Comparison customs Kawasaki VN 900, VN 1700 and W800

Menus

• Three customs for one choice
• The good, the bad and the ugly
• Scenario
• Good
• The bully
• The Ugly
• In the saddle
• On the way !
• In the city
• Departmental
• National
• Highway
• Braking
• Comfort and practicalities
• Balance sheet

Three customs for one choice

Second custom seller in France, after Harley Davidson of course, Kawasaki has an extensive range. To understand the philosophy of this manufacturer who is usually very attached to sports cars, we have selected three models to compare them: VN900, VN1700 and W800.

The good, the bad and the ugly

When it comes to motorcycles, talking about philosophy may seem out of place. Yet more than ever, the expression "tell me what your bike is and I will tell you who you are" takes on its full significance here. Our three machines indeed have very different vocations and if they have in common a more "cool" vision of the motorcycle, they each have their own particularities and their personality, which reflects a little those of their riders..

Scenario

Good

Sympathetic devil the W800 causes smiles of happiness in its path. On its handlebars, we will give you the good Lord without confession…. nor concession elsewhere, as we will see in this essay. She really has a good face with her rounded shapes and all her chrome. We would open the doors of his house without hesitation to put it as a decoration in his living room, well if the lady agreed, which is not necessarily won !

Sculptural, this W 800 is a beautiful object in the noblest sense of the term. Its aesthetic references are part of the historical heritage of the motorcycle. You understood, this "voucher" has already bamboozled us before starting, we are under the spell.

The bully

In the role of the strongest, I named the VN 1700 classic. With her huge, long-stroke V-twin engine and fully loaded 383 kg, she has by far the broadest shoulders in our comparison. In fact of brute, it is rather quiet strength. Under its big (big) airs, it hides a velvet heart. Her option is more travel and comfort. Here everything is calm, calm and voluptuousness. On its handlebars, the pleasure is to stroll.

The Ugly

With the VN 900, you immediately change register. She loves to look at herself in the city windows to see if she looks mean. All dressed in black she likes to play tough. We leave the cozy and a little classy atmosphere of traveling it for a more "have you seen me" atmosphere even if this Japanese girl does not play it like an extravagant and vulgar chopper. This is not Daytona beach with tattoos all over bodies showing off when they shouldn’t. However, the VN 900 doesn’t go unnoticed and it’s not here for that either. This Japanese girl has character, let’s face it! Aesthetically its very thin 21-inch front wheel and rigid subframe set it apart from the herd..

In the saddle

Easy to access, the W800 offers a comfortable and restful driving position. The bust straight, we dominate the road while the narrow tank and the saddle not too wide allow to easily put the feet on the ground, even for less than 1.70 m.

On the VN 1700, we are also very well installed and even better than on the W thanks to the large and comfortable saddle. The feet are forward, but the steps provide undeniable comfort. You have to have tried it to appreciate the comfort provided by these accessories.

With its footrests very forward and its handlebars a little high, the VN 900 imposes on its pilot a very typical custom position. Once this particularity has been assimilated, it lets itself be tamed. On his handlebars, we discover the road from another angle. God it’s low !

On the way !

Our three twin cylinders have in common a great acoustic discretion. Whichever you choose, you will remain friends with your neighborhood. Very flexible, the vertical twin of the W has made further progress compared to its predecessor the 650. It develops its torque much lower, but despite the cubic centimeters gained, it does not match the 900 V-twin engine which, in addition to a good flexibility provides more voluntary thrust on the go-around. It’s not an airplane, but it does have a bit of (good) character. The monumental VN 1700 offers a large torque available very low which allows a very relaxed driving whatever the engaged gear. No vibration to disturb you. This large twin is discreet, but lively, displaying a sympathetic vigor.

In the city

If your footsteps take you into town, you won’t regret the experience. Despite its weight and its imposing size, the VN 1700 behaves in a very honorable way. The low saddle height already helps put you at ease. We put our feet flat on the ground, which is reassuring in the maneuvers. In addition, thanks to its very low center of gravity, the bike enjoys good natural stability which allows you to move at very low speed while maintaining balance, without putting your feet on the ground. In fact, in town we slow down before the traffic lights to start again without stopping. Finally, the incredible flexibility of the engine frees you from juggling the gearbox. We start in second on idle, without even realizing it, so much it pulls !

The 900 is arguably the least comfortable in traffic jams. Sitting low, we anticipate less the vagaries of traffic and then at each stop we work our abdominals to put our feet on the footrests. Apart from these two small caveats and its significant length (less than the 1700 anyway) the 900 is very sociable. Narrower and less heavy than the other VN, it will not make your city trips a nightmare.

However, let’s face it, the real queen here is the W800. She feels like a fish in water. Steering well, more manoeuvrable, lighter, dominating the situation better, she is the queen of the cities. If you plan to make work-to-sleep trips, don’t hesitate, this is the W800 for you.

Departmental

Once you have left civilization, you will always appreciate your proud steed on the departmental roads. Agile with its narrow tires, taking advantage of an engine with a wide range of use, the W800 will satisfy its user. At his handlebars we roll with the flower to the teeth and the smile on the lips, whatever the pace.

Well installed on the VN1700, you will not have to fear the small winding departmental roads. Its suspensions work there effectively. Again, the low center of gravity makes it easier to sway the bike so that you don’t suffer too much from the weight as long as you adopt a pace that suits the machine. The ground clearance is not extraordinary, but if we respect the philosophy of this "bagger", we will not outrageously file the steps.

For its part, the VN 900 does not let it down. If the 1700 gives up when the beat picks up, the 900 doesn’t let go easily. Very stable with its very inclined fork and its truck wheelbase, it reassures its rider who is emboldened to increase the pace, which does not leave the footrests unmoved. It scratches the bitumen, but as we say at the Joe Bar team; "It was fine, it was beautiful"…. Behind a slightly show-off facade, this 900 therefore hides an unsuspected efficiency.

National

Here we find spaces more conducive to the two NVs. The "fat" takes its ease and the "small" takes full advantage of its stiffness to increase the pace. Their natural stability (gigantic wheelbases) no longer penalizes them, while the player side of the W is diluted a little more in fast curves. Everyone is at ease here. We can send them all three back to back.

Highway

You enter the guarded areas of the 1700. Its sixth overdrive ratio is a decisive advantage on the highways. Quiet, the pilot savor the kilometers while listening to the radio or his iPod, taking advantage of the sound system, the volume of which adjusts according to the speed. He may even forget to look at his speedometer if he engages the cruise control. Luxury ! The large fork crown offers good protection which makes long journeys enjoyable. The older ones may suffer a bit from the lack of a real bubble, but high speeds are not a requirement on this kind of bike either. Here the W 800 and the VN 900 look grayer. This land hardly emphasizes their dynamic qualities … let’s move on.

Braking

Equipped with powerful combined braking, the VN 1700 is reassuring despite its kilos. At no time do you have the feeling that you are overwhelmed by the situation, even if you pick up the pace a bit. The feeling of security and serenity will never leave you on its handlebars. Taking advantage of its wide rear mass distribution, the VN 900 takes advantage of its 270mm rear disc clamped by a dual piston caliper. It completes the work of the 300mm front disc (also dual piston calipers) together giving a consistent result given the smooth ride you get with this style of bike. No question of returning either "on the brakes" in all the turns..

For the W800 we would have liked a little more power and bite at the front as this bike is playful and makes you want to have fun. It’s not that it brakes badly, but considering the performance of the engine and the chassis, a little extra would have been welcome. In fact, the last W 650 of the first generation (W3 1974) had a double disc! The rear drum is perfect for its part.

Comfort and practicalities

Of our three machines, the VN 1700 is the only one to offer a fork crown and side steps, two accessories that guarantee excellent driving comfort. The large saddle, combined with pneumatic rear shock absorbers, guarantee the rider favorable driving conditions during long stages. Its equipment classifies it in the “Bagger” category, so we will appreciate the saddlebags which allow luggage to be transported, subject to traveling light. Those with more loads will opt for the Voyager version equipped with a top case. It also takes care of its passenger much more, thanks to a larger saddle and a backrest. The custom VN 1700 is more of a lone traveler motorcycle.

The NV is worse, because apart from the lack of practicality, it offers only a small saddle for the passenger. In addition, the low travel of the rear suspension combined with a position that prevents any natural absorption of bumps significantly degrades comfort when the road is bad. We quickly take our backs when it hits.

More welcoming, the W800 receives its passenger with sufficient dignity, even if its suspensions are sorely lacking in damping. It’s flexible! Goes for comfort therefore, more than for sport. Finally in the practical chapter, let us note the transmissions by belts on the two VN, against a classic chain on the W.

Balance sheet

Three “customs”, but above all three very different ideas of motorcycles. Certainly the proposal of the W800 is the most versatile. It’s clearly an everyday motorcycle with an added charm that a traditional roadster wouldn’t offer. With it you will go to work, go on weekends, or even on vacation, provided you equip it with a luggage rack. Admittedly for the holidays, the VN1700 takes again the advantage, but in everyday life, its size hardly favors it. It will take courage to go to work every day with it, or to avoid taking too crowded routes. Finally, with the VN 900, none of that, just "bistro dodo" trips to play the wicked seducers. !

Strong points

• W800: Chrome and versatility
• VN 900: Road handling and vigorous engine
• VN 1700: Engine flexibility and comfort

Weak points

• W800: damping and braking a little tight
• VN 900: comfort in bumps and driving position
• VN 1700: The duo and the ground clearance

Technical sheets

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