weight

[arnoldd54]

This winter I would like to buy a Nomad, but I am worried that I and the wife might be to heavy at about 460 pounds. If we add a little luggage we would be pushing 500 pounds. I went to the dealership and they could not to how much a Nomad can carry. Also nothing in the Kaw brochure tells me gross vehicle weight rating thank you

[ringadingh]

Welcome to the sight! I looked in my factory service manual for a weight carrying capacity and it does not list it also. The bike itself weighs 740 lbs in stock form. I dont think your weight would be a serious factor on these bikes considering the torque they have. A freind of mine rides a 750 Shadow and he and his wife are at least 490 lbs and he has no problems.

[dogdoc]

Seems like i have read somewhere that bike+drivers+luggage =1200 or 1300 lbs. You are on the threshold i think but I think you would be FINE. Go for it, Arnold. BTW Welcome to our forum.

[dano]

Send ne a pm at deredmon@highland.net and put Nomad in the subject and I'll send you the specs and assembly pdf. GVWR is
1239, bike wt wet 827.
Ride safe,
Dano

[blowndodge]

Dano, do you have more than just that PDF file? You wouldn't happen to have a service manual for 2005-2007 Nomads would you?

[dano]

Not for a Nomad, but I do have it for the 04 1600 Classic. I have the Assembly Manual for the Nomad that has all the torque specs.
Send me an email with Nomad as the subj and I'll send both or either one to you if you want.
Ride safe,
Dano

[towering]

Me and the wife weigh in at combined weight of 540 lbs and there was some bottoming out. I installed Progressive Suspensions AFB1 Air Shock Balance Kit and havent had a problem after the installation. Just keep the pressure around 20-30 psi.

[blowndodge]

I have the 1600 classic in PDF format as well. I was just wondering if someone had the Newer Nomad manual. Thanks for the offer. I could use the assembly Nomad since you have it.

[jayc]

Agree with weight. I'm about 195-200 and the wife weighs more than me (won't tell me what). We don't have any problem even with luggage.
Oh, my 195-200 is mostly muscle.

[arnoldd54]

Thank you for all the help. In January I will be looking for a Nomad. Again thank you.

If you buy new in january make sure they give you AT LEAST $1,000 off if you get an '07. Maybe talk them into getting you a lightbar and luggage rack too.

[bobzinger]

My wife and I weigh in at 500lb and load both saddle bags and a huge sissy bar bag. Shocks on 35lb and set to III. No problem!

[kevin]

05 0M states " max load for rider, passenger, baggage and accessories must not exceed 108kg (408 lb.)" on page 35. Other page puts max load of bags at 7kg/15lb each. Hope this helps. And that said I'm sure many go over that w/o probs.

[kevin]

FWIW, I dug out my old GW1800 (01) service manual and it states that the max weight capacity is 417#US and 425#CAN. Not many bigger bikes out there than 1800GW for touring. Not much extra capacity as far as mfg. are concerned. Non ABS dry weight of 791#.

[joesnomad]

Kevin I'm wondering if the weight that you mention from the manual isnt the weight that the stock tires handle. It seems I heard that or read it somewere else. Whatever the case is when I haul double I'm well over 500 lbs and no problems yet.

I have always gone with the assumption that the GVWR has a significant safety factor built in. If you go over it a little its not going to hurt anything. The GVWR may or may not be based on what weight the tires can handle. My stock front tire says max weight 761 the rear says 853 for a total of 1614. Minus the wet weight of the bike at 827 gives us 787 lbs, which is more than the manufacturers max weight rating for rider/passenger/luggage.

I have a utility trailer with a GVWR of 2520 lbs which happens to be the exact weight the tire manufacturer says the tires can handle. Each tire says max weight 1260 lbs. So that tells me the utility trailers strength and suspension can handle more weight its just that the tailer manufacturer doesn't trust the donut tires to be able to handle the weight that the leaf springs are rated at.

There has to be a safety factor because there are so many elements at play. Condition of the road - outside air tempature - air pressure in the tires etc etc. When I was in the military they told us our "5 ton trucks" meant they could carry 5 tons under its worst off- road condition. On smooth highways they can carry double. And again with the safety factor they actually would be able to carry more than double (+ 20,000 lbs) but then you might be compromising braking effectviness down a steep hill.

I think if you went over kawasaki's max weight reccommendation the worse thing you would have to worry about is the suspension bottoming out. But then again who is to say the shocks can only handle 43 psi? is 45 or even 50 gonna make them blow out? I doubt it.

[kevin]

Joesnomad, I can only assume that the tires and speed and weight, suspension, etc. are involved with the mfg. recs. Sure seems like a good assumption, but I am not an expert. I was just trying to pass on what the mfg. says "in print". I have been known to just ignore mfgs. advice, however. LOL