Nomad 1700 2009 vs 2013?

markdavidson said:

I very recently totaled out my 09 and purchased a 13.

according to totalmotorcyle.com there were a couple changes in 2011:

New for 2011

- Redesigned mufflers offer improved sound quality and feature a more tapered, classic look
- Improved and quieter shifting action via revised 1st gear ratio and taller teeth on the third and fourth gears
- Improved EFI settings that match the new muffler assemblies more accurately
- Refinished intake manifold is smoothed internally for improved fuel mixture flow

mine came to me with Vance&Hines pipes so I can't speak to the exhaust related stuff, but let me tell you what. THIS THING SHIFTS LIKE BUTTER.

My 2009 clunked LOUD from 1st to second, this 13 is smooth.

other than that I cannot tell any difference between the two

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Oh nice! Thanks for sharing those details. Do you notice a considerable difference in heat the bike puts out vs the 09? That seems like would be the difference that might have the most impact to someone living in the deep south.

I'm going to be using this bike for touring, so it will get a lot of miles and probably a ding or two just being out there and being run all the time. So it seems kind of hard to justify the 13 the more i think about it. Just want to make sure i don't miss anything big. Thank again!

MariusD said:

Oh nice! Thanks for sharing those details. Do you notice a considerable difference in heat the bike puts out vs the 09? That seems like would be the difference that might have the most impact to someone living in the deep south.

I'm going to be using this bike for touring, so it will get a lot of miles and probably a ding or two just being out there and being run all the time. So it seems kind of hard to justify the 13 the more i think about it. Just want to make sure i don't miss anything big. Thank again!

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LOL February in Missouri engine heat is not an issue

my 09 felt hot sitting still (at a light) but moving wasn't that bad, Missouri in August engine heat IS a big deal.

I just got my 13 last week, but I loved my 09 and they are built solid, I agree justifying the 13 over the 09 for 4k would be hard

The heat everyone talks about on the 1700's is more obvious on the Voyagers than on the Nomads because the Nomad don't have the fairing and especially the lower fairing restricting airflow around the rider that the Voyager does. Not saying you won't have any heat on a Nomad sitting still but that can be managed with the heat deflectors I spoke about in your last thread. There won't be any real difference between an '09 and the '13 Nomad heatwise. Markdavidson is correct about the other changes. I can't speak for the shifting difference because mine is a '12 and I never rode an '09 to compare. It would be hard to justify 4 grand for the difference between them IMHO.
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markdavidson said:

LOL February in Missouri engine heat is not an issue

my 09 felt hot sitting still (at a light) but moving wasn't that bad, Missouri in August engine heat IS a big deal.

I just got my 13 last week, but I loved my 09 and they are built solid, I agree justifying the 13 over the 09 for 4k would be hard

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Ok, so you understand. I'm in South Louisiana, so most of my riding is in weather 80-100F+ except for the winter time which here is Dec-February or so. The 09 is a beautiful all black bike, but that also means it will get very hot, not just from the engine, but also from the sun. That's probably the biggest reason i'm on the fence.

Decisions... decisions...

ol' school said:

The heat everyone talks about on the 1700's is more obvious on the Voyagers than on the Nomads because the Nomad don't have the fairing and especially the lower fairing restricting airflow around the rider that the Voyager does. Not saying you won't have any heat on a Nomad sitting still but that can be managed with the heat deflectors I spoke about in your last thread. There won't be any real difference between an '09 and the '13 Nomad heatwise. Markdavidson is correct about the other changes. I can't speak for the shifting difference because mine is a '12 and I never rode an '09 to compare. It would be hard to justify 4 grand for the difference between them IMHO.
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That's good to know. I somewhat purposely focused on the Nomad as I was thinking I wanted some weather protection, but not too much, because, well, you already know... I live in the south... lol!

I can't thank you enough for your input here and the other thread. You've definitely helped me understand the bike better than anything I have read on the net so far. Much appreciate it!

I'll have to call and see if the 09 is even available still.

In fact, now that I sat back and thought about it, I had a black bike before, and it really is a pretty miserable experience riding in a middle of a hot day...

... question is, will the black and gold color 2013 be any different in that regard. Probably not by much...

I had a '10 Nomad when I lived in Idaho, and heat was an issue, mainly at slow speeds in traffic and when sitting still. Even without a fairing or lovers like the Voyager has, it was still hot on a hot day. Not so bad when moving at highway speeds, though. The thing is, it's a V-twin and that is the nature of the beast.

Probably not a noticeable difference between the colors heat wise. I guess you need to decide if you really want a two tone or a single color bike and how much that is worth.

And Srompilot is right. There is heat at slow speeds when it is warm out. That truly is the nature of the beast. 103.7 c.i. under you is going to be noticed. My younger brother just bought a 103 c.i. Harley moving up from a Sportster and his first comment was on the heat he felt from the bigger motor. That is why I suggested looking into the heat deflectors. They do help make it more bearable.

Strompilot said:

I had a '10 Nomad when I lived in Idaho, and heat was an issue, mainly at slow speeds in traffic and when sitting still. Even without a fairing or lovers like the Voyager has, it was still hot on a hot day. Not so bad when moving at highway speeds, though. The thing is, it's a V-twin and that is the nature of the beast.

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Yep, that makes sense. That's the thing. I know Kawi addressed the heat issue in the 2011 model year (to whatever extent), which is why I'm hesitant to go with the 09. As hot as it gets down here, every little bit helps, and in the end that might just be the thing that makes me pay up for the 2013. If I lived up north, this wouldn't be so much of an issue. But then I couldn't eat all the shrimp and crawfish I want... so I'm stuck here.

MariusD said:

Yep, that makes sense. That's the thing. I know Kawi addressed the heat issue in the 2011 model year (to whatever extent), which is why I'm hesitant to go with the 09. As hot as it gets down here, every little bit helps, and in the end that might just be the thing that makes me pay up for the 2013. If I lived up north, this wouldn't be so much of an issue. But then I couldn't eat all the shrimp and crawfish I want... so I'm stuck here.

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Stuck? "I don't think this word means what you think it means"

They addressed it on the Voyager in 2011 with a fan system they call the KAMS (Kawasaki air management system) but only on the Voyager, not the Nomad or the Vaquero. So there is not any difference between the '09 or the '13 Nomad in that respect.

Eat some of that shrimp and crawfish for me while you contemplate your problem... Stuck at home in an ice storm tonight here.

markdavidson said:

Stuck? "I don't think this word means what you think it means"

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There was a bit of sarcasm in that statement.

ol' school said:

They addressed it on the Voyager in 2011 with a fan system they call the KAMS (Kawasaki air management system) but only on the Voyager, not the Nomad or the Vaquero. So there is not any difference between the '09 or the '13 Nomad in that respect.

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So if the '11-later nomad didn't have any heat related changes then I really have a hard time justifying the '13. In fact I came across a thread last night that indicated that gear ratios were changed in '11 bikes to achieve the smoothness, but also make the bike slower of the line. I ride a Victory now so, believe me, a smooth transmission is not a priority. I can handle all the clunky you throw at me. lol...

ol' school said:

Eat some of that shrimp and crawfish for me while you contemplate your problem... Stuck at home in an ice storm tonight here.

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Roger that! Killed 2 dozen raw oysters last saturday, which was the last hurrah/farewell to the oyster season. Now, on to the crawfish season, which is starting as we speak

You guys stay warm and safe up there!

MariusD said:

Yep, that makes sense. That's the thing. I know Kawi addressed the heat issue in the 2011 model year (to whatever extent), which is why I'm hesitant to go with the 09. As hot as it gets down here, every little bit helps, and in the end that might just be the thing that makes me pay up for the 2013. If I lived up north, this wouldn't be so much of an issue. But then I couldn't eat all the shrimp and crawfish I want... so I'm stuck here.

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IIRC, there was a service bulletin/recall, or whatever, from Kawasaki that had owners of '09 and '10 1700's bring their bikes in to have the heating issue addressed with some sort of mod to the cooling system. It didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference in the amount of heat felt while riding, although it seemed to keep the engine from overheating. There was also a runability issue in which the engine would die when coming up to a stop. The engine would immediately restart, but it was aggrevating, to say the least. That got fixed, too, but some complained that if negatively impacted their gas mileage. I didn't seem to notice that much, since my gas mileage varied according to how I was riding.

Strompilot, stalling was an ECU issue that applied to all the early 1700's. You are correct the heat issue was addressed with letters to '09 1700 owners to bring their bike in to have a heat shield kit installed (P/N 99999-0273 on Voyager and Nomads and 99999-0274 on Classics and Classic LT). Those items were factory installed in the 2010 1700's. Later they again addressed heat on the Voyager with the installation of the KAMS. It wasn't developed for Nomads or Vaqueros.

MarciusD, yes the gearing was changed for 2011 as noted by markdavidson earlier in this thread too. Mine is a 2012 so I can't speak for the difference... Enjoy the crawfish!

Save your money and buy the 09. You can easily wrap the pipes for under $100 and it will do a lot to reduce the heat. Did it on my 09 Classic LT made a big difference. For a couple hundred more you can upgrade the Air and add a EJK module and get more power and better fuel. You can do a lot of riding for 4000 bucks

MarciusD, I totally agree with tcheekva. Wrap your pipes, add the RJS heat deflectors and plug in a Dobeck EJK. All three will help the '09 Nomad run cooler and use the extra 4 grand to keep it fueled up to enjoy putting some miles on it.

Guys, this is great stuff. I really appreciate it! I'm definitely leaning in the direction of the 09 nomad. For the money it really seems like a no brainer. The challenge there is it's 430 miles away and in a small town, so no easy way to get there and ride back. But logistics can always be figured out. Where there's a will, there's a way, they say...