My 2011 Kawaski Vaquero Champion Trike

[bozzhog98]

This is my first trike. I had my Vaquero converted and then went to the Texas hill country two days later and I absolutely love it. Very comfortable and plenty of power. Wish I had done this a long time ago

 

[Blueline]

Very, very nice. Good luck. Ride the Twisted Sisters?

 

[bozzhog98]

Very, very nice. Good luck. Ride the Twisted Sisters?

Yes we did. We also ate some cinnamon ice cream in Medina. Great riding in the hill country

 

[wiredgeorge]

Yes we did. We also ate some cinnamon ice cream in Medina. Great riding in the hill country

You're supposed to eat apple pie... Does Champion offer a top trunk with that conversion? How does the 1700cc engine do pulling that trike? I had a 1500cc Nomad and it was seriously underpowered...

 

[bozzhog98]

You're supposed to eat apple pie... Does Champion offer a top trunk with that conversion? How does the 1700cc engine do pulling that trike? I had a 1500cc Nomad and it was seriously underpowered...

The 1700 has power to spare. I'm really happy about that. 75 still in 5th gear and plenty of throttle left. The Vaquero doesn't have a tour pack from the factory or as an option. My installer told me if I found one from a Voyager, he could install it. I may add a luggage rack later, but I have a hitch so I might just pull a trailer if needed. I have never owned a trike and have been riding for 46 years, but I'm real happy with my investment

 

[jmk865]

That is one great looking trike ! Enjoy it and ride safe.

 

[wiredgeorge]

I have always been more or less a Kawasaki guy. I currently have four vintage KZs. I had a Nomad that I mounted a Voyager tour box on... there was a VROC guy who made a powdercoated frame/rack for that purpose. The Voyager box was huge! I am not keen on pulling a trailer; I have a wheel-less trailer which is basically a box that fits into the hitch receiver and is wired up with lights. It doesn't hold as much as a real trailer but certainly enough for anything other than a wife's shopping excursion! I found when we bought our Roadsmith conversion we lost space compared to our GL1800 with top box and saddlesbags.



When the VN family trike conversions have been out for awhile, I may move in that direction... wait till sticker shock wears the price down to where I can afford one...

either that or an RSV conversion (had a RSV and loved it!).

 

[pcombe]

I like it!

It resembles my old tour Glide Champion.ThumbUpThumbUp

 

[Rmitchell55]

You can buy the Voyager trunk from Kawasaki. Last time that I looked they were about $1000. I'm not sure if that was with the mounting bracket or not. That is the same body style as my Voyager except the Voyager has a cutout for the trunk.

 

[pcombe]

I have always been more or less a Kawasaki guy. I currently have four vintage KZs. I had a Nomad that I mounted a Voyager tour box on... there was a VROC guy who made a powdercoated frame/rack for that purpose. The Voyager box was huge! I am not keen on pulling a trailer; I have a wheel-less trailer which is basically a box that fits into the hitch receiver and is wired up with lights. It doesn't hold as much as a real trailer but certainly enough for anything other than a wife's shopping excursion! I found when we bought our Roadsmith conversion we lost space compared to our GL1800 with top box and saddlesbags.

View attachment 22556

When the VN family trike conversions have been out for awhile, I may move in that direction... wait till sticker shock wears the price down to where I can afford one...

either that or an RSV conversion (had a RSV and loved it!).

I had an 84 Kawasaki 1100 at one time it was a nice tour bike.

I remember when the voyager came out and I looked at one but seemed just way to top heavy to me with the big tank being full of gas.

I sat on it on the show room floor and it was pushing my foot out, I was scared I would drop it right there.

I had a friend smaller than me by a little bit that dumped it just that way more than once but it sure was nice riding.

I went out to buy a new Harley in 1972 but everyone buying the A.M.F model was breaking down before they got home.

I picked up a water cooled Suzuki 750 (water buffalo) instead and chopped it.

I kept it for 12 years and had few problems with it.

I kept my old 56 pan for local riding purposes, I wish I still had em all.

My dad and uncle had a bike repair business set up in the barn with a boneyard out back so I seen some really cool old bikes come in and be resold.

I had lots of bikes to choose riding until they sold.

Lots of foreign brands besides domestic it's hard to remember them all? 650 Jawa, 350 Gurrelli, Arial square fours,excelsior, Indian, Harleys,BSA, Triumphs and all of the Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Bridgestone and models sold by sears all in different sizes.

My first bike was a tote goat when I was knee high to a puddle duck.

 

[wiredgeorge]

snip...

I remember when the voyager came out and I looked at one but seemed just way to top heavy to me with the big tank being full of gas.
I sat on it on the show room floor and it was pushing my foot out, I was scared I would drop it right there.

I had an 88 Voyager and remember it to be kind of light and well balanced compared to the 2000 Venture I owned which WAS top heavy. Of all the pure touring bikes I have owned, the Voyager felt most like a motorcycle rather than a land yatch. I have owned Nomads, Voyagers, Ventures, Goldwings, etc.



The Voyager XII had good power, handled well and great storage. Shame that Kawasaki didn't make more of a challenge to the Goldwing with a full touring boat although the current Voyager is a decent bike, it is still only a Nomad with full fairing. I was set to buy one when we went to the big bike show up in Dallas prior to release and noticed that it was a bit cheesy; not quality fit and finish, the bags stuck out like an afterthought and the seat had too much a V. No moving forward or aft... felt like I was trapped in the crotch of a tree. Ended up with a Wing... The wing is a great bike but I prefer more a cruiser style seating arrangement.

 

[pcombe]

I had an 88 Voyager and remember it to be kind of light and well balanced compared to the 2000 Venture I owned which WAS top heavy. Of all the pure touring bikes I have owned, the Voyager felt most like a motorcycle rather than a land yatch. I have owned Nomads, Voyagers, Ventures, Goldwings, etc.

View attachment 22567

The Voyager XII had good power, handled well and great storage. Shame that Kawasaki didn't make more of a challenge to the Goldwing with a full touring boat although the current Voyager is a decent bike, it is still only a Nomad with full fairing. I was set to buy one when we went to the big bike show up in Dallas prior to release and noticed that it was a bit cheesy; not quality fit and finish, the bags stuck out like an afterthought and the seat had too much a V. No moving forward or aft... felt like I was trapped in the crotch of a tree. Ended up with a Wing... The wing is a great bike but I prefer more a cruiser style seating arrangement.

perhaps I am thinking of the venture, it's a long time ago.
It looked like the bike in the photo.

 

[wiredgeorge]

I had a 2000 2nd Gen Royal Star Venture and it was extremely top heavy.

 

[Trike Mid Step]

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This is my first trike. I had my Vaquero converted and then went to the Texas hill country two days later and I absolutely love it. Very comfortable and plenty of power. Wish I had done this a long time ago

Nice Ride. I triked same year, but 1700 voyager. Tom

 

[Trike Mid Step]

View attachment 22517View attachment 22518View attachment 22519View attachment 22520


This is my first trike. I had my Vaquero converted and then went to the Texas hill country two days later and I absolutely love it. Very comfortable and plenty of power. Wish I had done this a long time ago

Hi, here is a pic of my 2011 1700 voyager. Tom

 

[Crossroads Trikes]

We did a conversion on a Kawasaki Nomad then put a Voyager tour trunk on it to get a little more storage room. Unfortunately the paint color on the stock Nomad and the stock Voyager trunk were slightly off. It looked ok but the color was noticeably different. I don't know if this was just a fluke thing or not. Just something to be aware of...

 

[cavie]

You're supposed to eat apple pie... Does Champion offer a top trunk with that conversion? How does the 1700cc engine do pulling that trike? I had a 1500cc Nomad and it was seriously underpowered...

Mine is a Honda 1300 VTX. More than enough power. Guess it depends on the brand of bike and how it is designed. I have the same kit with no top box. Have not seen a top box on this model and none is listed on Champions site. A large back pack on the back of the sissy bar would work well for traveling. Seats are Mustang. Armrest are after market and will for any sissy bar.

 

[Rmitchell55]

Kawasaki sells a trunk kit for the NOMAD'S. According to what I see on the Kawi website it includes everything, mounting bracket, lights, trim pieces, etc. The part No. is 99994-0314 cost $1500. The part no's for the frames are different because each one have different attachments to them. The installation directions for the NOMAD, VAQUERO and VOYAGER kits are the same so I take that to mean the frame rails are the same. The body of the VAQUERO would have to be cut to allow mounting of the trunk mounting rack.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

That 2011 Vaquero Trike is really slick ... looks almost mean.

 

[icedad]

I just purchased a trunk for my voyager. It was over $1300. big ones. and that didn't include the lights, and trunk lid cable.