All About The Kawasaki Vulcan S: How Fast Can These Bikes Go & What Do They Weigh?

The Vulcan S is a cruiser motorcycle from a brand that doesn't have a ton of them. Kawasaki carries just five variations of this type of bike, including four versions of the Vulcan. Cruisers aren't exactly known for top speeds, so don't expect the Vulcan S to come anywhere close to Kawasaki's fastest motorcycles ever built. That doesn't mean it can't still pack a punch, though. The 2023 Vulcan S can hit the mid-110s, so it's plenty fast for riding around the city and on highways.

With the Vulcan S being a cruiser, you'll find it's much heavier than Kawasaki sport bikes. The Vulcan S weights 498.3 pounds, but if you omit the anti-lock braking system (ABS) it cuts the weight down to 491.7. Surprisingly, RoadRunner's review of the Vulcan S says it feels like it weighs less than that while riding. Regardless, this is a fairly standard weight for cruisers, with some of them even getting close to 700 pounds. The famous Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, for example, comes in at 699 pounds in running order.

If you're a fan of what the Vulcan S has to offer, you can buy a non-ABS version for $7,349, but getting it with that feature included bumps the cost up to $7,899. This is a good price when compared to some other cruisers. The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy previously mentioned starts at $21,999, making it nearly triple the price of the Vulcan S.

It may be cheaper than all of the most popular beginner Harley-Davidson cruisers, but that doesn't mean it's a bad motorcycle. The main thing the RoadRunner review says could be improved upon is that the Vulcan S' brakes aren't the greatest, so stopping isn't as smooth as it could be. Still, the site made sure to note that the bike has a really solid performance on the road.

Plus, this bike comes with the new rider friendly branding from Kawasaki, making it a great pick for people just getting started with motorcycles. There are 18 different configurations available that allow you to tailor the seat, pegs, and handlebars to your liking. This ensures you're as comfortable riding as you can be, and, as a result, you'll be a better driver on the road. If you have your eye on the Vulcan S as a beginner cruiser, it's a good pick. Springing for the ABS version of the bike is a smart choice as well, as it'll give you an extra layer of protection while learning.