Neutral handling and fuel economy in bike selection

I've been riding a Yamaha RoadStar but am considering a Kawasaki 1600 Vulcan Nomad or the 1500 Vulcan Classic (we moved with no Yamaha dealers nearby).  I mostly like to take to the open road with occasional jaunts around town, i.e. parking lots-slow motion.  The on-line literature mentions "neutral handling at slow speeds" with the 1600 Nomad, but I'm also concerned about fuel economy now and am guessing the 1500 Classic would be better in that area.  We're planning an across country trip in the spring to visit my son and plan on spending long days in the saddle. I don't really want to give up the Roadie (I love how it rides), but I can't keep another bike! (We also have a trike and 2 Harleys).  Would love to hear from riders about the Kawasaki bikes.