Nomad Vs Vulcan

[dcinct]

considering upgrading to a larger ride and have been considering a nomad. Have seen Vulcans for sale in my shopping and am wondering what the difference is between the ride of the Vulcan vs the Nomad. Thanx for any info. Friend I ride w/had a nomad and loved it.

[Jared]

Vulcan is the Kawasaki line of cruisers. The Nomad is actually a Vulcan Nomad. The Nomad comes fully dressed including saddlebags, windshield, passenger backrest, engine guards, dresser bars, rider and passenger floorboards, etc.

If you are not wanting all these things, but only want a larger bike, you might want to look for a Vulcan 1500, 1600 or 2000 and bypass the Nomad. BUT almost all riders add a shield and bags after getting their bike and after market stuff is not cheap. Just something to consider.

[VulcanE]

I can't answer personally, but a friend of mine went from a 1600 Classic to a 1600 Nomad. He said "EVERYTHING was better about the Nomad except for the fuel mileage, but, then again, the Nomad was a heavier bike".
From personal experience, the heavier the bike, the better the ride.

[dcinct]

thanx...guess you could say its a stripped Nomad.

[VulcanE]

Exactly.

[dantama]

But if you want to run electrical accessories and extra lights, the Nomad's alternator puts out more power.

[landman]

i own a 2008 nomad and have owned a 1600 classic.i find the
nomad ride to be smoother on the highway.it could he a final
drive gearing thing or perhaps the air shocks that the nomad
has and the classic didn't have.also in order to equip the
classic with similar options you end up investing more then
what a nomad cost to start with.i would buy the nomad.

[jonsamson]

I know we are all dedicated Nomad riders here. When I was looking at the 1600 LT version (which is cheaper) vs the Nomad. The LT has a windshield no lowers but those are cheap to add, the LT has leather bags which is more traditional. There is also a difference in he fork rake, gearing and shocks cam and alternator. The LT is faster off the line and top end but less torque. The LT verision is easier to drive aournd town great communiter bike. I also thought the seat is more comfortable. The nomad however is heavier, so smoother bike, doesn't lack power but top end is around 105-110 (not that many actually run it that fast) It takes some getting used to the the around town and parking lot turning but a little practice and it is easy to pick up. The hard bags and look are avery unique and stand out from everything else on the road. Much better on the highway than the LT, smoother, lower gears lower RPM for longer rides. You need to decide first on what typ of riding do you want to do, than how much do you have to spend. There isn't a big difference in price but there is also the looks are different, and the ride is different.

[dank]

I'm not sure what specs you guys are reading, but the gearing is the same. The Classic is lighter and is tuned differently with different torque and horse power peask. It is slightly quicker off the line because of this and is more flickable due to the change in rake and trail and narrower tires. It gets 3-5 mpg better, but I think largely because of weight and it lacking the windshield. The LT would not have the windshield advantage on mpg. I read one review that said the Nomad has heavier steering bearings, which I can't verify, and of course the Nomad has the rear floorboards and better passenger seat and backrest. It is better for two up than the classic. It also has the best bags ever.

My son has the Classic and I have the Nomad. We tour together and the bikes are quite comparable. Really a matter of personal style choice and how important the windshield is. I like the comfort of the windshield on a long or wet day.

[borto1990]

I thought the nomad had a different frame structure also. and that the passenger area was enlarged as well. can't remember what online review I read before i bought mine, but it showed the differences between the vulcan and the nomad..

[AlabamaNomadRider]

As some comments stated about adding windshields and saddlebags it can get expensive. I'm not knocking anyone that is into leather but for me I prefer hardbags, just look better on Metric bikes. There is a company with a Japanese sounding name that you can buy reasonable hard bags from. But to me, the Nomad is the bike I wanted and I have been very satisfied.

[metalman]

I did a bit of looking around before buying my Nomad. I sat on several bikes and found that the Nomad fit me the best. Also the fact that it comes with a windshield, very nice saddlebags, front and rear crash bars, a relatively comfortable seat and backrest, self-canceling turn signals, a man-sized front tire, a wide rear wheel, dual front brakes, real metal parts, great colors, an excellent look, and a reasonable price, all pointed me toward the Nomad. All bets are off on the new Nomad. I couldn't sit on that seat for more than five minutes without severe crotch pain.

[dcinct]

thanx for all the replies... I am presently riding an 04 Volusia and have been very satisfied with everything about the bike. Aside from the obvious wish for something bigger on long trips this ride has met my needs of my 90% backroads daily cruising 45/60 mph..so far since purchasing my ride new back in 04 have logged 66K trouble free miles...intend to keep and ride until it decides to retires itself and hope to see it turn the 100k mark but realize its getting time to give it a stablemate as i find myself cruising now to longer distances...weekend trips vs dailing riding. I'm sure once the nomad/vulcan is in my garage it will become the choice for everyday riding regardless whether its long or short ride. Thanx again. Ride safe all.

[bebop]

dcinct, I have an 06 C50 with DJ drive and ride it regularly. I use it for commuting and week long + trips. After looking over the market and my budget I was able to find a low milage mint condition 06 Vulcan 1600 Classic a little over a year ago for a very reasonable price. I find that it has many of the characteristics I appreciate in the C50 and it is more of a big brother to it than the C90.
I enjoy the comfort, power, and weight of the Vulcan 1600 for the longer rides and times when I need to be on the interstate. Although it handles fine for me in most any situation, I do prefer the C50 for short commutes in traffic when I can toss the lighter weight around a little better.
I'm glad I had the option of keeping them both but if I had to choose I would keep the Vulcan.

Cheers!

[kudzufarmer]

Originally Posted by Bebop

dcinct, I have an 06 C50 with DJ drive and ride it regularly. I use it for commuting and week long + trips. After looking over the market and my budget I was able to find a low milage mint condition 06 Vulcan 1600 Classic a little over a year ago for a very reasonable price. I find that it has many of the characteristics I appreciate in the C50 and it is more of a big brother to it than the C90.
I enjoy the comfort, power, and weight of the Vulcan 1600 for the longer rides and times when I need to be on the interstate. Although it handles fine for me in most any situation, I do prefer the C50 for short commutes in traffic when I can toss the lighter weight around a little better.
I'm glad I had the option of keeping them both but if I had to choose I would keep the Vulcan.

Cheers!

I also have an 06 C50 with the DJ mod.....I would agree with this summary about the C50...the only difference is that I also have an 05 Nomad which is also very comparable to the C50.