Maximum Twin-Cylinder Motorcycles: Honda VTX 1800N vs. Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 vs. Yamaha Road Star 1700

RIDING POSITIONS

Elvidge: I'm going to tell it straight (like I'm ever wise enough to do it any other way). Don't buy the new, huge Vulcan just to outdo your mates, or to have the biggest bike on the block. It's not the best Vulcan, only the biggest. I remain impressed by the engine, though I think it's an injustice to hide it in excessive blubber. It's no secret I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Kawasaki fan, but this new rendition doesn't meet my standards. My personal wish is that Kawasaki would do a chopper version with that engine. Can you picture how cool that would be?

The Honda VTX 1800N was so obviously the winner of this comparison, we ran out of things to talk about at dinner. It's sweetly styled, and the accessory options are absolutely beautiful. The VTX power is tremendous; it handles great and was by far the most comfortable for me. The 1800C has been at the top of my list from the start, and now this new Neo-Retro version is right there with it. Can't lose here, folks.

Although a little dated in feel and looks, the Yamaha is useful and certainly a good value, selling for $3000 less than its competitors. The other night I walked down to the garage to choose a mount for some serious city riding, and the three Bigs were all lined up. I chose the Yamaha without deliberation. But in real life, I want more. I like 'em bigger, uh, I mean better.

—Jamie Elvidge

Honda: 4.5 stars
Kawasaki: 3.5 stars
Yamaha: 3.0 stars

Friedman: Size isn't everything—for which I have many reasons to be thankful. I actually like the "little" Road Star the best of this trio because it is so comfy for me, and my only real complaint is its lack of cornering clearance. Nice price, too.

I am pleased that this VTX rendition looks so distinctively Honda (and generally better than earlier models), and that some of the driveline complaints have been addressed. Still, I feel like the throttle response and driveline lash could be smoothed out more. If speculation about a belt-drive model comes true, I think that bike will be a big winner.

The Kawasaki coulda, shoulda dominated this face-off, and it definitely has the power to do it. The chassis is impressive, too. The rear suspension and seat should have been sorted further before the VN2000 was released, though. But the little coolant leak and the tendency to suck a bit of oil (which might simply be something you have to live with if you want such big cylinders) are issues that would make me wait a year if I wanted one.

—Art Friedman

Honda: 4.0 stars
Kawasaki: 4.0 stars
Yamaha: 4.0 stars

Cook: If the spam materializing in my e-mail inbox is any indication, Americans—at least those electronically connected—are infatuated, make that obsessed, with all things bigger. Thanks to my newest acquaintances in direct marketing I know that for just pennies a day, I can have bigger vegetables, a bigger paycheck, bigger luck with the ladies, and even a more bigger, er, unit. (Hey, I'm married with children, why would I need that?)

So the Vulcan fits American needs perfectly. It's big, not just on the inside but everywhere. The massive engine seems to have grown into the frame like some Play-Doh project gone awry. Parked next to Harley's Twin Cam 88 engine, the Kawasaki's seems outrageously long and complicated. Yet it does the deed: With 120 foot-pounds of torque, the big Kaw pummels the next most powerful big V-twin with contemptuous ease.

Ultimately, though, the Vulcan seems to me not as much a triumph of engineering but an exercise in excess—sure it's powerful, but it's also distressingly heavy, so it never really feels fast. I never thought I'd call the Honda VTX 1800 light or nimble—not even in comparative terms—but next to the V2K, it is. In fact, when Honda initially suggested that the original VTX could have been bigger than 1795cc but that it didn't work better—in fact was not as "nice" to ride in that configuration—I chalked it up to a kind of PR envy. Now, grudgingly, I admit Honda may have been right: There is such a thing as too big, and the Vulcan 2000 is it.

—Marc Cook

Honda: 4.0 stars
Kawasaki: 2.0 stars
Yamaha: 3.0 stars

Cherney: Funny, but "big" no longer seems sufficient to describe this latest batch of behemoths—except for maybe the Yamaha Road Star. These twins are massive, humongous and portly, but as far as I'm concerned, the Road Star's accommodating ergos and middle-of-the-road predictability count for a lot in a group of, literally, 800-pound gorillas. Long distances are blister-free on the Star, but its low-tech lean and anemic engine leave me cold in the long run. But this is all about engine size, right? In which case the new Vulcan's 2000 cubic centimeters will knock your socks off—though your shoes will be less than impressed with the tonnage they have to hold up. I like that the Kawasaki handles its heft admirably, that the fuel injection is smoothly turned out and that its brakes are actually the best of the bunch, but much on the V2K still feels unfinished (the suspension, for instance).

Which leaves the Honda in the top slot. Seamless fit and finish, elegant styling, more accessible and manageable power and well-mannered handling put the Honda ahead of the others for overall excellence.

—Andy Cherney

Honda: 4.0 stars
Kawasaki: 3.5 stars
Yamaha: 3.0 stars

SPECIFICATIONS

Additional motorcycle road tests and comparison tests are available at the Road Tests section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.