Well, here it is: The top dawg, the big Kahuna. The bike that seems to have started a whole new genre of V-twin engine cruisers: the mega-cruiser.

Kawasaki's Vulcan 2000 has an engine over two litres in size -- 2,053 cc, to be precise. To give it some kind of scale, if this was a V-8, it'd have a displacement of over eight litres, which would put it up into the 500 cubic inch neighbourhood.

So massive is the bore and stroke of the V2000, it requires a built-in compression release to turn it over. It also has four valves per cylinder and pushrods that run off a couple of chain-driven camshafts.

Other engine highlights include an automotive-style fuel injection system, piston-cooling oil jets, hydraulic valve adjusters, and two engine counter-balancers. Not to mention a purported 116 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 191 Newton-metres of torque at 3,000 rpm. All of which add up to the largest production V-twin on the market.

But if there are 116 horses lurking in this power plant, they must be geldings, because the V2000 offers a power delivery as civilized and easy-to-get-along-with as anything else on the market.

In fact, the smoothness of the engine definitely catches you by surprise. Instead of a rude, arm-straightening, uncontrollable blast of acceleration, you're greeted by a predictable, linear surge of power that seems to go on forever. This is due in large measure to the pushrod set-up, which may be old technology, but has the effect of straightening out the engine's power curve.

It's been my experience that overhead camshaft V-twins don't offer as smooth a power delivery as those fitted with pushrods. In the case of the V2000, the power is almost like a force of nature, and the faster you go, the more oomph you have available. The speedometer on the V2000 reads up to 240 km/h, and it's certainly got the urge to do it, but after 160 km/h, things start getting a little bumpy.

Not because of the power, but because the ultra-wide handlebars turn your body into a wind-catching sail, and there's nowhere to hide. At any speeds up to about 120 km/h, the V2000 is comfortable and civilized, but after that, some sort of windscreen would be a godsend (available as an accessory).

Conversely, at really low speeds -- parking and what-not -- care must be taken. The V2000 has a vast turning radius and a fairly generous rake (32 degrees), so if you cut it too short, you'll be kissing asphalt.

For all its refinement, this is still a huge motorcycle, tipping the scales at 340 kg, with a 1,735-mm wheelbase. By way of comparison, the Honda Gold Wing has a 1,691-mm wheelbase, and the Harley Road King 1,612 mm.

Some other specs: The V2000 has a five-speed transmission with a heel-and-toe shifter, belt final drive, liquid cooling, dual disc front brakes with four-piston calipers and a single disc rear with a two-piston caliper, and an absolutely huge 200/60R16 rear tire. The rear rubber wouldn't look out of place on a drag bike. Seat height is a manageable 680 mm and the fuel tank holds 21 litres.

Stylistically, the V2000 is kind of a hodge-podge. I have some issues with the tinwork, and the whole drive train layout just looks kind of wonky to me.

Kawasaki should also think about redoing the licence plate holder -- it's the size of a billboard and affects the bike's lines. On the other hand, the "gatling" style front headlamp is extremely cool and could give you a sun tan if you stayed in front of it too long. The headlight nacelle reminds me of one of those 1950s-style train locomotives that used to run through the Rocky Mountains.

A few minor gripes: The kickstand on this bike is too short and, when deployed, tilts the bike over at a pretty steep angle. No big deal on the face of it, but park this tusker on hot asphalt, and it's guaranteed to dig its own hole. The kickstand is a little too close to the clutch shift release mechanism on the primary case, which is kind of annoying.

Like most Japanese motorcycles, the V2000 cannot be put into gear with the kickstand deployed and must be in neutral before it can be started. Alas, my test bike lost its neutral light during my time with it and made things more awkward than they should have been.

Nor is the V2000 a corner-carver. It has a nice sense of balance, all things considered, but high-speed cornering requires planning and forethought. You don't turn this bike when you reach the twisty bits; you start thinking about it well before you get to them. The V2000 is very heavy at the helm and is much more comfortable moving in a straight line.

Which it can do like nobody's business. Slap on a windscreen, find some saddlebags, and go out and kill some bugs.

Price: $18,999 before taxes, levies and extras.