In Your Opinion Nomad vs Harley

[ponch]

Originally Posted by spoon059

Here are my thoughts;

-I'm 6-04 and find the Road King to be smaller and less comfortable.
-I'm paying cash for a bike, as it is a luxury not a neccessity. My 2000 Nomad set me back $3000. Similar era RK's were $8000+ and have cam tensioner issues.
-I don't really care what OTHER people think of my bike, I want to ride something comfy, reliable and affordable.

I don't need to spend $15K on a bike to impress someone else. I am plenty happy with my $3K bike. If the bikes were the same (or close) priced, I might look a little harder at the RK because I really like the way the bags look on the RK Classic.

I would hope that if someone spent a lot of money it was because they were impressed with the bike. If that's what it is, it's all good.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by ponch

My RT throws off the least heat of any bike I have owned. In fact, I would say I don't notice it, even out here. The nomad could be a lot on a hot day. I remember remarking to myself on some 100+ days in Iowa and saying to myself, wow, that's hot.

Well in my case, it could just be that the Nomad was black and the Harley is not. Seriously, you could have cooked a burger on my gas tank at times, just from sitting in the sun.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

Well in my case, it could just be that the Nomad was black and the Harley is not. Seriously, you could have cooked a burger on my gas tank at times, just from sitting in the sun.

I am talking about engine heat. The other thing is, the HD and Nomad have metal gas tanks. Mine is plastic behind plastic.

[Homerwillis]

Thanks for the imput. I can agree with all comments. It's all in what a person wants. Like I said, I had rather learn from others than make a costly mistake. Point A to point B on a comfortable, reliable bike tells the tale. I can remember my first ride on the streetglide, I felt like I was sitting on the gas tank. I'm 6' and like to stretch out. This article reminds me why I like the Nomad. I need to stay out of the HD dealerships and enjoy what I've got. Thanks again.

[Cajunrider]

Homer, I loved my Nomad and was just as proud of owning it as I am of my HD. I kept it clean and waxed so much that it looked new when I traded it with 38,000 pleasure filled miles. The Nomad was my first ride. I was originally going to purchase an Ultra Classic but opted out because my wife wouldn't ride. She finally got over that so we decided to get the HD and go all out with the Limited. It has everything we want and need. No customizing needed. Just more chrome a little at a time. It makes some feel good to say that HD riders feel like they own and ride the only true MC made. I don't know about the rest of them but I'm no part of that.

[blowndodge]

Thats because Mike Chris Kris and I own the only true motorcycle

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by blowndodge

Thats because Mike Chris Kris and I own the only true motorcycle

Whatever you say.

[manban9888]

Originally Posted by blowndodge

Thats because Mike Chris Kris and I own the only true motorcycle

That's awesome...when did you guys go back to the Nomad?

[MADTIME]

Originally Posted by blowndodge

Thats because Mike Chris Kris and I own the only true motorcycle

Victory has now become the bike of law enforcement
http://victorypolicemotorcycles.com/index.html

[elvis]

Originally Posted by Homerwillis

....I need to stay out of the HD dealerships and enjoy what I've got...

Wait a minute partner, don't cap it all off like that. Like they say, you can look at the menu, sample a few, you don't have to order.

Go to demos, try out different H-Ds or other bikes. I for one like to test a Victory and find out why they brag about those bikes so much.

I really enjoy demo rides, they sometimes bring in a band, you're surrounded by bikes, chicks complement on your bike and you ride new models for FREE.

[manban9888]

Originally Posted by elvis

Wait a minute partner, don't cap it all off like that. Like they say, you can look at the menu, sample a few, you don't have to order.

Go to demos, try out different H-Ds or other bikes. I for one like to test a Victory and find out why they brag about those bikes so much.

I really enjoy demo rides, they sometimes bring in a band, you're surrounded by bikes, chicks complement on your bike and you ride new models for FREE.

I'm w you. There's nothing wrong w trying other rides at demo days. I'll tell you what though...I don't care how good a Victory is I"m not buying one. Can you imagine the rash of shit I would get if I showed up at one of our rallies on one.

[Netnorske]

I think a lot of it is just a natural progression of wants, needs, expectations and lets face it, financial standing. When I first bought my '08 Nomad....I was like a kid at Christmas. Coming off of a Vulcan 800 Classic, the power, size, roominess and affordability of the 1600 were unbelievable to me. I rode that thing every chance I got and made many, many multi-day, multi-state, trips on that bad boy....loving every second. It never let me down....and God knows there were countless places my fingers and toes were all crossed hoping to avoid that inconvenient circumstance.

But, over time....while traversing many long open stretches of road and one challenging mountain pass after another...it became more and more apparent to me that my Nomad was lacking in a couple areas critical to my personal style of riding. If all I did was ride around town, the Nomad would have worked until whichever one of us died first. But loving the open road as I do, the time had come to get a bike that could fill the needs that the Nomad just could not do in an effortless way.

First and foremost....a sixth overdrive gear for highway cruising. It gets really old running 75-80 mph with the engine running 3300-3400 rpm all day long. You feel like Scotty in Star Trek saying "Capt'n...I'm givin'er all she's got!". In 6th gear...you can run 75 mph at 2800 rpm and feel like you are just loping along. Secondly, I wanted more top-end power to pull long uphill runs, fully loaded, two-up....and be able to easily keep up my speed and momentum. Thirdly, comfort...not for a day....but for 10 straight days.

There are many bikes in today's market that can deliver those things...all at an increased cost to the consumer....they don't come cheap. I could care less about "the lifestyle" other than I like the feel of what little hair I have in the wind. I regret that the Voyager, while filling the first two needs pretty flawlessly, failed to deliver in that third critical area....so it too had to go. At that point we decided to just open the checkbook and get what we knew would work for us, whatever that turned out to be. If HD made a bike that fit us perfectly I might have bought one, but they don't. Victory did, and are built with some of the finest motorcycle technology of our time. I can honestly say that I feel like that kid at Christmas again.

Ride what best fits your needs at the price you can most afford....life is too short and there are only so many good riding days left in all of us. Lastly...to steal a line from another author on another forum..."I just need riding season to get here so I can quit lookin' online buying stuff for it".....

[Cajunrider]

Ride models for free?????

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by manban9888

That's awesome...when did you guys go back to the Nomad?

When they went with all aluminum frames, monoshock, inverted forks largest carrying capacity motorcycle made and a 106 cu in motor!

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by blowndodge

Thats because Mike Chris Kris and I own the only true motorcycle

Originally Posted by manban9888

That's awesome...when did you guys go back to the Nomad?

Atta boy Manny.....now you're getting the swing of it...!