Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Nomad reviews

I love this bike! I have been riding my 2008 1600 Nomad for about two years. It was supposed to be a place holder bike until I got the more expensive bike that I wanted. I ended up riding it much longer than expected. It has good power, it is smooth running, and has never given me a single problem. The bike is comfortable and rides nicely with a passenger,...hardly any different than alone. It starts right up in any kind of weather and always runs the same. The side loading bags are something you have to prefer or get used to. I do not prefer them over top loading but some do for whatever reason. The horsepower is sufficient and the motor has very nice low end torque. The torque shows when riding two up as the acceleration is practically the same as riding alone. It will not blow your socks or any doors off, but the bike is sufficiently powered for fun and safety. Overall, these are great, reliable, smooth running, good looking motorcycles. Show less

I am the second owner of a clean 2005 Vulcan nomad 1600. I have absolutely no complaints about this bike, it is a very smooth ride, and even at high speeds it feels like it's going a lot slower. Power to spare and highly stable, but don't lay it down it's hard to pick up. Show less

Hello. The Kawasaki VN1600 Classic Nomad is indeed a solid reliable machine and is quite well built. The solid alloy wheels are a bonus as spoked wheels tend to rust so no problems with the wheels. Some may find on second-hand machines they have a front wobble (speed wobble) but knowing many other owners, this is down to the tire having a run off or is not seated correctly. A simple tire change sorts this out. There is plenty of room with the side panniers and rack and it's a nice machine to ride on. My mpg. is around 42.5 per gallon of petrol (gas)but I have had the standard exhaust removed (very heavy) and had the Vance and Hines sent over from the USA (Bagshots) so maybe this and the combination of a new air filter and power commander has an effect on fuel consumption. You receive the screen and side panniers as standard and this VN series has the pipes on each side for a more balanced look. I do find that spraying your machine with WD40 or other water retardant helps the bikes wires to become dependable in the long run. Please note that once the VN refused to turn over but do not take it to bits looking for a fault if it was working fine. Check the clutch wires on the lever (2 wires covered in a plastic shroud) as they tend to come off if not secure and can be overlooked. Show less

Very good, reliable and strong bike with a certain retro look and feeling in a modern package. I get a lot of compliments everywhere I go with her. The only thing I do not like that much is the low gas mileage, true, I ride fast... Very ergonomic off the shelf, I sat on a stock Road King and immediately wanted to change the seat, bar, etc - the Nomad feels cozy compared to a few bikes. I just simply love her - as the last year of her production I can feel that it is a well thought through bike. Show less

My last bike was a 2006 Suzuki C-50, a really good bike that gave my wife and I 24,000 miles of smiles in two years. The only downside was it's buzziness at interstate speeds. In October of '07 we test rode a Nomad, after that it was a matter of time.... In Oct'08 I took my C-50 in for scheduled maintenance and left with an '06 Green/Silver Nomad. This bike is great! Smooth as silk at all speeds, the extra weight smooths out the ride and resists the push from wind gusts. There is ample room for both rider and passenger and the saddlebags have plenty of room for a weekend away. Show less

Fantastic machine, runs like a tank, but smooth as silk. Gobs of torque and lots of power (see upgrades). Wife and I rode two up to our rally in South Dakota (5500 kms)trouble free, wonderful cruiser. Best bike I've owned in 30 years and at a great price. Did have to upgrade the seat though, bought a mustang set with backrest and that cured the sore butt problem. Show less

I STILL LOVE THIS BIKE AFTER 15 MOS AND OVER 11,000 MILES. I JUST BOUGHT A DUNLAP ELITE III REAR TIRE. THE INDEPENDENT DEALER WHO I BOUGHT IT FROM AND INSTALLED HAD A GOLDWING WITH THE ELITE III WITH OVER 18,000 MILES AND STILL PLENTY OF TREAD. IT'S STILL CRANK AND RIDE WITH NO PROBLEMS. AFTER 2 HARLEYS THIS IS THE BEST BIKE I've EVER OWNED. GO GET ONE. Show less

I traded my Suzuki M50 for a 2007 black Nomad. I was looking to upgrade in order to take some road trips and this was the perfect bike. The Nomad has plenty of power and torque. The weight of the Nomad took a little getting use to but it's amazingly stable at low speeds. I encourage people to shop around but you won't find a better bang for the buck than the Nomad. Show less

Recently I got my 2008 Nomad, a leftover that was the dealership owner's demo, so it had 1289 miles on it already, but I got it for a steal! I had to ride it some 500 miles home, and have had the bike for only a few days, but that's enough time to know this is a bike in a catagory all its own. Just as the title suggests; the bike is awe inspiring. From the first time I sat on it, I knew it was the one. I looked for a new bike for about 2 years before finally looking in the right place. I talked myself into and out of all different types of motorcycles. This one does everything I was looking for it to do, and does it very well. I do a lot of 2 up riding with my wife, and she was a major deciding factor. I wasn't going to buy a bike that made her uncomfortable. The seat is quite good for a stocker, and I'm sure that an aftermarket would work just as well, but we'll stick with it for now. Performance of the bike is jaw dropping. It's like an elephant that has the speed and agility of a leopard. Dossile at times when you want it to be, but open the throttle and hold on! Cornering on this bike is simple, the easiest I've ever experienced. There is no mid-turn wobble, and it doesn't try to fall over once into the turn. Every aspect of ridiing the bike is a pleasure. That leads to my main point. If you're looking for a bike that you don't have to try and enjoy, look no further. Every second on this bike, from the time I start it to the time I shut it down, is pure joy. No loud exhaust to annoy me in 15 minutes. No wind in my face to burn me up in a half an hour. Just me, the bike, and the road (oh, and the wife). Show less

Every bike has its pros and cons. Starting with power this bike has pleanty of it you will never feel the need of a six gear on the high way you can almost cruise on fourth at 70. And what a sweet rumble. Great for long hauls the 5.3 gal tank is very convienient getting around 200 plus a tank. As far as comfort it has a nice stock seat but exceptional comfort for your passenger. A supremely comfortable seat with a thick back rest to compliment it as well as air plush suspension. The only complaint I have is that I wish my arms were an inch longer so that I wouldn't have to stretch as much. After about an hour I'm a little sore but that's not the bikes fault. My only other con is that I see other large cruisers with larger more comfortable seats. But they have to make a sacrifice with compensating with a smaller gas tank. Would I ever trade this bike in? Yes but only when the wheels fall off, this ones a keeper!!! ps. if your badge of honor paint wears out don't sell it. just re-paint it. Show less