Asking the Expets - You

[cdneh]

Hi
I just joined this forum on the recommendation of a Nomad rider. I own a 2006 Vulcan 900 LT and am looking at trading in for a 2008 Nomad. I have a few questions that I hope readers will take a few seconds to answer.
I read the report in Motorcycle USA on the 2005 and it rated the bike highly. I just read a comparison report in Motorcycle Cruiser that included the 2008 1600 Classic and it did not get the same high comments. So here are my questions:
Wind buffeting, is it a problem? (it is on the 900LT)
Are the bars too wide (the Classic review says they are but these may be different bars?
Is the seat too uncomfortable (the Clasic review says it has a wedge that stops you from moving around)
I know we all love our bikes but I am asking for your expert opinion before I buy. My 900 LT is wonderful but the windshiled is way to large and to tall. I am looking for more of a touring bike too.
Thank you in advance for your comments.

1) I don't find the buffeting to be bad but many do. You can purchase larger lowers and it will eliminate most if not all of it

2) I don't care who you are the bars are NOT too wide

3) I like the stock seat, many if not most complain about it but thats really with any stock seat. There are expensive cures for that too (Russel day long is supposed to be a great choice)

I came from a Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 so maybe my expectations were lower than if I came from a Goldwing but I have to say I love the Nomad and I honestlly believe you will too.

It would be great to hear from a member who has owned a 900LT and get their oppinion (I'm sure there's some out there that will chime in)

Good Luck - Ride Safe

[mrfuni]

Here's my comments to address your concerns:

• Wind Buffeting? No problem and I don't know what wind buffeting is. I guess I'd know what it is if it was a problem.[/*:m:gf72t1j2]
  
• Bars to wide? Don't think so. Very comfortable for me. Never fatigued on a long distance ride.[/*:m:gf72t1j2]
  
  
• Seat too uncomfortable? Aren't all stock seats a problem? I went to a Mustang seat with an Alaska Sheepskin Butt pad and it's butt heaven. :)[/*:m:gf72t1j2]
  

I have minor complaints on my Nomad, if I could add one thing I'd like to see added is a 6th gear for steady highway cruising.

You won't go wrong with a Nomad. But then again,. we're all a little bit bias on this forum.
Ride safe...Joe

[Cajunrider]

Welcome to the forum. Buffeting is pretty bad for me at highway speeds (70 - 80 mph). Bad enough to start a mild headache after 70 miles or more without stopping for awhile and removing the helmet. I haven't tried tweaking my windscreen yet. It's adjusted all the way down and I can see right over the top without stretching. I think I will try the larger lowers as I've heard a couple of guys on this forum say that it elliminated all buffeting. The stock seats do get a little uncomfortable after about 1 hour for myself and my wife. We usually stop, stretch, and walk around a little after 1 - 1.5 hours. It helps us. Everything else about the bike we love. The couple of complaints I mentioned can be solved with an aftermarket set of seats and larger lowers.

[ells]

I have not found buffeting to be a problem, stock lowers and windshield as low as it will go. I ride sometimes with 1/2 and sometimes with a full-face helmet and don't feel it, but then again most all my experience before the Nomad was with no windshield.

If I had designed the handle bars, I might have made them a little narrower, a turn against the stops has me (6') stretching just a bit, but not a problem. I have 3" straight risers.

As for the seat, after a hundred miles or so I need to flex the butt muscles get some circulation going but not uncomfortable for me like some (many) others claim and have spent good $ for different seats. My wife loves the ride on back.

I moved up from an VN 800B and have never regretted it but still have the 800 for maybe mostly nostalgic reasons but use for errands and short commutes. The Nomad is A LOT heavier and will be quite noticeable to you at first unless you found the 900 to a puny wiimpy bike. You should really enjoy the Nomad if you want more of a touring machine.

Glad you've joined up here and you are definitely close to making the right decision.

[gnomad]

I had an '06 900 LT also, a red and black one. I hadn't ridden in a few years before that so I thought it would be a good bike to get the feel of riding again. I found that to turn it into a real touring cruiser I was looking at spending a lot on customizing. I figured might as well get the Nomad and have everything that I would have added to the 900, like passenger floorboards and hard bags. I think the buffeting was a little worse on the 900 than the Nomad, but I really don't get buffeting a whole lot. I don't ride with a helmet very often, so I think that really affects the buffeting, or lack there of. I like the handlebars, I don't think they are to wide at all. I did put on a set of Aeromach risers though. The seat is not as uncomfortable as the 900 seat, I did just replace mine with a Mustang seat and it is quite a bit better. I really liked my 900 but I really love my Nomad. If you are really thinking of upgrading you will not be disappointed.

Originally Posted by cdneh

...I just joined this forum on the recommendation of a Nomad rider...

Dude! It wasn't me was it? I give out so many I kinda firget who'all too. ;)

I've talked to 3 Vulcan 900 riders in person now. They all told me the same thing: "I wish I'd bought the Nomad."

A Nomad's got it's warts. They're few, and relatively minor, but it's got 'em.

Every bike has it's warts. None of them are perfect.

But once you actually ride a Nomad, you'll be willing to deal with whatever those warts are, because it's such a step up in capability and comfort from what you're doing now.

[dantama]

I'm also one of the ones that doesn't find any problem with buffeting. I've gone more than 80,000 miles on Nomads, and used to wear an open face helmet. It has never been a problem for me at all.

I hate the seat. On the 1500 Nomad, they had a great seat; all the magazine tests that I recall praised the seat, many calling it the best seat out there.

Then came the 1600, and a revised seat. All of a sudden magazine testers didn't like the seat on a Nomad. I got an 05 1600, and on my first day long ride, I couldn't believe how bad the seat was by comparison.

I've gotten used to the seat for the most part, but going straight from a 1500, to the 1600, it was way noticeable.

Great bike, does most everything well.

[audiogooroo]

Oversize lowers solve the buffeting problem.
I have a 1500, still running the stock seat and it seems to fit my rearend just fine. (although the backrest is key)

[skimo]

1. minor buffeting only when riding cross the wind in windy conditions.
2. no
3. maybe but I still breaking it in
4. last bike honda 750 ace couple years ago, nomad the best package deal for a bagger

[bigdave]

I moved up from a Vstar 650 with no windshield
there is some buffeting but not a big problem
the handle bars are just the right size for me
I like the seat a lot after the 650 its great iv ridden 2 hours with no problem and wife like the passenger seat
in my opinion you wouldnt make a mistake moving up to the nomad i am very happy with mine

[ringadingh]

Welcome to the forum,I find Nomads overall are great bikes. The only thing that bothers me is the seat, and thats only on longer rides.

[mercianbike]

I have a 06 Nomad 1600, bought in 11/07 with 3K miles on it. At first the buffeting was bad. Very bad. I bought larger lowers and that helped a little but not that much. Then I installed a set of passing lamps and I now have virtually no buffeting and have been able to go back to the stock lowers which to me looked a little better. I can only speculate that the passing lamps, sticking out there as they do, somehow disrupt the airflow in such a way that it eliminated the buffeting.

On my previous bike, a Yamaha 650, I installed a Mustang saddle because my back was killing me with the stock saddle. When I acquired my Nomad I was prepared to go Mustang based on my previous experience. However, I find the stock saddle to be quite comfortable for rides up to 240 miles. Haven't had the opportunity to go farther but I don't anticipate any problems.

No big problems with the handlebars although I recently installed Chuckster's two inch risers which not only elevated the handlebars a little bit but also brought them in a little closer.

Based on all the replies you have received so far there is no solid answer for any of your questions. But the one item with 100% agreement is that the Nomad is a fine machine that you will be very happy with and if there any issues you have, you will find the help you need from all the fine people on this forum.

[billmac]

cdneh, I have a 2007 Nomad that I bought less than two months ago. I have 2200 miles on it. My son has a 2007 900 classic LT. I have ridden his bike. Those issues you raised have not been a issue for me.

However, there are several big differences in the bikes, IMHO. The Nomad weighs almost 200 pounds more so it is harder to push around and handle at near stopped speed. My Nomad only averages 34 mpg. The Nomad has a higher top gear so the motor seems relaxed at freeway speed. The 900 seems to me to want a 6th gear.

Both bikes are great but each a little better in certain conditions. If I was going to ride solo and mostly in town with a few trips on the road, I would chose the 900. Its easy push out of the garage and easier to handle around town and better fuel mileage. But riding two up, or touring on trips, I would not want to part with my Nomad.

[cactusjack]

Wind buffeting - The wind buffeting was minor on the Nomad compared with my Suzuki C50T. It was enough to be annoying, and I added a set of larger lowers and now the buffeting is negligible.

Bar width - That's a subjective opinion. I'm a fairly big guy and they seem just fine to me.

Stock seat - After 50 miles on the stock seat, I was looking for a way off the bike. I bought a Mustang seat with rider backrest. I know people who find the stock seat plenty comfortable, though. Again, a very subjective opinion.

You will not find a better large cruiser with the stock Nomad features for the price of a Nomad. I've put 11,000 miles on mine in 8 months.

Welcome to the forum from Phoenix, AZ!