Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi reviews

It's the most dependable bike I have had so far. I love its comfort and balance and its ability to hold the road in the windy conditions. Show less

I bought this bike in 2008 from a local dealer. The guy that owned it took very good care of it. I have only had it serviced and just bought a new battery for it. This bike is plenty fast enough, it is pwerful and has lot of torque. I have the black over red color scheme and I get compliments on it all the time. One nice thing, when you are on it for any length of time, you want to be on it longer, it's that comfortable to take on longer trips. I like the shaft drive and it does very well on mileage. I chose this one over two other bikes, both were Harley Davidsons. The Nomad has it all over most bikes this size hands down. Keep it serviced and it'll serve you forever. Show less

I bought my 2002 Nomad at an auction w/34000 miles on it. The seller had put screws on the chain tensioners to hide the engine problems so I put the bike in the shop and had the motor rebuilt. I've ridden the bike with my wife and I have to say, it's turned out to be the nicest bike around in looks, comfort and size. Harley riders criticize a lot about anything other than a Harley but being a Harley owner many times in 53 years of riding, this bike blows you away. I pass every thing on the road and the ride and look makes Harleys look like junk minibikes. Show less

THIS BIKE IS A WORKING HORSE, THE WIFE GIVES IT THUMBS UP. VERY COMFORTABLE RIDE AROUND TOWN OR LONG DISTANCE, GETS GOOD MILEAGE ON FREEWAY OR LOCAL HIGHWAY. FUEL LIGHTS COMES ON AT 165 MILES AND COULD GO FOR ANOTHER 35 MILES, BUT PREFER TO FILL UP WHEN LIGHT COMES ON. THIS BIKE IS HEAVY BUT FAST ENOUGH FOR ME, NO COMPLAINTS - JUST ONE GREAT BIKE. Show less

After riding my 2003 Nomad 1500Fi for about a year now, I'm still satisfied that I bought the best bike in this class for the money. The comfort and performance are tops. I'm pleased with the relatively high top-end gear ratios, which makes cruising at interstate speeds comfortable and easy. However, one should be prepared to stop frequently for fuel, as I have only been able to get about 100-120 miles before the low-fuel indicator light turns on. I don't know how much farther I could go before running out of fuel, since there is no reserve, but this seems a bit low considering the size of the fuel tank. Still, that's a couple of hours' of cruising on secondary roads, so it's something I've learned to live with. More than a bit annoying is the location of the ignition switch and choke knob, both down below the front of the tank on the downtune. I can only wonder what the designers were thinking when they chose such an out-of-the way and hard to reach spot. Shortly after buying the bike used with 9000 miles, I had to replace the power control/FI module, but everything else has been fine since. My wife is happy with the comfort of the passenger seat. There is plenty of room for gear in the backs and on the optional luggage rack, although the bags are a bit too narrow to stow a full-face helmet. I guess that's the trade-off for their cool, sleek look. Show less

I bought the Nomad with 9,800 miles on it in July of 2005. Since then it has been used for everything from commuting to work to a 5,000 mile road trip through wind and rain and it has performed flawlessly. I am short so the only thing that was needed for comfort was to tilt the handlebars back a little and lower the windshield. On the road trip I put in a couple of 900 mile plus days on I-40 and found the seat uncomfortable but don't have anything to compare it to. Sitting in an easy chair for that long would not be great. The only repairs I've seen are tire replacements. Fuel use is on average 40 mpg just about anywhere. It is very stable on the highway with the wind from big trucks all around. Any excuse to ride is a good one and every day is a good day to ride. Show less

I traded up from a 800 Classic and it was worth every inexpensive penny to do it... that's according to my wife which now rides comfortably with me. I bought my Nomad in Feb. of 2004 and rode it from the dealership in a Minnesota February (Granted it was a above average temp that day, 46) It was refreshing to see people give me a thumbs up while I did. This bike has been a treat, excellenet ride, I have plenty of power and it's easy to take care of, easy to tinker with. Only problem I had was that the cooling system hoses were not tightened all the way so it leaked some anti-freeze which I caught quickly. Once tighted, that was it. Show less

03 Nomad more than makes the grade! It may be a bit small ride to some but I just finished Dallas to Atlanta, by way of Memphis, to visit family. Total distance was 1,888 miles and the bike was flawless. Hot, cool or rainy weather it was solid in every category. I have owned the bike for about two months and this was the real test. (My other ride is a 97 BMW R1100RT.) Stock seat is very comfortable and roomy. Couple that with the highway pegs and you have a lot of positions to choose from to maintain comfort on a long ride. Gas mileage was about 38 MPG at speeds primarily in the 70 to 75 MPH range. Did a combo of US Highway/State road and Interstate and never felt I lacked power or handling ability. Great bike. Mine is not a strictly stock set up (see upgrades). Show less

I was a previous sportbike rider, so the change to a cruiser was a big one to say the least.. lower center of gravity, but an immensely enjoyable and comfortable ride... does get some buffeting , but nothing like a naked sport bike... needing super gas is unfortunate, but gas mileage hangs in the 38-40 range.. time to accessorize and add to an already fun few weeks (bought used, only 1000 miles are mine so far)... bike speaks for itself in more ways than 1 (vance and hines pipes w/ power commander) Show less