Honda CTX700N VS. Kawasaki Vulcan S

The Kawasaki Vulcan S and Honda's CTX700N are two bikes that are doing "cruiser" a little differently. They are both more aggressively styled than your typical cruiser and have the midsized and efficient engines to back it up. Today we take a quick look at the two of them and compare.

The Honda CTX is, in my opinion, the better looking of the two bikes. The shape of the gas tank makes a nice line and it pulls of the look of the post-modern sport cruiser quite well, but the mass of the bodywork is plastic, which I tend to shy away from. The Vulcan's bodywork is mostly metal and some strong plastic-ish alloy which feels much more sturdy, but it also has covers and panels all over the bike, which seem a bit unnecessary and give the engine area a cluttered look. Kawasaki's big thing with the Vulcan S is the "Ergo Fit," which is awesome if you want to a lot of riding on your stock bike right off the lot. However for most of us, customizing is a big part of owning a cruiser, and handlebars and seat (2/3 parts of the ergo fit) are two of the first things most of us change.