I'll get right to the point...
I bought a brand new 2014 Concours14 from a dealer in Monterrey County, CA. I guess I'm unusual in that the bike was bought as a work vehicle for daily use.
Within 5000 miles the bike started having ABS/linked brake issues like what many have noticed. Rear brake pedal drops, front brake grab and general unpredictable braking.
Kawasaki dealer in Fremont, CA confirmed the issue in writing. Original Kawasaki dealer in Monterrey county also confirmed the problem. Kawasaki stated this was a "know issue with ALL Concours 14 BEFORE 2016" Kawasaki also stated this is a "characteristic of all Concours 14s".
After 2 months of arguing and the CA Kawasaki rep personally riding my bike, Kawasaki agreed & paid the Fremont dealer to try to update my bike to a 2016 ABS system. They where unable to get the wiring to match so the complete ABS system was replaced with a 2014 system. The bike was fine for another 15,000 miles and then the problem came back with a vengeance.
Then around 20,000 miles I started noticing instability issues during hard braking.... Finally one afternoon while exiting Hwy880 in Fremont the right front caliper locked up while the left did not engage causing a massive steering vibration that caused the back of the bike to also start oscillating. Due to 20+ years of semi professional riding I was able to keep the bike upright and stop. Barely...
Bike went to a 3rd Kawasaki dealer in Hayward, CA and was confirmed to have a stuck right caliper...
Kawasaki has admitted that ALL Concours 14s before 2016 have ABS/Linked brake issues. Interestingly all the local police departments have also stopped using the Concours 14....
As of December 2017 we have filed suit against Kawasaki in Monterrey County court under California's lemon law based on the fact that the bike is unsafe. I've ridden bikes for 20+ years of all makes and this bike's brakes do not function correctly.
Anyone else having similar issues can contact me and I will pass along my attorneys contact info.
Cheers
If it smells like BullShirt you just stepped in, it probably was BullShirt....
First post, from someone unknown, that joined forum yesterday... that has no clue how going online and making blasting statements, and outrageous diatribe about his "pending lawsuit" (which any attorney would say... "I'm droppin' your case like a hot steamer"...) for doing so, WILL effect anu outcome of a lawsuit... simply exacerbates the BullShirt...
Lets just say this, First off,
NO Kaw rep will say
"it's and inherent problem".. period, it just doesn't happen... so that's Bull'Sht
any
Kaw factory person would already KNOW you can't swap partial components systems from newer models to older models... so the "amazing discovery of the wires not accommodating" would never even been a "discovery", because they would never OK that...multiple major components, brake ECU, Hydraulic pump/valve system,lines, wheel rotors and sensors, and programming are involved... so Bull'Sht point #2
Knowing this system inside out, as Ex-Tech Editor, that has been on the pulse of this bike since prior to it's release, and knowing the differences in all 3 versions of the braking systems, I'm just going to say "best of luck" come back and tell us "how this all worked out for you".... because it wreaks of Bull'Sht.
Or maybe I'd have to say Duck'Sht...
by the way,
since introduction in 2007, and using this, and the actual COG forum as a barometer, I can safely say I've seen less than 10 actual instances of ABS/Linked brake (combined) failure, and NONE have had this set of issues, or outcomes.
I can't speak for Kawasaki in a corporate format, but I can say that
IF you had all these issues, and IF all this documentation you say went back and forth thru Corporate channels... You would have been handed a new motorcycle, in trade for your "LEMON", just to make sure to cover the fact....
again, Best of luck