| 1996–2009 Kawasaki Vulcan EN500C LTD |
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| Performance |   |
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| The Vulcan 500's vertical twin, sourced from the EX/Ninja 500, is uncharacteristically peaky for a cruiser, but if you're okay with that and keep reved, it will keep up with (and perhaps even pass up!) many larger, torquier cruisers. |
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| Handling |  |
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| It is okay by cruiser standards. Fortunately, lighter weight works to the bike's advantage. |
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| Looks | |
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| With the EN500C, Kawasaki managed to remake the busy, awkward, cartoonish looks of the earlier EN450/500 'A' Series into a much more tasteful, elegant design that is traditional, yet does not make the parallel twin look out of place. A few small details are still a bit over-styled, but that that's a quibble. |
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| Reliability | |
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| The 500 twin can take all sorts of abuse, and the Vulcan is solidly built, given its low price. |
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| Practicality | |
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| If you physically match the Vulcan 500's ergonomics, it's the cheapest cruiser around that's powerful enough to keep ahead of rush hour traffic or tour the Interstates, though it needs a better seat. |
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| Desirability | |
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| Some may say that it's not a 'real' cruiser because it doesn't have a V-twin with low-down grunt, but I find that kind of iconoclasm endearing. |
