2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Nomad Motorcycle reviews

Well, I've now clocked over 30,000 miles on the bike and all have been a pleasure. I have done over 400 in a day with no effects at all. I have added a few after-market accessories now. Show less

Wow! What a great bike. I have 3500 miles on it and have not been disappointed yet. The Nomad is great on country roads or interstate. The only problem that I have is when changing from 1st to 2nd gear, it's LOUD. When you are at a stoplight the heat coming up from the motor is hot. I had the heat shield that Kawasaki put on for free. Problem gone!! I ride the bike to work and long rides I would recommend this bike to anyone. Show less

Upgraded from my 2007 Vulcan 900 Classic. With the 900 I always felt my arms were stretched too far out and the bike was too unbalanced in slow speed turns. WOW what a difference!!! The seating position of the Nomad is so much more comfortable and amazingly it feels much lighter than the 900 in turns, especially in slow speed turns. My turning radius is much tighter and smoother. I only notice the 200 lbs difference in weight when I first stand the bike up. The balance is awesome, the power exceptional. The seat is a 100 times more comfortable than the 900. After a long day sitting behind a desk, I ride an hour from work to home each evening. My neck and shoulders would ache from the 900, but now I don't have any of the tenseness from fighting the bike. The Nomad is a truly awesome ride. Short passengers beware... wife is only 5' and her feet don't reach the passenger floor boards...not comfortable on long rides. Bought a set of Kuryakyn off-set foot pegs to attach to the rear highway bar. Will test them out on the next long ride. Show less

I have ridden over 3000 miles on city, country roads and on the highway for a long three day trip. This motorcycle continues to perform extremely well. It has ample power, acceleration, and cruises easily at 120 km (78/mph) in 5th gear, with a 6th gear still available. Cruise control is so good that I will not own another motorcycle without it. The Nomad loves sweeping turns and handles like a much lighter bike at slow speeds in parking lots. Concerns about the bags are unfounded. They hold lots, are easy to access, and while they may appear to be made of thin material, are actually quite strong and flex a little, which is a good thing. The seat was fine on an eight hour ride, but I would like more room. The sitting position is more towards the standard ride. Overall I am very pleased. Show less

If ever there was standard for perfection, in my humble opinion the Vulcan is one to set the bar. The bike really is a fire and forget crusing platform. Handling is effortless and intuitive. Plenty of power at the top end and pulls like a tractor mountain climbing. I've never had a moment of dullness on the road. Bikes like this are the thing that made us want to ride. Think for a moment of that first time a big v twin rumbled past you as a child, and you thought...Someday! Someday! Show less

My Wife and I took a road trip from Roland OK. to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico September 2009. We had the time of our lives. Our new Kawasaki 1700 Nomad performed excellent. Show less

Only had the bike for 500 miles....but I like the ride. It is smooth and powerful. Show less

Bought this bike this spring, and have 4500 mi on it, mostly highway. Love everything about the handling except the seat... too short for me, so am looking forward to some after market stuff. Starting is different, with the update from Kawasaki stating to let it idle for 12 seconds without touching anything... okay if warming up, but sucks if starting in traffic after a stall. Great brakes, mileage about 42ish at 75, and some better at slower speeds. I love the cruise control, although the sixth speed is truly an overdrive to the wide ratio five speeds under it, but very much appreciated on the freeway. New frame handles great compared to the harley Classic I've ridden in the past. The rear foot supports need to be up when riding solo, as they do tend to bump you if you don't lift your feet right away. They will fold quickly if you drag'em, though! The tranny shifts LOUDLY, especially from first to second as accelerating, and a switch to synthetic didn't make much different. This seems to be common according to some of the VROC blogs I've read, and it hasn't created any problems other than making small kids cry as I go past them... I love the belt drive, and absolutely NO lift (like my last shaft drive bike) as accelerating. So far, the carbon belt has been very quiet and problem free...I love it. The improved gear inidcator is a lot more useful than I thought it would be, even with lots of miles under my belt. It is appreciated. Would highly recommend the bike! Show less

Great bike, handles well, sounds good. Has great torque and acceleration especially at interstate speeds. Hard bags are large, saddle is extremely comfortable. Over-drive is great on the highway, and the bike still has adequate torque to pass w/o down shift. Fuel economy could be better (commuting to/from work - about 70/30 highway, residential driving I'm getting around 34-35mpg). Higher on weekend rides when I can keep it in OD. I wish Kawasaki had fitted it with a larger tank (somewhere between 150-200 mile range). The only other complaint is Kawasaki is SLOW to release any accessories for the bike. I still can't get a service manual and they list no accessories yet. Because of the limited trip distance and lower fuel economy I gave it 4 stars on quality. But...I wouldn't trade it!! It's a joy to ride. Show less