For the 2005 model year, the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter motorcycle has a listed dry weight of 670 lb (303.9 kg).
Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter weight overview
The scale number is high enough that parking and low-speed balance deserve real consideration. Once the bike leans too far, recovering it takes much more effort than on a light machine. The comparison uses dry weight because a usable wet/running figure was not supplied, so the actual ready-to-ride motorcycle will be heavier.
Very Heavy Motorcycle
How heavy is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter?
dry weight
Using a model-level dry weight comparison, the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter is heavier than about 93.2% of 81 Kawasaki motorcycles with compatible weight data.
Dry weight
Bike + rider total weight
These totals use the model’s representative dry weight. They exclude riding gear, luggage and a passenger.
Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter weight & related specs
| Model years covered | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Dry weight | 670 lb (303.9 kg) |
| Engine displacement | 1,470 cc |
| Fuel capacity | 5 US gal (18.92 L) |
| Full-tank fuel weight (estimated) | 31.1 lb (14.1 kg) |
Useful weight calculations
| Displacement per pound | 2.19 cc / lb |
|---|---|
| Weight per 100 cc | 45.6 lb / 100 cc |
| Fuel weight as % of bike weight | 4.6% |
| Weight with full tank | 701.1 lb (318 kg) |
What the weight numbers tell you
Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter weight FAQ
What is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter dry weight?
The available dry weight is 670 lb (303.9 kg). Actual ready-to-ride weight will be higher after fuel and operating fluids are added.
Is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter lighter or heavier than other Kawasaki motorcycles?
Compared with similar Kawasakis in this dataset, it is heavier than about 93.2% of 81 motorcycles using the same weight basis.
How much does a full tank add to the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter?
Based on the supplied 5 US gal (18.92 L) tank capacity, the gasoline itself weighs about 31.1 lb (14.1 kg) when full. This helps explain part of the difference between dry and ready-to-ride mass.
What is the combined Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter and rider weight?
Using the model’s representative dry weight and a 180 lb rider, the combined bike-and-rider mass is about 850 lb (385.5 kg) before riding gear, luggage or a passenger.
Is the listed Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter weight ready to ride?
The published usable figure is dry, not curb weight. A simple dry-plus-full-fuel estimate is 701.1 lb (318 kg), but that still is not a substitute for an official wet/curb specification.
How much heavier is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter with a full tank?
Filling the listed tank brings the calculated bike weight to roughly 701.1 lb (318 kg). This estimate is most useful when no official wet/running figure is available.
How much of the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter total weight comes from fuel?
The calculated full-tank fuel mass is about 4.6% of the bike’s listed weight. This helps show why a dry-weight number can understate what you actually manage on the road.
What is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter engine-size-to-weight ratio?
The available figures work out to 2.19 cc per lb. This is not a performance rating, but it is a useful way to compare engine size against total motorcycle mass.
How far is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter from the median Kawasaki motorcycle weight?
Compared with the median Kawasaki motorcycle weight of 396.8 lb (180 kg), the model is roughly 273.2 lb (123.9 kg) heavier.
Motorcycle specifications can vary by model year, market, equipment and the exact dry/curb-weight definition. Calculated fuel-weight and ratio figures on this page are estimates derived from the supplied specifications. Confirm critical figures in the owner’s manual or on the official Kawasaki website.