Nice video about a very nice machine, I own a 2013 Vulcan Nomad similar to the Voyager. a few months after I purchased it (preowned) I took a trip from Maryland to New Mexico three day each way with about 12 hour of riding a day. This was my first time in life doing such a trip with about 14 months of motorcycle riding experience. The trip was awesome and the machine was to me like a shield of all surroundings, never did I feel any concerns about letting me down. A very comfortable machine all around. I have done several couple of hundred mile trips and use it somewhat a lot to commute from Maryland to Washington DC and never get tired because of its sizes specially at my age of 60, always getting good complements about it.
I’ve got a 2020 Voyager with just under 30k miles on it now. Ivan’s flash, some highway pegs, 2” mirror extenders, and some Michelin Commander III’s…you’ve got a touring bike that eats highway miles with perfect reliability. Just have to remember to get that oil changed lol I love the bike with my last trip being about 10k miles over a month long road trip. Had to do an oil change and I’ll have to replace my front Commander III tire now but otherwise…this big ole girl is just pure pleasure with that trusted Kawi reliability. Best Tourer hands down. Put all the gadgets and toys you want on your two wheels but I’ll stick with simple trusted reliability and enjoy the journey, there’s a lot to see out there, and it’ll take a whole life to see it. Stay on the road and out of the shop, two wheels planted and smilen in the sun :)
You are definitely putting some miles behind you. I'm jealous. You can't beat Kawasaki reliability. 30k problem free miles is a true testament to how amazing that 1700 motor is. Keep on ridin and be safe!!
Does ivanizing make the bike faster/stronger in either top or bottom end? Ive been hearing about it but dont know what it does. Im considering switching from goldwing (f6b) because of the knee sitting position.
I had a 2014 Nomad 1700 and switched to the Michelin Commander 2's (now there on the 3's). I put 104,500km on that bike in 3 years and got 20,000 - 22,000km out of my front and rear tires. The best wet / dry traction I have ever experienced on a heavyweight cruiser touring bike. Ride safe.
First of all, beautiful ride along the Colonial Pkwy. And another road gets added to my bucket list. I’ve always liked the Kawasaki Voyager and Vaquero too for that matter. For someone looking for a comfortable touring motorcycle without having to pay GoldWing, Indian or Harley-Davidson premium prices, it’s a great choice in my opinion. Very thoughtful and well spoken review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the great ride.
The moment the video starts I start tilting my head wondering why this all looks so familiar. This is nuts! I'm looking at buying a Voyager/Vaquero and happened upon this. Glad to see someone from the HR area!
I own 3 bikes, 2 HD's and an 06 Yamaha Stratoliner. Don't own a touring bike have ridden Voyager. Have to admit, really like them. Good to know about the Ivan's flashing. And there's a lot to be said about a motor that's 14 years old and still being used. That says HUGE things about the public satisfaction of it. And love-love the sound of your bike. Also, as a side note--all big V-twin's run 3000rpm at 80mph. Pretty standard now. Requires more use of 5th. Just have to be smart enough to remember to downshift and not kill the motor. One last thing, LEO to LEO, thanks for your service.
Appreciate your insight on the Voyager and riding experiences on these 1700 powered models, nice scenery for the review. Recently picked up a 2011 Vaquero in stock form seems very buzzy checked reviews including yours, Ecu sent to Ivan yesterday all imply different bike after reflash. Thank you for your service and this review.
Well done review! My story is similar to yours...'03 VTX 1800 to a '16 Voyager. Hated to give up the VTX but it was terrible for my wife. In the two years I have had the Voyager, we have had more fun adventuring together now that she can enjoy the experience. I think a lot of guys who want to travel forget the most important thing...keep the wife happy!
Hey thanks for the comment, you may like my passenger perspective review of the Voyager, I would be curious to see if your wife agrees with my wife’s assessment. Be safe!
@@Vanrides. Unless making her happy makes you miserable. I would say happy husband and happy wife works better. I know plenty of miserable guys who have wives that get their own way just so they do not have to listen to them bitch that seems pathetic to me if that is what it takes. I say find a new wife or stay single and be even happier if the woman your with is not happy with you move on until you find one you click with.
Great review. 2014 Vaquero rider here, bought new in 2015. I was looking at Harley Roaglides and a co-worker told me about the Vaquero he was looking at; he asked me to check it out but not buy it, it was the one he wanted at the local dealership lol. Long story short, that particular dealership didn't have the one I wanted colourwise(2013 Black), I went to another one and they had one with ABS and K-ACT, so i bought that one instead. I did get it Ivan tuned and you are correct, it should be the first thing anyone does to it. I don't ride it as much as I thought i would, but I still enjoy it when I do. I have since put on Cobra tri ovals, but now switched to tri-flo, chucksters big air intake, 12 " bars, back rest and she is good to go. Take care.
You videos along with other Vloggers inspired me to consider one of these. My observations are as follows: 1) i need to change the rider seat immediately. The seat cut pushed me forward which pushed my nuts into the gas tank. 2) heated grips are a must, so how difficult was it to install them? 3) the trunk was considerably smaller than the Victory XCT that is about the same price. There's no way i could get my or my girlfriend's full face helmet in the Voyager trunk due to short height. 4) the back support of the trunk for the passenger was rated as the best by my passenger. She said that the armrests on this was best on this over the Victory XCT, Vision, and Ultra Limited. So kudos to Kawasaki for that. Thanks again for your videos, as they've put this bike on the map for a touring option for me. I have a modified Harley VROD with taller passenger backrest for my daily and shorter spirited rides through our canyons here in Utah. But I'd love to get something that we could take trips on that isn't expensive in purchase or operating & repairs, has sufficient storage, and isn't a slug. It's really down to this or a Victory XCT or possibly an Indian Chieftain with trunk.
@@VoyagingVoyager i greatly enjoyed that one too, and it sounds like a Wing might be on deck. My ultimate dream bike is a Indian Challenger. Wings just feel so strange to me and are too quiet for my taste.
Just bought a 23 voyager so the wife and I can get in to this chapter of our lives. Ive been putting ALOT of miles on my 22 KLR. Thats not going anywhere. But coming from the power standpoint of the KLR and being CONTENT with it. The big 1700 feels more than adequate. Its my first heavy bike so im learning new things
Congratulations on the Voyager! Y’all will love it. Make sure to check out my passenger perspective review on the Voyager, some good info there about riding together. Ride safe!!
I have a 22 KLR ADV as well and came to these videos for the same thing. I love my KLR, but I’m not chewing knobbies up pounding 600mi days with it if I don’t have to.
Love your review! Right on. I have a 2013 with the Ivan's tune, Mustang seat with backrest- makes a big difference and a 10" Slipstream windshield. Just enough to let you look over it and still keep the bugs and turbulence off. I have 28,000 trouble free miles. Got 50,000 miles from my 2006 Kawi Classic with no problems. Love Kawasaki. It's a beautiful bike!
Question for you on the Mustang seat. My issue with the factory seat on the Voyager 1700 is that it pushes me forward and hurts the family jewels. So I am looking for a seat that I can sit back a little more and a little lower like the Mustang seat I have on my Kawasaki 1500. What does your mustang seat do for you.
@@vernekaplan3614 I can say it doesn't hurt the family jewels. I bought the mc with the seat so I can't compare. I did have an 06 Classic 1600 and would say they are equally comfortable. Good luck
I wish I had a wife who supported my love for riding. The Kawasaki is on my bucket list. They put out an excellent product.Virginia is a beautiful state, having been stationed there back in the Vietnam days. I thoroughly enjoy your channel. Thanks for the enlightening chat. Come on Spring. This grandpa got the itch bad and it needs to be scratched, like you wouldn't believe. Ride safe, brother!!
Great review, I’m on a ‘05 nomad 1600. The wife and I just did 1700 km in 4 days. Really impressed with the bike and her, but will be looking at one of these for longer trips.
My woman loves riding on my ‘23 Voyager with me. My training is with the EVOC track that Officers train on. It’s super comfy and it holds all of her gear!
I own the same bike, bought brand new. I am at almost 22,000 miles now. Your review was spot on. I did not Ivanize my bike as I have been happy with it. My wife would not like the extra noise from the pipes. We just came back from Vermont and we were cruising all around the green mountain range. The bike did great climbing the hills with both of us on. Tires are the same story, I have had to put new tires on every year after about 5-6k on them. My mechanic just put the MIchelin Commander 3 on I am hoping for some good results with them. So far so good.
I love the excedra max and battle on my vulcan classic 1600. You running radial or bias? I have concidered the voyager for several years. I ended up with a 14 Victory Vision. I really like the way it handles and holds a line. I love the mono shock suspension set up. I really dig the electric adjustable windshield and heated grips and seat. I couldn't find a voyager to test ride from a dealer. If i had the voyager i think id get a shorter windshield with a flip and add heated grips.
Great video, I very nearly bought a Voyager I think they're a good bagger. For me it was a choice between the Voyager and a Yamaha FJR. I live in New Zealand and we don't have the Highway system like the US. So for me I chose the FJR due to our much more twisty type roads, I wanted the handling and Torque of the FJR. But it was a very close run decision that I did go back and forth over. Voyager has a bigger carrying capacity and as you said for the money they are a very good motorcycle.
I own a 22 Voyager and a 23 Goldwing. The Goldwing is very competant but the Voyager is more comfortable and just has more charactor. I spend more time riding the Voyager than I do the Goldwing. You have to put the Ivans tune on it but if you are worried about that Ivan will flash it back to stock for you prior to taking it in to the shop. All you pay is the shipping.
I have a family member who owns the 2016 Voyager and he loves it. He just had the Ivan’s Performance tune done last year and he says it makes a world of difference. Ironically, as a non-Kawi owner, I knew about Ivan’s, he did not, but I pointed him in that direction. As for me, I ride both an 02 Harley Electra Glide and an 08 Honda GoldWing. I have not experienced issues with either bike. I do prefer the GoldWing over the Harley. The GoldWing is used for long road trips, the Harley for putting around town and to ride to work once in awhile.
One thing that always impressed me about the GW is how unbelievably smooth they are. Give it a few years and I’ll have one. Thanks for the comment, ride safe!!
I have a Vaquero and the comfort is superb, engine was a bit wimpy stock. ECU flash, vance and hines slip ons and K & N filter in stock air box and now its lovely.
Beautiful country, did the Blueridge back in 2010 solo, one of the most relaxing 4 days camps I've ever ridden and ive ridden long distance many times. I did it on fully dressed 900 vulcan classic. Im interested in the voyager or vaquero. Both are nice machines
I looked at that bike back in 2017. There were none available in my area looked at the goldwing then indian. Went to Harley Davidson and fell in love with the ultra limited. Now on a road glide limited. I jave developed a great relationship with my local HD dealer.
One of these voyagers is for sale near me. It hasn’t sold in seven weeks on the market. I’m considering it. I have a royal star venture right now, I have a couple dozen videos about the Venture maintenance and comparing my royal star venture to my GL 1800 Goldwing, that video has over 50,000 views. I think the Goldwing is a more refined motorcycle. But I do all my own work, I was a motorcycle mechanic at three different dealerships when I was younger… doing simple things like changing the air filter on a Goldwing takes six hours almost. They upgraded the suspension on the goldwing i bought head. I bought it used with 13 K miles on it. It took me almost 6 or seven hours just to get the rear shock, absorber off and back on. You have to start at the dashboard. removing plastic to get to the rear shock according to the genuine Honda service manual.. If the owner of a Goldwing takes their motorcycle to the dealer to have the air filter changed every 20,000 miles. And they put over 200,000 miles on that motorcycle. With labor at $125 an hour now, that Owner is going to spend over $6000 just for the labor having just 10 air filters changed. that’s why I got rid of the Goldwing. Concerned about having real problems with something that is buried in plastic. Plus, you can’t put floorboards on gold wings, at least you never want to do that with your bike under warranty because it causes transmission problems on goldwing buyer?? for some reason. And if you have a problem and you take it to the dealer and you have a warranty, that voids the warranty… anyway, I’m concerned about the heat coming off of the engine on the Voyager. Is it an issue? You’re the one thing I will not put up with his heat from the engine. I test rode a Honda ST 1300. I took the cash with me I was ready to buy it. I told the owner I would not be back for at least an hour maybe two on a test ride.. I didn’t make it 10 minutes away before I started getting burned practically on my shins on an 85° day. The FJR and the Kawasaki Concours are the same way. They are roasters. I ended up buying a Moto Guzzi Norge instead, which I kept from 2007 to 2021. Great bikes, a little cramped because of the height of the foot pegs. I’ve had for Moto Guzzi since 1979… not Japanese perfect, but nothing is, but I’ve never had a breakdown, and I’ve never had to have the dealer do any work on any of my Moto Guzzis.. i’ve had many dozens of motorcycles over the years. The way I work it, I will buy a motorcycle. I think I might like, if I like it, then I sell the bike i am thinking of selling.. I have regretted selling a few of my motorcycles, because the replacements were not up to the mark.. I actually bought two of my motorcycles that I sold back.. I am hearing that this Kawasaki voyager weighs close to 1000 pounds wet. Can you feel the extra weight., My Venture weighs about 850 pounds wet. I only ride alone. I commuted for over 40 years on motorcycles about eight months a year old I would be one of those guys you would see riding to work in the morning in the rain.. One of my machines, a Honda pacific coast, I commuted on for 24 years. 26 mile round-trip in an out of Pittsburgh on back roads… that was my second on the Pacific coast. My first one got totaled from behind while I was waiting at a stop sign on my morning commute… I was contacted by people that heard what happened and they say that the back off flashing tail light system I had on my machine could have caused the accident because of me situation called “ target fixation”.. The guy that hit me had a brain freeze when his subconscious was trying to figure out why my tail light was flashing like that. And he drove right into me because you tend to drive where you are looking… I train people that I teach to ride motorcycles never look where you don’t want to go, so that does make sense to me.. it was the most profitable paid nine month vacation of my life.. separated shoulder, the doctors were gonna cut me open to fix it, but I went to a chiropractor just before the operation, and he fixed it in one second.. I like the idea of riding a heavier motorcycle for my longer all day rides. I have a Kawasaki Z 400 original owner also for the shorter rides and on the hotter days that I don’t wanna be behind a fairing. . I like I have your bike for the condition that may happen, I have had four deer collisions. Two of them while riding my motorcycle. I was on my BMW K 1200 LT when I hit a deer at 70 miles an hour. I hit a deer at 35 miles an hour on my Pacific coast on the way to work one morning also. I did not go down either time. I had eight years of road racing and lots of experience having collisions at higher speeds.. but nothing like hitting a large deer. It wrapped around the fairing on my BMW and headlight level. $5500 damage, 2010 prices… I also like the rod of a heavier bike. I’ve never had a Harley, I never wanted one… having been a mechanic at three different dealerships, I have heard the horror stories. What about the Stone Age 1907 design that Harley still uses, which was actually stolen from Indian in the early 1900s, and Indian actually stole it from aviation genius, glenn Curtis, who was very into motorcycles, he actually had a V-8 engine in a motorcycle that went over 135 miles an hour just after the turn of the century in 1904 or something like that.. I was considering the new Yamaha, Venture, V twin. But I read stories about the heat on the left side, one rider actually went to the emergency room with second-degree burns on the inside of his thigh from the stock exhaust system heat.. you did a pretty good review, but I was interested in hearing about any heat generated from the engine onto the rider..
Been looking at Vulcans for a while. I live in the mountains now and I used to live by that colonial parkway and that is a good ride and very much enforced at all hours of the day. I was always worried that the power would suck going up the hills being I’m not small and especially if I have a passenger.
Great review, I've been looking into one of these used. I'm coming from a 1982 Honda cb450 Nighthawk so I think it's going to be a huge jump for me. Also, that rate. Chokan the end well let's just say you earned my like and subscription
Heated grips are not a big deal for me or even a heated/cooling seat. What I think Kawi needs to do is make the windshield electric. I am considering either this or an Indian for my next bike. This is a deal but sometimes you need to spend a little more to get all that you want. Still a great looking bike. I would love to test ride one.
Really enjoyed the vid. I had a Vaquero but have knee problems so I had to go to a trike, I traded mine in for the Can Am which my wife loves the seat on it better than anything we have ever had. The bad thing is a trike doesn't ride like a regular bike, so I had to buy others. I like the sports tour myself (Honda ST1300) but wish sometimes I would not have gotten rid of my Vaquero. I enjoyed watching your ride through your windshield and look forward to more vids. I live in Texas were the scenery is not that beautiful, but I get to ride year around. Be safe and enjoy.
Thanks for an excellent review with lots of very helpful information. I’m thinking about replacing my 2015 Gold Wing with a new Voyager. I love my Gold Wing, but the look, the sound, and the riding position of the Voyager really appeals to me. The Gold Wing is almost too refined and too much like driving a luxury car. I’m looking for a long-distance touring bike that’s more like my Indian Chieftain, but much less expensive than a new Indian Roadmaster or Pursuit. Thanks again for a great review!
I have been considering the Voyager due to it's design and value. However, the lack of stock power output was very concerning to me. Knowing that Ivan's tune woke the bike up is allowing me to still consider it. How would you rate the power output since flashing the ECU?
It's a different motorcycle after the Ivan flash. Also, to be clear, around town the power was never that bad. It was mostly on the highway the stock tune was a problem. After the tune, the bike became alive, and ran much cooler. The EPA is killing one motorcycle at a time.
Hahaha and a thumbs up for the crack. Nice review. I've been riding bikes for over 55 years and am considering getting the 2023 Voyager, probably in January or so. Thanks for your service as a LEO. Many in my family were also LEOs. Ride safe.
Great Video!! I'm familiar with the area you're riding in too. Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown, but I've never done it on a bike. I have a 650 vstrom which I love, but the wife and I agreed something bigger was better for us. I started with a Nomad 1600 to get confident on a big bike. I was thinking HD Electra Glide or Goldwing, but your video got me looking at the Voyager. I even looked at a new one. The Nomad is a Road King copy, but I like the quiet of the Golding for long hauls. I just now got one, and I might keep the Nomad for the cool cruiser rumble on shorter runs. After watching your video a couple more times the drone of the bike convinced me of the goldwing. I also feel comfortable with a used Wing because of the Honda rep. for being reliable. Thanks for your honest review of HD and metrics in this video as well.
You can never go wrong with a GW, they are fantastic bikes. I have always felt that I would miss the rumble that is part of the experience with a V-Twin. After I'm done playing around with my new Versys 1000 and the whole sport tourer thing I will defintely be getting a GW. Thanks again!
I bought a brand new 2011 Kawasaki Nomad 1700. Loved it. Same engine as the Voyager. But, just a few hundred miles before the warranty expired, the lower rear cylinder gasket where the cylinder meets the crankcase started leaking oil. Kawasaki fixed it under warranty. Then a year later, a friend of mine bought a 2012 Voyager, and just after the warranty expired, same leak happened. Without warranty, it cost him close to $1500 to fix it. Strange coincidence. I’ve never heard of anyone else who reported this problem. But, both bikes went trouble free for many thousands of miles after that. Must have been a manufacturing defect in the gaskets or something.
The stock rear went around 6,800mi and was replaced with a Bridgestone Excedra Max. The front was replaced at 9,000mi with a Bridgestone Battlecruise H50. No plans to go to the darkside, I'm personally not a huge fan of using car tires on bikes. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for the video. As a motor officer and as someone who has experience with Harleys, how do you feel the handling compares to a Road King when it comes to slow speed maneuvers?
@@Philche ah yes, the Road King. So both of the bikes I was issued over the years were electra glides. However, on a few occasions I have played with RK’s in the rodeo courses. While both, the EG and the RK, can handle slow speed and cone courses equally as well. The RK is special in its own way because of the lack of fairing. It allows you to see what is close to you and forward in a way that a fairing bike never will. It inspires confidence in the cone courses. Some of the fastest rodeo riders I knew rode RK’s. I always preferred the EG for what I thought was a better look. Not to toot my own horn, but in 2011 I was the police cone course TOP GUN award recipient, I was no faster in the course on a RK than on a EG. As long as you practice with controlling throttle, clutch, and brake, both are excellent low speed handling bikes.
I'm not a long rider nor husband and wife rider, I have a roadking but I want to change to Voyager because I like big bikes and the way Voyager looks, I also have a concours14. 👍
Hello from Ohio. I'm currently on the fence about purchasing a new leftover 2022 voyager. My question is would you consider purchasing the bike again and is an out the door price of $15000 a fair deal for a leftover 2022. Thanks
So to your first question, absolutely, I would buy another in a heartbeat. Only caveat, I do believe that Ivanizing is absolutely necessary to really enjoy the bike. I bought my 2019 in Aug of 2019 for 13,900 out the door. Sounds like the deal you have there is pretty good. Now go get you one!!! Thanks again!
I believe the heated seats are a rather expensive option on the Voyager. I have a Nomad and the cost was around $800 to add the heated seat option which I don't need cause heated clothing does the trick but I invested in a Mustang seat and what a difference. My front fork is the same as your and I have an issue with every bump or crack in the road goes to the bars and that hurts after a while in the saddle.
Yeah I think heated clothing is a great option and probably more effective than just a heated seat, or I could just not ride in the freezing cold...lol....
Coming off a 2013 goldwing, I was between voyager, and a versys 1000.. after watching videos, I bought a versys 1000 sight unseen. No one had the voyager in stock and got a great deal on the versys.
Kawasaki make super reliable bikes, they really need to reconsider the basic accesory lists though. The 2022 Concours, doesn't even have cruise control. A Triumph Scrambler 1200 has cruise control stock...
I recently bought a Versys 1000 and really wanted a Concours, the lack of cruise control was a deal breaker for me on a sport tourer. Apparently the Concours still uses steel wire throttle control cables so electronic cruise will never be an option until they ditch the cables. But yeah, it seems like cruise control should be standard any anything for distance riding. Personally I would never go back to a bike without it.
Your too funny and you made me and my wife laugh lolol good video and I used to have a honda vtx 1800 and I did change the seat and it was the best investment for long rides. I have a 2007 harley electric glide standard and now we are looking at a 2023 or 2024 kawasaki voyager and it's a good bike for the money and we don't need all the fancy crap that they have on other bikes and I would definitely put the ivan's tuner on and change the pipes and get a light tinted windshield and probably change the headlights to led and driving lights to led too
I'm 70 I've owned eleven Harleys and three real Indian Chiefs motorcycles. I want to do one more big ride in the spring of 2024. My newest bike is a 98 my oldest is a 1946 and none are long trip bikes. I'm actually looking at Japanese touring bikes because I can get a lot more bike for the money maybe it won't break down on me half way through the trip. I'll take tremendous grief from my buddies if I did buy a Japanese bike. The other thing is they have poor resale value unlike Harley I've never lost money on a Harley at selling time.
You make some good points there. In my case I bought my Voyager in 2019 for $14k, drove it for 13k miles, and sold it for my Versys for $13.8K. If you find the right deal you can help with that resale issue. I rode harleys every day for work for a decade, you can see what I pick now. If I thought harleys were a solid, reliable machine, I would buy one. Unfortunately they are not. I like to go for rides to places other than the service shop.
@@VoyagingVoyager If you can't wrench on your own Harley buy Japanese. Out of 14 bikes I've owned two were running at the time I got them. The rest were basket cases or wrecked bikes. My Harley's all run great because I did the work. I just got done with a frame up restoration of a 1946 indian chief. I modernized the motor with Kiwi rods and aluminum pistons did my first up last week. I see super deals on on Japanese touring bikes that are selling for less than a ten year old Sportster. I may pick one up for my trip at least I know I'll make it home buying a used Harley is a crap shoot. Say it's a twin cam I'd have to upgrade it if it's still stock before trusting it.
So, I think I'm going to get the 2017 Voyager at my local dealer. I am not impressed with the power either and I'm hoping the Ivan tune makes a big difference. My wife loved the ride so happy wife happy life and I get a new bike. :)
The Ivan tune makes a huge difference. Without it, I would have sold the Voyager in the first three months of ownership. Comfortable wife, happy life, smart man!
I have a Goldwing 1500. I would like to get a newer bike like this one the Voyager. I like everything about The Voyager except two things for one thing it’s heavier than my GL 1500 not balanced as well. It also doesn’t have a reverse. I would definitely buy the Voyager wasn’t for that.
Yeah I don't see Kawasaki adding reverse any time soon. I have never ridden a GL1500 but spent a lot of time on a GL1800. I would say that the Voyager is every bit as balanced as the 1800 and honestly feels a little lighter and more nimble on its feet. Low speed maneuverability of the Voyager is hands down better and easier to manage than the Wing. At the end of the day I wouldn't hesitate to own either as they are both excellent bikes. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the review, it was great. One thing you didn't mention was the drive/belt system. I've never owned a bike with a belt drive, only shaft and chain drives. One concern I've read with these (and Vaquero) is a complaint of a noisy or failing drive pulley, and also belt chirping or other belt drive related issues. I have no idea if these are isolated incidents or how often they have happened in reality. Have you experienced any of that with your bike?
You’re right I didn’t talk about the belt drive. It’s probably because of how problem free it was, I have owned several bikes with belt drive, compared to my chain and shaft drive bikes of the past, I probably prefer belt drive the most. Smooth and quiet, this can’t be said of chain and shaft drive clunkiness. I’m not aware of any drive problems with the Voyagers. I had zero problems with mine and in fact never required one adjustment in over 11k miles.
@@VoyagingVoyager Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you don't have it anymore? Did you spring for the Gold Wing? Your comments in the video sounded like that was what you would like to have.
Yes, during the warm months the gauge was always high, never in the red but close. Now even at 90+ deg outside it stays at 1/2 to 5/8 on the gauge. There is no doubt she is running cooler.
Does ivanizing make the bike faster/stronger in either top or bottom end? Ive been hearing about it but dont know what it does. Im considering switching from goldwing (f6b) because of the knee sitting position.
It's hard to explain but, Ivanizing just wakes the bike up. It improves the entire experience in a way that is very obvious to the rider. More power you can feel, smooths the motor out across the rpm range, cooler operating temps. It's the way the bike should come from the factory.
The exhaust is a Cobra Tri Flow slip on. As far as I know there are no baffle options other than what it comes with. What you hear is how it sounds out of the box, no modifications made, nothing removed. Thanks!
for your comment on the visor not shedding water: I would suggest a good amount of rainx, probably 2-3 applications to a cool windshield in the shady spot. If you let it dry in the garage overnight its even more effective. After that, just a quick spray ever few weeks will keep it shedding water nicely. Better than without it anyway
Interestingly enough I tried that along with Ceramic coating which I found to be more hydrophobic than Rain-X. In short nothing works in keeping it clear. From what I could see, the fairing cowl airflow creates almost a anti-gravity zone for water on the majority of the windshield. It's the weirdest thing and pretty annoying. Fortunately I did not ride in the rain much so it was a uncommon issue for the majority of my rides. Thanks for the comment!
As far as the Ivan tuning and performance issues, does it remedy the deceleration "jerking / jumpiness" (not sure how to describe it) in lower gears? For example, if you're accelerating in second gear, but have to ease of the throttle, the bike is very jumpy. And, to clarify, are you saying the Ivan tuning removed thr vibrations, or was there little vibration even before the tuning?
So I will have to be careful how I answer this. First, the IVAN tune smooths the bike out across the board. Especially at highway speeds while rolling on the throttle. There was roll on vibration when accelerating in 6th gear, the IVAN tune took that out completely. The scenario you describe I am familiar with, however, in my experience the nature of how big V-twins wind down, if you will, always gets a bit jumpy as the RPM's get lower. It isn't just the Voyager that does this, every, and I mean every Harley I have ridden will begin to buck during low RPM deceleration, mostly at slow speeds,
I have owned nothing but Kawasakis since 1974 I even had one that was for drag racing only from 1979 through 1981. I loved each and everyone of them. I did have a Harley for a short time around 1982 I had alot of issues with it and leaked alot of oil. I know that Harleys are great motorcycles now but I've been with Kawasaki for so long that I have no reason to switch over now. Plus the price of a Harley is way out of my budget
So are you happy with the stock seats comfort wise or would you upgrade them as well..I have the 900 vulcan and went with Mustang because stock wasn't very comfortable.
I have had 2 wings several Harley-Davidsons a k1600gtl and a voyager 1700 the voyager is the one I regret not keeping.if you do the math a used voyager has less money lost in it than any other touring bike out there when bought from new
That’s a tough one. I know the Voyager will have less features than the ultra, but…. You cannot beat the Kawasaki reliability. Harleys are not bad motorcycles but there is no doubt the ultra will cost you more per mile than the Kawasaki. Motorcycles are not permanent, If you decide you don’t like it down the road, get a different one. Ride safe!
@@VoyagingVoyager I had the same dilemma, but I'm going with the Voyager. The ride is so much better it's not even a question. My buddies will hate me, but that's a little fun too. haha
A loaded up Roadmaster is over 30 i paid 52 with taxes and lots of Indian options. A bare bones one is over 40 including taxes out the door and around 37 - 38 before taxes. I love my bike but sometimes i wish i would have road tested this one they were 20 when i bought my Roadmaster .We get ripped off in Canada on any vehicle price wise.
I recognize the road your going down. I used to do the “five and dime” when I first got my motorcycle years ago and go across the fairy. Was some really good riding memories for me
You sold me I'm a fellow east coaster I'm in the tip of the Appalachian mountains in western MD due to finances being a single income household i can't afford a new bike I'm a big guy 6ft 1 250 with 20 years riding experience recently me and the wide have decided to start touring as she has been diagnosed with a inoperable brain tumor I had a 2002 shadow 1100 and then a 2006 Harley sporster 1200 and neither were comfortable riding 2 up. So I'm looking for a bagger/tourer and with my budget it's definitely gonna have to be a used bike and Harleys and Indians are out of the question unless I wanted what I already had or a 90s ultra classic with 75k plus that needs thousands in it to be a traveler. I know these bikes haven't changed much since 2010 is there any bad years or problems with any of them to look for as I will be looking on the used market primarily Facebook market place?
Im very sorry to hear about your wife. I hope you both get many years to make the very best of memories. The 2011 and up Voyagers have been considered very reliable. Im not sure what year it was done, but the later models have a rear fan that directs heat away from the riders leg. I highly recommend it. Be sure to check out my Voyager passenger perspective video. Thanks!!!
In Australia there is a product called rain X. It was developed for fighter plane canopies as they are curved in 3 dimension so cant use a wiper. Water beads instantly and is gone...no rain drops. I use it on my visor religiously and have done for decades. Smells like Bananas.
I rode a 2017 Voyager at the dealership and it popped a lot on deceleration road really rough. I’m guessing it hasn’t had the Ivan flash. Did yours ride rough and shake at times before you flashed it?
No I wouldn't say it was rough, definitely no shake. It was more of a lack of power, especially when loaded at interstate speeds. Sounds like you rode a bad Voyager.
@@VoyagingVoyager I believe it was the engine lugging when I shifted too soon. The bike was smooth otherwise. You have to be going pretty good before you can use 5th and 6th. They should've only had 6th as an overdrive.
I have a Vulcan Voyager and your complaining about the bike doesn't have heated grips that is the exact reason why you can get this bike for cheap you said that Harley Davidson or Honda goldwing flagship bikes are almost 30 thousand and that's because they have all the bells and whistles if you want that stuff be prepared to pay alot more money for a motorcycle Kawasaki is giving you a bike that's just as good but not as expensive as the other models
I believe my complaint comes from the place that says, a “touring” bike should have certain things. One of those things is heated grips, it’s a must. Heated handgrips certainly don’t fall into the category of Goldwing bells and whistles. Don’t get me started on Harley and how they are overpriced. Harley sells a name, a lifestyle, a sound, self perception, and has a cult following. Somehow Kawasaki was able to produce the Versys 1000 se lt for sub $20k with heated grips….and honestly the V1k is loaded with features. I’m not sure I agree with you that adding things like heated grips would make the Voyager a 30k bike. More realistically they could very well add $500 to the msrp and be done with it….
Good question. The short answer is yes…the long answer is, it depends on how the bike is setup. Handlebar position and height matter very little for high speeds, in that arena it’s more about comfort. However for low speed handling it matters a lot. The lower and thinner your bars are will increase the feeling of instability. I find that a little below shoulder height when seated is great for low speed handling. The second low speed handling issue is seat height and seating position. On the police motors I always preferred a somewhat high seat and for ultimate low speed handling it’s important to be forward on the seat and let the bike lean under you while your body stays vertical. The first thing I did to my voyager was loosen the clamps and raise the bars up as far as they could go. The bike immediately handled better at low speeds. If I scraped the running boards I could spin the Voyager around in two parking spaces, my electra glide could make the same turn. So yes, low speed the Voyager does just fine.
@@VoyagingVoyager are there wires to disconnect for a brake light? What makes it difficult..thanks for the great info BTW.. good to hear about the seat..I'm looking between this and a 1700 Yamaha midnight star.
Yeah you would think so…I even Ceramic Coated it, made little to no difference. The phenomenon that occurs on the windshield from the odd airflow on the Voyager in the rain has to be seen to be believed. No wind= no efficient water shedding. I’ve never seen anything like it.
When you wake up in the morning with dew on the windshield, spray lemon pledge on and wipe off with a clean terry cloth. Use on helmets as well. Over time this will fix the rain problem.
Nice review. Good joke @ the end. Bike purrs like a kitten. From your review sounds like only thing a person needs if he picks up a Kawi is.... Ivan flash, rain-x & some hwy pegs.
I dont understand why manufactures cannot make fuel efficient touring bagger motorcycles with good fuel economy , cruise control and reasonable weight etc. These huge displacement super heavy bikes just make no sense to me.
When you compare bikes like this to others you will see that it’s fuel mileage, while not stellar is actually not too bad. For example the Mt-10 gets an average of 28mpg, my Versys 1000 only gets 42-44mpg, my old Vtx 1300 got around 40. So comparatively and considering it’s size and weight, not too shabby. It aint no Honda metropolitan for sure…lol.
I ceramic coat everything which on windshields has a similar effect, the problem is that the wind is neutral on the majority of the windshield and gravity is not enough to shed water because wind is pushing both up and down.
Maybe..just maybe… because both of those things you have no clue about are totally legal in Virginia……also, MSF recommends using high beams during daytime because it is proven to reduce accidents and increase conspicuity…,just a thought…come on now, especially the hand thing, Im guessing you have never ridden a motorcycle….we may have a winner here for dumbest comment on this video.
I see your one of the people that ride all the time with your high beams on. It's a serious problem for motorcyclist as a whole that thinks it makes it safer but in all my years of riding you blind other drivers day or night and then blame them for not seeing you or being careless. It falls on your shoulders for being inconsiderate of others doing so. And you and I both being from a law enforcement back ground should definitely know that's its not legal to run with your highbeams on all the time.
You're certainly entitled to your opinion, unfortunately your opinion here is wrong. Studies have been done on this and cited in MSF materials that support the use of high beams during the day. I’m also surprised you come from law enforcement and don’t know that high beams during the day are perfectly legal.... I don't care what you do, but I’ll take my daytime conspicuity. In my extensive experience on a MC it has served me well.
If you have some ultra bright LED lights, I agree... I have seen some that are too bright even in the day. Most are not that bright, and with halogens that bikes like this have, they really aren't that bright anyways.
