First bike

[BallstheCat]

Hello everyone. I'm looking for some advice on a 2000 Kawasaki Concours 1000 as a first bike. I am 6 feet 290+ pounds looking for a bike that can haul me around, carry stuff for long distances and be comfortable doing it. The thing is, I dont really have a lot of riding time under my belt. I have used my friend 250 dirt bike maybe once for twice, drove a 4 wheeler a couple times and so one but never really a full blown motorcycle. Would a 2000 Kawasaki concours 1000cc be a good option?

[Boomer]

The biggest problems you'll have with the C10 are that she's very top heavy, and is covered in plastic.
On a naked bike with basic drop protection, you won't damage the bike much.
On a fully faired C10 all that plastic will break like peanut brittle.
Whilst a used C10 can be cheap enough you might be better off with a naked mid-size bike for the 1st year or so.

If it has crash bars already fitted, then yer good to go, but otherwise Murphskits are currently out of stock on the front bars, and I don't know of another
supplier. That said, it's your money and your choice as always.

[maxtog]

This probably should be moved to the C10 forum

[VirginiaJim]

And that's where I intended it to go.....

[connie_rider]

You didn't mention your age?
Because of your size, a C-10 would be a good bike for you.
But, a 1000 cc bike is a lot of bike to learn on.
If you go with a C-10, be very careful.

Regardless of what you buy, I suggest the "Basic" motorcycle training class before setting out on anything.
They start basic; ie This is the clutch/etc and how to operate it.
As you have rode a little, that may sound too basic. But, it isn't.

Ride safe, Ted

[maxtog]

 

It is very good to get some motorcycle training, if you haven't (before, during, or after you get your license, but before you hit the road for real).

[VirginiaJim]

I went from a much larger bike (Voyager XII) to the C10 (2002).  I think it's a fine size to start with.  It's not a super performance bike compared to the C14 but it has adequate performance.  Going through the MSF courses are worth every penny for a beginner.

[KawaiiSake]

No... just... no...

Just bought a C10 this weekend after 3 years of riding my Ninja, and let me tell you if I had been in the situations I struggled with on the Ninja but on the C10 instead, I'd be dead.

It's a huge, unwieldly machine. I know the many-miled C10 owner across the forums will tell you she's more nimble than she looks, but its just REALLY not true. This is a purpose-built machine meant for long distance traveling in comfort and with 2up. If you want a bike to learn on and have fun ripping around town on the weekends, look elsewhere. Not saying you can't have fun on a C10, but you'll have significantly more fun on something smaller and simpler.

also 6' 290 lbs is fine for almost any bike larger than a 250cc. you may want to tune the suspension to your weight but that's about all you'd need to do.

[m in sc]

^ have to agree. id consider a KLR650. you can luggage it out to death and they are pretty much bulletproof.  However, depends what you mean by 'long distance'.
However, the C10 is a bargain basement price bike to get into it with. I get that, for sure. But its no sport bike.  If you think it suits you, have at it.

[gpineau]

I agree. The C10 is not meant to play around town.....Unless....

I bought my first C10 on the recommendation of one of the other members here. I was going to get a Honda touring bike but he suggested a C10 instead. I have regretted it ever since  but it is hard to admit when you have made a bad decision. I am 5'4" and this bike is just too damn big and heavy.  I sold the first one but I still had one that I had purchased for parts. Turns out that it had a bad valve and after changing the head I ended up with a second perfectly good C10. On a dare I converted it to fuel injection and it was a lot of fun doing it but still it was too big for me.  So I got some lowering links and cut about an inch off the seat. I can now ride it without too much trouble.  BUT...in a weak moment browsing craigs list I picked up another C10 that had be cut down to just the frame and motor. Now without all the plastic on it is looked pretty rad and I   modified it for EFI . Then I lowered it an inch and a quarter and cut an inch off the seat.  Installed pull back risers and  honda magna handle bars.   

I still have both of them but I don't like the stock one so much. But I love the naked connie. It is fun to ride. It's very nimble and steers like a sport bike with a lot more power.

[VirginiaJim]

I didn't have any issues with maneuvering my C10 around even with two up.  My first bike was a 1981 SilverWing 500cc.

[m in sc]

I'm pretty short, 5"8 w a 30" inseam and i can maneuver both of mine pretty well. (stock height on the bike as well). anyone with over a 32" inseam should be able to deal with this just fine IMHO, especially at your size. 

[gpineau]

I'm 5'4" with a  28 inseam. There are many bikes that I can not ride without leaning on one side at stoplights. The only reason I can ride my Connies is because I have lowered both of them and shaved an inch off the seat. I agree you need to have higher that 32 inseam in the minimum to ride a stock C10. Bothe my other bikes are short seats. The Vstar is 27 and the magna is 28. I can ride those with no problems at all.

[m in sc]

i CAN GET BOTH FEET DOWN W A 30" inseam. and at stock height, but just barely. (not both flat) .02

My ex father in law has a 26" inseam and rode a stock c10 for 10+ years. i have no idea how he did it.

[cra-z1000]

Hello everyone. I'm looking for some advice on a 2000 Kawasaki Concours 1000 as a first bike. I am 6 feet 290+ pounds looking for a bike that can haul me around, carry stuff for long distances and be comfortable doing it. The thing is, I dont really have a lot of riding time under my belt. I have used my friend 250 dirt bike maybe once for twice, drove a 4 wheeler a couple times and so one but never really a full blown motorcycle. Would a 2000 Kawasaki concours 1000cc be a good option?

This is a bit much for a first bike for sure . The other thing is maintenance . Are you pretty savy with doing work on bikes ? These older bikes require quite a bit of basic maintenance and repairs . It's getting hard to find mechanics that can and will work on our old carbureted beasts....at least ones that will do it right .

[connie_rider]

This is a bit much for a first bike for sure . The other thing is maintenance . Are you pretty savy with doing work on bikes ? These older bikes require quite a bit of basic maintenance and repairs . It's getting hard to find mechanics that can and will work on our old carbureted beasts....at least ones that will do it right .

I agree!

Ride safe, Ted

[m in sc]

my 1st bike was an 81 dohc cb750. (and it was a pile) if you scale it down, its about what i started out with person size vs bike size.

oddly, only 2 crashes i ever had was on a 350... 25 yrs later. lol.

 

[jim-d]

Sadly, have to agree

I bought mine on day one.  Hated it from day 2 until the day I got rid of it.  Gave it away to the Salvation Army.

It is big, too heavy for one person to push.  Hard to maneuver, buzzy and in the end, it let me down with crummy carbs and a hydro lock.  And the heat riding it was unbelievable and it scared the crap out of me every time I got on it.

Not to mention all the voodoo about balancing shafts, special oil in the tank, doing maintenance on value engineered parts, valves and everything else I fell victim to over the years.

Not a beginner bike. 

[DC Concours]

Damn, if I had known all this I wouldn't have bought this bike. But how else would I have gotten to know you all?

The bike is a bear to handle in city traffic. The carbs are very stupid and gets clogged easily. I have lawnmowers with far better carbs.

If you are on the highway and gong straight it is a good bike for that. Maintenance is fairly easy except for the carbs. Used parts are readily available on ebay. These bikes are dirt cheap for what you get actually and if cared for will last a long time.

[works4me]

If it was easy anybody could do it.
Riding a C10 separates the men from the boys.
Some people shouldn’t ride motorcycles.
It it big? I’ve had bigger.
Is it heavy? I don’t carry it, I ride it.
Owning a C10 has made me a better rider
because of its limitations.
And it’s maintenance has made me a better mechanic.
However, I still wouldn’t recommend it for a first bike.
You only have to drop it once to realize the folly in that.
Spend a year riding something indestructible like a
XR650L and then move on to a C10 for a long time relationship.
You’ll be glad you did.