Kawasaki VN900 Custom test: it’s (almost) America !
If there is one segment of motorcycle production that the Japanese are struggling to invest in, it is the custom category. Eclipsed by Harley-Davidson, Japanese motorcycles nevertheless have arguments … The proof with our test of the Kawasaki VN900 Custom.
Custom culture: Harley … and the others !
This is not really a scoop and even less a new situation: Harley-Davidson holds the bar firmly in the category of custom-type motorcycles, the Motor Company’s "liner" splashing its success on the competing "frigates" with a imperturbable insolence…
In France for example, the Milwaukee coat of arms closed the 2011 financial year with 8,778 registrations on the meter, while its most threatening Japanese rival (Kawasaki) only sold 213 VN1700 and 293 VN900 (read our). This is to say how difficult it is to make your chrome shine in the sun of the custom segment, as the shadow of Harley-Davidson is extended there..
Among the Greens, we also prefer to highlight the solid growth in sales of the VN range: "+ 46% between 2010 and 2011", indicates Maurice de Rochefort, press manager of Kawasaki France. Composed of nine models (five versions of VN1700 and four VN900), the current custom offer of the Akashi crest begins with a V-twin of 903 cc common to the VN900 Classic , the VN900 Classic Special Edition, the VN900 Light Tourer and the VN900 Custom.
Long (2405 mm), low (685 mm saddle height) and very distinctive with its limited chopper pneumatic dimensions (80 mm wide at the front and 180 at the rear), the "Custom" is the most popular variant. flashy of the four VN900s. It is aimed primarily at bikers looking for a motorcycle that is accessible but not shy, sober but not erased: an authentic custom, what? !
In its new orange dress, the VN900 Custom will satisfy even the urges of the most exhibitionist bikers: the solid layer of orange paint "Candy Sparkling" attracts more attention than the black color proposed in the 2012 color chart. A color certainly more discreet, but maybe also more classy for some. The choice between the two naturally comes down to a matter of taste … and colors !
Stripped and all round, the lines are harmonious if not original and give the bike a massive look, suitable to make it look like a superior displacement. The generously tilted non-adjustable fork (33 ° column angle) and the two long matt black tailpipes reinforce this particularly flattering impression for an entry-level.
On the other hand, the empty space between the end of the rear fender and the 15-inch wheel is a bit of a task visually, as are the commodos already out of fashion when the Beatles were still four boys in the wind….
The perfectibility of certain finishing details will also upset the fan of ultra-polished customs: the welds of the double steel cradle frame could be more neat, the stickers on the 20-liter tank are "cheap" and the use of plastic remains too important…
The turn signal cabochons, optical brackets, black ornaments running on the rear hull, black covers between the cylinders or even the fairly basic on-board console trim (only one trip, but a fuel gauge and a clock): all these elements try to deceive the eye by imitating the metallic appearance.
But the result will not convince – far from it – a regular in Milwaukee production who will immediately detect the presence of a radiator between the front pillars of the chassis! A rebored version of the late VN800 twin cylinder, the VN900 engine is effectively water cooled, unlike its famous American counterpart. The Kawasaki block, however, has retained its fins (aesthetically polished) to illusion.
For some purists, mass is said and the violation of the codes in force in the unacceptable category. Others will appreciate the discreet integration of the radiator and its positive impact on the evacuation of calories from the single camshaft v-twin, especially in town.
Segment requires, the Kawasaki VN900 Custom attaches no importance to practical aspects: the absence of tachometer, trunk (the saddle can be removed only to access the battery and the tool kit) and hinges on the tank cap will not surprise anyone, nor the inability to adjust the distance of the clutch lever.
An immobilizer by coded key, a second daily totalizer and warnings would not however have been too much. Even an ABS, even if it means having to dig into the catalog of options listed in our technical sheet on the following pages. A minimum of equipment has never been detrimental to the success of a motorcycle, even an entry-level in a category where skin is a virtue !
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