2012 Voyager Review in Rider Magazine

[jn1200]

Rider magazine slams the voyager pretty hard. Not surprised thou.

[Mr Jensee]

Ended my subscription last year to Rider. Loved reading motorcycle magazines but I can't read the print anymore.

[Neal]

WOW
Since RIDER usually tries hard to remain neutral with their 'comments' , that really does say a lot.

[SgtSlag]

Out of curiosity, what were their issues with it?

[Charles L.]

These magazine guys are always very interested in advertising revemue, and usually when writing a review and test of a particular motorcycle, even one they don't particularly care for, they'll try to put a positive spin on somthing about it, so as not to offend the manufacturing company too much. Well, after reading thier test of the 2012 Voyager, the conclusion i got was that they just hated it.

[richardb, austin]

SgtSlag,
They didn't like: windshield ht, no ipod jack, no rear spkrs, seats too soft & non-supportive, too-tight passenger qtrs, excessive driveline lash, lazy steering geometry, limited corner clearance, bias ply tires, handful in tight corners - pretty harsh stuff coming from someone other than MCN.

[David (N. Alabama)]

SgtSlag,
They didn't like: windshield ht, no ipod jack, no rear spkrs, seats too soft & non-supportive, too-tight passenger qtrs, excessive driveline lash, lazy steering geometry, limited corner clearance, bias ply tires, handful in tight corners - pretty harsh stuff coming from someone other than MCN.

Since the bike didn't really change much since it's introduction, and their previous reviews were very positive, I wonder what changed? Harley sending them more advertising dollars?

Ipod jack is an option, because not everyone wants an overpriced MP3 player. I have never heard anyone that rides many miles in a day rave about a stock seat on any bike. I guess that is why Corbin, Sargent, Russell and many others are so successful. I could go on and on. Do you have a link to the review?

[jn1200]

A touring bike without rear speakers. lol

[Mr Jensee]

I thought it was wrong to to produce an $18,000 touring bike and NOT include rear speakers. After all the rest of the bike is catering around the comfort of that rear passenger.

[Jim Loiselle]

In what issue of RIDER can we find this information>

[jn1200]

april 2013

[jn1200]

They didn't like them as a $300 option either after spending so much on a Voyager

I thought it was wrong to to produce an $18,000 touring bike and NOT include rear speakers. After all the rest of the bike is catering around the comfort of that rear passenger.

[1700Guy]

For alot of people they never use the rear speakers. I myself are one I think I have only had them on acoupe of times and that is when I first got the bike. You talk about the cost of the bike that is one of the things that help keep the cost down. The Voyager is the least expensive tourer on the market. and the have not sold that many speaker kits. And I was there when they first had the press on the Voyager in California. Rider Magazines top rider was there and he loved it was very impressed I spent about 1 hour talking to him. But when the shootout came out the review was not good.( BIG HINT Kawasaki does not advertise with them very much) The reviews have alwas been that way not as bad as they were in the 70s and 80s but it is still there. WHEN YOU WANT A REAL OPPINION ON THE VOYAGER ASK THOSE THAT HAVE THEM.I love mine I have road all the others and I would not trade mine for any of them.

[Mr Jensee]

Duane does have a point. The full time ownership of a bike says a lot more than a ride impression or a road test in any magazine. Owners will often be more honest about the faults and frailties over the long term of ownership than even long time test reports done by a lot of magazines. Only the owners know if they would use the rear speakers or not. I use mine on the 1200 about half the time I ride. A lot of others have removed them.

[gearheadfla]

As many of you know, I have seen looking at a new bike to add to the stable. It is down to a 1700 and a Victory, well Lori and I spent the day today checking them out again, we went to two different Kaw dealers today and I gave the salesman a little grilling on them, the first one I went to was in Stuart Fl, but they didn't have a Voyager in stock, just sold one and has another coming in next week but was very helpful. We also stopped and a Yamaha dealer and just NO. Didn't like anything. Went back to the Kaw dealer in Ft. Pierce that we had so much trouble with the first time just because they have one there to look at and touch. But this time a salesman that was there and has seen me there before buying spray wax came up to us and was VERY helpful. He dug the bike out of the line of others so we could get a good look and let Lori and I sit on it for a while, he had answers and good ones for all questions, he went through the bike with us, I ask him if they gave discounts to ROK members for parts and accs. and he said if we bought a bike there he would double the 10% ROK discount to 20% on anything I bought. I asked about the rear speaker upgrade too, and yes 20% off, but Duane is right, don't really need them. Just because some fool had a hair growing the wrong way and gave a bad review will not factor into my choice, I am buying a bike for Lori and I and not for him, and from what I have seen here and the people here local that I have talked to the 1700 is a great machine. So now the 1700 is in the crosshairs and the Victory is in the background. Just wish I could ride one like I did the Victory, but Bikeweek is next week and Kaw will be there, Just sayin.

[jn1200]

The speakers weren't their main gripe-

From the article--- NOT my opinion. Don't get mad at me
""What bothers me is the seats too soft & non-supportive, too-tight passenger qtrs, excessive driveline lash, lazy steering geometry, limited corner clearance, bias ply tires, handful in tight corners. ""

"More from the review=== Passenger area was cramped, trapping Carrie (guys fiance) between the wrap around armrests and offering to little space between her & me., obscuring her view and resulting in more collisons between our helmets than usual.
Part of the helmet banging problem stems from excessive drive line lash that makes low gear on/off throttle transitions herkey-jerkey"

Sounds like handling/comfort was really tested & looked at.

A review wouldn't deter me from buying either, it would put up a bunch of red flags thou.

1 Grand more & you can buy a Wing!! lol

To each his own as they say. Good luck!!

[Rex Bashaw]

Since 2005 I have attended the National AVA rallies riding my 2003 Kawasaki Concours. I usually but not always ride to the rally with Duane Ash. I have swapped bikes with Duane on many occasions during our rides. The result of this is that in June of 2011 I purchased a new 2010 Voyager 1700. The first time I rode Duane's Voyager 1700 was crossing Montana on the way home from a rally. We were half way accross Montana and were riding in swirling crosswinds. My neck was getting very fatigued from having the wind trying to rip my head off from various different directions. As soon as I got up to speed on the 1700, I realized the wind was no longer buffeting my head. Up to then I had never liked looking thru a motorcycle windshield, but the difference in wind protection from my Concours to the Voyager is very noticible. I rode the Voyager to the Idaho state line where Duane pulled over and wanted to swap back to his Voyager. I did so very reluctantly.

I have also ridden Duane's Voyager up the Rattlesnake grade before buying my own Voyager. Since I was trying to decide then, if I wanted to buy a Voyager, I pushed it hard and fast thru the corners. I was dragging the floorboards on every corner, but the bike is amazingly stable in turns.

I have leaned my Voyager so far into turns that I have scrape marks on the exhaust heat shield on the exhaust pipe (the floorboards do fold up to a 45 degree angle). Even so, a Voyager 1700 cannot keep up with a well ridden sport bike or even my 2003 Concours in the twisties.. It was not designed for racing.

Since June of 2011 I have put over 22000 miles on the Voyager and only about 100 miles on the Concours. Most of the miles were on the stock seat, although I did try a Kawasaki gel seat for a few thousand miles(thanks Duane for the loan of the seat). I did not like the stock seat when I first got my Voyager, but went back to it because I can put both feet flat on the ground with the stock seat. With the gel seat you sit up higher and I could not always get both feet flat on the ground. Is the stock seat perfect? No, but I have easily done 570 to 600 mile days on it. I am 5' 9" and have never felt cramped on the Voyager, but I do have highway pegs so I can stretch my legs and change my seating position. I believe the tester in the Rider article stated he was 6' 2" tall.

In summary, I love my 2010 Voyager 1700. The Concours is for sale if anyone would like a well maintained 2003 Concours 1000, with a little over 77,000 miles on it.

[Mr Jensee]

Things to consider when a motorcycle mag is testing a bike is the size of the riders. Often they will say they are such and such weight and height. Since motorcycles are not like cars, having adjustable seating and steering, it makes a big difference on the size and girth of the rider. I know my seat was much more comfortable when I weighed 20 pounds less than I do now. This is why aftermarket seats are available. I do know that comparing the Voyager 1700 to the Goldwing 1800 is apples and oranges. For one the GW has much less room to move your feet around than does the Voyager 1700 with floorboards. It is just hard to make comparisons without bringing these points up.

[jn1200]

Here's a Brand New one for less than retail



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAND-NE ... 1e77b95c0e

As many of you know, I have seen looking at a new bike to add to the stable. It is down to a 1700 and a Victory, well Lori and I spent the day today checking them out again, we went to two different Kaw dealers today and I gave the salesman a little grilling on them, the first one I went to was in Stuart Fl, but they didn't have a Voyager in stock, just sold one and has another coming in next week but was very helpful. We also stopped and a Yamaha dealer and just NO. Didn't like anything. Went back to the Kaw dealer in Ft. Pierce that we had so much trouble with the first time just because they have one there to look at and touch. But this time a salesman that was there and has seen me there before buying spray wax came up to us and was VERY helpful. He dug the bike out of the line of others so we could get a good look and let Lori and I sit on it for a while, he had answers and good ones for all questions, he went through the bike with us, I ask him if they gave discounts to ROK members for parts and accs. and he said if we bought a bike there he would double the 10% ROK discount to 20% on anything I bought. I asked about the rear speaker upgrade too, and yes 20% off, but Duane is right, don't really need them. Just because some fool had a hair growing the wrong way and gave a bad review will not factor into my choice, I am buying a bike for Lori and I and not for him, and from what I have seen here and the people here local that I have talked to the 1700 is a great machine. So now the 1700 is in the crosshairs and the Victory is in the background. Just wish I could ride one like I did the Victory, but Bikeweek is next week and Kaw will be there, Just sayin.

[mountainman]

A question to you Vulcan Voyager owners. Is it possible to gain any rear seat room? Such as moving the trunk back with adapters like most of us have done on the XII. I have not heard of anyone doing this on a 1700 and was thinking of my next future bike!