2009 Kawasaki Vulcan® 1700 Nomad

2009 Kawasaki Vulcan® 1700 Nomad pictures, prices, information, and specifications.
Model Type
Cruiser
MSRP
$14,399
Warranty
24
Insurance
Finance
Generic Type (Primary)
Cruiser
Manufacturer Country
Japan
Introduction Year
2009
Parent Company
Kawasaki
Display Name
Vulcan(R) 1700 Nomad
Year
2009
Make
Kawasaki
Engine Type
V Twin
Cylinders
2
Engine Stroke
4-Stroke
Torque (Ft Lbs/Nm)
108 / 146.4
Torque RPM
2750
Cooling
Liquid
Valves
8
Valves Per Cylinder
4
Valve Configuration
SOHC
Bore (mm/in)
102 / 4.02
Stroke (mm/in)
104 / 4.09
Displacement (cc/ci)
1700 / 103.7
Compression Ratio
9.5:1
Starter
Electric
Fuel Requirements
Regular
Fuel Type
Gas
Fuel Injector
Yes
Fuel Injector Size (mm)
42
Carburetor
No
Carburetion Type
Fuel Injected
Transmission Type
Manual
Number Of Speeds
6
Overdrive
Yes
Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt
Reverse
No
Wheels Composition
Aluminum
Tube / Tubeless
Tubeless
Front Tire Width
130
Front Tire Aspect Ratio
90
Front Wheel Diameter
16
Rear Tire Width
170
Rear Tire Aspect Ratio
70
Rear Wheel Diameter
16
Front Tire (Full Spec)
130/90 R16
Rear Tire (Full Spec)
170/70 R16
Front Brake Type
Dual Hydraulic Disc
Front Brake Diameter (in/mm)
11.8 / 300
Rear Brake Type
Disc
Rear Brake Diameter (in/mm)
11.8 / 300
Front Suspension Type
Telescopic Fork
Front Suspension Size (in/mm)
1.8 / 43
Front Travel (in/mm)
5.5 / 139.7
Front Adjustable Fork Pre-Load
No
Front Adjustable Rebound Damping
No
Front Central Suspension Strut
No
Steering Damper
No
Rear Suspension Type
Twin Sided Swing Arm
Rear Travel (in/mm)
3.1 / 78.7
Rear Adjustable Shock / Spring Pre-Load
No
Rear Adjustable Rebound Damping
Yes
Number Rear Shock Absorbers
2
Rear Suspension Material
Steel
Air Adjustable
Yes
Steering Control
Handlebar
Length (ft)
8.2
Width (in/mm)
40.4 / 1026.2
Height (in/mm)
57.7 / 1465.6
Wheelbase (in/mm)
65.6 / 1666.2
Length (ft/ft)
8
Length (ft/in)
2.4
Wet Weight (lbs/kg)
833.5 / 378.1
Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
5.3 / 20.1
Performance
Standard
Seat Type
Two-Piece
Adjustable
No
Seat Material
Vinyl
Seat Location
Driver and Passenger
Folding
No
Seat Height (in/mm)
28.7 / 729
Number Of Seats
2
Detachable Passenger Seat
Standard
Backrest Type
Detachable
Backrest Location
Passenger
Lumbar Adjustment
No
Grab Rail or Strap
Standard
Frame
Steel
Floor Board Location
Driver and Passenger
Hand Grips
Standard
Chain Guard
No
Drive Shaft Guard
No
Engine Case Guard
Yes
Fork Guards
Yes
Saddle Bag Guard
No
Tank Guard
No
Belt Guard
No
Hand Guards
No
Brush Guard
No
Light Guard
No
Side Cover
Yes
Front Fender
Standard
Rear Fender
Standard
Top Crown
Standard
Stand Type
Kick
Handlebars
Standard
Wind Deflector
Standard
License Plate
Standard
Digital Instrumentation
Standard
Clock
Standard
Trip Odometer
Standard
Trip Computer
Standard
Speedometer
Standard
Fuel Level Warning Type
Gauge
Warranty (Months/Condition)
24 / Limited
Battery Warranty (Months)
0
Saddle Bag Mounts
Standard
Windshield Mounts
Standard
Paint
Standard
Folding
Yes
Windshield Lowers
Yes
Height Adjustable
Yes
Tinted
Yes
Height
High
Side Case Material
Vinyl
Number Of Side Cases
2
Hard Side Case Capacity (gal/l)
8.6 / 38
Location
Left and Right Side
Side Storage Mount
Standard
Underseat Storage
Standard
Lockable Storage
Standard
Helmet Locks
Standard
Helmet Storage
Standard
Headlight Mounts
Standard
Halogen Headlight (s)
Standard
Headlight (s)
Standard
Light Type
Halogen
Cruise Control
Standard
Handlebar Lock
Standard
User Reviews
20 reviews
  • 09 1700 vulcan nomad Great Bike..
    By  (I am an Owner) on Mar 28, 2011

    Bought a used Vulcan Nomad off the internet from a dealer in Grapevine. . Flew down to Dallas to pick it up and drove it back to Amarillo. I took the extra long scenic route through Oklahoma. What a great ride. Fits me perfectly. and drove like a dream. Transmission does shift hard and direct ...

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  • 2009 kawasaki Nomad
    By  (I am an Owner) on Feb 27, 2011

    My Nomad for the price is very good buy, but scince I got the bike I'm hearing noises from everywhere. I like the looks it handles very well, its very confortable, but those noises are driving me crazy.

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  • What a great motorcycle
    By  (I am an Enthusiast) on Jan 19, 2011

    Hi, I am new to the Kawasaki family, picking up my 2009 model in July 2010. I had just sold my 2005 Fatboy and did not have a ride. My mates told me about a second hand Nomad at my local Kawasaki dealer that would suit me. I took my wife with me to check it out, she slipped in to the showroom and ...

    I took the older one for a test drive, and quite liked what I rode. To cut a long story short, my wife purchased the 2009 model for my birthday, and when I finally picked her up and rode her for the first time, all the longings and desires to ride off into the sunset had returned.

    This is truly an amazing bike, all the instruments, the air shocks, the seat, and of course the look!

    We are firm partners now, my wife, me and the bike.

    I will make mention of the dealer, Kelen Kawasaki in Penrith NSW Australia, they coudnt be any friendlier and thourough in thier dealings and presentation. They could not do any more for my wife to facilitate the purchase.

    It has been a pleasure to find, purchase and get going, thery have also helped me replace a lot of my other brank gear and switch to Kawasaki t-shirts and jackets.

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  • good buy for the money
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jan 10, 2011

    traded up from a zuki c50 brought mine new, gas mileage kept getting better little more than 9k miles, mpg about 40, trans got quieter at around 8k and performance gettting better, was told not to go with synthetic oil till approx 11k, factory rear tire only lasted 4k went with metzler upgrade front ...

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  • Enjoying the ride
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jun 28, 2010
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  • 2009 nomad
    By  (I am an Owner) on May 15, 2010

    i owned mine now for a month got 1,300 miles on it love the bike.only thing is seams like it lug's in 6th at highway speed is that normal.thank's if someone could tell me

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  • Mountain Ride Lots
    By  (I am an Owner) on May 14, 2010

    This bike, at time of purchase, was my third bike. I own a Vulcan 900LT, and a C90 (1500) I had long admired the Nomad but was too long for my height (5'9"). The 09 Nomad corrected this concern and is a great bike The bike handles well and places more than adequate power to the road through the 6 ...

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  • Another Great Vulcan
    By  (I am an Owner) on Apr 14, 2010

    I upgrade my old 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 750cc to the new 1700cc Nomad and I'm glad I did. What a great bike this is. Nothing wrong with the old one but I wanted to step up. I have over 600 miles on the new bike. It has everything you need and then some. I will be adding highway pegs and speakers ...

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  • Australian Owner
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jan 05, 2010

    I have had my new 1700 Nomad for 6 weeks and have just had it's first service (1000klm). I asked about the whining noise and was told that it is normal. No explaination of the cause was given though. In reading other reviews I have been educated and found out it is the belt drive. So I hope that ...

    Being 6'2" tall and 58 years of age,I feel really comfortable after coming off of a much smaller Boulevarde. My wife loves the comfy pillion seat and we plan to do a few big rides around Australia in the future spending the kids inheritance.

    I am impressed by the power of the motor yet it is not agressive. Power comes in nice and smooth and has plenty of legs when required. Well done Kawasaki.

    Its a shame that we in Australia only get to choose any colour we want as long as it's black. "Good On Ya Henry Ford".

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  • keep it up Kawasaki
    By  (I am an Owner) on Dec 22, 2009

    purchased mine June5/09 and put 10000 miles on it and loved every one of them usually drive two up and the missus will not get off for mr to solo much great bike but accessories are far and few so far

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  • a trully well built bike
    By  (I am an Owner) on Nov 20, 2009

    okay, in the past i have had everything from cafe racers to v-twin cruisers. my last bike was a 2008 1100 v-star. i thought the v-star was the best thing since sliced bread but then i traded it in for a 2009 1700 nomad, i fell in love with the looks of the bike so i traded my 1100 for it. i love ...

    it has way more power than the yamaha plus the gearing is way better so as you are running down the road it does not feel like you are redlining the bike. the belt drive is nice a little noise at thirty mph in third gear but hell i only have 1800 miles on her. at freeway speeds this bike really shines. 70 mph in od and she just lugs along smooth as can be. as far as adding on accessories WTF, this bike has everything already. it has more goodies than my 1100 v-star and i added everything under the sun to that one. by the way all of my v-star accessories are for sale in case anyone is interested. the cruise control is a godsend. i love it this bike rides like a caddie. for the most part this bike is perfect. i am 6" 1' 180 lbs and it's the perfect size for me. so to everyone else who does not like it. keep looking you will find the perfect bike someday. but for me this bike is wonderfull. i look forward to a long and happy riding experience with this nomad. my back hurt all the time on the v-star on the nomad my body position is great relaxed but comfortable. i even like the sound of the stock exhaust throaty with out being loud and obnoxious. my v-star stock pipes were so quiet all you could hear was the valves rattle. and the clutch basket rattle. so far i give this one a big thumbs up but thats just me. to each his own. peace.

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  • Notes from an Enthusiastic / Vetean Rider
    By  (I am an Owner) on Oct 02, 2009

    After 40+ years of riding about everything made in the cruiser style I settled on the Vulcan Nomad 1700. Actually my wife bought it but I like it as well. It has the weight at 833 lbs. and the power is adequate at 1700cc for a heavy bike. I love the color (Burgandy/gold) and there is an abundance ...

    PS. I will be putting on some additions in the spring once they start making after market items.

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  • My 09 Nomad
    By  (I am an Owner) on Sep 15, 2009

    My wife and I took a long cruise through the mountainous terrain of Idaho, about 700 miles. We found the bike to be comfortable, maneuverable and responsive. When we began the bike had about 1100 miles on it and averaged about 36 mpg. It handled well and gave us absolutely no problems. ...

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  • Live long and Ride
    By  (I am an Owner) on Sep 10, 2009

    This is the classic look, feel and ride that one dreams about as a young lad.

    I compared all the brands i.e. Harley, Victory etc. and zeroed in on the Nomad.

    Price,insurance cost,style,handling power and road manners this has it all over the competition. I've ridden all my life on many ...

    Detractors complain about trivial things like this and that, accessories and what not, but they may have lost sight of what riding is all about. The bike fits me like a glove and it feels like one rides in it as opposed to riding on it.

    I would recommend riding or better yet owning one, and remember what made you want to ride when you were young.

    Let the times roll!!

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  • It has problems.
    By  (I am an Owner) on Aug 30, 2009

    First ride from the dealer I took it back and told them to fix then damn whine! Belt, transmission, I don't care. It's an embarassment to ride it so LOUD! Of course I got the crap that it's "normal" and no the transmission will not fall on the ground when you shift; the unbelieveable CLUCk is normal! ...

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  • TEST DRIVE ANOTHER BIKE!!!!
    By  (I am an Owner) on Aug 17, 2009

    THIS BIKE IS NOTHING LIKE THE OLD ONE. I AM ONLY 5FT.10 INCHES TALL. THIS BIKE FEELS LIKE YOU ARE CRAMPED THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE RIDING....DROVE A YAMAHA STRAT. MUCH BETTER BIKE, AND NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE IN PRICE. KAWASAKI SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS ONE OUT A LITTLE MORE BEFORE SHRING IT 4 ...

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  • Don't buy it.
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jul 20, 2009

    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 ...

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

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  • POS 2009 NOMAD
    By  (I am an Enthusiast) on Jul 19, 2009

    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 ...

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  • 2009 Nomad
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jul 13, 2009

    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 ...

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  • 2009 Kawasaki Classic/Nomad Review
    By  (I am an Owner) on Jul 01, 2009

    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 glad ...

    "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

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