If you’re familiar with cruiser motorcycles, chances are you’re familiar with Kawasaki’s extensive line of Vulcan-branded motorcycles, which it sells alongside its famous Ninja series sports bikes. The history of the Vulcan series dates back to the mid-1980s when the company launched its very first cruiser motorcycle called the Kawasaki Vulcan 750.

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Kawasaki would soon expand the Vulcan lineup to include entry-level machines like the Vulcan 400 and mid-range offerings like the Vulcan 500 and Vulcan 800. The year 1987 saw Kawasaki introduce the first high-capacity cruiser called the Vulcan 88, which also carried the moniker Vulcan 1500. The company continued to sell the Vulcan 1500 range over the next few years, eventually leading to the launch of the Vulcan 1500 Classic in 1996.

IIn late 2001, Kawasaki launched an upgraded variant of the Vulcan 1500 called the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak. The company sold this model until 2003 and followed it with the Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak of 2004. The company then released Vulcan Mean Streak variants over the next four years before finally discontinuing the line in 2009. Let’s take a closer look at all the Vulcan Mean Streak cruiser motorcycles manufactured by Kawasaki since its launch.

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(Featured image by Cupcub via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0)

For all intents and purposes, the 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak was an upgraded, more powerful variant of the standard Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 from the same era. The first generation Mean Streak developed more than 10% more power than the standard model, which came to a total of 66 hp.

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Kawasaki achieved this power increase by making several modifications, including mechanical improvements to the engine. Improvements included larger intake and exhaust valves, a redesigned combustion chamber, new pistons, larger fuel injection throttle bodies and new camshafts. The chassis of the 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan Mean Streak has also undergone some changes. Design changes led to a longer wheelbase than the standard model – a decision aimed at making the Mean Streak more agile compared to the original Vulcan 1500.

The Mean Streak featured several styling cues that also helped it stand out, including a refreshed design for the fenders and lights. Other notable features included auto-cancelling turn signals, separate speedometer and tachometers, and a five-position adjustable clutch lever. At launch, the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak had an MSRP of $10,999.

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Two years after the arrival of the Vulcan 1500, Kawasaki upgraded the 2004 edition of the motorcycle to a larger engine, going from 1,470 cc to 1,552 cc. The new model was called the Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak. Low and mid-range performance has been improved and power has increased to 72 hp. The design changes have been subtle, with the 1600 Mean Streak benefiting from new valve covers, redesigned mirrors, and reshaped cooling fins. Other changes included a stiffer swingarm and redesigned master cylinder housings for the front brakes and hydraulic clutch.

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The rest of the features remained largely the same as the 1500 Mean Streak. Kawasaki sold the 2004 model in two color options: Metallic Spark Black and Pearl Blazing Orange. After the release of the 2004 models, the company sold the bike for the next four years without any mechanical modifications.

The only easy way to tell these motorcycles apart was to look at their colors. Indeed, the 2005 model was offered in a Pearl Magma Red color option, while the 2008 model was offered in the Candy Fire Red option. The 2006 and 2007 models were offered in a single “Ebony” shade.

Kawasaki did not release another Mean Streak edition of the Vulcan series after 2009, instead focusing on the Vulcan 1700 line launched the same year. These motorcycles were equipped with a larger 1700 cc engine which produced more power and torque. The range consisted of five distinct models, including the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, Voyager ABS, 1700 Nomad, 1700 Classic and 1700 Classic LT. By 2009, Kawasaki also had a fairly extensive line-up of even larger 2,000cc Vulcan models, such as the Kawasaki Vulcain 2000Vulcan 2000 Classic and Vulcan 2000 Classic LT.

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It’s been 15 years since Kawasaki’s last Vulcan Mean Streak model was released, and there are still fans yearning for the series to make a return. For those wondering what the current list of Kawasaki cruiser motorcycles looks like, the 2024 lineup of Vulcan cruisers It consists of the 649 cc Vulcan S, Vulcan 900, Vulcan 1700 Vaquero and Vulcan 1700 Voyager.