The 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 544 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION GEAR CAN CAUSE WEAKENING AND EVENTUAL BREAKAGE OF AN ADJACENT GEAR.
GEAR BREAKAGE CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE MOTORCYCLES AND REPAIR AFFECTED UNITS.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Bearings in starter missing upon delivery, brand new. *ak”
“Oil pump gear failed - had traffic been heavy engine could have siezed up before I could safely stop”
“The clutch slipped and failed at 12000 miles, which seemed premature. I replaced it myself and now the replacement is beginning to slip at 25000 miles. My experience in operating motorcycles is about 21 years. My riding habits are normal with no unusual usage (ie. Racing, competitions, etc.).…”
“Consumer states the vehicle coughing on acceleration when backfiring, flames shoot out 6-8 inches. Dealer contacted and repairs done, problem still exists. *ak”
“Engine stalls.”
“Rear brakes failed without warning. Dealer has rebuilt the master cylinder and other parts, and the problem still exists. Manufacturer has been notified. *ak”
“Rear brakes failed without warning. Dealer has rebuilt the master cylinder and other parts, and the problem still exists. Manufacturer has been notified. *ak”
“Many oil pump gears have failed on this year/model. Someone may get killed if they are not made to replace these. *ak”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.