We don't need no steenkin' badges!

[Pretzel]

Not here to start a badge vs. debadge debate... I'm just not a fan of badges on the paint. LOVE the badge on the shield and backrest, but not on the paint! Here's my question though: just bought this '08, and it seems the paint is in pretty durn good shape, but I've never tinkered with darker colors before, and my first "debadging" was with a bike that was practically new. You think it's safe to go ahead and debadge? (1st pic)

Also, I've never run across a Nomad that still has these decals (assuming they're stock?) The tips are starting to peel up as is (although just barely), any tips for removal, or just soak with goo gone and peel 'em with elbow grease? OR, would I be better off trying to layer wax over 'em and save 'em? (2nd pic)

Am I asking for trouble with sun fade and a noticeable difference under the badges?

[tazfl]

Originally Posted by Pretzel

Not here to start a badge vs. debadge debate... I'm just not a fan of badges on the paint. LOVE the badge on the shield and backrest, but not on the paint! Here's my question though: just bought this '08, and it seems the paint is in pretty durn good shape, but I've never tinkered with darker colors before, and my first "debadging" was with a bike that was practically new. You think it's safe to go ahead and debadge? (1st pic)

Also, I've never run across a Nomad that still has these decals (assuming they're stock?) The tips are starting to peel up as is (although just barely), any tips for removal, or just soak with goo gone and peel 'em with elbow grease? OR, would I be better off trying to layer wax over 'em and save 'em? (2nd pic)

Am I asking for trouble with sun fade and a noticeable difference under the badges?

I agree with you, I think removing the badges off the tank makes the ike look much cleaner. I think you would be fine removing those tank badges, I used fishing line to remove the ones off my 1500 classic and my 1600 nomad. Then alot of goo gone and elbow grease to remove the residue. As far as that other sticker, thats not factory, someone put that sticker on there, if the edges are coming up I would take it off.

[Loafer]

I have one of the stickers on the back of my helmet. Just peel it off. WD-40
works at getting rid of glue residue, but be sure to wash it off with soap and
water after. It is flammable.

[ringadingh]

Ive always liked the look of the tank badges on the bike. But since getting my tank repainted a few weeks ago I liked the clean look as well, and decided to leave them off the tank, at least for now.

[Kawhead]

Yeah, it upsets, and in a few cases it in fact devastates some folks when you remove the badge from your Nomad so much that they, in order to make themselves feel better, accuse you of trying to make it look like some other bike. I'm sure there are text book studies in collage books documenting this aberrant behavior which is a common interaction noted amongst prepubescent and pubescent aged girls.

Oh yeah, warm the badges with a hair drier to make removal easier. I used WD-40 and my Driver's Licence to help clean the residue. Its a good idea to wax it when your done. That helps make that masterpiece of a tank even more stunning, and more beautiful than sipping coco on the deck of a cabin enjoying the panorama of the majestic snow capped rocky mountains against a cobalt blue sky.

[Loafer]

You should have been a painter.

[jlreeves]

The badge isn't what makes this bike what it is. Go ahead and debadge, Its your bike... Own it.

[vince]

I removed my tank badges @ 15,000 miles. Same as everyone else, hairdryer, fishing line, goo be gone and effort. I have no shading where the bade was.

[trip]

I've always been a proponent of live and let live. It's your bike... do what you will and I will never give you a hard time about it.

However, since you brought it up, I'm one of these guys that believes in leaving things as stock as possible. I'll do whatever I need to to improve efficiency and performance, but I like to mostly leave things stock. That goes for labels also. In my book, the tank labels are a good styling angle. Remove them and it almost screams to the world that you've repainted.

Not trying to offend, just stating an opinion.

[danimal2]

I'ma badge fan.

Funny.........lotsa people have seen the badges on the tank and said "Oh it's a Victory!"

They always get such a sad face when I tell them it's a Kawasaki.

I haven't removed any badging or monickers so it's not like they can't see the Kawasaki name on it. They just gravitate towards the tank badge and assume because of the V I guess.

[Top Cat]

Leave the damn badges on the bike.
If you are ashamed of the fact you own a Kawasaki go buy a bike you can be proud to own.

[Pretzel]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

Leave the damn badges on the bike.
If you are ashamed of the fact you own a Kawasaki go buy a bike you can be proud to own.

See, now THERE is one of the responses I was hoping to avoid... I'm nowhere NEAR being ashamed of my Kawasaki. That's why I rode one for years, then traded it in on another, bigger Kawasaki. I just don't think plastic badges belong on that beautiful tank.

If I were trying to make it look like something else (i.e. what everyone assumes, a Harley), I'd have to take off those amazing shaped bags and put on square ones, remove the radiator, lower the idle to dangerous levels and drop some oil and a few spare bolts under it every time I parked. (tic)

[Jared]

After doing the work on this bike, there was no way I was going to put badges or clutter up the paint in any way. These bikes have awesome, defining lines when cleaned up a bit.

[Top Cat]

Yeah, that is a real nice lookin Vaquero Jared.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

Yeah, that is a real nice lookin Vaquero Jared.

Hey, I was never going to bring up the fact that you couldnt tell the difference from a Nomad and Vaquero, but since you did... BTW, Nice Mean Streak!