Longer air-adjustable shocks...
Longer air-adjustable shocks accommodate the added weight of the Nomad and its likely load. The bags' curves match the fenders.
Passersby consistently commented on the Nomad's bags. They seemed captivated by their shape and the prominent chrome handles. The latches of the positive locking bags drew mixed reviews from testers. Some liked that the bags could never be opened or closed without using the key. Others said they'd prefer to simply unlock the bags at the end of a long day of riding and pocket the key. However, all the testers felt that having to physically close the bags by using the handle would help to avoid the problem of riding away with a bag ajar, dropping belongings along the way. Should a bag ever fall open, the elastic straps will retain large items inside.
Kawasaki's choice to break with the current touring cruiser trend of building top-loading bags makes loading the 35-quart bags easy, particularly when using the optional bag liners. A U-shaped top zipper allows easy loading of the liner, while a zipper across the outside-top corner of the bag enables access to the liner's interior. Three handy exterior pockets hold travel necessities like sunglasses or a camera. Not using the liners? The left saddlebag has a mesh envelope on the door for maps or other small articles. Be careful when packing these saddlebags, though. If the contents bulge out too much at the sides, the rear portion of the door may not quite seal, allowing rain access to your dainty ungerthings. Using the door to compress the bag's contents is a recipe for leakage, although using plastic bags inside of the bag liners will remedy the problem. Don't be overly concerned about potential leaks, though. In the intense Florida rainstorm, the one bag that was overfilled only collected about two teaspoons of water.
Removing the bags requires only a 10mm socket and ratchet. When reinstalling the bags, a drop of blue Locktite should be used to keep the bags in place.
Los Angeles, CA.
3/11/98 9:38 P.M.
Useless statistics: Total mileage: 2568.2; total time to cross the continent: 3 days, 9 hours (including time zone changes); average speed (including time spent sleeping): 31.7 mph; average speed (when actually riding): 56.8 mph; number of gas stops: 24; average distance between gas stops: 107.0 miles; number of dead skunks on the side of the road: 11 (all in Texas); number of car passengers sleeping with bare feet on the dash: 4 (all women -- two with painted nails); number of vendor or race team trucks seen returning to California: 3 (Vance & Hines, Team Honda, and Motoport -- all seen in New Mexico, Arizona and California); last place I saw a motorcyclist that I was certain was riding home from Daytona: west of San Antonio (on his way to Albuquerque); number of times my dog spun in circles before jumping on me when I arrived at home: 7; length of the smooch with my lovely wife upon my safe return: Hey, none of your business!
Our time with the Nomad impressed us with how well the bike handled the varied duties a touring cruiser must perform. In boulevard mode, the Nomad looks good and handles easily. In horizon-chasing mode, the Nomad delivers all-day comfort and only lacks a bit of range to fulfill the potential of the platform. Priced at $11,999, the Nomad is one of motorcycling's exceptional values.
High Points: Comfortable seat for long hauls, stunning looks, stable at speed, handles wind from any angle.
Low Points: Limited touring range, buffeting from windshield, overpacking saddlebags can cause them to leak.
First Changes: Arrange for more vacation time, buy bag liners, passenger backrest, add engine guards or remove mounts.
This (red) bike was a prototype...
This (red) bike was a prototype we rode a few months before the actual test. The windshield and other details were different, and the engine guards were not standard equipment.
Cherney: "Dang Evans, what'd ya do to this thing?!" was my first reaction to the dusty Nomad we beheld at our L.A. offices last week. True, associate editor Brasfield had just ridden Kawasaki's new tourer in from the East Coast, but did he have to get it so doggone grimy?
Dead bug juice notwithstanding, Kawasaki's Vulcan 1500 Nomad is quite a looker, with sweeping, muscular lines and a striking, metallic paint job. And let's not forget those saddle, um... "pods" let's call 'em. Sleek and stylized, these hard bags had motorists doing double takes wherever we went; you could practically fit your couch in their capacious interior. Not that you'd need to. The Nomad's plush saddle is so easy on the keister, it took me three tries to build up enough momentum (and desire) to pry myself out of it. The cush seat, swept-back handlebar, and well-positioned floorboards made me want to slap some more miles on the odometer. Except for a tentative front brake (use both of 'em, like they told ya in school) and a squirrely exhaust note, this is a well-designed, serious touring machine; one I'd love to take, oh say...cross-country.
Elvidge: Kawasaki has a solid argument for fixing things that ain't broke. Their successful Vulcan line just keeps getting bigger and better. And while the arrival of the Classic in 1996 pretty much cancelled the original 1500 from my list of great bikes, the Nomad demands an additional entry.
I wouldn't call myself a touring rider, but I am a rider who enjoys high-mileage travel and prefers a bike that's up to it. When I was on the Nomad it kept whispering, "Come on, let's hit the road." I like that in a bike. Touring features on the Nomad, like the windshield and hard bags, are so tailored and work so well they remind you that aftermarket really does mean afterthought. And I love the more upright seat position. I'm always happier sitting on a bike than in one.
I found the Nomad handled cleanly under all conditions, including the vigorous freeway speeds where the Classic's front end feels a bit unwieldy. I'm loving the new 5-speed and additional power found in both Vulcans, too. In fact, I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about the Nomad...except that I wasn't the one to ride it home.
Brasfield: Imagine the touring cruisers arranged as if on a dessert tray. While any one of them has the credentials to go the distance in style, they each have features that appeal to differing palates. How to decide?
The Valkyrie Tourer? Well, it's the athlete of the group--a healthy fruit cup. The Royal Star Tour Deluxe? Mud pie. Beautiful to look at, but so rich that I can never make it through an entire slice. The Road King? Coconut creme pie. I love the creme part, but honestly, my feelings about coconut vary with the phase of the moon. The Shadow A.C.E. Tourer? Tiramisu. A little lighter than the others, but quite satisfying.
The Nomad? Well, it would have to be lemon chess pie. While a relatively easy recipe, lemon chess pie must be made with a deft hand. A little too much of one ingredient, and what was mouth-watering on the first taste could become sickeningly sweet before the slice is half-finished. As I embarked on my trip cross-country, I remembered how, when I was a kid, my mother always said my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Had I fallen for the shapely crust? The delicately baked, brown top of the filling? Had I bitten off more than I could chew? Would the tanginess of the lemon turn sour in West Texas, miles from anything to drink?
After logging over 3000 miles on the Nomad, I can say that Kawasaki baked up a tasty dish. Good eats. Oh, and keep the helpings coming, I'm not full yet.
Friedman: Sure, sure, the Nomad is a seriously satisfying way to travel, but consider the other possibilities. It seems to me that beneath the fairing and bags exists an even better no-frills cruiser than the Vulcan 1500 Classic.
This thing has a stiffer chassis, cast wheels and tubeless tires, better brakes, adjustable suspension, a nicer riding position, a plusher saddle, pretty passenger floorboards and other extras, all for only $1300 more than the Classic. I'd buy this thing even if I didn't want to tour, and just strip off that big windshield. Chrome those wheels! Pop on a set of spots and some other goodies, and you have a unique custom that's functionally better than the current King Cruiser.
And when you get Nomadic urges, just bolt up the windshield and hit the superslab.
SPECIFICATIONS
1999 Kawasaki Nomad
Designation: VN1500-G1/L
Suggested base price: $11,999
Standard colors: Red/red, green/green
Extra cost colors: None
Standard warranty: 24 mos., unlimited miles
Recommended service interval: 6000 miles
ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
Type: Liquid cooled, 50-degree tandem V-twin
Valve arrangement: SOHC, 2 intake valves, 2 exhaust valves, operated by hydraulic adjusters
Displacement, bore x stroke: 1470cc, 102 x 90mm
Compression ratio: 8.6:1
Carburetion: 1, 40mm Keihin CV
Lubrication: Wet sump, 3.7 qt.
Minimum fuel grade: 87 octane
Transmission: Wet, multiplate clutch, 5 speeds
Final drive: Shaft, 2.619:1
CHASSIS Wet weight: 775 lbs.
Wheelbase: 65.6 in.
Overall length: 98.8 in.
Rake/trail: 32 degrees / 7.4 in.
Wheels: Cast aluminum, 3.0 x 16in. front, 3.5 x 16 in. rear
Front tire: 150/80-19 71H Bridgestone Excedra G703, tubeless radial
Rear tire: 150/80-19 71H Bridgestone Excedra G702, tubeless radial
Front brake: 2, single-action, twin-piston calipers, 11-in. disc
Rear brake: single-action caliper, 12.5-in. disc
Front suspension: 41mm stanchions, 5.9-in. travel
Rear suspension: dual dampers, 3.9 in. travel, adjustable for air-pressure, rebound damping
Fuel capacity: 4.2 gal., (1.1 gal. reserve)
Handlebar width: 32.5 in.
Seat height: 28.3 in.
Inseam equivalent: 33.2 in.
ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION
Charging output: 588 watts
Battery: 12v, 14AH
Forward lighting: 55/60-watt headlight
Taillight: Dual bulbs
Instruments: speedometer, odometer, tripmeter, fuel gauge; warning lights for high beam, turns signals, neutral, coolant temperature, oil pressure
PERFORMANCE
Fuel mileage: 23.2 to 38.0 mpg, 34.8 mpg average
Average range: 146.2 mi.
RPM at 60 mph, top gear: 2545
200 yard, top-gear acceleration from 50 mph, terminal speed:: 65.9 mph
Quarter-mile acceleration: 15.11 sec., 84.1 mph