Vulcan was a name the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki used for their custom or touring series since 1984, with the model designation VN. The Vulcan range used mostly V-twin power plants with displacement ranging from 125 to 2,053cc.
The Kawasaki Vulcan 400 was first introduced in 1986 as an entry-level cruiser motorcycle, powered by a 398cc V-twin engine coupled to a six-speed manual transmission and a low-maintenance final belt drive in the first series.
The second series of the Vulcan 400 was powered by a 399cc V-twin engine similar in design to the larger 750cc engine on other Vulcan motorcycles, coupled to a five-speed transmission and a final chain drive. Also, the second series was available in Classic and Drifter versions.
In 1994, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki Vulcan 400, an entry-level cruiser motorcycle fitted with standard features, such as a small round headlight, a pulled-back handlebar, a one-piece dual seat, a passenger backrest, a chromed exhaust system, and wire-spoke wheels.
The bike was built on a double cradle steel frame with a telescopic fork on the front for suspension and a 300 mm disc with a dual-piston caliper for braking performance. Two side-mounted shocks and a 180 mm drum braking unit handled the rear end.
As for the power figures, the 1994 Kawasaki Vulcan 400 had installed a 399cc four-stroke V-twin air-cooled engine that delivered 33 hp at 8,500 rpm and 33 Nm (24 lb-ft) torque at 4,500 rpm.