2004 Kawasaki Vulcan® 500 LTD

2004 Kawasaki Vulcan® 500 LTD pictures, prices, information, and specifications.
Year
2004
Parent Company
Kawasaki
Generic Type (Primary)
Cruiser
Make
Kawasaki
Display Name
Vulcan® 500 LTD
Manufacturer Country
Japan
Introduction Year
1996
Price
Standard
MSRP
$4,699
Warranty (Months)
12
Engine
Standard
Engine Type
Parallel Twin
Cylinders
2
Engine Stroke
4-Stroke
Cooling
Liquid
Valves
8
Valves Per Cylinder
4
Valve Configuration
DOHC
Compression Ratio
10.2:1
Starter
Electric
Fuel Type
Gas
Fuel Requirements
Regular
Carburetion
Standard
Carburetion Brand
Keihin
Fuel Injector
No
Carburetor
Yes
Number Of Carburetors
2
Carburetion Type
Carburetor
Bore (mm/in)
74 / 2.91
Stroke (in/mm)
2.28 / 58
Displacement (cc/ci)
498 / 30
Carburetor Size (mm)
32
Transmission
Standard
Transmission Type
Manual
Number Of Speeds
6
Reverse
No
Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Chain
Dimensions
Standard
Weight
Standard
Capacities
Standard
Performance
Standard
Length (in/mm)
91.3 / 2319
Width (in/mm)
32.7 / 830.6
Height (in/mm)
44.3 / 1125.2
Wheelbase (in/mm)
62.8 / 1595.1
Ground Clearance (in/mm)
4.7 / 119.4
Dry Weight (lbs/kg)
439 / 200
Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
4 / 15
Engine Displacement to Weight (cc)
1.13
Construction
Standard
Frame
Steel
Foot Pegs
Standard
Hand Grips
Standard
Handlebars
Standard
Exterior Guards
Standard
Brush Guard
No
Fork Guards
No
Hand Guards
No
Light Guard
No
Exterior Covers
Optional
Front Fender
Standard
Rear Fender
Standard
Tank Divider
Optional
Stand
Standard
Stand Type
Kick
Steering Control
Handlebar
Front Suspension Type
Telescopic Fork
Front Adjustable Fork Pre-Load
No
Front Adjustable Rebound Damping
No
Front Central Suspension Strut
No
Rear Suspension Type
Twin Sided Swing Arm
Rear Adjustable Shock / Spring Pre-Load
Yes
Rear Adjustable Rebound Damping
No
Number Rear Shock Absorbers
2
Front Suspension Size (in/mm)
1.6 / 41
Front Travel (in/mm)
5.9 / 149.9
Rear Travel (in/mm)
3.9 / 99.1
Wheels
Standard
Wheels Composition
Steel
Tube / Tubeless
Tubed
Tires
Standard
Front Tire Width
100
Front Tire Aspect Ratio
90
Front Wheel Diameter
19
Rear Tire Width
140
Rear Tire Aspect Ratio
90
Rear Wheel Diameter
15
Front Tire (Full Spec)
100/90 R19
Rear Tire (Full Spec)
140/90 R15
Brakes
Standard
Front Brake Type
Disc
Rear Brake Type
Drum
Seat Type
One-Piece
Seat Location
Driver and Passenger
Seat Material
Vinyl
Adjustable
No
Folding
No
Seat Specifications
Standard
Number Of Seats
2
Seat Backrest
Optional
Grab Rail or Strap
Standard
Seat Height (in/mm)
28.1 / 714
Speedometer
Standard
Trip Odometer
Standard
Side Storage Mount
Optional
Leather Storage
Optional
Rear Rack
Optional
Rear Rack Storage
Optional
Storage Cover
Optional
Saddle Bag (s)
Optional
Type
Halogen
Headlight Visor
Optional
Headlight (s)
Standard
Halogen Headlight (s)
Standard
Rearview Mirrors
Standard
Windshield
Optional
Saddle Bag Mounts
Optional
Windshield Mounts
Optional
Paint
Standard
User Reviews
5 reviews
  • A great bike
    By  (I am an Owner) on Aug 07, 2011

    I purchased my Vulcan 500 in 2004 and its 2011 and I still have the same bike.

    I toured Canada and the United States never not once did I have an issue. As well, I flew my Bike to Europe two times once in 2007 and in the summer of 2011 and toured all of Europe minus a few countries ...

    Everybody wants power, but remember this, the bigger the bike the better chance you have of getting into trouble and the bigger the bike the more insurance you pay. Sure I could have got a much bigger bike but then I'd be paying more insurance and gasoline consumption and the big shots from the insurance companies would have done these trips!

    But even a great bike has a downside.

    The mirrors......... they are good if you like looking at your shoulders all the time. You will replace the mirrors.

    The seat...... its okay for an hour or two but after that its starts to get uncomfortable.

    Not alot of accessories made of this bike so you need to be creative.

    I wish it had a slightly larger alternator, heated clothing can comsume alot of power, I'm at the max with mine.

    Check out my blog www.stampingboy.blogspot.com

    ~Stampingboy

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  • 04 Kawasaki EN500 Owner.
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jun 23, 2011

    There seems to be a shortage of bikes like these on the market.From my experience's the Kaw en500 is a great motorcycle. It would be a great stater bike for those on the heaver side. Because of the way the motor has been tuned. The motor is from the Ninja 500r. Tuned for more TQ & HP in the lower ...

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  • vulcan 500
    By  (I am an Owner) on May 01, 2011

    I've owned this bike for a few years now i've put over 20 thousand miles on it i've been everywhere from austin to pennsacola on it she'll ride comfortably all the way at about 47.5 mpg only thing is a clutch cable every 10 thousand miles thats all!

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  • Best entry level cruiser bang for the buck
    By  (I am an Owner) on Sep 11, 2009

    When I returned to street bike riding in 2003, I sat on every new motorcycle at every dealership near me. I was amazed that there were very few mid sized bikes. However, the Vulcan 500 fit me like a custom-tailored suit.

    When I started riding, a 500 was considered a big bike for ...

    I read a review of the Vulcan 500 that said it was the best bang for the buck in the under 750cc class of cruisers, with surprising amounts of power, good handling and a low price. So I decided to get one. And I found out the review was correct - it is a great motorcycle!

    My Vulcan 500 turned out to be an amazing value for the money I spent on it. Its modified Ninja 500 motor had lots of power, allowing me to easily out-accelerate all cars and many larger cruisers. It had excellent handling in the twisties and great comfort. Gas mileage averaged 60mpg.

    I put 18,000 trouble free miles on my Vulcan in the 18 months I rode it. Did an Iron Butt SS1000 on it also in great comfort. Bought it for $4199 and sold it for NADA book, which was $4000. That's great resale value!

    The Vulcan 500 does not have a V-twin and it does have a chain. This turns off a lot of prospective buyers, but the inline twin makes a lot more power than larger V-twins, and the chain drive is much more efficient than a shaft. The result is a hot-rod entry level cruiser.

    I sold the Vulcan to buy a VStrom and the Vulcan is the only bike I have owned that I regretted selling.

    I now have a Honda Shadow Aero 750, and while it has the V-twin and shaft drive, the Vulcan ran rings around the Shadow performance-wise. Yes, the Shadow gets lots of compliments from admirers and it is a very good looking bike, but the Vulcan had better acceleration and cornering abilities than the Shadow does.

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  • Awesome First Bike
    By  (I am an Owner) on Sep 04, 2009

    This is my first bike and it's been great. When I took the Basic Rider Course we used Honda Rebel 250s. They were good to learn on but when I was looking for a bike of my own a little later, I wanted something that wouldn't struggle on the freeway and had a little more power. So my Dad, whose been ...

    I'll soon be moving up to something a little bigger, but I couldn't ask for a better bike to get used to riding in traffic. Get this bike.

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