Kawasaki Vulcan cruiser teased; Launching soon in India

Kawasaki has teased its first cruiser motorcycle for the Indian market – the Vulcan 650. The bike will take on the Harley Davidson Street 750. It is expected to carry a price tag of under Rs. 6 lakhs, making it one of the most affordable multi-cylinder cruisers in the Indian market. It will be assembled in India, at Kawasaki’s factory in Pune. The assembly will happen from CKD kits to keep costs low.

The Vulcan 650 shares its engine and cycle parts with other Kawasaki models such as the Ninja 650R and the Z650 naked. It will feature a 650cc, parallel twin engine with 60 Bhp of peak power and 63 Nm of peak torque. The engine gets liquid cooling, 8 valves, fuel injection and twin overhead camshafts. A 6 speed manual gearbox will be standard, and ABS is also expected to be offered as standard.

The bike uses the same frame as the Kawasaki Ninja 650 but has a much lower stance, along with a lower seat. The bike will have high-set handlebar, and footpegs moved ahead to give the rider a relaxed stance. The exhaust is also modified. We hope that Kawasaki gives the exhaust a nice, gruff note as the 650cc engine on the Ninja 650 is said to be very muted, and that’s something not good on a cruiser.

Harley Davidson is known for producing bikes with excellent exhaust notes, and to match it, Kawasaki needs to do its bit to make the Vulcan 650 a sweet-sounding bike. In terms of suspension, the Vulcan 650 gets telescopic front forks and a monoshock rear. The bike is expected to be launched soon. It will be sold and service through all Kawasaki dealerships in India. Bookings are expected to open soon.