Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero Vs. Harley Davidson Road Glide

Bagger-style touring bikes are designed for long-distance rides and are typically fitted with saddlebags and large nose fairings. Almost any motorcycle can be transformed into a touring bike by adding a few aftermarket parts. However, factory-made, bagger-style touring bikes already come with stock saddlebags, fairings, windscreens, crash bars, and torquey engines. Many heavyweight touring bikes are fitted with easily removable parts and can be easily transformed into cruisers. The Harley Davidson Grand American Touring models are popular among custom builders due to how customizable they are.

Kawasaki is well-known for its fast sports bikes with reliable build and affordable prices. However, the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero has proven to be good competition to the Harley Davidson Road Glide. This article is a detailed comparison between the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero and the Harley Road Glide.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero is a bagger-style touring bike with a compact and unique design. It is available in a metallic matte graphene steel gray color scheme with chrome handlebars, cylinder heads, side mirrors, and exhaust pipes. Most parts are blacked-out, including the frame, front forks, air filter, gearbox, and wheels. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is fitted with a uniquely-styled, frame-mounted front fairing with a small windscreen, a round headlamp, four analog gauges, a small digital display screen, an audio system, and two lockable storage boxes. The digital controls are simple and gauges are easily readable, unlike other touring bikes with stock infotainment systems.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero has a small, sportier front fender and a large rear fender with a V-style tail/stop light, license plate holder, and rear turn signals. It is also fitted with a large radiator in front of the engine to help maintain the engine’s temperature. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero also comes with stock side-opening, hard saddlebags with a storage capacity of 20 gal and blacked-out crash bars. It comes with a single-piece saddle capable of two-up riding. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is also fitted with low-mounted, pulled-back handlebars.

The Harley Davidson Road Glide’s most prominent feature is its aggressive style, shark-nose fairing with stylish dual headlights, and a small windscreen. The shark-nose fairing is mounted to the frame, staying fixed even while turning the handlebars. The shark-nose fairing is also fitted with a small display screen, dual speakers, and analog gauges. The chrome side mirrors are mounted to the mid-mounted, pulled-back handlebars. The Harley Road Glide comes with a single-piece step-up seat capable of two-up riding. There is also a dip in the seat to provide lower back support for the rider. Most parts have a chrome finish, including the front forks, handlebars, crash bars, air filter, cylinder head, gearbox, and exhaust pipes which gives it a classic look. The Harley Road Glide also comes with stock saddlebags with a storage capacity of 23 cu ft and floorboards. It has a chopped front fender that gives you a full view of the Enforcer II Cast Aluminum wheels wrapped around the Dunlop tires.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero is powered by a 1,700 cc liquid-cooled, 52° V-Twin engine capable of a torque of 82 hp at 5,000 rpm and a horsepower of 145.89 Nm at 2,750 rpm. It has a six-speed gearbox that connects to the rear wheel via a carbon fiber-reinforced belt.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is fitted with a high-power output V-Twin engine like most heavyweight touring bikes. The 52° V-Twin engine produces smooth and powerful torque and has a quick throttle response. Also, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero has a liquid-cooled engine with a large radiator behind the front wheel, keeping the engine temperature maintained even when riding through busy traffic. The V-Twin engine does not produce excess vibrations and ensures a smooth riding experience.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is fitted with standard safety and ride-assist features, including an ABS, electronic cruise control, Kawasaki Advanced Coactive Braking (K-ACT), and electronic throttle valves. When the K-ACT brake is applied, both wheels stop at the same time without throwing the rider off the motorcycle even if you suddenly stop at high speed.

You can barely notice the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero’s weight while riding at moderate speed. However, riding this motorbike at low speeds can be difficult for novice riders. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero has a great overall performance despite not being a particularly fast motorcycle, offering a smooth and comfortable riding experience.

The Harley Davidson Road Glide is fitted with a 107 cu in Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine capable of a torque of 93 hp at 5,020 rpm and a horsepower of 150.5 Nm at 3,250 rpm. The Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine is well-known for its smooth power and torque delivery due to its lightweight piston design. The Milwaukee-Eight 107 produces adequate horsepower and torque for a comfortable, long-distance two-up riding experience. However, the air-cooled system is less effective at maintaining the engine’s temperature, especially while riding through traffic.

The Harley Road Glide provides a smooth riding experience while cruising on highways and open roads. While easy to handle when riding at high speeds, low-speed maneuvering is more difficult due to being a heavyweight motorcycle. The Harley Road Glide also comes with a standard cruise control feature and electronically linked braking (ELB), along with an optional ABS to ensure a safer riding experience.

The Harley Road Glide is available in two variants: the Harley Road Glide Special and the Harley Road Glide Limited. Both Harley Road Glide variants are fitted with large and powerful 114 cu in Milwaukee-Eight 114 engines. The Harley Road Glide Limited also has a large trunk installed to provide more storage capacity and a comfortable passenger seat and backrest.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is a big bagger motorbike with a wheelbase of 65.6 inches and a wet weight of 844.5 lbs. Due to being a large and heavyweight motorcycle, it is harder for a beginner or shorter rider to handle. However, for an average or taller rider, it has comfortable ergonomics. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is fitted with low-mounted, pulled-back handlebars that are within comfortable reach of the rider and provide a relaxed riding position. It also comes with forward-mounted, floating floorboards which provide adequate legroom. Overall, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is a comfortable bagger-style touring bike suited for long-distance rides and highway cruising.

The Harley Davidson Road Glide is one of the most comfortable touring bikes in the Harley Grand American Touring models. It is fitted with mid-mounted, pulled-back handlebars that ensure an upright riding position. The Harley Road Glide has a low seat height of 25.9 inches and forward-mounted floorboards that provide adequate legroom. The handlebars’ position, low seat height, and adequate legroom make the Harley Road Glide comfortable for both taller and shorter riders. However, due to being a heavyweight bike, it is difficult to handle at low speeds or when turning. The Harley Road Glide can be transformed into an ideal touring bike by installing a large windshield, sissy bars, rider and passenger’s backrests, and luggage racks.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero and the Harley Davidson Road Glide are designed for long-distance travel and touring. Both motorcycles have forward-mounted floorboards, pulled-back handlebars, adequate legroom, and relaxed ergonomics. However, the Harley Road Glide has a low seat height of 25.9 inches, making it comfortable for shorter riders. Meanwhile, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero ensures a smooth riding experience with its engine producing low vibrations, floating floorboards, ABS, and K-ACT braking.

The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero and Harley Davidson Road Glide are comfortable bagger-style tourers with stock fairing, windscreen, saddlebags, crash bars, and floorboards. However, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is aesthetically more appealing and comes with more standard features, including an ABS, cruise control, and K-ACT braking. Also, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is $2,831 cheaper than the Harley Road Glide. The Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is a well-rounded, versatile motorbike with smooth power delivery and comfortable riding ergonomics. However, the Harley Road Glide is a popular touring bike with easily available aftermarket parts. Meanwhile, the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero is not as common and it is difficult to find suitable aftermarket parts.