Kawasaki Nomad 1600 vs Kawasaki Vn1500 Vulcan
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Kawasaki Nomad 1600 vs Kawasaki Vn1500 Vulcan. Kawasaki Nomad 1600: 74 hp @ 4,800 rpm (estimated) hp, 372 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 185 km/h (estimated), Motoryk rating 7.8/10. Kawasaki Vn1500 Vulcan: 68 hp @ 4,800 rpm hp, 309 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 185 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Kawasaki Nomad 1600
Kawasaki Vn1500 Vulcan
Horsepower (hp)
74 hp
68 hp
Torque (Nm)
122 Nm
115 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
185 km/h
185 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
372 kg
309 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
74 hp @ 4,800 rpm (estimated)
68 hp @ 4,800 rpm
Torque
122 Nm @ 3,000 rpm (estimated)
115 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
Top Speed
185 km/h (estimated)
185 km/h
Weight
372 kg (wet/curb weight)
309 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
6.5 L/100km (approx. 15.4 km/L) — estimated real-world average
6.5–7.5 L/100km (typical real-world average)
Fairing
Yes
No
Individual Reviews
Kawasaki Nomad 1600
7.8/10
"A genuinely capable tourer that punches above its used asking price."
Pros
+Shaft drive, zero maintenance
+Fuel injection runs flawlessly
+Hard bags genuinely waterproof
Cons
−Stock seat punishes long distances
−Heavy at 750lbs wet
−Specialist mechanics hard finding
Kawasaki Vn1500 Vulcan
7.5/10
"Dependable, characterful cruiser that rewards patient, mechanically curious buyers."
Pros
+Bulletproof shaft drive reliability
+Strong low-end torque
+Affordable used pricing
Cons
−Carbs gum up quickly
−Suspension embarrassingly soft stock
−Heavy at low speeds
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
