Any rumored changes for 14?

[gPink]

...but..but...MCN is supposed to be immune to marketing. 

[eng943]

Yep, because marketing dollars speak very loudly.

That is a ridiculous premis. Prior to the K16 arriving, our beloved C14 was the media darling piling up all the editorial accolades. Was that "marketing dollars", or is this theory only valid when another machine manages to deserve more praise??? To that end, the C14 still gets a ton of praise....more marketing dollars??? 

Tell me...how is it that people here rave about the improvements in rideability and performance that a reflash or PCV provide over a stock C14, but then want to dismiss the K16's torque advantage? Hmm must be Guhl and Power Commander throwing marketing dollars around to forum members.

Having an engine that does have significantly more  torque does make an appreciable difference in real world performance, single or two-up. It's a perfectly valid and factual observation, and why it results in butt hurt to some is a complete mystery. 

Several posts ago, you finally acknowledge the K16 was the better bike......don't tell me BMW got to you with marketing dollars too Max? I demand a full investigation on the grounds of utter hypocracy.

[jjsC6]

I have a BMW 1600GT as some of you know, and I had a Concours.  Further, for about two months I had both bikes and alternated riding the two.  The BMW is very torquey as everyone knows.  The Concours needed to be downshifted a lot to keep up....as everyone knows. Two very different experiences.  I like aspects of both.  Love the BMW torque but wish it kept pulling to redline like the Concours does.  Frankly, its not worth arguing one over the other.

On the other hand, my new Ducati makes it a mute point, I've got them both covered....

[eng943]

I have a BMW 1600GT as some of you know, and I had a Concours.  Further, for about two months I had both bikes and alternated riding the two.  The BMW is very torquey as everyone knows.  The Concours needed to be downshifted a lot to keep up....as everyone knows. Two very different experiences.  I like aspects of both.  Love the BMW torque but wish it kept pulling to redline like the Concours does.  Frankly, its not worth arguing one over the other.

On the other hand, my new Ducati makes it a mute point, I've got them both covered....

Uh oh....more "marketing dollars" at work. Now the Italians are at it too    

[Conrad]

Uh oh....more "marketing dollars" at work. Now the Italians are at it too

 

[maxtog]

That is a ridiculous premis.

Actually no it is not.  They said it themselves- the C14 wins in 0-60.  It wins in 0-100.  It wins in 1/4 mile.  And yet the article says all that and then says that the K1600GT "still wins because its more prodigious torque"?   *THAT*, my friend, is a ridiculous premise.

They could have said "Although the C14 wins in every performance measurement, the K1600 still feels incredibly powerful."   Or they could have said "Although the C14 is faster, we still prefer the tourqey feel of the K1600".   Both would be reasonable.

... but then want to dismiss the K16's torque advantage?

Nobody is dismissing its torque advantage.  See the above statement in context.

Having an engine that does have significantly more  torque does make an appreciable difference in real world performance

Indeed it does- it allows it to almost keep up with the C14, while being very comfortable at the same time.  But it doesn't "perform better", when "perform" is measured by acceleration and track time.

Several posts ago, you finally acknowledge the K16 was the better bike.

I said if money were no object, the K16 was a better OVERALL bike and had more features.  I didn't "it is better"      Big difference.

.....don't tell me BMW got to you with marketing dollars too Max? I demand a full investigation on the grounds of utter hypocracy.

Sigh.

[VirginiaJim]

I heard that Kwak is going to remove the linked braking system with the 2014 models.  They're also adding cruise...........................and cup holders.  They're upping the powerplant to 1550CCs and wait for it..................................................................................................wait for it...
they're going to start building them in Germany.

[eng943]

Actually no it is not.  They said it themselves- the C14 wins in 0-60.  It wins in 0-100.  It wins in 1/4 mile.  And yet the article says all that and then says that the K1600GT "still wins because its more prodigious torque"?   *THAT*, my friend, is a ridiculous premise.

They could have said "Although the C14 wins in every performance measurement, the K1600 still feels incredibly powerful."   Or they could have said "Although the C14 is faster, we still prefer the tourqey feel of the K1600".   Both would be reasonable.

Nobody is dismissing its torque advantage.  See the above statement in context.

Indeed it does- it allows it to almost keep up with the C14, while being very comfortable at the same time.  But it doesn't "perform better", when "perform" is measured by acceleration and track time.

I said if money were no object, the K16 was a better OVERALL bike and had more features.  I didn't "it is better"      Big difference.

Sigh.

I see, so the magazines cannot declare a smoother engine with significantly better roll on times in top gear with very little measured disparity in acceleration between it and the C14 as the better sport-touring engine. Moreover, if they do see those virtues as being superior overall to simply being "the fastest" they are on the take from the mighty German marketing and bribery division in BMW. At least according to your critical thinking abilities.

Every article I have read gave the C14 it's due credit for best in class acceleration. Perhaps they have a more pragmatic criteria than you do for deeming what makes a better engine in a sport-touring bike, and have reasoned that a double digit advantage in torque, smoother operation, and more roll on power especially for two-up riding outweigh being a tenth or so slower down a track. Which incidentally is probably of little consideration when you want to get 1,000 miles down the road by days end.

       

[Cuda]

I heard that Kwak is going to remove the linked braking system with the 2014 models.  They're also adding cruise...........................and cup holders.  They're upping the powerplant to 1550CCs and wait for it..................................................................................................wait for it...
they're going to start building them in Germany.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

[ZG]

I heard that Kwak is going to remove the linked braking system with the 2014 models.  They're also adding cruise...........................and cup holders.  They're upping the powerplant to 1550CCs and wait for it..................................................................................................wait for it...
they're going to start building them in Germany.

And in Kawi green too. 

[Spanky]

I heard they are dropping the stock stones and going with car tires because it handles better that way. 

[maxtog]

Every article I have read gave the C14 it's due credit for best in class

I am not even sure the two are in the same class, with the K16 being 60 to 70% more expensive.  The roll seems to be the same, but price has to fit in there somewhere.

[AZBob]

I am not even sure the two are in the same class, with the K16 being 60 to 70% more expensive.  The roll seems to be the same, but price has to fit in there somewhere.

Kawasaki Concours 14 MSRP: $16,199
BMW K1600GT MSRP: $21,200

That's a difference of 31%. Still a lot, but no where near the 60-70% you mentioned.

And the Concours is only faster if you wind it out to redline. In normal riding, the K1600 is faster; in other words, in a highway roll-on, the BMW would initially out-accelerate the Kawasaki, and depending on how long the race lasted, the Kawasaki would catch-up and pass, unless the Kawasaki rider dropped to a gear that put the engine >10k RPM.

[Conrad]

Kawasaki Concours 14 MSRP: $16,199
BMW K1600GT MSRP: $21,200

That's a difference of 31%. Still a lot, but no where near the 60-70% you mentioned.

And the Concours is only faster if you wind it out to redline. In normal riding, the K1600 is faster; in other words, in a highway roll-on, the BMW would initially out-accelerate the Kawasaki, and depending on how long the race lasted, the Kawasaki would catch-up and pass, unless the Kawasaki rider dropped to a gear that put the engine >10k RPM.

Are you saying that winding the big girl out to redline isn't normal? 

[VirginiaJim]

Puzzles me a bit as well...

So if the two beasts are running 120, the BMW would out accelerate the C14?  What's the gear ratio on ours in 6th and the BMW in whatever gear it normally rides in on the highway?

[maxtog]

Kawasaki Concours 14 MSRP: $16,199
BMW K1600GT MSRP: $21,200

That's a difference of 31%. Still a lot, but no where near the 60-70% you mentioned.

They must have dropped the pricing for 2013, it was $24,540.  Plus, unless something else has changed, you couldn't buy the K1600's for less than MSRP (sometimes even more). (And the adaptive headlight, electronic suspension, and GPS are not included at that price.)   Yet anyone can buy the C14 for MUCH less than $16,199.   People are buying the C14 at $14,500 without much effort, I paid $15,000 from my local dealer without shopping around; and the diff between $14,500 and $24,540 is 69%.

And the Concours is only faster if you wind it out to redline.

True.  But that is why there is a redline.

[VirginiaJim]

  Totally agree.  Why wouldn't you use the God given power on the bike to pass someone?  Who gives a  if you have to downshift or go to redline to smoke a BMW?  You can still smoke it whenever you want to.  That's like saying you can't use your powerband because some mamby pamby BMW can't...   

[gPink]

Let it out Jim. Not good to keep it all inside.

[maxtog]

Let it out Jim. Not good to keep it all inside.

Yeah, really... tell us how you REALLY feel!

[Cuda]

They have a demo bike near me
2013 BMW K1600GT Demo Starting at $25,840 Details Tampa Bay
++ TAX
That's over $1000. in tax also
Guhl Guts Flash $325.  WAY cheaper
TROLL