Harley-davidson V-rod Night Rod vs Kawasaki Vulcan 900
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Harley-davidson V-rod Night Rod vs Kawasaki Vulcan 900. Harley-davidson V-rod Night Rod: 122 hp @ 8,250 rpm hp, 294 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 225 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.8/10. Kawasaki Vulcan 900: 50 hp @ 6,000 rpm (estimated; Kawasaki does not officially publish output figures for this model) hp, 272 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 175 km/h (estimated; note: governed more by wind resistance than engine limits), Motoryk rating 7.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Harley-davidson V-rod Night Rod
Kawasaki Vulcan 900
Horsepower (hp)
122 hp
50 hp
Torque (Nm)
116 Nm
76 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
225 km/h
175 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
294 kg
272 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
122 hp @ 8,250 rpm
50 hp @ 6,000 rpm (estimated; Kawasaki does not officially publish output figures for this model)
Torque
116 Nm @ 7,000 rpm
76 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Top Speed
225 km/h
175 km/h (estimated; note: governed more by wind resistance than engine limits)
Weight
294 kg (wet/curb weight)
272 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
7.5 L/100km (approximately 13.3 km/L)
5.2 L/100km (approx. 19.2 km/L typical real-world average)
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Harley-davidson V-rod Night Rod
7.8/10
"The most un-Harley Harley ever built, and that's the point."
Pros
+Genuinely fast, pulls hard
+Porsche engine is bulletproof
+Head-turning street presence
Cons
−Ergonomics punish long rides
−Parts getting scarcer yearly
−Rear tire clearance issues
Kawasaki Vulcan 900
7.5/10
"Dependable, honest cruiser that punches above its used asking price."
Pros
+Near-indestructible engine reliability
+Comfortable upright riding position
+Affordable used market pricing
Cons
−Wallowy at highway speeds
−Stock seat punishes long rides
−Chrome quality disappoints over time
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
