The Kawasaki Vulcan S - Breaking Boundaries Build-Off
Held deep in San Pedro, California the Kawasaki Breaking Boundaries Build-Off sought to find the creative potential of the company's Vulcan S cruiser in the design-happy hands of four separate outlets/shops: RideApart, Austin Speed Shop, Iron and Air Magazine, and Tracker-Die.
If you don’t know much about the Kawasaki Vulcan S, it's a cruiser built around the company’s popular 649cc engine available in their Ninja and Versys, but specially tuned to provide better low-end and mid-range torque profiles.
READ MORE: Kawasaki Vulcan S Specs | RideApart
The Build-Off's Beginnings
Emcee for the evening and PR Manager + Brand Experience for Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA, Kevin Allen, explained that the Breaking Boundaries Build-Off was first conceived in the Kawasaki marketing department as a fun experiment for the Vulcan S.
The Vulcan S is a fairly affordable cruiser that comes in just under $8,000 and has the potential to serve as a promising platform for customization. What better way to see what could be done with the Vulcan S than to give it to a few folks eager to cut some metal and twist a wrench?
Intrigue Under the Sheets
Under each individual veil, each Vulcan S possessed very different profiles very different from the stock version.
The Builds, Unveiled
The Austin Speed Shop Kawasaki Vulcan S Custom
Two Brothers Competition 2-1 Exhaust
ProTaper high rise ATV bars for a tracker look
Battery - Shorai Ultra Light Lithium
Upholstery - Mario’s on South 1st Diamond Stitch Design
Tail Lights - Vintage Dash Light with LED internals
Grips - Motorcross Style grips
Tail Section - 1” O.D. Tubing shaped includes custom oval seat section with wiring routed through tubing.
Rear Sets - Relocated 10” rearward
Headlight - Hella LED 6”, 18 watt 1080 lumen bulb
Electrical - Wires minimized to clean up appearance. All connections soldered and heat shrinked for a cleaner look.
Battery box custom fabricated
RideApart Kawasaki Vulcan S Flat Tracker
Anaheim rod and custom paint
Wheels - Retro KZ1000 cast, and anodized
Front Suspension - Ninja
Swingarm - Ninja 650
Pegs - Biltwell
Handlebars - Biltwell
Tires - Metezler Lasertech
Battery relocation
Custom seat designed by RideApart and built by Al's Upholstery
Mid-control mounts by RideApart
Custom Exhaust
Track-er Die Kawasaki Vulcan S Dirt Tracker
Full custom paint job by paint by Bondo.
Tires -Pirelli MT60rS
Custom fabricated gauge mount.
Custom headlight fabrication set up
Machined solid riser bushings
6” Gordo risers by Biltwel
Contour handlebars by Pro Taper
Levers and perch by ASV
Hand guards by Acerbis
Full exhaust system by two brothers racing
Suspension by Progressive
Reshaped and covered seat by The Seat Guy
Internal wiring through handlebars to clean up the look
Iron and Air Vulcan SS
Drag style handlebars
Foot controls- moved rearward, return revised for more aggressive seating position
Café tail - fender and struts swapped out, but retains the stock taillight return modified shock mounts increase the ride height.
Custom-made tank - to raise the visual line of the bike and give it a more “Kawasaki” look.
Two-tone gloss and flat black paint scheme with Kawasaki green pinstripe.
AND THE WINNER IS....
Based on votes tallied on-site. The winner of the Breaking Boundaries Build-Off is....The RideApart Vulcan S Flat Tracker!
READ MORE: The Kawasaki Vulcan S Riding Impressions - From a Small-Fry Beginner Rider | RideApart
Congrats to our Senior Editor Jesse Kaiser for putting together a winning build!
Because I was going to write a brief article, I abstained from voting. However, if pressed, deciding which of these bikes was my favorite turned out to be difficult. In the end, if I had to live with one in my own garage, I would run the Vulcan SS by the Iron and Air boys because it fit me. I’m a bit of a sucker for comfort and a little cafe styling. I do really love the scrambler pipe and that high seat on Jesse's build, and the weirdness of the Austin Speed Shop and Track-er Die bikes. Great builds all around.
Which bike is YOUR favorite?
READ MORE: The Kawasaki Vulcan S Motorcycle Build | RideApart
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