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Boulevard S50 or Kawasaki Vulcan 750?

9K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  RevJoel 
#1 ·
Am considering a new bike in the 750cc-800cc range. I have sort of narrowed it down to the Boulevard S50 or Kawasaki Vulcan 750.

For those of you who comparison shopped these bikes, or know a lot about both of them, tell me why I should choose the S50 over the Kawasaki?

I must say that I like the look of the S50 a little better, it looks sharp in that 2006 light blue! However, the Kawasaki seems to be a better value with all of the stock instrumentation.

Any comments as to why the S50 would be the winner in this comparison?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Corey
 
#2 ·
I have owned two Intruder VS800s (S50), and been very happy with both. My 1996 went 135,000 miles before it finally broke something serious. I bought another one in 2004, and it turned 40,000 trouble-free miles in one year before being retired in favor of a Harley FLH. But I kept it for occational use up in the mountains, as I love the way it looks, handles, and performs. I've never owned a Vulcan, but I have riden them several times.
Either is a good bike. Acceleration, handling, etc are similar, with the S50 being a touch faster but the Vulcan handling a touch better. Both have been in production since the mid-1980s, and have good reputations for reliability. You can't go wrong with either, and there isn't much to differenciate between the two other than style. Just buy the one you like better, as far as looks and how comfortable you are sitting on it. Personally I think the S50 is one of the best looking bike ever made, while the I have always thought the Vulcan was fugly, but that's just me. The S50 is a re-badged Intruder 800, so there are more aftermarket goodies available for it than for the Vulcan, which never sold very well. The Vulcan had dual disks in the front, and many people don't like the spoke wheels that come on the S50, but others think the Vulcan's air box is ugly and the aluminum wheels scream out "1985"...it's just a matter of personal taste.
 
#3 ·
I owned a 2005 Kaw Vulcan 750 and traded it for a 2006 C50. I had to many issues with it that Kaw wouldn't stand behind even though it was still under warranty. I'd recommend the Suzuki, you'll find it much more comfortable, the rear suspension on the 750 really sucks, it's just too weak no matter what setting it's on. My opinion,,, what ever it's worth. I truly enjoy riding my C50.
 
#4 ·
I'd like to have a tach on the S50 if I end up buying it. I've heard about people putting Harley or other aftermarket tachs on LS650's/S40's (I currently own an old LS650, incidentelly).

What's the story on doing this on an S50? I am curious how much I will be out-of-pocket. Has anyone done it, how did it mount/look, etc.?
 
#5 ·
I love the 750 but the key for me is that there is little to no aftermarket for it. But it has a center stand and non spoked wheels. I also feel that the s50 is a tad more cramped then the vulcan. But I wold probably end up with the s50 because of the aftermarket. If I wanted to leave it stock and just use as a commuter then it would be the vulcan.
 
#7 ·
Adding a tach is a very simple process, as there are litterally hundreds of aftermarket tachs on the market. They range from $50 to $500 depending on quality, size, the way they mount, and digital or not.
Personally, it took me about two hours to get used to shifting the Suzuki by 'feel' and sound, so I have never missed having a tach, even though the 800 was the first bike I owned that didn;t have one. The motor redlines so rediculously high that Suzuki does not even bother putting a rev limiter on it, as the carbs simply won't flow enough air to spin the nearly motor fast enough to damage it.
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
I see this thread is WEELLLL old, and has probably long been dead, however, I've come across it in my searches for comparisons, specs, reviews, etc...and so I'll give my 2¢ for anyone else who stumbles across it.

My very first bike (bought in 2010) was a basket-case of a 1994 Vulcan 750. I'm talking a MAJOR PITA....I spent a good while working on that sucker, and learning the ins and outs of the machine. That bike taught me how to work on motorcycles, for real...I bought it at a dollar per cc from a guy who never rode it and let it sit in a barn....had low miles, though, and the tires and everything were good, so I couldn't beat the price. Anyhow..long story short, once I got it running right (which would go off and on until I sold the bike to a friend who bobbed and rejetted it, (and turned it into a scary fast f'in monster!). Now, the very obvious pros of this bike, Imo, are the speed (stock, it'll blow Harley's off the line all day), and the handling, and maintenance free shaft drive. Comfort really isn't that bad if you push the bars slightly forward, or lower the seat, but it's certainly not a bike made for people 6ft+. Did I mention it's fast? Its a good bike. Looks great too in teal/black. There's also a great forum called vn750.com with tons of tricks, tips, and knowledge in general.

Now..the cons....the automatic chain tensioners (which can actually be easily converted to manual), and....THE CARBS! they're awful to work on, and remove/replace. That's it.

The bikes don't actually have a bad aftermarket selection of stuff, just not a whole lot if you wanna be unique. (I made my own exhaust, which made it roar like a mfer)

All in all, not a bad bike AT ALL, though.

Flash forward several years and I've owned a Suzuki marauder vz800 (wrecked) and a Honda Shadow vt600c (still own, but not running atm), AND as of a week ago, I know own a 96 intruder vs800. I'm not a huge fan of how the bike looks, but it's not terrible. There are some things I wish they would've done different with the aesthetic of the bike, but the motor is beautiful. This bike is also a little cramped, probably a tad bit more than the Vulcan, so pushing the handlebars forward helps on intruder, too.

Pros: it's slightly faster than the Vulcan in the quarter mile, despite making less power than the Vulcan (the secret is in the weight and gearing), and despite the Vulcan having a better top end, the intruder still, imo, has slightly better performance, however the "ear shave" rejet will put the Vulcan ahead every time, but it ain't a cheap or easy rejet. The intruders torquey feel will have you white knuckling the bars though. It feels like it wants to bring the front wheel up every time you shift. The intruder also has a larger aftermarket selection and parts are much more available as opposed to the Vulcan.

Cons: the carbs are far worse to deal with than the Vulcan. There's more hardware to remove for every little thing you wanna take off, it has a hydraulic clutch (which is fine, it just requires more maintenance), and also, the carbs are pretty much already tuned to perfection, though someone recently fabricated some air filters with foam covers, and got a slight increase through the whole band. (Intrudersalert.com "to pod or not to pod"). The intruder is also, I'm, not as agile as the Vulcan, despite being lighter, or maybe I'm just not used to it yet, I dunno.

Assessment...

They're both awesome middleweights, and they both pack a punch that really pisses off the Harley fanboys. They look pretty much the same to me, the Vulcan being slightly easier on the eyes once the boxes are removed, though the intruders motor is better looking. They're both hard to work on, but they're also both reliable, so you shouldn't have to work on them much as long as you do the proper preventative maintenance. The Vulcan has mag wheels which is a plus if you get a flat, you can plug it and truck on, whereas the intruder has tubes. This is a tough choice for me, so....basically....if you can buy both....do it. You can't really go wrong with either bike.
 
#10 ·
Not only is this an OLD thread but discussing bikes that are so old they would be hard to find doesn't seem to me to be worth the time........unless someone is actively looking at one.

Of the current models, I think the Vulcan 900 wins hands down.
I LOVE my custom.
 
#11 ·
.

Uh...I am still actively looking for another vn750, pre-fuel injection, almost 7 years after owning my first one. I see them on the road all the time, and SOMETIMES for sale ( when I don't have the cash, of course).

I like the Vulcan 900 classic, myself. All the Vulcan bikes are super reliable, and come with plenty of performance at half the cost of a Harley, which is great.

I actually didn't like the intruder vs800 (don't waste time with the successor model, the c50, it's dumbed down. The vs800 is older, but better)..... until I gave it a fist full of throttle. Both bikes were the rival Kings of the middleweights for years, and arguably still are.
 
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