Before crossing the Colorado River back into California, we stopped for lunch at a little backwater truckers' cafe. Over enchiladas and chile rellenos, we sought to find a consensus about which one was the winner, but there wasn't one. Three of our five riders picked the Valkyrie Tourer as their favorite. One of them placed the Harley second. Both the others favored the Nomad ahead of the Valkyrie. Four listed the Harley last, but without strong prejudice.
You need to pick what is important to you to make the best choice here. The Valkyrie is an engineering marvel, powerful, smooth, elegantly suspended and capable of covering lots of ground effortlessly. Passengers prefer it. We like its unique look, but we wish it was finished with more of an eye on detail. It's not quite as handy in traffic as the other two, and the engine also makes the rider a bit uncomfortable in heavy traffic on a hot day.
The Nomad is one of the prettiest bikes on the road, its comfort, flawed by buffeting past the windshield, is almost on a par with Valkyrie for most riders, ahead for a few. Slightly short on power compared with the others, it is nonetheless capable of transporting you and a friend from horizon to horizon easily with a more relaxed cadence than the Honda. You will have to stop for fuel more frequently than with its competitors though. It is a more willing workaday ride than the Valkyrie and turns more heads on cruise night.
The new engine has given the Road King a bit more power, though we'd consider the Classic model with its fuel-injection, which would probably also sidestep the cold-weather surging. Although it runs close to the Valkyrie Tourer and Nomad, the Harley performs few duties better than the other two. Fuel consumption and range are its biggest functional advantages. It also counts low-speed handling, power and almost unlimited accessory options among its strengths. Passenger comfort is probably its biggest shortcoming but there are a variety of points that irk most riders, such as the windshield distortion. However, the Road King suffers mostly in comparison with the other two. It is a bike that we enjoy riding, both for long distances and around town. No one here would turn down the opportunity to ride to Philadelphia if the Road King was the only option, but we'd all lobby for one of the other two if they were available.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD KING
High Points: Best mileage and range, best sound, includes spotlights and front crashbars, exceptional accessory availability.
Low Points: Ran rough in cold weather, troublesome windshield distortion, least popular with passengers, price.
First changes: Change or cut down windshield, get a tool kit, change seat if carrying a passenger.
HONDA VALKYRIE TOURER
High Points: Terrific power, very smooth, handy saddlebags, exceptional windshield, distinctive style, best passenger comfort, best saddle.
Low Points: Engine heat in hot weather, many pieces bait the style police, fewer accessories than others.
First Changes: Remedy some styling flaws, bag liners, shorter riders should shorten windshield.
KAWASAKI NOMAD
High Points: Great looks, smooth, comfortable ride and position, innovative and handy saddlebags, good low-speed manners. lowest price.
Low Points: Windshield buffets. most limited cruising range.
First Changes: Passenger backrest to ride two-up.
RIDING POSITIONS
Rhonda Hoffman: Although I live in Virginia, the Nomad made me feel right at home on the roads of Arizona. The Kawasaki was as comfortable as my favorite recliner. The roomy floorboards and adjustable levers created an ideal riding position. I had no complaints with the seat either.
The only bumps in the road for the Nomad are the windshield's tendency to blow wind right into my helmet and the bike's less-than-blistering acceleration. Give me the windshield for a few days and I'll fix that problem. The Nomad easily maintained highway speeds, and who is in a hurry while riding around the beautiful vistas of Arizona? If I were, a few go faster-goodies would easily remedy that itch.
And did I say how downright pretty it is? Certainly better looking than my recliner or any of the other motorcycles on our ride. At the gas pumps, I noticed onlookers gazing at the Nomad, confirming what I already knew. In short, I didn't tire of riding the Nomad or looking at it. It's my clear choice.
Hoffman is a motorcycle painter and customizer in Richmond, Virginia. She gets e-mail at: PayntGRL@aol.com.
Andy Cherney: I wanted to love the Nomad, Rubenesque curves and all, but all that weight is overkill. The saddle, floorboard and shifter positioning add up to sweet luxury, but I couldn't abide the anemic throttle response and harsh windshield buzz. I will say this for the Nomad: It has awesome mirrors. I could see all of the road. And those beautiful saddlebags...breathtaking. I just wish Kawasaki would add 20 horses -- we might have ourselves a new champ.
Speaking of champs, please welcome...the Honda! My choice in this comparo, the Valkyrie's like an elephant in ballet slippers -- it's big and bulbous but incredibly nimble for a pachyderm. There's a windshield the size of Texas, offering coddling Mom would approve of. Power from the monstrous flat-six motor, though abrupt, goes on forever, and the brakes are incorruptible. The problems I had were with the seating position. The saddle is like a wok, and why doesn't this thing have floorboards?! Feet dangle at precarious angles, searching for the shifter and the pegs are too far back for any real comfort. That notwithstanding, I'd still pick the Valk for a long trek -- just not the boulevard.
We know the Harley's rough but it's got tons of personality. The Road King fit me fine -- the floorboards are spot-on, and the entire design is well-integrated, unlike earlier generation Harleys. Hard bags fit nicely and packing is a breeze (though locking them isn't). The Fathead engine finally gives Harley some real spunk and it's as stable as a truck (but that's how it handles too). The brakes are there but use both of 'em -- especially downhill. And heed this disclaimer: Personality means nothing if it strands you on the side of the road.
In a nutshell, if I was chalking up serious mileage, I'd find myself on the Valkyrie.
Jamie Elvidge: I live for long rides. Really. But a long ride gets profoundly better when you're on a bike built for it, and I'll pick a touring cruiser over a non-touring cruiser every time. All three of these bikes are among my favorites, and they're all up for the job. With the Valkyrie and Nomad there were no surprises. The Honda continues to be a stand-alone motorcycle for me. It doesn't fit in any comparison, expect maybe one that includes hovercraft. It's very good at one thing: being different -- and better -- than everything else. So it's my first pick.
And I loved the Nomad. It's a well-balanced cruiser and it's got attitude, which I think the Honda lacks.
The thing that knocked my electric socks off on this tour was how much I loved the Road King. It nearly ousted the Nomad from second place. It swept me off my feet. A Harley would normally have to run into me at speed to do that. I just loved it. It was fun to ride, fit me well and performed to my admittedly Japanese-jaded standards. I've never said, "If I were going to own a Harley..." but I'm saying it now. Pass the tempy tattoos.
Art Friedman: This is my very favorite class of motorcycles. The touring cruisers have it all. They are comfortable, good-looking, capable around town and on winding roads, and offer the two most important extra amenities -- saddlebags and windshields.
I sort of took it for granted that the Valkyrie would be my pick of the litter. It delivered all I expected with great power, a unique and thrilling sound, an excellent saddle, terrific handling and suspension, and the best windshield in cruiserdom. I had high hopes for the Harley with its new engine. But though the Road King is my favorite Harley, it's not my favorite touring cruiser. The glitches in the engine performance were annoying but the riding position, saddle and awful distortion of the windshield proved to be significant shortcomings for me. And both of the Fathead-powered Harleys we have tested have still required more mechanical attention than their counterparts. Add the funky saddlebags, uninspired detailing and the high price that's not justified by build quality and my interest shifts to the others. But, maybe most of all, I don't want a me-too motorcycle. Who wants to be the 19th on their block to own a Road King? Buying a Harley when there are better choices just shows lack of imagination.
I expected to like the Nomad but I didn't expect to keep liking it more each time I rode it. It was as comfortable for me as the Valkyrie but more responsive in traffic or tight sections of road. I noticed but wasn't annoyed by the windshield buffeting, and I liked its adjustability. It is definitely the prettiest bike here.
By the time we got back from our five days on the road, I hadn't decided whether I preferred the Honda or the Kawasaki. I pondered it all weekend, then Monday rolled around. Both the Valk and the Nomad were in my garage. (I love this job!) I realized I was looking forward to riding the Kawasaki to work while the Honda seemed less appealing when heavy traffic was on the agenda. That settled the issue. I ride in traffic every day but I don't go touring even every weekend.
The Nomad gets my solid endorsement. The fact that it costs less seals the deal.