We're getting hosed by Kawi on our Nomads

[dantama]

The ZX14 crotch rocket has a digital display that gives range to empty, current mpg, average mpg, gear indicator, battery voltage, and twin trip meters.

We have the Kawi's touring bike and we get next to nothing, but some canyon carver crotch rocket gets all the information that would be nice to have out on the road on a long trip?

We're getting hosed.

[ringadingh]

Those would be some nice features to have on our bikes, It shouldn't be that difficult to add considering Ive had that technology in my cars for the last 20 years. It might be worth mentioning to Kawasaki to see if they include it in a upcoming model year.

[dank]

Sometimes less is more. I have those on other vehicles and bikes. At first I hated the gas gauge and wanted the second trip meter, and figured it should have a volt meter, but after a few tanks... I know how far I can go to empty, I can guess my average mpg, I don't want to know my current mpg because it takes some of the fun out of twisting the throttle, I know what gear I am in, I concluded I never did really need to know battery voltage, and I spend more time looking at the scenery and just enjoying the ride rather than tracking information about the bike.. I put 20,000 miles on my Nomad last year and think Kawasaki did a fine job. We didn't get hosed....We got Nomads!

[mikesth]

We're getting hosed.

Though I agree it would seem to be an easy add, I am reminded that our 'Nads run $12,999 and deals are known to be made. (I got ~$1500 off). Changing little things require design and tooling changes. Again, probably why there haven't been too many changes and a 'Nad is $1500 cheaper than a comprable Star version.

Would I like it? Heck yeah! Am I willing to pay $1500 more for a slightly improved bike? Probably not...

What'cha think Dan?

[donoller]

i like mine just fine as is. have the others the nomad is a whole lot more fun to ride

[Todd]

???

[cactusjack]

One feature my $7000 C50T had that my $13000 Nomad doesn't is a second trip odometer. Use one for fuel and the other for maintenance. I miss that. If you want all those bells and whistles the ZX-14 has, then go get a ZX-14 or a 'Wing.

[socwkbiker]

If you notice, most of the big cruisers have the basic configuration. Keeps classic look of the cruiser. The ZX14 is meant to look like a space ship, so they add all the electronic stuff. I'm cool with what I have on mine personally.

[nomadtom]

Give us another gallon of fuel and I'd keep her for the rest of my life!

[dantama]

[quote:3yiwnn49]We're getting hosed.

Though I agree it would seem to be an easy add, I am reminded that our 'Nads run $12,999 and deals are known to be made. (I got ~$1500 off). Changing little things require design and tooling changes. Again, probably why there haven't been too many changes and a 'Nad is $1500 cheaper than a comprable Star version.

Would I like it? Heck yeah! Am I willing to pay $1500 more for a slightly improved bike? Probably not...

What'cha think Dan?

[/quote:3yiwnn49]

I think that a ZX14 costs a couple of thousand less than a Nomad, and is made to carve canyons and not made to travel at all, but for some reason gets all the good stuff for travelling like miles to empty etc.

If you never get 50 miles past home it doesn't seem to matter much how many miles are left till empty. In an unfamiliar state a thousand miles from home it might matter a little more.

So why does kawi put it on a non touring less expensive bike, and leave it off ours. They already have it, they just need to put it into our readout.

I was just feeling a little ripped off knowing a lesser bike gets more touring amenities than the top of the line touring bike gets.

[Todd]

ummmmm....I like my Nomad the way it is...the price it was....and felt like I got a bargain when I bought it ($2600 under sticker new)...but it would still have been a bargain compared to others if I paid close to sticker. I don't think I got hosed, because it's what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay...if it wasn't, I would have bought something else. I add things here and there, but don't see how I was hosed by the company at all.

[Top Cat]

I'm happy as a pig in sh1t with my Nomad http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif I like the windshield and hard bag look. As far as gas mileage is concerned I have taken trips as far away from home as 300 miles and never ran out of gas. I know thats not far for a lot of you guys. I use the Robert Hilliard meter for keeping track.
If they wanted to put other stuff on for the same price , don't get me wrong, I would take it http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[blowndodge]

why is it when topcat said "pig in sh1t" I got this vision of Nico?

[mikesth]

[quote author=mikesth board=general thread=1199899070 post=1199902147]
So why does kawi put it on a non touring less expensive bike, and leave it off ours. They already have it, they just need to put it into our readout.

I was just feeling a little ripped off knowing a lesser bike gets more touring amenities than the top of the line touring bike gets.

Good points, I've stayed within 450 miles so far, but only because I've had the bike two months today. Heck, two trips to work and back bring me down to the last bar.

I would like to have those extras for reference and I really like the idea of two trip meters. I guess I've always been the type that if the tank is down to 1/4, I'm 'empty' and start getting really stressed about fuel. I wonder how accurrate they are? If the spedo is the typical %10 off, I wonder how the 'miles to empty' would do?

Have the gauges changed in the past 5 years or so on our bike? If not, it might already be in the pipeline

[basco]

why is it when topcat said "pig in sh1t" I got this vision of Nico?

Hey I got the same vision
I have all that stuff on my concours and still all I use is the trip meter and gear indicator

[dogdoc]

Only thing I wish for is a tach but can add one for not much.

[blowndodge]

+1

[dantama]

Wow, some of us are a little sensitive about any criticism about our bikes. It's not like I criticised your wife, it your bike, a thing you purchased, an inanimate object, lighten up a bit some of you.

That said, here are some real life situations where I would have liked some of those features.

The first trip I took with my son. We were going down the freeway in central Utah going into a very stiff headwind. I didn't know that we were getting as bad of mileage as we were getting. My 99 always went onto reserve at about 110 miles. In Utah you can get pretty remote and be a long way from a gas station. I ran bone dry, not on reserve, at 90 miles, rather than 130 miles.

I ran out of gas with my son on his first trip. A trucker picked us up, didn't have a cell phone then, and took us to the next town. AAA picked us up and took us back and put gas in it. Would have been nice to see miles to empty was moving so fast, would've been perhaps nice to see average miles per gallon was going in the toilet. Before I ever went on reserve, way too soon, I was past gas stations, and ran out before I got to the next one.

Similar story, this time by myself. I filled up in Hankseville in south central Utah. Went on 95 to Blanding. The marina in the middle was close because of low water so no gas there. I started to be concerned about gas and was checking the highway signs that gave the mileage to Blanding and matched that against my odometer. It was too close.

I slowed from 75 mph to get better gas mileage, but didn't know how much of an effect it was having. The math started looking worse further on, and I was turning it off and coasting down the hills and going slower on the rest.

I kept doing the math at each new sign, and it was looking like I might be stranded, but close.

I did finally get to Blanding and put 4.1 gallons in my 4.2 gallon tank. If I had gotten slightly worse gas mileage, I might have been walking a few miles to get gas, and a few miles back. It would have been nice to have those sport bike options on that trip.

So you guys that live in tight quarters might not be able to see any benefits, and LOVE your motorcycle just the way it is, and wouldn't even dream of wanting another feature on it. But if you get out and travel, you might find things are different out there.

On my last example, I filled up my tank all the way up the neck, and Blanding was the very next place that I could get gas. Miles to empty, and current mpg would have been useful.

Knowing what the mpg savings I was getting slowing from 75mph down to 50mph would have been kind of nice on that trip.

So it's fine if you wouldn't want a single extra feature, but come on, give me a break if I would.

127 miles in between towns, remember the 1500 only had a 4.2 gallon tank.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/dantama/Blanding.gif

[blowndodge]

Dan, in your situation I can see you point. I would imagine that alaska outbacks and other places might be a good reason to have that kind of information at your finger tips.

I'm thinking that most of us don't get or find ourselves too far from a gas station.

I can get 150 to 190 miles per tankful on my 2006 Nomad depending on things that you pointed out like speed and wind. If I found myself over 125 miles between gas stations under tough riding conditions I would probably instinctively slow down to 60 and take it easy knowing I could have a delima on my hands if I didn't conserve a little.

why is it when topcat said "pig in sh1t" I got this vision of Nico?


Because I'm always on your mind baby.


http://www.hayleynewman.com/images/artwork/168/medium/you_blew_my_mind.jpg

[Todd]

Dan, in your situation I can see you point. I would imagine that alaska outbacks and other places might be a good reason to have that kind of information at your finger tips.

I'm thinking that most of us don't get or find ourselves too far from a gas station.

I can get 150 to 190 miles per tankful on my 2006 Nomad depending on things that you pointed out like speed and wind. If I found myself over 125 miles between gas stations under tough riding conditions I would probably instinctively slow down to 60 and take it easy knowing I could have a delima on my hands if I didn't conserve a little.

http://www.abcteach.com/globals/images/clipart/thumbs/19176.png

[mikesth]

Wow, some of us are a little sensitive about any criticism about our bikes. It's not like I criticised your wife, it your bike, a thing you purchased, an inanimate object, lighten up a bit some of you.

That said, here are some real life situations where I would have liked some of those features


I hope I didn't come off like that, it's not that I wouldn't like any extras, it just wasn't a dealbreaker and I appreciated the cost-per-value when I bought the Nomad

I think we woul all like them...

[dogdoc]

:-)

[rlfaubion]

I've ran out of gas 5 times in the past year, but it's the first time I ever had a gas gage to forget to look at. I can't figure it out myself.

[basco]

Maybe just maybe we could get Kawasaki to put in some more gas stations http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[audiogooroo]

Dan, I agree that those would be nice features. The only real complaint I've ever had with my 99 NAD is poor gas mileage. My solution was to add an aux tank in the trunk. Now I can run over 220 miles between stops.

[dantama]

Dan, I agree that those would be nice features. The only real complaint I've ever had with my 99 NAD is poor gas mileage. My solution was to add an aux tank in the trunk. Now I can run over 220 miles between stops.

That would solve a lot of problems Audio, except for the sore butt part.

Blowndodge, there is a marina where the road in the picture crosses the edge of lake powell, so you could get gas half way through. The year I went that I was referring to, the water was too low and it was closed unexpectedly. When I got there and it was closed it was an Oh sh*t moment. There was nothing I could do but continue on and slow down. At the speeds i liked to run my 99 would only go about `130 miles and that leg was 127 miles.

There are a few places in Utah that you can run into that problem. Nevada too.

[nolan]

I like the Nomad just fine except the clam style saddlebags. They come out with top open ones and I'll buy another one.

[hollywood]

Hell I'd just like to have a decent stereo!!!! I read in a Mag. the other day that Mama Kaw is gonna put a stereo on the new 1600 nomads. I want one and I like to get it without buying a aftermarket fairing

[audiogooroo]

"That would solve a lot of problems Audio, except for the sore butt part."

I never really do suffer from that, but after 4 hours on the bike I definitely have to pee!

[Idaho]

I have learned to watch the map on long trips so as to catch available fuel stops before I run into trouble. Dan is correct there are some stretches out here in the west where it can be a long way between gas stations. One thing I really would like to see is the second trip meter. I miss the one on my old Suzi.