V-Twin?

 

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2009-kawasaki-vulcan-1700-voyager-86899.html

 

:Im not listening to:Im not listening to:Im not listening to

[Kregerdoodle]

hhhmmmm it may be, as the Venture is a Full Dress V4... I don`t know about others... That new bike is nothing more then a Nomad with a bigger motor, trunk and a fairing...

[royalstarjac]

Hey can any tell me what they think of this article for Kawasaki, making the claim that it's new Voyager is the first Japanese full Dress V-Twin?

 

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2009-kawasaki-vulcan-1700-voyager-86899.html

 

:Im not listening to:Im not listening to:Im not listening to

 

I'm not really sure what your point is. As far as I know it is the first Full Dress Jap V twin.

Maybe I'm mistaken though.-Jack

[Dawg]

You have a point...1st night back to work about 2 in the morning and not all brain cells firing at once.

 

:bang head:

[Squidley]

Whatever they want to call it, I'll say it missed the mark. We went to the bike show last weekend in Novi MI. and I sat on one of them. We may think that our RSV's are antiquated, but the Voyager has only 2 speakers in the front. It also doesn't have the fit and finish that the Venture has. There are a lot of plastic pieces that compose the front upper and lower fairing. I also noticed strait out that some of the plastic pieces still had the molding lines from when it was extruded...it just looks cheap.

The saddlebags were VERY flimsy and the hindge assy left a lot to be desired with tolerances. I opened the rear trunk and there is a cable that keeps the lid from over extending. It's not user friendly as it obstructs the useable cargo space of the trunk.

This is just me, but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that I would buy one of the Voyagers to replace my RSV

[Two Tone White]

Whatever they want to call it, I'll say it missed the mark. We went to the bike show last weekend in Novi MI. and I sat on one of them. We may think that our RSV's are antiquated, but the Voyager has only 2 speakers in the front. It also doesn't have the fit and finish that the Venture has. There are a lot of plastic pieces that compose the front upper and lower fairing. I also noticed strait out that some of the plastic pieces still had the molding lines from when it was extruded...it just looks cheap.

 

The saddlebags were VERY flimsy and the hindge assy left a lot to be desired with tolerances. I opened the rear trunk and there is a cable that keeps the lid from over extending. It's not user friendly as it obstructs the useable cargo space of the trunk.

 

This is just me, but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that I would buy one of the Voyagers to replace my RSV

 

 

I completely concur. I saw it yesterday at the show in DC and was very disappointed. The specs on paper looked good, but not in person.

[VTirelli]

gonna see it next week in NYC...............guess I won't be impressed either

[BigBoyinMS]

The thing in the article that stood out to me was that is would be priced to compete with the H-D Ultra. That says, "Priced WAY too high!" to me.

[Guest BluesLover]

Whatever they want to call it, I'll say it missed the mark. We went to the bike show last weekend in Novi MI. and I sat on one of them. We may think that our RSV's are antiquated, but the Voyager has only 2 speakers in the front. It also doesn't have the fit and finish that the Venture has. There are a lot of plastic pieces that compose the front upper and lower fairing. I also noticed strait out that some of the plastic pieces still had the molding lines from when it was extruded...it just looks cheap.

 

 

 

The saddlebags were VERY flimsy and the hindge assy left a lot to be desired with tolerances. I opened the rear trunk and there is a cable that keeps the lid from over extending. It's not user friendly as it obstructs the useable cargo space of the trunk.

 

 

This is just me, but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that I would buy one of the Voyagers to replace my RSV

Well said Brad. I too saw it at the Novi Show and was not impressed. And, at US$18K it is - IMHO - way overpriced.

 

Cheers,

Edited January 12, 2009 by BluesLover

[Marcarl]

Maybe it's the MP3 player etc. that makes it a full dresser.

[utadventure]

This is utadventure's son and I own a '82 Honda Silverwing. It is a V-Twin tour bike so I'm sure that this bike is a little late to claim that title. =)

[Guest tx2sturgis]

This is utadventure's son and I own a '82 Honda Silverwing. It is a V-Twin tour bike so I'm sure that this bike is a little late to claim that title. =)

 

I was gonna post the same response. I have a freind who rides his Honda V-twin Silver Wing everywhere. I might just have to get a picture of it!

 

 

http://motoprofi.com/motospecspictures/honda/gl_500_silver_wing-1982.html#

 

http://www.rhuss.cncfamily.com/Honda1.jpg

[silvercrew]

I have a 1986 voyager and when I looked at the new one at the Calagry mc show I thought they should have kept the name plate in retirement. I was not impressed enough to even sit on it and as far as I am concerned they ruined the nomad also.

[craigatcsi]

The thing in the article that stood out to me was that is would be priced to compete with the H-D Ultra. That says, "Priced WAY too high!" to me.

 

What you said!

 

I find the HD over - priced. And they have the HD name to rely on. Metrics don't seem to have the following that is willing to pay extra just for the name.

 

After buying a new 2007 last June, I have been anxiious to sit on one and even consider replacing my V4 to return to the 'potato-potato' sound. But after falling in love with my Venture and the more I read about the Voyager, I'm thinking that I will hold on to my Venture for a while.

 

craigr

[waterbug]

I did alot of research when we bought our 08 rsv and they came out with the new kaw after I bought it but I havent seen one yet, from what I am hearing from everyone I am so glad I bought our rsv and plan on ridding it for a very long time!! I cant wait to see the new stuff at the next show in the Indy area but I dont believe there is a better bike for us than what we have and I dont think I could get her off the couch in the back for one of the otheres.

[mtman]

"Kawi claims a beefy torque peak of 108 ft-lbs at 2750 rpm, with a horsepower peak of 89 at 5000 revs."

 

And my 1300 is 97 HP...

[az1103]

"Kawi claims a beefy torque peak of 108 ft-lbs at 2750 rpm, with a horsepower peak of 89 at 5000 revs."

 

And my 1300 is 97 HP...

 

Actually, that's quite realistic. Twins tend to have lots of low torque and less high rev HP.

Problem is, they also have lots more vibration. And having gotten used to the relative quiet and lack of vibration on the RSV I don't think I would go back to a twin.

[Bartley]

I too saw the new Voyager at the Calgary motorcycle show a few days ago. The Kaw rep was there and he specifically stated that these bikes at the shows were NOT the final product. Fit and finish detail was definitely going receive more attention. Personally, after having sat on both the models they had on the floor, I have to say I like it. ABS, EFI, plenty of lights on both the back and front end, fly by wire throttle, Ipod hookup, etc. It's much more technologically advanced than the Venture and while it doesn't have some of the "goodies" the Venture has, it IS cheaper than the Venture by about $2000.00 Cdn. This alone makes it a great bargain. I'll give it a year or two before I decide and hopefully by that time Yamaha will come out with an upgraded Venture.

[Pete Mann]

I went to a dealer who will remain nameless, He advised that he'ed been selling kawis and before that HDs. He had nothing good to say about the voyager and alot of it. Suprised me, I thought it looked good on print also. He advised if your looking for a HD look-a-like this is the only thing going for it. Get ready to vibrate under low power. Next...

[gibvel]

I too saw the new Voyager at the Calgary motorcycle show a few days ago. The Kaw rep was there and he specifically stated that these bikes at the shows were NOT the final product. Fit and finish detail was definitely going receive more attention.

 

Hmmm sounds backward to me. "Hey, lets take crap to the show so we can impress people". Used to be the stuff at the show was the top notch, attention to detail, stuff. May just lose some customers who won't give it a second look because of what they saw at the show.

 

If I were a rep I'd be giving the home office a piece of my mind. Besides that, how can you trust a company, who doesn't put their best foot forward for a show to launch a new bike, to make good on promises to pay closer attention to detail when they're cranking the product out right and left in production. I'm just saying.

[Sylvester]

I will get my first look at the IMS in Greenville, SC next month (I will be tending a Star Touring and Riding booth). I have been looking forward to seeing the Kaw since the announcement came out. All these posts are great but I want to see it first hand before I make my decision. The Victory tourer left me numb as far as motorcycles go. I hope the Kaw is not "that bad".