2017–2019 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
The Café Face, Commuter Heart
The Vulcan S Cafe runs a 649 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, the same engine family that powers the Ninja 650, tuned here to do its work down low and through the middle instead of at the top. Output is 61 hp and 46 lb-ft, fed through a six-speed gearbox and chain final drive. What separates it in the middleweight cruiser field is fit. Seat height is adjustable, and at 27.8 inches it puts most riders flat-footed at a stop. The Cafe trim brings the small wind deflector and dark paintwork. ABS is standard.
The 503-pound wet weight sits low enough that it stops being a factor the moment you roll. This is a bike for a rider who wants the long, low look without a heavyweight to wrestle in a parking lot, and who pays attention to what a motorcycle costs to keep on the road. The engine and gearbox come from a proven family, and there is enough aftermarket support to make it your own. The honest caveat is air. There is no meaningful protection at sustained highway speed, and a long interstate slog will wear you out well before the 3.7-gallon tank runs dry.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 61 hp (45 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 46 lb-ft (62 Nm) @ 6,600 rpm |
| Displacement | 649 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 120/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Wheelbase | 62.0 in (1575 mm) |
| Seat height | 27.8 in (705 mm) |
| Wet weight | 503 lb (228 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.7 gal (14 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
What's below isn't my own riding impression. It comes from years of listening to owners: talk at gas stops, questions after group rides, and the notes riders send me directly without being asked. On the Vulcan S Cafe the pattern is clear. The praise is loud and lands on the same three things every time, while the complaints arrive one at a time from a rider here and a rider there.
Three points come back again and again. Steering that feels light and eager, with room to lean before anything touches down. A twin that pulls from low in the revs and still keeps going when asked, strong without feeling like too much bike. And ride quality owners describe as better than they expected in this class, with rough pavement losing most of its sting.
The other side is thinner and scattered. A few owners find the rear abrupt over potholes and sharp edges, the hit coming straight through the seat. Others mention how firmly it slows on a shut throttle, enough to move the bike mid-corner if the hand isn't smooth. Past that: little shelter from the air above 70 mph, rust on hardware after a winter parked outside, and a chain asking for regular attention.
Hard to engage second gear when cold
Some owners report difficulty shifting into second gear during the first few miles, with the gear lever feeling notchy or refusing to click into place until the bike is fully warmed up.
Where this Kawasaki Vulcan S Cafe pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Vulcan S Cafe is actually built for.
You get the stance, the low seat, and a bike that costs little to run all week. What you do not get is a big-twin soundtrack, and at a rally that counts for more than the spec sheet does.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Look elsewhere. There is no wind protection worth the name, the 3.7-gallon tank keeps your stops close together, and luggage is an option you have to buy separately.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
Small towns, two-lane roads, an unhurried rhythm: this is exactly where the Cafe trim earns its keep. The low seat and honest manners make a full day out feel like nothing.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Kawasaki Vulcan S Cafe. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
