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Author Topic: New Connie Owner  (Read 7177 times)

Offline danl

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New Connie Owner
« on: September 30, 2011, 03:02:44 PM »
Hey everyone, just wanted to make a post and say hello. I've been reading here and some of the other Connie forums for the last few days deciding on my new bike- it was between the C14 and the FJR1300. I test rode them both for about 30 minutes each yesterday and went back today to make my choice, the Concours. I've been loving this bike for a couple years and always sat on it at the dealer and knew one day I'd have one. I'm the proud new owner of a 2011 ABS version in black. Got about 70 miles on it this afternoon before I had to come home, but tomorrow is another day. Loving it so far!

My wife and I are Kawasaki fans, we started with a Vulcan 750, and she has a Vulcan 1500 cruiser. I traded in a Vulcan 1600 for the Connie. A totally different riding style, a little to get used to but my time in the saddle today told me I made the right choice.

I'll have lots of questions later, so please be patient with me! :)

Dan
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Offline gPink

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2011, 03:07:55 PM »
Congrats on the new bike. A buddy of mine has a 1600 Vulcan. Absolutley loves it. You'll have to remember to slow down for the wife now.
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Offline redbarber

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2011, 03:13:44 PM »
Welcome!  You didn't ask for any advice, so I'll offer some anyway.  Give yourself at least 1000 miles with the bike as stock as possible, before you start customizing.  I also went from cruiser to C14, and I made changes early on to try to make the bike comfortable to me, some of which were not well considered.  After more than 20,000 miles, I'm still tweaking, but some of the early mods had to be backed off.    When I picked the bike up, I felt like I was standing on my head, since I was accustomed to sitting back with my feet up and my arms relaxed.  I started with risers, wedges, a spencer seat mod, and a Givi windshield.  Looking back, I would have been better off spending the extra money on an LSL handlebar kit.  I also had to have the seat remade by another company, mostly because I really did not know what I needed done when I sent it to spencers.  If I had waited a while, I think I could have made better choices with about the same money.  I have no regrets, and the only thing that will get me off my 2009 c14 will be a 2012 or 2013 C14.    I can't imagine going with anything else.

+1 on slow down for the wife.  Mine rides behind me on a Can-Am spyder and gets pretty annoyed when I zoom off ahead of her.
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Offline Bourne2Ride

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2011, 03:14:02 PM »
yeah, you have 10.5K RPM red line, and tighter gearing. So slow up a little when riding with your wife. So she doesn't feel rushed. Oh and you'll have to keep it in a lower gear when following or you'll ride up the tail pipe when she lets up and engine breaks. I think it's great you two can ride together. Congratulations on the new 2011 Black! I have one too, and I love it. I ride her everywhere.
Be safe and keep the shinny side up.
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Offline ZG

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2011, 03:37:07 PM »
Welcome Dan!  :chugbeer:
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Offline CADMAN97

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2011, 03:40:28 PM »
Congrats, and welcome!

Just wait till u get past the break in period, and u can spin the needle higher... ;D ;D
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Offline Jeremy Mitchell

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2011, 03:47:02 PM »
Welcome and have fun on your new bike.
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Offline jimmymac

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2011, 04:45:15 PM »
Congrats!
It just gets better with time. 8)
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Offline Khrome

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2011, 04:56:41 PM »
Hello and welcome.
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Offline ZedHed

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2011, 08:22:47 PM »
Quote from: danl on September 30, 2011, 03:02:44 PM

My wife and I are Kawasaki fans, we started with a Vulcan 750, and she has a Vulcan 1500 cruiser. I traded in a Vulcan 1600 for the Connie. A totally different riding style, a little to get used to but my time in the saddle today told me I made the right choice.


Dan

Another cruiser rider trades up to a high-performance super-sport-touring C14.  Like PeeWee Herman flying the Space Shuttle - LOL !!

Does anyone consider working their way up the sport bike spectrum?  I can't even imagine jumping off a low power, poor handling cruiser right to the ultimate sport-touring bike?

Go Darwin......
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Offline booger

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2011, 08:38:07 PM »
Congrats on the new scoot.  I think you made an excellent choice ;)
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Flathead

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2011, 09:03:21 PM »
Congrats and welcome aboard!!
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Offline danl

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2011, 12:44:51 AM »
Thanks for the welcome everybody!

Redbarber- I will heed your advice and give it some time before doing any comfort mods. I do feel risers are something I'll want, but I'll give it some time.

Zedhed, thanks for the vote of confidence. I especially like the Peewee Herman reference. :) I understand the power of this bike and respect it. There is no way I'm going to jump on it and start doing stupid stuff. I bought it for touring and how easy it handles. Hitting the redline isn't even on my radar, ever. Hopefully Darwin will understand that and give me a pass.
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Offline redbarber

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2011, 06:27:29 AM »
I'm not so sure that cruiser to ST is such a stretch.  Other than the riders posture, my C14 at over 700 lbs, is not that different from my Valkyrie at 900+.  Probably closer than to a 600 crotch rocket.    Put my 280 lb 5' 9" frame on a 600 class bike and I would look like a meatball on a toothpick viewed from behind.  I made the move primarily because I was curious about a term I had heard but never really experienced: "lean angle". 
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Offline gPink

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2011, 07:40:57 AM »
Quote from: redbarber on October 01, 2011, 06:27:29 AM
I'm not so sure that cruiser to ST is such a stretch.  Other than the riders posture, my C14 at over 700 lbs, is not that different from my Valkyrie at 900+.  Probably closer than to a 600 crotch rocket.    Put my 280 lb 5' 9" frame on a 600 class bike and I would look like a meatball on a toothpick viewed from behind.  I made the move primarily because I was curious about a term I had heard but never really experienced: "lean angle".
And has your curiousity been satisfied?
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Offline redbarber

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2011, 10:53:57 AM »
I'm getting there.  Still more lean in the bike than in the rider.  I love to ride the twisties, hate the slabs, but I'm still not as confident in my cornering as the bike and the awesome PR3's deserve.
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Offline jimmymac

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2011, 11:25:30 AM »
The Connie sure can rail, that's for sure. Mine feels even better 2-up.

It's really fast, too. 8)










Oh, this was about your new Bike.
Not my old one. :chugbeer:
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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2011, 01:45:27 PM »
Quote from: redbarber on October 01, 2011, 10:53:57 AM
I'm getting there.  Still more lean in the bike than in the rider.  I love to ride the twisties, hate the slabs, but I'm still not as confident in my cornering as the bike and the awesome PR3's deserve.

I think quite a few of us are in your corner...
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Offline Jeremy Mitchell

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2011, 02:20:42 PM »
You have to get acquainted with your bike and learn to trust it.  It won't happen over night, but the bike is very capable.

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Offline CADMAN97

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Re: New Connie Owner
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2011, 10:41:25 PM »
Quote from: Jeremy Mitchell on October 01, 2011, 02:20:42 PM
You have to get acquainted with your bike and learn to trust it.  It won't happen over night, but the bike is very capable.


SWEET!!!

Full tilt Connie! Nice job dude!
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