About KawaNOW
Over the last three years, I've logged over 30,000 miles on my 2005 Kawasaki Nomad. I realize that I'm not going to be inducted into the Iron Butt Association for that type of mileage and I know there are those who have ridden much farther in that span of time, but it has given me the opportunity to "try out" my Nomad. And, I must say, my Nomad has lived up to my expectations.
Over the last two years,
I've also received many, many emails from other Nomad owners from
around the world asking questions and wanting advice about their Nomads.So, the idea was born to create this website and a message forum just for the Nomad owner. The goal is to provide a place for all Nomad owners to get answers to their questions and house tons of Nomad information. It will take a while before this website is really the way I want it to be, loaded with information, tips, installs, etc., but it always takes a while for a work in progress to come to full fruition.
Feel free to contribute any information you may deem important about your experiences with the Nomad. And feel free to visit the KawaNOW Message Forum with any questions, comments or discussion you may have.
All my life I've ridden someone else's motorcycles, until I bought a 1983 Honda VF750 in 1997. After honing my riding skills on "Maverick", I moved up to a 1998 Honda Magna 750 nicknamed "Paladin" some four years later. I then ventured out and started taking trips. After four years of running Paladin up and down the Rockies, I decided it was time to evolve to a bigger more "roadworthy" bike. Don't get me wrong, the Honda Magna is an excellent motorcycle. It's got plenty of power and can run with the best of them, but it was a 750. I felt I needed a bike that was not only heavier, but more powerful to handle the road.
So the search was on. I began researching bigger bikes and developed a wishlist of things I wanted as standard items. One was that the next bike I bought had to be 1500cc's or higher. Other items on the list included hard bags, something I felt I needed for road trips. I researched twins versus V-4 engines, which I was accustomed to owning a Magna. I also took into consideration what accessories were available as well as longevity, durability and maintenance.
After months of looking at countless data on the internet and talking to various owners and getting their pros and cons on bikes, I narrowed the field down to two candidates...the Honda Goldwing and the Kawasaki Nomad. The Nomad became the winner for several reasons...one, every Nomad owner I had talked to stated that the bike handled well, operated well and was a champion on the road. Many of the Nomad owners had over 60,000 miles on their steeds so I felt they were well qualified to talk about the Nomad. I found that the Nomad had an excellent reputation for longevity and reliability.
So, on June 7, 2005, I became the proud owner of a black and silver, 2005 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 nicknamed "Ruby Earl". The name came from combining my beloved grandmother and grandfather's names. Not only did I love the accessories that came with it, but I loved the price...under $13,000! In fact, all I added in accessories after taking delivery was a pair of Kuryakyn grips and a fender rack! So, there you have it. This Nomad will always be in my stable even if I get another bike, it's just that important to me.
This website is dedicated to the Nomad owner, past, present and future....and it's dedicated to the Nomad owner...worldwide! Take care and ride safe.
Robert "Trip" Hilliard
Lindale, Texas
Email: danceswithnomads@kawanow.org
Personal Website with Trip Reports and Videos: http://www.hilliard.ws/kawasaki.htm