Like Mr Potato Head?

You know, you really should quit posting pictures of yourself here. 

You know, you really should quit posting pictures of yourself here.

Kinda like eyes in the back of mine head, but lower.

 

Only problem I've had are loose header nuts.  Other than that it is a great bike for the money even took it to Alaska on a 9000 mile round trip.  Would I buy another one.  Definitely, in a few years, hopefully with an updated engine and a swith that will allow me to disable the link ABS system.  That is all.

 
 
Mr. Connie stock exhaust head?? 

Well. I did sell my c14. It's a great bike and I had 0 issues with it. I also sold my Moto Guzzi Griso, another great bike that I had loved. The Griso made all the right noises and it felt like a motorcycle. I loved the feel of that engine but it just had no luggage and wasn't really a two up ride as I had it set up.  The Connie was nice, loved the luggage, but it never did what the Griso did for me and so I ordered a 2013 MotoGuzzi Stelvio NTX as a bike that has the kind of engine I like but with touring capability, big panniers and such. It's no match to the Connie for outright acceleration .

Would I buy another Concours? No,  but not because it's not a good bike. It's a very good machine. Kipass on my bike was flawless, my bags didn't bounce off and I ran without the extra heat shields  on the 09 and had no complaints at all. I just like the feel of a twin and the sounds and I've come to love Guzzi's.

My first bike was a Kawasaki Avenger 350. I loved that bike! I loved my Griso and for a very long while I loved my 2000 Triumph Speed Triple but then one day I thought the Triumph was getting to be less fun and I only seemed to like riding the Speedtriple hard, it didn't lay back and chill like the Griso did. I sold my Triumph and got the Guzzi and while the Guzzi didn't have the power of the triple it always made me love winding out the gears on a back road. It sounded glorious and would thump along with a nice rumble .

So, I hope I love the Stelvio like I did my Griso. It's got more power and it's a lot of bike with heated grips, top box, alum panniers, crash bars, sump protection, aux lighting. I will miss the electric shield on my Connie and I loved the NON ABS brakes, in my opinion these were the best of any bike I've owned!
The Stelvio has abs and traction control standard but that stuff never moved me.

So, one day I said, the Griso is a great bike but the Stelvio is a better fit and then nothing much happened. Then a year later I said I think the new Stelvio can do what I want and promptly traded my bikes in to order the Stelvio. I had no real reason to do it except it felt like a better fit for me.


Vivo

The Stelvio is very nice. I read about them and I know one guy with the last version. I like the 8.5 gallon gas tank. There aren't enough dealers around me to concider buying one. I also love the 3 year warranty offered on the Kawasaki.
Enjoy it.

That Stelvio is so sexy!

My 2009 C-14 is my 27th motorcycle.  It's a good bike.  Nothing special, but a good dependable bike.  Have enjoyed riding it.   Had it for a little over a year.  I'm bored with it and will hopefully  be getting something different soon.  Don't know what.

Life's too short to be stuck with riding one kind of bike.

I've only had my 09 C14 since this past summer and put 6,000 miles on her. Only problems I've had was the dreaded valve cover oil leak at the left front corner, which i did myself....so far so good. Not happy with the crap front rotors. Gets worse as they get hotter. Kawi wont warranty  them either a --holes. That's it for me. The best bike I have ever owned was my 2001 GL1800. That thing was so bulletproof!! I miss it sometimes BUT I just gotta tell you the minor inconveniences I've had with my C14, are really nothing compared top the huge fun I have on it!! This thing will walk away from a GL1800 no problem at all!! I love the way it looks and handles. I like the fact that its not the bus like my 1800 was. Like the wind back in my face motorcycling again! Sport touring is what I really enjoy now!! I'm expecting more maintenance on my C14 compared to the Wing, but hell its so much more fun to ride! I will certainly get another one once I wear this one out which will take a while! Hope you get one, you'll have a blast on it!

There is certain times when I feel like clutching and shifting into 7th (warp speed). You need atleast a 6-speed.
There is no other bike in this price range that compares. Especially when you factor in what most of us really paid compared to MSRP. I was over $2,000 under MSRP. Honda and Yamaha dealers near me don't budge much on their prices. $500 bucks here and there.

Bam! More bang for your buck! $12,699 for my 2012.  I too had my heart set on a BMW, but you could buy 2 for the price of the K1600GTL.  I have 'bout 2.6K on mine and have had minor issues i.e. stripped nuts, not the bike's fault, but the zipper head's that assembled it at the dealer's shop.  Define your mission and then find your bike.  This isn't a cruiser, a dirt bike, a strict touring bike, a sport bike.  It's a fast/heavy tweener (sport/touring).  Luv the C14 . . .no regrets.
Bill

Bam! More bang for your buck! $12,699 for my 2012.  I too had my heart set on a BMW, but you could buy 2 for the price of the K1600GTL.  I have 'bout 2.6K on mine and have had minor issues i.e. stripped nuts, not the bike's fault, but the zipper head's that assembled it at the dealer's shop.  Define your mission and then find your bike.  This isn't a cruiser, a dirt bike, a strict touring bike, a sport bike.  It's a fast/heavy tweener (sport/touring).  Luv the C14 . . .no regrets.
Bill

Yeah but some say quality not quantity. I'm starting to like the fact the BMW version of KiPass also controls the luggage and fuel......     

But I just don't know if it has the mad POW_AH of kawasaki's to protect the bike

Yeah but some say quality not quantity.

That whole "BMW Quality" thing is just good marketing, but not reality. My experience with that marque (K1200GT)was the worst I've had out of 26 different bikes over the years. I just can't imagine the expense of keeping the 1600 with all its bells and whistles on the road. 

In the past twelve months I have bought my first German car and motorcycle - both BMWs.  I can honestly say I have never seen quality being marketed for them.  What I have seen is that they are being marketed as superior driving machines (yeah, I know that sounds hokey).  No question they have their quirks, some of which are a pain in the ass to live with (more the car than the motorcycle).  But I can tell you that so far I have zero regrets about buying the 1600GT.  And yes, it cost a lot more than the Concours.  Folks need to get over that.  They know it's more expensive and the buyers know it is.  There is no deception about the price.  A Rolex watch doesn't keep any better time than a Timex, but they sell a shitload of them at stupid prices anyway.  Not every company tries to be the low cost company.

I view the 1600 as more direct competition for the Gold Wing, than for bikes like the C14 or FJR.

In it's touring form, the beemer offers similar appointments in a roomier package than the wing.

Both the Triumph Trophy and the BMW represent a much larger class of machine, than previous types of sport-touring bikes like the connie.

They're very nice looking, but really too far off the path for my taste.

But I can tell you that so far I have zero regrets about buying the 1600GT.  And yes, it cost a lot more than the Concours.  Folks need to get over that.  They know it's more expensive and the buyers know it is

- how has yr ownership of the K16 been so far ?

- have you experienced the standard "issues" with the K16 ?

- back to back with your C14 , what are your impressions ?

- have been thinking of a K16 for a while now , but the issues and sheer complexity of the bike scared me off. Price is a non issue , but bullet proof reliability is , esp when far far from home on one of these machines. I ride often on roads which I would even have trouble giving directions to , assuming there was even a cell phone service there ....

- thanks in advance for your views

.

Bikes have become so specialized that there is no one perfect bike.  I have 5 bikes to cover my riding needs.  When I first started riding in 1981 I could cover all my riding needs with two bikes.  My XS750 could go from full touring bike to cafe racer in an hour.

I think the perfect bike for me right now would be a full size adventure bike like the Ducati Multistrada or Triumph Explorer.  But, would I risk travelling 49 states on either of these bikes?  Limited dealer network, supply of parts, etc.

I like knowing that there are Kawasaki shops all over.  Might have to wait on a part a few days, but at least it is not months.