KAWASAKI VN900 CUSTOM (2007 - 2016) Review

Version: Classic

Year: 2010

Annual servicing cost: £200

Test rode the Triumph America and the VN900 Classic and the Kawasaki looked better and was nicer to ride in my opinion.It's an amazing looking bike, and mine had lots of extra chrome. It would look as well in a design museum as it does on the road. Really stunning looking. However, after a couple of years I decided to sell, with just 5,000miles on. Why? It just wasn't that great on fast roads i.e. dual carriages and motorways, in the sense that it really buzzed and gave lots of vibrations upwards of 60mph. Probably my naivety thinking a 900cc cruiser would cruise beautifully along fast stretches of road, guess they're not built for speed. But in the end I sold and got a Triumph Tiger 800, which - whilst nowhere near as much of a head turner - performed far better on motorways. So if you're looking for something to turn heads and just cruise around town and the lanes on, this is probably as good as anything you can get for the money. If you're wanting to take longer trips that include motorway riding though, there's no doubt better bikes out there.

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £80

It's low seat height and relaxing, comfortable ride make it ideal for me. Steering is a bit heavy when pushing it around but other than that it's great. I've added a windshield, a Barons front pulley, givi monkey side pannier frames a back rest and some 3" bar risers and now it's perfect. It originally came with a Vance and Hines exhaust but it was far too noisy so had to go. Now got a stock exhaust which is quiet, my ears (and riding buddies) thank me.

Buying experience: Bought privately from a lovely chap in North Yorkshire. Paid about £400 less that what he advertised it for.

Version: VN900 Classic

Year: 2016

Annual servicing cost: £120

She is a lovely bike however she could have done with a more comfy seat for longer rides. The engine is strong, lazy but pulls well from wherever in the rev range.

Year: 2009

Fantastic bike for the money, good range of accessories on the market well made bike. Standard seat could do with improvement in terms of padding. A 6th gear would help and 1st gear is too geared down for general pulling away.

Year: 2010

I owned a VN900 for four years. I also tested a Suzuki M50 (M800), Yamaha XV950, Triumph America and Harley Sportster. The Kawasaki was the best overall. It was my daily commute, weekend ride and tourer. The longest trip I did with it was 3,500 km in a week, fully loaded with camping gear, and it handled everything very well indeed. Can't think of a better sub-1000cc cruiser.

Year: 2007

love this bike would highly recommend anyone to buy

Version: candy orange

Year: 2013

Fantastic bike for the money, good range of accessories on the market well made bike. Standard seat could do with improvement in terms of padding, and 1st gear is too geared down for general pulling away. Once used to it. It becomes a dream to ride

Buying experience: Bought mine pre reg £6400 Brand new £7800

Version: LTD edition

Year: 2009

Annual servicing cost: £100

Great bike around town and country roads, can get a bit monotonous on motorways as I don't normally sit in the inner 2 lanes on my ZX9R. However, very comfy and has enough torque to be fun

I reviewed below just after I got the bike, but thought I'd do an update. The fact I'm still riding it after 3 years says plenty. Like many cruiser buyers, for a long while I thought of it as a stepping stone to a bigger bike. Now I'm convinced the 900 is just right for me. What it lacks in top-end power (and all mid-size V-twin cruisers are similarly lacking) it more than makes up for in grunt. Braking seems poor at first but is actually adequate with reasonable feel, just needing more grip strength than a sportsbike. Handling is very good in the cruiser style (more about shifting your weight than leaning the bike), ergonomics are not extreme and you're not locked into position as on some cruisers, and the bike isn't too heavy. The rear shock is crap (unless your'e very light, increase preload to max for best results) but there's still a reasonable amount of travel. And this is where the VN really scores over bigger bikes. The only way to go 'bigger' without adding weight is with a Sportster 1200 (actually physically smaller bikes and a bit lighter), but then -- or with any other Harley cruiser -- you're faced with a dramatic loss of suspension travel and ground clearance, which I just will not accept. The Vulcan leads the class in these respects, and believe me it matters (eg 140 mm ground clearance on the VN compared with 110 mm on a Sportster Custom). Any other bigger cruiser is way heavier, and if like me you ride every day and park on that street, that matters too. Incidentally my bike is outside 24/7, never covered, and still looks pretty much new. Admittedly I live in Brisbane, but it does rain a lot here too! I've had no issues with my bike other than a short-lived clutch cable which I blame on aftermarket levers and excessive feathering (fuelling is perfect so I've had to relearn my clutch technique). I could get 400 km or more from the 20 L tank if I ran it dry. The pipes are fully debaffled and after a year or so of mellowing sound wonderful but not too loud (for me anyway!). Some people hate the seat but it doesn't bother me -- although that might be the only category where a Harley would score higher. Are there better cruisers out there? Of course there are. Are there any better value or more practical cruisers for everyday riding? I doubt it.

Would highly recommend

Would highly recommend

I bought this bike after completing my Direct Access and wow am I impressed. I was previously riding a Honda Shadow 125 and the stability of the VN900 is out of this world its responsive, agile and great looking which why it was the clear choice for me when upgrading to my first 'big' cruiser. Awesome stealth looks on my 2011 model with the matte black everywhere. Just hoping for some decent weather!

Have owned this bike for just over a week and have covered a little under 1000 miles, mainly commuting up the motorway. Bought 2nd hand, 4 years old with only 1600 miles on the clock. In that time, I have returned an average of 60-63 mpg at motorway speeds, its very comfortable and holds the road like a dream. The seating position is excellent and I love this bike. I have owned a few bikes over the years, and to date, this far exceeds my expectations and will remain on the inventory for many years to come. Would recommend riding in low gears around town to ensure head turning reactions!!!

I've owned cruisers, supersports and 'UJMs' and the VN900 is a very good bike by any standard. Japanese cruisers have come a long, long way in the last 10-15 years and a lot of the people who knock 'em might do well to check out a new one just to see how good they've got. At all sensible speeds this Vulcan handles outstandingly well -- in most situations I find it easier to ride than the CBR600F I traded it for, which is saying a lot. Great low-down torque for town riding, and I actually prefer the slower roll-on at highway speeds (more time to think about how fast you're going...). Luggage is an issue, can't really carry any without bolting extra bits on, but otherwise I just love it. And I found out the other day (the hard way) that if you drop it at walking speed or less it rests on the footpeg rather than falling flat! Result!!

After coming to the conclusion that my knee could no longer live with the ZZR (this being classed as a roomy bike cut down the replacement options somewhat), I started looking at adventure tourers like the Ktm's and the Bmw's, but none really lit a fire under me. Loved the look of the Griso and the Triumph Scrambler but sitting on them soon ruled them out. Then I saw the 09 custom with the black pipes and thought very nice, but am I still too young at 31 (and after the ZZR) to go sedate. Simple answer, the best money I ever spent. Absolutely the most comfortable and relaxed miles I have ever done on two wheels. As for speed you don't ever feel like you want to rush, and there is plenty there to overtake most traffic anyway. She handles great and I haven't managed to ground the pegs yet. Anybody worried about the weight will be glad to hear it feels like it is carried really low and gives loads of slow speed confidence. I am putting K-Drive panniers on her, but am going to try and resist the temptation to over-bling! Downsides: None really, just adjustments to the class. Remembering to put my feet forward to the pegs instead of down onto the road! Driving her home 300 miles from the dealer in sub zero conditions bought home how much a fairing cocoon's you from the wind chill. Thought I was going to have hand's like Ranulph Fiennes afterwards. Heated grips are on the list. Brakes are what could be classed as a bit lazy, but that is only to be expected after coming from a bike with the same weight but an extra disc. If you find yourself liking the looks, then at least try a test ride before dismissing the idea out of hand. You just might find yourself smitten! I would like to say a big thank you to Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles in Watford for putting in all the effort of finding me an 09 model when everybody else just said can't get one, but here's the 2010 model.

After lots of years on sports tourers, this is my first cruiser. I've always hankered after a Harley but wasn't prepared to pay over the odds for the brand name on something that is inadequate in the stop, go and build-quality departments. I really can't fault the VN Custom in any of these respects, plus it handles very well for a 250kg custom thanks to its 21" front wheel. Not so sure about the finish on the 2009 MY bike, though - I got a good deal on my chrome-laden metallic black 2008 bike registered in April 2009. Despite 4-star scores for ride/handling, equipment and engine, I've rated it 5-star overall because it's a great package and exactly what I wanted.

What can I say? I've had my '07 Custom for nearly 8 months and I love her. Not only is the Custom the best looking sub-1000cc cruiser available, but it's extremely affordable, very comfortable, handles fabulously and performs wonderfully. Considerably cheaper than the basic HD Sportster, the Custom has a bigger engine, bigger fuel tank (i get 200 miles out of mine), looks better, is more comfy and draws more attention than the boring HD. I've spent about £1500 on extras from the US on mine and will keep her until she dies. By far the best looking bike on the road. The only down-sides: Stock exhaust is very quiet, stock seat is uncomfortable after 2-3 hours in it, and the skinny front tyre can easilly get caught following tarmac tracks. Otherwise i'd highly recommend it to anyone if i wasn't a little anxious that they would become as common as muck. I've not seen another on the road since December.

Another awesome cruiser from Kawasaki. Handles like a dream, very stable, accleration awesome, very comfortable beautiful bike. Recommend to anyone who wanted a cruiser bike.