Kawasaki Vulcan 900 (2006-present) Maintenance Schedule

This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Kawasaki Vulcan 900, including the Classic and Custom. They’re all part of the VN900 family.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 is an easy-going but classy cruiser motorcycle. The Vulcan range goes from tiny (125cc) all the way to massive (2000 — no longer available), so the 900 sits roughly right in the middle.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic is a mid-sized motorcycle cruiser, first introduced in 2006. It is powered by a liquid-cooled 903 cc V-Twin engine, with a five-speed transmission, putting power down through a belt drive.

Despite being a little old-tech (no ABS!), the Vulcan 900 is still being made today (as of 2021, anyway), with no mechanical changes since 2006 other than styling and fuelling tweaks.

For a while the Vulcan 900 had its own category, before the mid-size Yamaha Bolt came along.

2017-2019 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic Stock Image

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 VN900 riding in Studio front right quarter

This site has links for things like oil and spark plugs from which we earn a commission (which unfortunately nobody can save, not even us). If you appreciate this work, then please use those links. Thanks!

What you need to service the Vulcan 900

Here’s a shopping list of replaceable items you need to service the Kawasaki Vulcan 900.

Part	Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Spec
Oil	You need 3.2L (3.4 US qt) (when the filter is removed) of SAE 10W-40 engine oil “with API SG, SH, SJ, SL or SM with JASO MA, MA1 or MA2 rating”, preferably Kawasaki 10W-40 Engine Oil. Don’t over-torque the drain bolt (spec is 20 Nm/14.5 lb-ft per the manual) — use a torque wrench if you don’t have experience with how much torque is enough.
Oil filter	Oil filter is part 16097-1058, or you can use a HF303RC. Torque for oil filter is 18 Nm (13 ft-lb) (use a torque wrench, and it’s easier on the K&N one)
Brake pads	Everyone on the Vulcan forums recommends double-sintered EBC brake pads. They’re cheaper and better. You need FA229HH for the front and FA231HH for the rear.
Spark plugs	NGK CPR7EA-9, with a spark plug gap of 0.8-0.9mm (use a spark plug gapping tool), torqued to 18 Nm or 13 ft-lb (use a torque wrench).
Air filter	Genuine part number is 11013-0015. You can also use the K&N equivalent KA-9006.
Cable lubricant	Remember to lubricate your clutch cable (and brake cables if you have them) with a cable lubricant. Protect All Cable Life is a good general-purpose lubricant.
Belt tension tool	Use this tool to check that the belt tension is within spec.
Brake fluid	Spec is to use DOT-4 brake fluid. Castrol DOT 4 is well-regarded.
Coolant	Use nitrate-free, phosphate-free, ethylene glycol-based coolant with anti-corrosion inhibitors, e.g. Valvoline Zerex G05
Grease	Use a lithium soap-based grease and silicone grease for all the important greasing points.

Consumables for servicing the Kawasaki Kawasaki Vulcan 900 motorcycle

Maintenance Schedule for Kawasaki Vulcan 900

Below is the maintenance schedule for the Kawasaki Vulcan 900. It’s broken up into three sections.

Notes:

For higher odometer readings, repeat at the frequency interval established here.
Kawasaki recommends most items other than everyday service be done by “an authorised dealer”.
#: Service more frequently when operating in severe conditions: dusty, wet, muddy,
high speed, or frequent starting/stopping.

Change/replacement items

mi x 1000	0.6	7.6	15.2	22.8	30.4
km x 1000	1	12	24	36	48	Every
Air cleaner element # – replace (e) (KA-9006)		•	•	•	•
Engine oil # – change (Kawasaki 10W-40 Engine Oil)	•	•	•	•	•	year
Oil filter – replace (HF303RC)	•	•	•	•	•	year
Fuel hoses – replace						5 years
Coolant – change (Zerex G05)				•		3 years
Radiator hoses and O-rings – replace				•		3 years
Brake hoses – replace						4 years
Brake fluid (front and rear) – change (Castrol DOT 4)			•		•	2 years
Rubber parts of master cylinder and caliper – replace					•	4 years
Spark plug – replace (NGK CPR7EA-9)		•	•	•	•

Replaceable parts on Vulcan 900

Engine related items

mi x 1000	0.6	7.6	15.2	22.8	30.4
km x 1000	1	12	24	36	48	Every
Valve clearance – inspect			•		•
Throttle control system – inspect (play, smooth return, no drag) – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Idle speed – inspect	•	•	•	•	•
Fuel leak (fuel hose and pipe) – inspect	•	•	•	•	•
Fuel hoses damage – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Fuel hoses installation condition – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Coolant level – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Coolant leak – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Radiator hose damage – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Radiator hoses installation condition – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Air suction system damage – inspect		•	•	•	•
Evaporative emission control system – function			•		•

Engine related maintenance for the Vulcan 900

Chassis/drivetrain-related items

mi x 1000	0.6	7.6	15.2	22.8	30.4
km x 1000	1	12	24	36	48	Every
Clutch operation (play, engagement, disengagement) – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Drive belt deflection – inspect (Belt tension tool)						3800 mi (6000 km)
Drive belt wear- inspect						3800 mi (6000 km)
Tire air pressure – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Wheels/tires damage – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Tire tread wear, abnormal wear – inspect		•	•	•	•
Wheel bearings damage – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Spoke tightness and rim runout – inspect	•					3800 mi (6000 km)
Brake fluid leak – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Brake hoses damage – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Brake pad wear – inspect # (to replace: EBC FA229HH, FA231HH)		•	•	•	•	year
Brake hose installation condition – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Brake fluid level – inspect (Castrol DOT 4 to top up)	•	•	•	•	•	year
Brake operation (effectiveness, play, drag) – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Brake light switch operation – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Front forks/rear shock absorber operation (damping and smooth stroke) – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Front forks/rear shock absorber oil leak – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Swing arm pivot – lubricate (with lithium soap-based grease)			•		•
Uni-trak rocker arm operation – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Uni-trak tie rods operation – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Uni-trak rocker arm bearings – lubricate			•		•
Uni-trak tir rods bearings – lubricate			•		•
Steering play – inspect	•	•	•	•	•	year
Steering stem bearings – lubricate			•		•	2 years
Lights and switches operation – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Headlight aiming – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Side stand switch operation – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Engine stop switch operation – inspect		•	•	•	•	year
Chassis parts – lubricate		•	•	•	•	year
Bolts and nuts tightness – inspect	•	•	•	•	•

Chassis maintenance for the Vulcan 900

Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Kawasaki Vulcan 900

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 has the following tyre sizes standard (tubeless type), and the following recommended tyre pressures.

Tyre	Size	Tyre pressure
Front	130/90-16 M/C 67H	200 kPa / 28 psi
Rear	180/70 – 15M/C 76H	200 – 225 kPa (28-32 psi), depending on load.

Tyres and tyre pressures for the Kawasaki Vulcan 900

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 ships with Dunlop D404 tyres, or Bridgestone G721/722 cruiser tyres.

General information about the Kawasaki Vulcan 900

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 VN900 riding in city 1

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 is a middleweight, middle-sized cruiser with stylish looks and a punchy engine that’s quite beginner friendly.

The Vulcan 900 has a 903cc V-Twin SOHC liquid-cooled Engine tuned to deliver lots of torque from low rpm. It makes a peak of 37 kW (50 hp) at 5700 rpm, which would actually be within learner-legal limits in parts of the world where displacement isn’t a factor. Peak torque is 58 ft-lb (78 Nm) which gives it decent pull — and torque peaks at a low 3700 rpm.

Mind you, the Vulcan 900 doesn’t have a tachometer — so you won’t know when you’re hitting peak torque other than by the seat of your pants.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 comes in a few configurations. there’s the Classic, which is the bare cruiser, the LT, which has backrest, saddlebags, and touring screen, and the Custom, which is a more bare-bones cruiser. But they all share the same foundation.

The Vulcan 900 has a number of features that make it more modern than rattly cruisers of the past. These include

Rubber engine mounts to reduces excess engine vibration
Positive neutral finder to help find neutral at a stop (though only a five-speed transmission)
Fuel injection with dual throttle bodies. The sub throttles, located behind the main throttle valve, are controlled by the ECU so that the fuel injection system retains a more precise throttle response, similar to a constant velocity carburetor.

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 VN900 riding in city 2

The Vulcan 900 has a very low 26.5-inch seat height that lets even shorter riders easily plant both feet on the ground at stops.

Over the years, the Vulcan 900 has kept being produced with nary a change other than paint jobs — which look really good!

While the Vulcan 900 is affordable, remember that it doesn’t come with much. There’s no ABS, no power modes, no adjustable suspension, and definitely no LED lights. The Vulcan is a basic bike. Remaining unchanged is probably why it has slipped past tightening regulations that require ABS on new models.

Braking is via a single front disc brake with a 300mm rotor, and a dual-piston caliper. It’s adequate, but obviously this isn’t a sportbike.

Similarly low-spec is the suspension. At the front there are 41mm forks with 150 mm of travel, and a single Unitrack shock at the back with preload adjustability.

But both those components are totally fine for the Vulcan 900.

While 50 hp and a curb weight of 611 lbs (37 kW / 277 kg) sounds like a really slow bike, the Vulcan 900 performs better than it sounds. True, it doesn’t leap away from the lights like a sport bike, but it does keep accelerating well past speeds where you’d want to be riding without a fairing.