AI Damage2009 Kawasaki Vulcan: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 40% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Consumer writes in regards to engine stalling recall notice. The consumer stated he took the motorcycle back to the dealer several times, due to the stalling issue. Finally, while riding the bike one day, it stalled again. Only this time, the consumer had an accident, and was thrown off the motorcycle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kawasaki vulcan 1700 voyager motorcycle. The contact stated that while riding the bike, there was a loud whistling noise emitted continuously. The bike was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kawasaki vulcan. The contact stated that the vehicle would become stuck in third and fifth gears, causing difficulty when attempting to brake. The contact would have to pop the vehicle out of gear and re-engage.
Tl contact owns a 2009 kawasaki vulcan. While the vehicle was being serviced, the contact was informed that the drive belt had a cut in it length-wise. The reason for the cut was that there was no protective shield for the top portion of the drive belt.
The kawasaki vulcan 1700 voyager - 2009 generates excessive heat. I received second degree burns from it. Kawasaki admitted there was a problem and provided a heat shield kit that did nothing to reduce the heat but moved it to the passenger-rider.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Vulcan has 5 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 5, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.