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Neal · 07-09-2001, 05:29 PM

Hmmmm....first Honda,then yamaha and now Kawasaki....if Harley doesnt get their long awaited porsche motor out soon they are going to be playing catchup in their niche market--the v twin power cruiser.no true sport bike,a failing race effort and now falling behind in the cruiser wars.Gotta believe a company as savvy as HD has something up their sleeves but they better play it(them?) soon.

TheFox · 07-09-2001, 06:26 PM

I was at a H-D/Buell dealership looking for an X1 Lightning in white and blue (no one has one, it sucks.) the other day. Anyways, I ask the guy if Harley is getting the watercooled motor on the 13th of July. He says, "Well, all I can say is that Buell isn't getting the watercooled motor." Then he looks me in the eye, holds my gaze with a "what do YOU think" look, and says, "But I can't really say anything else."

Now, normally I would say it's the H-D dealer talking out his rumpus, but this fellow ONLY sells Buells; he doesn't touch the Harley aspect of the operation. It may pay (literally) to be at your local Harley dealer on the 13th.

By the way, if they do release it on that day won't it be kind of an omen? Friday the 13th for the new hawg? Makes you wonder...

Anyways, this Kawa Mean Streak, aside from the name, looks the buisness. Now all they have to do make sure it performs and market the sumb!tch. Yamaha better update the V-max here, or there's gonna be trouble.

The Fox

minime · 07-09-2001, 06:37 PM

TheFox,

The dealer you talked to is wrong. Unfortunately I can't tell you why and on what counts just yet. Hee, hee, hee...

What do you think of the Kawi? Like the looks? Will 10 percent more power do the job?

Brutus57 · 07-09-2001, 07:02 PM

The Kawi is far better looking than the Yamaha "Warped Star".

Still, they are both obvious attempts to catch the VTX. VTX has the power and looks. I'm lining up the the 2003 version next winter. Let's see if the Motor Co. can change my mind.

Brutus

DialedIN · 07-09-2001, 07:02 PM

I'm a Kawasaki fan, and to me this bike looks like the Honda Shadow Sabre... I saw a picture of a Kawasaki On MCN.com that was the 1500 Vulcan motor, but in a sportster looking package, now thats an Idea....Sounds like it would be a better set up for a street fighter bike. Not sure about this Kawasaki Sabre though.

Arrow · 07-09-2001, 07:35 PM

I don't think 10% increase in power is gonna cut it. What does a standard

Vulcan give, 50-55 horsepower; a ten percent only brings it up to sixty something and as far as I know the new Yam is around 75, but is light for a big-bore power cruiser, VTX is heavier but quite powerful. How light (heavy) is the new Kaw? I don't think it's lighter than others so I don't expect significant performance increases (even the pipes are thin, don't you need big muffler volume on performance oriented twins?). It looks nice though...

Arrow

FlyingDutchman · 07-09-2001, 09:26 PM

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRFFFFF

'nuf said.

MrDeadeye · 07-09-2001, 10:27 PM

The new Yam power cruiser is air cooled. With less weight, it can afford to make less power than the VTX and still compete.

This Vulcan will probably only weight a couple lbs less than the VTX. But, since the VTX has 100 hp, this underpowered Vulcan will probably get trashed by both the more powerul VTX and the lighter Yamaha. Sounds like it's DOA.

springerman · 07-09-2001, 11:44 PM

Hear it is!!http://www.visi.com/~weibergc/vtwin/messages/111.html

springerman · 07-09-2001, 11:51 PM

This is from someone else.

I am still in denial that that is what it looks like but...

The water cooled bike will be introduces to Europe as a 2002 and the U.S. in 2003. I found this out about 3 weeks ago from a very reliable, very inside source.

http://www.visi.com/~weibergc/vtwin/messages/111.html

07-09-2001, 05:29 PM	#1
Neal Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 731	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak Hmmmm....first Honda,then yamaha and now Kawasaki....if Harley doesnt get their long awaited porsche motor out soon they are going to be playing catchup in their niche market--the v twin power cruiser.no true sport bike,a failing race effort and now falling behind in the cruiser wars.Gotta believe a company as savvy as HD has something up their sleeves but they better play it(them?) soon.

07-09-2001, 06:26 PM	#2
TheFox Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 730	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak I was at a H-D/Buell dealership looking for an X1 Lightning in white and blue (no one has one, it sucks.) the other day. Anyways, I ask the guy if Harley is getting the watercooled motor on the 13th of July. He says, "Well, all I can say is that Buell isn't getting the watercooled motor." Then he looks me in the eye, holds my gaze with a "what do YOU think" look, and says, "But I can't really say anything else." Now, normally I would say it's the H-D dealer talking out his rumpus, but this fellow ONLY sells Buells; he doesn't touch the Harley aspect of the operation. It may pay (literally) to be at your local Harley dealer on the 13th. By the way, if they do release it on that day won't it be kind of an omen? Friday the 13th for the new hawg? Makes you wonder... Anyways, this Kawa Mean Streak, aside from the name, looks the buisness. Now all they have to do make sure it performs and market the sumb!tch. Yamaha better update the V-max here, or there's gonna be trouble. The Fox __________________ --The Fox The best bike to take a trip on is the one you have.

07-09-2001, 06:37 PM	#3
minime Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 334	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak TheFox, The dealer you talked to is wrong. Unfortunately I can't tell you why and on what counts just yet. Hee, hee, hee... What do you think of the Kawi? Like the looks? Will 10 percent more power do the job?

07-09-2001, 07:02 PM	#4
Brutus57 Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak The Kawi is far better looking than the Yamaha "Warped Star". Still, they are both obvious attempts to catch the VTX. VTX has the power and looks. I'm lining up the the 2003 version next winter. Let's see if the Motor Co. can change my mind. Brutus

07-09-2001, 07:02 PM	#5
DialedIN Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 79	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak I'm a Kawasaki fan, and to me this bike looks like the Honda Shadow Sabre... I saw a picture of a Kawasaki On MCN.com that was the 1500 Vulcan motor, but in a sportster looking package, now thats an Idea....Sounds like it would be a better set up for a street fighter bike. Not sure about this Kawasaki Sabre though.

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07-09-2001, 07:35 PM	#6
Arrow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 45	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak I don't think 10% increase in power is gonna cut it. What does a standard Vulcan give, 50-55 horsepower; a ten percent only brings it up to sixty something and as far as I know the new Yam is around 75, but is light for a big-bore power cruiser, VTX is heavier but quite powerful. How light (heavy) is the new Kaw? I don't think it's lighter than others so I don't expect significant performance increases (even the pipes are thin, don't you need big muffler volume on performance oriented twins?). It looks nice though... Arrow

07-09-2001, 09:26 PM	#7
FlyingDutchman Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 15	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRFFFFF 'nuf said.

07-09-2001, 10:27 PM	#8
MrDeadeye Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 142	Re: Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak The new Yam power cruiser is air cooled. With less weight, it can afford to make less power than the VTX and still compete. This Vulcan will probably only weight a couple lbs less than the VTX. But, since the VTX has 100 hp, this underpowered Vulcan will probably get trashed by both the more powerul VTX and the lighter Yamaha. Sounds like it's DOA.

07-09-2001, 11:44 PM	#9
springerman Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 15	Wanna see the new Harley Davidson? Hear it is!!http://www.visi.com/~weibergc/vtwin/messages/111.html

07-09-2001, 11:51 PM	#10
springerman Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 15	Re: Wanna see the new Harley Davidson? This is from someone else. I am still in denial that that is what it looks like but... The water cooled bike will be introduces to Europe as a 2002 and the U.S. in 2003. I found this out about 3 weeks ago from a very reliable, very inside source. http://www.visi.com/~weibergc/vtwin/messages/111.html