This quick reference guide will assist
you in locating a desired topic or procedure.
•Bend the pages back to match the
black tab of the desired chapter number with the black tab on the edge at
each table of contents page.
•Refer to the sectional table of contents
for the exact pages to locate the specific topic required.
Crankshaft/Transmission9j
Wheels/Tires10j
Final Drive11j
Brakes12j
Suspension13j
Steering14j
Frame15j
Electrical System16j
Appendix17j
VULCAN900 CLASSIC
VULCAN900 CLASSIC LT
VN900 CLASSIC
Motorcycle
ServiceManual
All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted i n any form or by any means, electronic mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Quality Division/Consumer Products & Machinery Company/Kawasaki
Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan.
No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions in this publication, although every possible
care has been taken to m ake it as complete and accurate as possible.
The right is reserved to make changes at any time without prior notice and without incurring an obligation
to make such changes to products manufactured previously. See your motorcycle dealer for the latest
information on product improvements incorporated after this publication.
All information contained in this publication is based on the latest product information available at the time
of publication. Illustrations and photographs in this publication a re intended for reference use only and may
not depict actual model component parts.
To protect the environment in which we all live, Kawasaki has incorporated crankcase emission (1) and exhaust emission (2) control systems in compliance with applicable regulations of
the United States Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board. Additionally, Kawasaki has incorporated an evaporative emission control system (3) in compliance
with applicable regulations of the California Air Resources Board on vehicles sold in California
only.
1. Crankcase Emission Control System
This system eliminates the release of crankcase vapors into the atmosphere. Instead, the vapors
are routed through an oil separator to the inlet side of the engine. While the engine is operating,
the vapors are drawn into combustion chamber, where they are burned along with the fuel and air
supplied by the fuel injection system.
2. Exhaust Emission Control System
This system reduces the amount of pollutants discharged into the atmosphere by the exhaust
of this motorcycle. The fuel, ignition, and exhaust systems of this motorcycle have been carefully
designed and constructed to ensure an efficient engine with low exhaust pollutant levels.
The exhaust system of this model motorcycle manufactured primarily for sale in California in-
cludes a catalytic converter system.
3. Evaporative Emission Control System
Vapors caused by fuel evaporation in the fuel system are not vented into the atmosphere. In-
stead, fuel vapors are routed into the running engine to be burned, or stored in a canister when
the engine is stopped. Liquid fuel is caught by a vapor separator and returned to the fuel tank.
The Clean Air Act, which is the Federal law covering motor vehicle pollution, contains what is
commonly referred to as the Act’s "tampering provisions."
"Sec. 203(a) The following acts and the causing thereof are prohibited...
(3)(A) for any person to remove or render inoperative any device or element of design installed
on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine in compliance with regulations under this
title prior to its sale and delivery to the ultimate purchaser, or for any manufacturer or dealer
knowingly to remove or render inoperative any such device or element of design after such
sale and delivery to the ultimate purchaser.
(3)(B) for any person engaged in the business of repairing, servicing, selling, leasing, or trading
motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines, or who operates a fleet of motor vehicles knowingly to remove or render inoperative any device or element of design installed on or in a
motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine in compliance with regulations under this title following its sale and delivery to the ultimate purchaser..."
NOTE
The phrase "re move or render inoperative any device or e lement of design" has been generally
○
interpreted as follows:
1. Tamperin g does not include the temporary removal or rendering inoperative of devices or elements o f design in order to perform maintenance.
2. Tamperin g could include:
a.Maladjustment of vehicle components such that the emission standards are ex-
ceeded.
b.Use of replacement parts or accessories which adversely affect the performance
or durability of the motorcycle.
c.Addition of components or accessories that result in the vehicle exceeding the stan-
dards.
d.Permanently removing, disconnecting, or rendering inoperative any component or
element of design of the emission control systems.
WE RECOMMEND THAT ALL DEALERS OBSERVE TH ESE PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL LAW,
THE VIOLATION OF WHICH IS PUNISHABLE BY CIVIL PENALTIES NOT EXCEEDING
$10,000 PER VIOLATION.
TAMPERING WITH N OISE CONTROL SYSTEM PROHIBITED
Federal law prohibits the following acts or the causing thereof: (1) The removal or rendering
inoperative by any person other than for purposes of maintenance, repair, or replacement, of any
device or element of design incorporated into any new vehicle for the purpose of noise control
prior to its sale or delivery to the ultimate purchaser or while it is in use, or (2) the use of the
vehicle after such device or element of design has been removed or rendered inoperative by
any person.
Among those acts presumed to constitute tampering are the acts listed below:
Replacement of the original exhaust system or muffler with a component not in compliance
•
with Federal regulations.
Removal of the muffler(s) or any internal portion of the muffler(s).
•
Removal of the air box or air box cover.
•
Modifications to the muffler(s) or air intake system by cutting, drilling, or other means if such
•
modifications result in increased noise levels.
Foreword
This manual is designed primarily for use by
trained mechanics in a properly equipped shop.
However, it contains enough detail and basic information to make it useful to the owner who desires to perform his own basic maintenance and
repair work. A basic knowledge of mechanics,
the proper use of tools, and workshop procedures must be understood in order to carry out
maintenance and repair satisfactorily. Whenever the owner has insufficient experience or
doubts his ability to do the work, all adjustments, maintenance, and repair should be carried out only by qualified mechanics.
In order to perform the work efficiently and
to avoid costly mistakes, read the text, thoroughly familiarize yourself with the procedures
before starting work, and then do the work carefully in a clean area. Whenever special tools or
equipment are specified, do not use makeshift
tools or equipment. Precision measurements
can only be made if the proper instruments are
used, and the use of substitute tools may adversely affect safe operation.
For the duration of the warranty period,
we recommend that all repairs and scheduled
maintenance be performed in accordance with
this service manual. Any owner maintenance or
repair procedure not performed in accordance
with this manual may void the warranty.
To get the longest life out of your vehicle:
Follow the Periodic Maintenance Chart in the
•
Service Manual.
Be alert for problems and non-scheduled
•
maintenance.
Use proper tools and genuine Kawasaki Mo-
•
torcycle parts.Special tools, gauges, and
testers that are necessary when servicing
Kawasaki motorcycles are introduced by the
Service Manual. Genuine parts provided as
spare parts are listed in the Parts Catalog.
Follow the procedures in this manual care-
•
fully. Don’t take shortcuts.
Remember to keep complete records of main-
•
tenance and repair with dates and any new
parts installed.
How to Use This Manual
In preparing this manual, we divided the product into its major systems. These systems became the manual’s chapters. All information
for a particular system from adjustment through
disassembly and inspection is located in a single chapter.
The Quick Reference Guide shows you all
of the product’s system and assists in locating
their chapters. Each chapter in turn has its own
comprehensive Table of Contents.
The Periodic Maintenance Chart is located in
the Periodic Maintenance chapter. The chart
gives a time schedule for required maintenance
operations.
If you want spark plug information, for example, go to the Periodic Maintenance Chart first.
The chart tells you how frequently to clean and
gap the plug. Next, use the Quick Reference
Guide to locate the Periodic Maintenance chapter. Then, use the Table of Contents on the first
page of the chapter to find the Spark Plug section.
Whenever you see these WARNING and
CAUTION symbols, heed their instructions!
Always follow safe operating and maintenance
practices.
WARNING
This warning symbol identifies special
instructions or procedures which, if not
correctly followed, could result in per-
sonal injury, or loss of life.
CAUTION
This caution symbol identifies special
instructions or procedures which, if not
strictly observed, could result in dam-
age to or destruction of equipment.
This manual contains four more symbols (in
addition to WARNING and CAUTION) which will
help you distinguish different types of information.
NOTE
This note symbol indicates points of par-
○
ticular interest for more efficient a nd convenient operation.
Indicates a procedural step or work to be
•
done.
Indicates a procedural sub-step or how to do
○
the work of the procedural step it follows. It
also precedes the text of a NOTE.
Indicates a conditional step or what action to
take based on the results of the test or inspection in the procedural step or sub-step it fol-
lows.
In most chapters an exploded view illustration
of the system components follows the Table of
Contents. In these illustrations you will find the
instructions indicating which parts require specified tightening torque, oil, grease or a locking
agent during assembly.
GENERAL INFORMATION 1-1
General Information
Table of Contents
Before Servicing .....................................................................................................................1-2
Model Identification.................................................................................................................1-7
General Specifications............................................................................................................1-10
Unit Conversion Table ............................................................................................................1-13
1
1-2 GENERAL INFORMATION
Before Servicing
Before starting to perform an inspection service or carry out a disassembly and reassembly operation on a motorcycle, read the precautions given below. To facilitate actual operations, notes, illustrations, photographs, cautions, and detailed descriptions have been included in each chapter wherever
necessary. This section explains the items that require particular attention during the removal and
reinstallation or disassembly and reassembly of general parts.
Especially note the following:
Battery Ground
Before completing any service on the motorcycle, disconnect the battery cables from the battery to prevent the engine from accidentally turning over. Disconnect the ground
cable (–) first and then the positive (+). When completed
with the service, first connect the positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the battery then the negative (–) cable to the negative terminal.
Edges of Parts
Lift large or heavy parts wearing gloves to prevent injury
from possible sharp edges on the parts.
Solvent
Use a high-flush point solvent when cleaning parts. High
-flush point solvent should be used according to directions
of the solvent manufacturer.
Cleaning Vehicle before Disassembly
Clean the vehicle thoroughly before disassembly. Dirt or
other foreign materials entering into sealed areas during vehicle disassembly can cause excessive wear and decrease
performance of the vehicle.
Before Servicing
Arrangement and Cleaning of Removed Parts
Disassembled parts are easy to confuse. Arrange the
parts according to the order the parts were disassembled
and clean the parts in order prior to assembly.
Storage of Removed Parts
After all the parts including subassembly parts have been
cleaned, store the parts in a clean area. Put a clean cloth
or plastic sheet over the parts to protect from any foreign
materials that may collect before re-assembly.
GENERAL INFORMATION 1-3
Inspection
Reuse of worn or damaged parts may lead to serious accident. Visually inspect removed parts for corrosion, discoloration, or other damage. Refer to the appropriate sections
of this manual for service limits on individual parts. Replace
the parts if any damage has been found or if the part is beyond its service limit.
Replacement Parts
Replacement parts must be KAWASAKI genuine or
recommended by KAWASAKI. Gaskets, O-rings, oil seals,
grease seals, circlips or cotter pins m ust be replaced with
new ones whenever disassembled.
Assembly Order
In most cases assembly order is the reverse of disassembly, however, if assembly order is provided in this Service
Manual, follow the procedures given.
1-4 GENERAL INFORMATION
Before Servicing
Tightening Sequence
Generally, when installing a part with several bolts, nuts,
or screws, start them all in their holes and tighten them to
a snug fit. Then tighten them according to the specified sequence to prevent case warpage or deformation which can
lead to malfunction. Conversely when loosening the bolts,
nuts, or screws, first loosen all of them by about a quarter turn and then remove them. If the specified tightening
sequence is not indicated, tighten the fasteners alternating
diagonally.
Tightening Torque
Incorrect torque applied to a bolt, nut, or screw may
lead to serious damage. Tighten fasteners to the specified
torque using a good quality torque wrench.Often, the
tightening sequence is followed twice-initial tightening and
final tightening with torque wrench.
Force
Use common sense during disassembly and assembly,
excessive force can cause expensive or hard to repair damage. When necessary, remove screws that have a non
-permanent locking agent applied using an impact driver.
Use a plastic-faced mallet whenever tapping is necessary.
Gasket, O-ring
Hardening, shrinkage, or damage of both gaskets
and O-rings after disassembly can reduce sealing performance.Remove old gaskets and clean the sealing
surfaces thoroughly so that no gasket material or other
material remains. Install new gaskets and replace used
O-rings when re-assembling
Liquid Gasket, Non-permanent Locking Agent
For applications that require Liquid Gasket or a
Non-permanent Locking Agent, clean the surfaces so
that no oil residue remains before applying liquid gasket or
non-permanent locking agent. Do not apply them excessively. Excessive application can clog oil passages and
cause serious damage.
Before Servicing
Press
For items such as bearings or oil seals that must be
pressed into place, apply small amount of oil to the contact area. Be sure to maintain proper alignment and use
smooth movements when installing.
Ball Bearing and Needle Bearing
Do not remove pressed ball or needle unless removal is
absolutely necessary. Replace with new ones whenever
removed. Press bearings with the manufacturer and size
marks facing out. Press the bearing into place by putting
pressure on the correct bearing race as shown.
Pressing the incorrect race can cause pressure between
the inner and outer race and result in bearing damage.
GENERAL INFORMATION 1-5
Oil Seal, Grease Seal
Do not remove pressed oil or grease seals unless removal
is necessary. Replace with new ones whenever removed.
Press new oil seals with manufacture and size marks facing
out. Make sure the seal is aligned properly when installing.
Apply specified grease to the lip of seal before installing
the seal.
Circlips, Cotter Pins
Replace circlips or cotter pins that were removed with new
ones. Take care not to open the clip excessively when installing to prevent deformation.
1-6 GENERAL INFORMATION
Before Servicing
Lubrication
It is important to lubricate rotating or sliding parts during
assembly to minimize wear during initial operation. Lubrication points are called out throughout this manual, apply
the specific oil or grease as specified.
Direction of Engine Rotation
When rotating the crankshaft by hand, the free play
amount of rotating direction will affect the adjustment. Rotate the crankshaft to positive direction (clockwise viewed
from output side).
Electrical Wires
A two-color wire is identified first by the primary color and
then the stripe color. Unless instructed otherwise, electrical
wires must be connected to those of the same color.
Instrument
Use a meter that has enough accuracy for an accurate
measurement. Read the manufacture’s instructions thoroughly before using the meter. Incorrect values may lead
to improper adjustments.
Model Identification
VN900B6F (US and Canada) Left Side View:
GENERAL INFORMATION 1-7
VN900B6F (US and Canada) Right Side View:
Frame Number
Engine Number
[A] Frame Number
[B] Front Fork (Right side)
[A] Engine Number
[B] Right Engine Cover
1-8 GENERAL INFORMATION
Model Identification
VN900B6F (Europe and Australia) Left Side View:
VN900B6F (Europe and Australia) Right Side View:
Model Identification
VN900D6F (US and Canada) Left Side View:
GENERAL INFORMATION 1-9
VN900D6F (US and Canada) Right Side View:
1-10 GENERAL INFORMATION
General Specifications
ItemsVN900B6F/D6F
Dimensions
Overall Length2 465 mm (97.05 in.)
Overall Width1 005 mm (39.57 in.), (AU) 980 mm (38.6 in.)
Overall Height
(VN900B)1 065 mm (41.93 in.)
(VN900D)1 480 mm (58.27 in.)
Wheelbase
Road Clearance135 mm (5.31 in.)
Seat Height680mm(26.8in.)
Dry Mass
(VN900B)253 kg (558 lb), (EU) 254 kg (560 lb)
(VN900D)270 kg (595 lb)
Curb Mass:
Front
(VN900B)130 kg (287 lb), (EU) 131 kg (289 lb)
(VN900D)134 kg (295 lb)
Rear
(VN900B)151 kg (333 lb)
(VN900D)164 kg (362 lb)
Fuel Tank Capacity20L(5.3USgal)
Performance
Minimum Turning Radius2.9 m (9.5 ft)
Engine
Type4-stroke, SOHC, V2-cylinder
Cooling SystemLiquid-cooled
Bore And Stroke88.0 × 74.2 mm (3.46 × 2.92 in.)
Displacement903mL(55.1cuin.)
Compression Ratio9.5 : 1
Maximum Horsepower
Maximum Torque
Carburetion SystemDFI (Digital Fuel Injection) System