Motorcycle.com

Nomad no problem

No other touring/cruiser on the market, for this price, can compete with all of the wonderful features included as standard options on this bike. The shorter frame for 2009 eliminates the need for handlebar risers that were almost required for a comfortable riding position on earlier models. Belt f...inal drive is proving itself to be the better final drive on the market over shaft drive. And when you throw in the rider computer display with all display selections controlled from the handlebar grip including dual trip meters, miles left in the gas tank; Six Speed, Cruise Control, Radial tires, Larger saddle bags that open from the top and of course the 1700 cc (103 CI)fuel injected engine...there is no competition. You will be more comfortable if you are a "tall" person with the 28+ inch seat height. Read Full Review

2009 Kawasaki Classic/Nomad Review

Having come off owning & riding Harleys

for nearly half a century among other brands, I wanted something new, Metric and preferably water-cooled, shaft driven that also "handled" in a bagger format. I found what I wanted in a new 2008 Blue & silver Kawasaki Nomad 1600.

Boy am I g...lad I traded in Ol' Blue my '88 Electraglide 1340 when I did and purchased the last year for the shaft-driven Nomads! The new 1700 has been thoroughly revamped and not all for the good. Apparently the Kawasaki
"bean counters" had a say in "value engineering" the bejesus out of it: Gone are the nicely built and reinforced quality side-loading saddle bags with actual chromed metal latches & hinges in lieu of some cheap, flimsy POS plastic top loaders that are ugly and bulbous to the extreme! But wait: there's more! Along the way they managed to ditch the lovely & reliable shaft drive, a couple of universals, ring & pinion gear set, gear driven counterbalancers in favor of a belt and more (& cheaper) chains from which they are driven. They also
ditched the lovely chromed metal engine & valve covers with some of the cheapest,God awful looking, flimsiest plastic chrome ones imaginable. They also shelved the lovely chromed kawasaki emblem on the back of the Backrest, the chrome covers on the rear brake master cylinder,bright work on
passenger footboards and chromed cover on the rear master brake cylinder. The speededometer bezel and surround is now also cheap chromed plastic affair. What were they thinking? That the extra electronic gagetry, increased displacement and mediocum of performance enhancement would cause the buying public and knowledgeable riders to overlook the obvious fact that they have absolutely cheapend the product and are producing a bike that is no longer unique but is now almost indistinquishable from the rest of the Harley clones? Shame on Kawasaki for
value engineering the Nomad into another
wannabee forgetable ride.
Do yourself a favor and find yourself a last years leftover Kawasaki and buy it!
A few years down the road, it will still be worth more than these new 2009 pieces of crap.

N.L.Dunnavan
Tool Engineering
The Boeing Company Read Full Review

POS 2009 NOMAD

Im in the market for a new bagger, I test rode the new NOMAD after hearing and reading on how great the bike was. It didn't take long to find out this bike was not for me. The new tranny clunks into every gear on the new 6 speed. I'm 6'2" and feeling how comfortable the 2000 LT was I thought ...the NOMAD, set up for touring would be the same or better, unfortunately it was one of the worst I've felt, I thought it was some torture device making me do pelvic thrusts. The windshield was flimsy and bounced all over at hwy speeds. The new top loading saddele bags are cheap looking and feeling plastic. Not a lot of power for a 1700cc engine, although the salesman told me that it would increase after it was broke in (not sure I believe that). A few of the good points of the bike are the electronic cruise control and the new belt drive, and the new gauge was nice, with the dual trip meters and distance to empty indicator. Read Full Review

2009 Nomad

The 1700 Nomad is simply one of the best touring cruisers available. The 6 speed, cruise, belt drive, seating, hard bags and air adjustable shocks to list a few, make it not only one of the most comfortable bikes on the road, but also, one of the best buys in big cruisers. Kawasaki hit a home run wi...th this bike!!!!!!!! Read Full Review

Don't buy it.

It's almost August of 2009 and still can't buy accessories for mine. I also had to take it back for the back seat that kept poking me in the back. That belt is also not what I want. Needless to say, dealers won't let you drive them. Mine whines all the time due to the belt. Dealer says that's n...ormal for a belt. I also need a back rest. You can't buy one for this model. Dealers say it's too new! BS. I wish I had my VTX Back.

In 6th gear it's extremely rough. MPG is terrible. 32 is the average. Read Full Review