I have been the proud owner of an Ocean Blue and Silver 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad since July 2005. This is my second Nomad, my previous being a 2001 carburetor model.
I LOVE this bike! The 1500 Nomad that I owned was a great bike and I only move up to the 1600 Nomad because: a) we stopped by the dealership to look at something for my wife and this bike was there with a BIG WOW factor, and b) I wanted fuel injection because I was always forgetting to turn on the gas on my 1500.
After buying this bike I realized how much they had changed. It has more power from start to cruising speed, seems to handle better and be more comfortable. It also gets better gas mileage and the 5.3 gallon gas tank is a major upgrade from the 4.0 gallon on the 1500.
This bike has good power for two up riding. I find that it has enough pickup to have fun, but not to much to be really stupid. I do find that 5th gear can seem a little sluggish for hard accelerating below about 65, but 4th gear seems to accelerate nicely. Sometimes I wish it was a six speed with 6th being near where 5th is now.
I believe the added length helped improve the handling as well and more comfort room for both the rider and passenger. My wife says that the rear seat is more comfortable than the earlier model. To me this bike seems to set about 1/2 inch higher than the 1500., now that could be differences in the shocks or tires, but I have not yet drug the pipes on a curve or when hitting a bump while in a curve like I did a few times with the 1500.
Did I say that I LOVE my Nomad. This is one great ride. A beautiful bike with strong traditional cruiser styling using modern technology. From the factory it comes standard with saddle bags, wind shield, passenger backrest and LOTS OF CHROME. Everything you need to hit the road for a tour.
So what are you waiting for? Run to Kawasaki now and get your Nomad today! See you on the road. . .
Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that I have added to my 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad:
Windshield BagAdding a windshield bag is an easy way to get convenient storage. |
| Fire and Steel Water Pump CoverA chrome cover designed to dress up the black water pump and bracket on the right front of the engine. The cover was designed for the 1500 Nomad but will fit the 1600 Nomad with no modifications. |
Fire and Steel Inner Engine CoverThis chrome engine cover replaces the stock black inner engine cover and makes the engine look more uniform in my opinion. This cover was designed for the 1500 Nomad but will fit the 1600 Nomad with either a slight modification to enlarge a slot on the bottom or minor re-route of clutch cable. |
| Fire and Steel Drive Shaft CoverChrome plated cover hides the black welded up drive shaft cover. This cover was design for the 1500 Nomad, but with a little stretching can fit the 1600 Nomad. There is now an after market drive shaft cover made for the 1600 Nomad. |
| Fire and Steel Saddlebag Side RailsChrome plated tubular design provides offsetting trim to the lower edge of the saddlebag. These rails are mounted just below the opening edge of the saddlebag doors. These were designed for the 1500 Nomad but fit the 1600 Nomad with no modification. |
| Fire and Steel Front Fender TrimChrome plated tubular designed bumper has a "V" welded into the front, designed for the 1500 Nomad but fits the 1600 with no modification. |
| Fire and Steel Billet Aluminum License Plate FrameThis is a chrome plated complete license plate frame. It was made for the older 1500 Nomad license plate mount, however you can re-drill this to fit the 1600 Nomad mounting bracket and all the original holes are hidden. |
| Fire and Steel Luggage RackThis luggage rack for the 1600 Nomad connects directly to the standard back. It is a nice looking piece, but it tends to be a bit on the small side. |
| Kuryakyn Dually Footpegs with Offset MountThese highway pegs utilize offset mount to allow a range of adjustments.The offset can be rotated in a 4 diameter circle to accommodate tall, short, or average height riders. Being a rider on the short side these are great. |
| Scootworks PhatRisers IIThese risers put your hands and shoulders in a more comfortable location by raising the bars 2.5" of rise and 3" closer to you. I was able to retain my stock throttle and brake cables/hoses/wiring. |
| Autocom Active-PlusRider to Passenger or Rider Communication System. Installed to allow my wife and I to communicate and listen to music while out for a ride. The system also allows connection to cell phone, gps devices, CB's and radar detectors. Product Site |
