1999 Kawasaki Nomad review from United States of America

No debilitating breakdowns on the road, ever.

Had a cam-tower oil leak - cured by using different weight oil.

Stock headlight on the 1999 Nomads is notoriously weak, cured with a stronger H-4 bulb.

1999 Nomads had a plastic oil-pump gear which are prone to failure - mine did not fail, but I replaced it with a steel gear prophylactically. Later models all have steel gears.

The Kawasaki Nomad is a great road bike... long-legged, able to carry large amounts of cargo, and comfortable. Has probably the best factory saddlebags out there, period. And with a low center of gravity, floorboards, windshield and the usual over-the-road cruising stuff, my Nomad will haul with anything from Marysville or Milwaukee.

The 1999 Nomad is carbureted and very simple to work on, but could use a tad larger gas tank, which was cured in the later models. But that is not a critical area for me, as it will pretty easily run 115-130 miles on regular 87-octane gas before hitting the reserve -- and usually gets about 36-39 miles per gallon, whether on the long-pavement or just puttering around.

Change the oil every three thousand miles, and the rear tire about every 15-18K miles, and she runs right down the road. I ride about 12-16K miles a year, last year 19K, and think nothing of logging 500-1000 miles in a weekend on my 1999 Nomad. Have done several 700-mile days on the Nomad, and one run of slightly over 1000 miles in about 20 hours... no strain, no ordeal, just get on and enjoy the scenery.

I've looked at newer bikes, but find I always come back to my ol' faithful Nomad as it's stayed trustworthy and reliable. Even thought there is no perfect bike, this is by far the best I've had in almost 40 years of riding.