Kawasaki VN1700 Voyager v Harley-Davidson Street Glide v Victory Vision Tour

Kawasaki’s new VN1700 Voyager is the Japanese firm’s first fully-dressed V-twin American-style tourer.

It’s a Harley clone through and through, albeit loaded with the sort of cutting-edge technology you’d normally find on a Fireblade or R1, like electronically-controlled linked brakes and a ride-by-wire throttle system.

It might not have the Harley badge, but it’s got the looks, the shiny chrome and truck-like weight.

It’s also a snip at £13,499, which is a small sum for 64-stones worth of metal and oil.

In next week’s MCN we’ll be pitching it against the real thing, one of America’s finest: the £16,580 Harley Davidson Street Glide ABS. Plus, they’ll both have to fight off the wacky £15,999 Victory Vision Tour (made by Polaris, a jet ski company).

We’ll take a road trip from MCN’s HQ in Peterborough with two MCN readers to Blackpool, where we reckon these big cruisers should fit in quite nicely.

Find out how we got on in the June 10 issue…

The facts

KAWASAKI VN1700 VOYAGER £13,499 Power (claimed) 98bhp Torque (claimed) 100ftlb Weight (claimed, wet, fully fuelled) 406kg New for 2009: New model Colours: Metallic titanium Info: www.kawasaki.co.uk Fuel capacity: 20-litres Seat height: 730mm Wheelbase: 1665mm Rake/trail: 30°, 177mm

Engine: Liquid-cooled, 1700cc (102 x 104mm), v, four-stroke, 65° V-twin. Electronic fuel injection. Six gears. Belt final drive. Chassis: Steel double cradle frame. 45mm telescopic forks, non-adjustable. Twin rear shocks adjustable for preload.  Brakes: 2 x 300mm front discs with four-piston calipers. 300mm rear disc with twin-piston caliper. Tyres: 130/90 x 16 front, 170/70 x 16 rear.

HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE ABS, £16,580 Power (claimed) 85bhp Torque (claimed) 97ftlb Weight (claimed, dry) 355kg New for 2009: Current model Colours: Black, metallic black, metallic white, silver, blue, red, burgundy. Info: www.harley-davidson.com Fuel capacity: 22.7-litres Seat height: 690mm Wheelbase: 1625mm Rake/trail: 26°, 169.9mm

Engine: Air-cooled, 1584cc (95.3 x 111.1mm), 4v, four-stroke, 70° V-twin. Electronic fuel injection. Six gears. Belt final drive. Chassis: Steel double cradle frame. Telescopic forks, non-adjustable. Twin rear shocks adjustable for preload.  Brakes: 2 x front discs with four-piston calipers. Single rear disc with twin-piston caliper. Tyres: 130/80 x 17 front, 180/65 x 16 rear.

VICTORY VISION TOUR £15,995 (with ‘Premium’ pack fitted, plus £995 reverse gear option) Power (claimed) 92bhp Torque (claimed) 109ftlb Weight (claimed, dry) 325kg New for 2009: Current model Colours: Black, purple, blue Info: www.victorymotorcycles.co.uk Fuel capacity: 22.7-litres Seat height: 673mm Wheelbase: 1670mm Rake/trail: 39°, 137mm

Engine: Air/oil-cooled, 1731cc (101 x 102mm), 8v, four-stroke, 50° V-twin. Electronic fuel injection. Six gears. Belt final drive. Chassis: Steel double cradle frame. 46mm telescopic forks, non-adjustable. Single rear shock pneumatically adjustable.  Brakes: 2 x 300mm front discs with three-piston calipers. 300mm rear disc with twin-piston caliper. Tyres: 130/70 x 18 front, 180/60 x 16 rear.