Penguin rides hog...news at eleven...

[caddmannq]

OK, clone of a hog, if you want to be technical. In any event, it's sincerely porky.

I spent every dime Pupus would allow me (plus $94) to become the new owner of a 2004 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 Fi.
(Yes, we finally sold our old house, and for an unexpectedly large profit. It was worth the effort & the wait.)

WooHoo! and I mean own too. No payments!
(I must look old nowadays. They took my personal check for $15,094.00 and didn't even blink.)

It's Midnight Blue & Silver, with the old-school touring gear, and is really kinda Kawasaki's replica of a 1965 Electraglide, but with mags, disc brakes, fuel injection, shaft drive, and a radiator.

Total mileage so far: 128 in three days. Would have been more, but it's been 100+ F here each day.

Some coments:

It thumps more than I thought it would.
Low speed handling better than expected.
Had to get used to the clutch.
My briefcase wont fit in the hard bags.
Why does an F.I. bike have a choke knob?
Rode right to work.
Everybody drooled.
It's a bit louder than I thought it would be.
Just a smidgen more than a stock H-D Road King.
It weighs a smigen more.
It's a smidgen longer.
The engine is a smidgen bigger.
The hardbags are a smidgen smaller.
The price was like $5000 less.

Otherwise it rumbles & thumps (and even once "spit") just like a real Milwaukee paint shaker; though the bars & mirrors don't viberate as much.
And it shifts a lot smoother.

It's geared for the highway, but it appears that it will smoke right off the line (once I decide it's broken in enough for a good hard launch.)

I'm taking it pretty easy on the break-in miles.
This is the heavest thing I've ever ridden; and by almost 300 lbs, the heavest I've ever owned. But after a couple 20 minute sessions in stop & go rush hour traffic, I was feeling my cheerieos again.

I've had Pupus out on the back three times now, and she's the best passenger I've ever had.

Now all I'm missin' is some vacation time to enjoy it. That's gonna be scarce, as we've got more work than we can do between now and Christmas. Plus, Pupus is back at work, and her new class will be in Today.


CaddmannQ

[Knothead]

w00t! Nice bike, Cadd, if you can 'wrench' some free time for a long haul, bring 'er on down, I'll show ya all the good places (I'm thinking Mulholland Highway to the beach) as well as the better 'rest stops' along the way!

[Hey-Todd]

Nice... congrats on the newest member of your family!

[Knothead]

I bet he makes many trips out to the garage...you know, take out the trash...straighten up the workbench, stuff...just to get another gander at that mountain of beauty and power...

[caddmannq]

It's definately eyecatching. They did a good job on the styling, except for a cover around the radiator. Plus it needs a sissy bar.

Sissybar, pad, brackets and rack run about $600 from Kawasaki.

Sheesh! I remember when a sissy bar was like $25, or 75 for a top of the line job.

[thekingofpain]

Get a headlight modulator---it helps prevent us dummys from turning left in front of you...

[caddmannq]

Is that a "Flash" animation, TKOP? HeeHee...

Yeah, there's lots of stuff I'll get, and that's probably a good idea.

That left turn thing has happened before, so I'm very warry in those situations.

[Tomteriffic]

Mmmmm, Mulholland on a big bike.... (drool...)

[caddmannq]

Whoa!
I just ordered that $600+ bar & rack from www.kawasaki.com for $305, including tax & shipping!

Can you say "dealer mark-up"?

Too bad you can't order the entire bike that way!
Lessee...it woulda been about $7000!
I coulda got a blue one and a red one!

[Thud]

Good to see ya, Cadd. You'd better be careful about throwing the word "Hog" around like that.....liable to find yourself amidst a lawsuit.

So anyway, where's the pics, man?! Sounds like a helluva bike. I opted for a "Skirtster".....set to be delivered on Sept 30th. Can't wait!!

Congrats, and ride safe.