A year before this test, the...
A year before this test, the Yamaha Road Star had been supreme V-twin.
Bits and Pieces
There are a number of detail features that attracted testers' attention. The Victory's all-inclusive yet unobtrusive instrument cluster received quite a bit of praise. Besides the speedo and inset analog tach, it offers information about electrical and engine condition, fuel quantity and permits adjusting of instrument backlighting, all using the same LCD window that shows odometer, tripmeter and a clock. Buttons at the front of the handlebar switches let you choose what's displayed and to adjust the display. The Classic FI and Road Star also offers clocks on their LCD odometer/tripmeter displays, and the Suzuki 1500 has a bar graph for fuel quantity. The fuel-injected bikes, which do not have reserve plumbing, need fuel gauges, which are also found on the carbureted Classic and the Harleys. Most of the bikes -- the Suzukis being the exceptions -- offer self-canceling systems for the turn signals. Mirrors proved a source of annoyance on the Suzukis and Yamahas because of their multi-threaded construction, which requires you to have a wrench to make significant adjustments and come loose if not thoroughly tightened. The FXD's mirrors were set too narrow to offer a satisfactory rear view.
Both the Excelsior and the Harleys lack tool kits, something Excelsior says it might change in the future. You need an allen wrench to remove the American X's saddle and additional tools to adjust the shock beneath. Our biggest failure was with the Victory, which lost the low then high beam of its sealed-beam headlight. The bike apparently vibrated the element apart. At the very end of the test, the Excelsior broke its horn bracket, another victim of vibration, though it didn't depart the bike or stop working. One turn signal burned or vibrated out on the Fat Boy. Both Harleys had peeling trim on their tank dividers and minute oil seepage. All in all, there is little indication that you should expect to do roadside maintenance anymore, though the Japanese bikes still seem to have a slight edge for integrity.
Though fuel injection gets...
Though fuel injection gets top billing on the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 FI, a number of other changes have had bigger impacts.
You will need to add gas, however. The Victory was the thirstiest, with an average consumption around 35 mpg. That will get you approximately 150 miles before you need to find fuel. The Suzuki 1400 has the least range -- you'll want to find a gas station by the time you have accumulated 100 miles on a tank. The 1500 LC goes just slightly farther because, despite its appearance, its tank holds only 4.1 gallons. The Fat Boy found its traditional reputation for supreme fuel mileage and range being challenged by the Classic FI, which virtually matched it for mileage (both averaged better than 44 mpg) and range, since they both have 5.0-gallon tanks. However, the 5.5-gallon tank on the Excelsior makes it the king of range, even if it goes slightly fewer miles on each gallon. All three require premium fuel, however. The FXD and the Road Star will also let you travel 200 miles between gas stations, though the Yamaha does it on regular gas. All four American bikes left a puddle of fuel if you tried to fill their tanks aggressively. (The Excelsior has two removable gas caps, but if you remove the reverse-threaded left cap, you find nothing but a small compartment.) None of the 10 bikes used much oil.
You can find a vast range of opinions about the looks of these bikes. The Victory probably drew the greatest range of reaction, from a heartfelt "Ooooh!" to something similar but clearly not positive. It has the least polished finish of the group, but also the most aggressive style. People seem to take an immediate and strong like or dislike to the Drifter's looks. You can always find people who act impressed by Harleys, but the more studied reaction to the look and components of the Dyna Super Glide was distinctly cool. The cleaner Softail style, cleaner finish, disc wheels and unique exhaust system definitely help the Fat Boy distinguish itself and justify the additional $4000 you pay to buy it instead of the Super Glide -- which at $11,250 (and up) is the most affordable Harley big twin. The Excelsior impressed people for its novelty, uniqueness and general quality of finish, making its over-$15,000 price attractive for those who appreciate such qualities.
There is a distinct separation between American and Japanese style and detail of finish. The American bikes are a bit rougher, with the Victory falling into the rougher category and the Excelsior on the finished side of the Harleys. The Japanese bikes appear more carefully built, with every part obviously worried over and massaged. Some parts, such as the sprocket-styled cover over the Road Star's belt drive pulley, seem to be the victims of too much attention. Though its look has fallen out of fashion, the level of attention to clean details on the Intruder 1400 remains exceptional, and its $8300 price is a bargain if it suits your style. In contrast, the 1500 LC seems sort of proletarian, with finish and detailing given less attention. However, its $9950 price point also puts it within reach of even more budgets than the other Japanese brands. The Classics and Road Star show the typical excellent finish and detail quality of their brands, though our testers perceived a slight edge for the Yamaha here. The Drifter, the most expensive of the Kawasakis, lost style points for its plastic fenders and stuck-on striping. In terms of quality of finish for the price, the basic Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic, at $10,000, shows why it is the most popular metric cruiser.