Drawing from both current and classic styling influences, the Vulcan® 900 Custom and Custom Special Edition cruisers are a distinctive mix of back-in-the-day style and up-to-date imagery; an aggressive flat handlebar and forward footpegs place the rider in a stylish profile that enhances the overall visual appeal when rolling down Main Street. Stylish cast wheels, including a solid-look rear wheel, complete the classic V-twin look. And the 180-series rear tire, the largest in its class, accentuates its big bike style. But you won’t pay big bike bucks to get this affordable middleweight.
These stylish machines have more to offer than just good looks. Like its siblings, the Vulcan 900 Custom has a fuel-injected 903cc engine that produces exceptional roll-on acceleration rivaling the get-up-and-go of much larger motorcycles – yet it’s wrapped in a nimble chassis that lets it turn and handle like no heavyweight motorcycle can.
The 900 Custom’s unique, edgy design shows it can stand out from the crowd. Kawasaki engineers and designers concentrated on delivering a motorcycle with a customized appearance typically found only on expensive two-wheel offerings. A massive rear tire, light-looking front end accentuated by a thin 21-inch cast wheel, and sculpted bodywork top the stand-out features of the Vulcan 900 Custom.Perhaps one of the most striking examples of this Vulcan cruiser’s distinctive look is its large-diameter 21-inch front cast wheel – itself somewhat rare in the custom-building world. The wheel features spokes arranged in pairs for a special visual appeal. Balancing the lightweight look of the front end is a low, wide rear wheel featuring a 180mm tire on a 15-inch cast wheel that gives the rider the feeling of sitting on a one-of-a-kind, made-to-order motorcycle.
Bridging the visual contrast between the front and rear wheels is a sleek and subtle fuel tank. Its flowing lines easily lead the eye along the careful and delicate curves that blend together the highly customized form of this gem of mid-sized cruisers. A matte black frame provides an understated framework for the Kawasaki artistry that is the appealing and gutsy, fuel-injected V-Twin Vulcan 900 Custom. Its stylish aesthetics grace a platform that’s perfect for customization with Kawasaki accessories.
Ready for anything from local streets to highway speeds, the Vulcan 900 Custom’s good power, excellent stability, easy maneuverability, and startling good looks make this Kawasaki the one to own.
Want an even more exclusive ride? Then the “Special Edition” model may satisfy that craving. The Vulcan 900 Custom SE comes with all the trappings of an expensive handmade creation for a fraction of the cost and none of the maintenance headaches. It features a special black-out treatment on the air cleaner, engine cases, exhaust and forks and the Vulcan 900 Custom SE is finished off with a Special Edition Ebony color scheme mixing flat and high gloss black paint features.
Engine
Designed to offer superior acceleration in the mid-speed range (where most riding is actually done), the powerful, liquid-cooled, V-twin engine has the torque to out-accelerate smaller displacement bikes yet with a single downshift can easily keep up with larger displacement bikes.
Oversquare 88 x 74.2mm bore and stroke ensures punchy response and a broad spread of satisfying power. Free-breathing, SOHC, 4-valve heads deliver impressive performance throughout the rev range.
The cylinder head features the same combustion chamber and intake/exhaust porting design concept as that of the mighty VN2000.
The electronic fuel injection system, controlled by dual throttle valves, ensures silky smooth response and easy-to-control torque characteristics.
Automotive-type fine-atomizing injectors improve performance, fuel economy and emissions.
An auto-fast idle system is equipped with an rpm feedback relay ensuring a fixed (ideal) engine speed in all starting conditions. (The feedback is used to control the sub-throttles to obtain the desired rpm.)
Curved intake tracts provide an extremely efficient path for intake flow. Ports narrow as they reach the combustion chamber, increasing intake flow speed for more efficient filling. The result of the highly intake efficiency is improved torque.
Long intake tracts extend well into the air cleaner box. The longer path improves low-end response.
Returnless-type pump inside the fuel tank prevents fuel starvation during hard braking or acceleration. No return fuel line increases reliability.
Crankshaft and gear-driven balancer are matched to the long stroke design for smooth performance.
Like all Kawasaki V-twins, the VN900 engine uses a single crankpin for best strength and strong power feeling.
Lightweight, nut-less connecting rods like those on the VN2000 contribute to low vibration levels.
Deeply chromed engine covers have curved upper surfaces. Their 3D design adds volume and gives a quality appearance.
Five-speed transmission with smooth shift action is geared for a comfortably low rpm at highway cruising speeds.
The transmission is equipped with Kawasaki’s exclusive Positive Neutral Finder. Just lift the pedal from first at a stop to find neutral easily, every time.
Like the VN2000, the 900 Custom has a quiet and efficient belt final drive.
In addition to reduced maintenance (compared to chain final drives), belt drives offer a smoother ride quality, less weight, and better efficiency than shaft drives.
Dual slash-cut mufflers give the VN900 a wild air. The mufflers are angled so that they look good when the bike is on its side stand.
Catalysers built into each of the mufflers reduce exhaust emissions.
Chassis
Although the Custom is a Vulcan 900 Series model, in order to achieve its custom image, Kawasaki designers completely re-evaluated its bodywork, treating it as if it were a completely new model.
Every styling detail was closely scrutinized. The floorboards had to go, the front end was completely restyled, rear fender sliced, and the seat reshaped. You can’t miss that it has all the right custom cues – the wide fork, small headlight, big 21” wheel, and matching fender.
With generous chrome and rich paint, the Vulcan 900 Custom not only out performs other mid-size cruisers, it looks great doing it. Grab your gear – it’s time to show off!
Central to the Vulcan 900 Custom’s design is its fuel tank. It naturally draws the eye. Unlike some custom machines that use flashy designs to attract attention, the beauty of the Custom’s tank lies in its subtlety. Its delicate twin-valley theme produces a graceful play of light and shadow along the soft curves.
The twin-valley design theme is continued in the rear fender. Like the tank, it is composed exclusively of curves with constantly varying radii, its hand-sculpted contours designed to be pleasing to both the eye and to the touch.
The unique cut of the tail lamp lens contributes to the design of the rear fender.
The key feature in achieving the Custom’s light-looking front end is its thin, 21” wheel. The wheel’s large diameter also helps raise the front of the bike, further contributing to the light image.
For size alone a more traditional wire-spoke wheel would have sufficed, but a cast design was deemed necessary to achieve the impact of a true custom.
Arranged in pairs, the wheel’s 18 “spokes” were designed by hand. Tapered and flanged in two directions, every line and surface of the 3D spokes is exquisitely curved.
Single 300mm drilled front disc delivers impressive stopping power without hiding the front wheel’s good looks.
Twin-piston front caliper ensures strong stopping power.
Further contributing to the front end’s light appearance is the simplicity of the design of the headlamp area, fork and handlebar.
The crisp, clean lines created by this minimalist approach are accentuated by a liberal use of chrome.
The headlamp itself is small and isolated; there is no central fork cover or headlamp bar. The headlamp, headlamp mount, lower triple clamp and turn signals are all chromed.
The sporty, straight-style handlebar adds to the bike’s custom styling. Instead of handlebar clamps, twin tubes elegantly curve back from the upper triple clamp. Both the handlebar and twin tubes are completely chromed.
To accentuate the lightweight image of the front end, the rear was designed to be low and solid looking. This contrast contributes to the Custom’s sense of dynamics as the eye travels from the front of the bike to the rear.
The massive 180 mm rear tire gives the rear of the bike a powerful image. The tire’s weighty appearance with the large amount of dark rubber juxtaposes the light image created by the front of the bike.
The 15” cast rear wheel was chosen to contrast the “light,” tall front wheel. Its solid disc design helps gives the rear a solid “squatting” image.
Powerful twin-piston caliper and 300 mm drilled disc look right at home on this Custom model.
The massive 180 mm rear tire gives the rear of the bike a powerful image. The tire’s weighty appearance with the large amount of dark rubber juxtaposes the light image created by the front of the bike.
Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, SOHC, four valves per cylinder V-twin
Displacement: 903cc / 55.1 cu. in.
Bore x stroke: 88.0 x 74.2mm
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Maximum torque: 58.2 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm
Cooling: Liquid
Fuel injection: DFI with dual 34mm Keihin throttle bodies (2)
Ignition: TCBI with digital advance
Transmission: Five-speed
Final drive: Belt
Frame: Double cradle, high-tensile steel
Rake / trail: 33 degrees / 7.2 in.
Front suspension / wheel travel: 41mm hydraulic telescopic fork / 5.9 in.
Rear suspension / wheel travel: Uni-Trak® swingarm, 7-way adjustable spring preload / 4.1 in.
Front tire: 80/90x21
Rear tire: 180/70x15
Front brake / rear brake: 300mm hydraulic disc / 270mm hydraulic disc
Overall length: 94.7 in.
Overall width: 35.2 in.
Overall height: 44.1 in.
Seat height: 27.0 in.
Curb weight: 610.8 lbs.
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal.
Wheelbase: 64.8 in.
Color / Special Edition: Metallic Dark Red/ Flat Ebony (SE)
Warranty: 12 months
