[Wyre]

Hi

I’ve been looking to come back to bike for a while and was considering a Harley, when I came across the Vulcan 1600 Normad at a bike show and thought what a cool bike. My problem is that I’m 6ft 4in and need to try the bike out to see if it’s OK, but the small numbers imported into the UK means that its not possible to test ride a Vulcan. I’m concerned that the pulled back bars may make the bike too uncomfortable for me – ie make me lean back too far. The only bikes that I tried out are Harley’s – Road King (OK), Fat Boy (Great) and V-Rod (pain in the ****). So any 6 footers out there who can help out with advise would be great!

 

[2WheelFun]

Hello and Welcome!

I am also 6' 4" tall and ride a 1500 Classic. I have had 3 spinal surgeries....2 neck fusions and a lower back hemilaminectomy...L5 S1 which may be enough to keep some from riding at all but I have to say that it was just the opposite for me after I put on the 4 x 1 risers and a riders back rest. It feels like I'm riding in a very neutral position having it set up this way and not uncomfortable for me at all. I'm sure you could easily find your own comfort position on a Nomad with little effort....but that's just my opinion as I'm sure that would be possible with most bikes if you work at fitting the bike to you. Good luck on what ever you decide to buy.

 

[Spok]

I may be wrong, but I think this is the first post in regards to a rider size:bike ratio that is on the end of the rider being too big. Most of these posts are is the bike too small or is it too big for me. I'd not think that your size would be too large for the Nomad. I've sat on the closest HD equivilent to my vulcan that I can find (Heritage Deluxe or whatever they call it) and find that bike with its slim'r tank design to be a bit smaller than my 04 1500. I think if you can find one in a showroom, throw you leg over and get the feel, you'll be ok...IMHO

 

[Guest]

hi Wyre,i'm 6'1" and my ride fits me great,don't think 3" in height will make a difference,nomads are excellent motorcycles and like you said they look very good,i ride 2 up most of the time,i'm 280lbs and my wife 115lbs,there is alot of torque,and the bike is fast enough for me,let us know if you buy and send some pics,good luck

 

[SteveA]

I'm 6'3" & can tell you that floorboards can feel a bit confining, depending on inseam. I prefer the pegs of the Mean Streak. Real comfortable. If there are any used Nomads in your area, perhaps the dealer will let you take it out for a spin. Do a Google search for used bikes. Otherwise, almost all people are in love with their Nomads. They're awesome.
Ride safely

 

[centerpunch]

I am 6' 2" and fit the bike well. At first I thought the floorboards might be to close for comort but I found they are very comfortable. I have put highway pegs on the highway bars and fit them so I can rest my heal on the floorboads and toe on the pegs . I can also stretch out completely by resting my heal on the pegs. My friend has a Meanstreak and I personally find the Nomad a little more comfortable, but that is just me, he loves his bike. I have very long arms and I don't feel like I have to lean back. I could even add risers to move the bars back slightly and it would still be good.

Hope this helps.
DJ

 

[bikeaholic]

re

absolutley not :wink:

 

[ispeed77]

Wyre
first off, welcome to the forum. second, i am with everyone else here in saying that your size should not be a problem with the Nomad. my mother's husband had a 99 which is what convince me to get mine. i believe he is about 6'2" and he was very comfortable on it. like Whistle, he has had quite a few surgeries over the years, and found it to be one of the most comfortable bikes he has every ridden. he had the same Kuryakyn ISO highway pegs as me, they were just swiveled away so they fit his leg length. even if the floorboards were too confining for you, i believe they make a forward control kit that converts back to conventional pegs and controls. at least they do for the 1500. last thing, i think you would be pretty disappointed with the Fatboy. i have heard a lot of complaints about that model of HD, so if that is the one that fit you the most, please consider the Nomad, for your sake. either way, let us know what you end up with.
david

 

[Spok]

Hello and Welcome!

I have had 3 spinal surgeries....2 neck fusions and a lower back hemilaminectomy...

Whistle, did you used to do stunt jumping in a former life?

 

[woodchucks800]

Whistle, did you used to do stunt jumping in a former life?

HE use to be Evil Knivel's stunt double. You don't think Evil was dumb enough to do those jumps himself do you?

 

[Wyre]

Thanks for that. I didn’t think of using a backrest and altering the bars might also be worth considering. But the fundamentals seem to be there, so it’s just a matter of playing around to get the best position!

I did manage to throw my leg over the bike at the bike show and was happy with the feel, but because of the limited number imported into England it’s unlikely that a dealer would have one on the floor (unless its already sold). That’s why a test ride is not possible (and why I’ve tried a Harley, because of the availability of a test ride). Still from what I’ve read on this forum, I think the Kawasaki VN1600 Classic Tourer (as it’s called here) maybe the way to go. The only issue is the price. A new one is $18,000 including taxes (a Harley is $26,900), and second-hand Nomad 1500s are as rare as hen’s teeth (I can only find 2 second-hand Nomads for sale in the whole UK – 2001 $11,250), as it seems their owners’ take them to the grave when they die of old age.

 

[Lee_2061]

Mate,
Nomads are never resold because they were never purchased, just adopted into the family. HeeHee!

I'm 6'1" 230lb and have had no probs with the new Nomad. (My local friendly dealer lets me take out any bike.) The new 1600 has a lot of additions that more than justify the price. Chrome passenger boards, crashbar, etc, etc.
They are very comfortable and make for a great ride. The closest thing to it would be a Harley Road King Custom at an enormous price jump. Ouch! The Royal Star Tour Deluxe isn't bad either, if you don't mind the design and the slightly smaller engine 1300cc. It does have twice as many valves and a larger tank.

Don't think the reach will be a problem. The tiller bars are designed to make you sit more upright. That's the best way to survive a long ride. Otherwise its a kidney belt or bouts of lumbago.

If anything you might look at relocating the footboards forward or adding either cruise pegs or heel rests to stretch out a bit on a long ride. Places like RoadKrome.com have lots of accessories for most metrics at a fraction of what Cobra, Kuryakyn and Jardine charge for theirs.

Pegs and Boards:
Read some interesting posts up there. I myself have changed from boards to pegs. Couldn't understand my discomfort until I took a MeanStreak out for a weekend. Apart from having to move my foot up to the pegs each time I wanted to change anything (with pegs the pedals are already where they should be under your toes). I didn't enjoy having to take the weight off my feet each time and then pivoting on my heels. Pegs allow you to keep some weight on them even when you're braking or shifting. Do that with boards and your feet just slide forward. I also learnt that most of my boots had different thickness soles and heels. With pegs they don't feel different cos the arch thickness is always the same. Finally pegs can't trap your foot under the brake pedal if you happen to be wearing a pair of larger boots. In short boards make me feel like I'm ON the bike. Pegs make me a part of it. That's just me I guess.

Anyway I hope I've helped in some small way and not put you off altogether. Welcome aboard and best of luck.

Lee

 

[ispeed77]

The Royal Star Tour Deluxe isn't bad either, if you don't mind the design and the slightly smaller engine 1300cc. It does have twice as many valves and a larger tank.

Lee, just so you know, it is also a V4. so even though the displacement is smaller, i would be willing to bet that it has more power and torque than the Kaw 1500 or 1600. personally, i don't like the styling of it, especially the speedometer, but that's me ! :grin:

 

[Lee_2061]

I'm with you. I knew about the V4 bit, and it is faster and harder revving and punchier. But our Brit colleague might like that. Don't know if it's cheaper in the UK or not. I went to have a look at the new models just last week. Apart from the awkward looking saddlebags, the colour schemes and the flyswatter sissybar pad, there's that radiator housing. Man it's everywhere you look. And all that before I get to the instruments. Who knows, somebody other than the design committee might like it. Maybe.
Not!

 

[ispeed77]

hehehe
i am not a huge fan of Yamaha cruisers anyways, so that doesn't help their case in my book. before the Nomad, i had a Honda Magna which is a V4 750. the thing was quick, but i like the low end torque of the big V-Twin better. with the higher revving 4 you have to downshift more often to actually use the power. just another strike towards the Yami !

 

[2WheelFun]

Whistle, did you used to do stunt jumping in a former life?

LOL...Obviously not very well.


Construction = accidents

Horses = accidents

Too many hard landings when falling from scaffolding...ladders...stilts...hay trucks...etc.

This is only a test...if this were the real thing...I would be dead. :shock:

 

[2WheelFun]

HE use to be Evil Knivel's stunt double. You don't think Evil was dumb enough to do those jumps himself do you?

LMAO....If I were his double...I might have a little more $$$ to show for my troubles. I have to report that it wasn't me that we all saw when those bike wrecks happened. I was too busy hurting myself by other means. Hopefully Evil still has some of his $$$ after all of his body bashing. I'm sure he does.

 

[Wyre]

Ok, I’ve found a couple of dealers who will sell me a new Vulcan 1600 Nomad for $16,000 on the road.
But one further question, I would like to take my 10 year son on the back to introduce him to the joys of motorcycling etc. He’s tried a Harley Road King, Softail and BMW R1150RS with no problems and from the pictures of the Nomad the footboards look to be in similar position as the Road King. So I’m assuming he’ll reach the footboards with his back resting on the sissy bar. Is my assumption correct (he’s about 4ft 9in)?

 

[Spok]

He'll fit jest fine. I have my 10 yr old daughter on my 1500, her feet fit the pegs just right and she's like me, vertically challenged only about 3'9"

 

[Giant]

6'4" is not too big

I went through your pains recently. I rode a Harley superglide for years and quit when kids and family came along. Kids are gone and I am back. I am 6 foot five inches and weigh in at 270 pounds. I tried everything, all the Harleys, Victory's, Goldwings/VTX, Yamaha's ... and found the Kawasaki Vulcan Classic 1600 to be the most comfortable. I have not tried the Vulcan 2000 yet, but may upgrade at the next opportunity. Good Luck!

Jim