Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Boonedawg on May 28, 2011, 10:21:03 AM

Title: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: Boonedawg on May 28, 2011, 10:21:03 AM
Today at the fuel stop I had a funny thing happen....after fueling and starting her  up I engaged 1st gear: die....did this several times....Hmmmm WHAT THE HELL.... KICKSTAND DOWN!!!!  I guess I'm not the first to have this happen.  Just a heads up
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: sherob on May 28, 2011, 10:33:34 AM
So, the C14 is your first bike?  8)
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: Shoe on May 28, 2011, 10:54:46 AM
You don't have to be a rookie. It happens to me more often than I care to admit. Darn those sidestand switches!  ::)
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: C1xRider on May 28, 2011, 12:30:21 PM
You're not alone, it still happens to me a year later.

I wish they had adopted the C10 model, where it only kills the engine once you start to release the clutch.  I am very used to putting the bike in gear, then putting the side stand up, then riding away.

Old habits are still hard to break.  :o
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: ZG on May 28, 2011, 02:48:31 PM
I sold one of my Gixxers on ebay last year, the guy had a shipping company pick it up from my house in Oregon and ship it to West Virgina.
 
After delivered to him the guy called me in a massive panic saying the bike wouldn't start...  :yikes:
 
After talking him down off the cliff it turned out he wasn't pulling in the clutch lever... I could tell he felt very stupid trouble shooting everthing imaginable for hours before he finally called me...  :nuts:   :D
 
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: Tactical_Mik on May 28, 2011, 05:24:48 PM
Happens to me when I forget to lube the side stand.  Even halfway up it still dies.  Two or three times of that and I finally make myself take the time to lube it up.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: Makz58 on May 28, 2011, 06:05:46 PM
Pulled up to the pumps accidently hit the kill switch filled up paid. WTF bike won't start finaly gave up and started pushing for home less than a block half way there noticed the position of the kill switch Duh. Homer moment for sure.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: Boonedawg on May 28, 2011, 07:00:19 PM
Newbie on a Connie but, not my first bike, have 03 Harley Vrod and a pair of Can Am Spyders.  I've left the kickstand down on the Vrod, but it still went into gear.  I've had many other bikes, four wheelers, three wheelers, boats, sports cars, campers, etc.....I'm a trained pilot by trade...just one of those MOMENTS.  I like to call them "HIGH SPEED BRAIN STALLS"!
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: just gone on May 28, 2011, 07:36:43 PM
That happened to me on a rental. I rented an '08 model just to be sure that I really wanted to buy a Connie before
I committed myself.  I was filling it up at the cheap gas place around the corner so I could return it full and then I
couldn't keep it running when I put it in gear. Must have started and killed it at least 8-10 times. I started to sweat
that I was going to have to pay for an extra day because there was only about 15 minutes left to my 24 hours.
Looking down and seeing the side stand extended I had an "ah ha" moment  :-[  and I was soon on my way.
None of my earlier bikes had side stand safety switches or hydraulics for that matter. 
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: booger on May 29, 2011, 06:11:19 AM
I forget probably more often than not
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: shotgun on May 29, 2011, 08:17:45 AM
Dang Lawyers.
Locate and snip/snip,complete the circuit if you just can't "Stand It",LOL.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: JetJock on May 29, 2011, 08:34:43 AM
Not exactly new tech. I had an ST1100 Honda for 15 years before this, and it had the same feature. I deal with it instinctively now.

For all of you bitching about it, I watched my daughter's boyfriend start up his Ninja and ride out of my driveway with the sidestand still down. I ran after him and yelled and fortunately stopped him before he crashed and ruined his day.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: bob14 on May 31, 2011, 12:13:36 PM
I shut the bike down with the kickstand...that is why I had to install the buzzer so I don't leave it turned on.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: curly on May 31, 2011, 12:37:35 PM
Since we are telling stories on ourselves, I'll tell mine. Last summer I was heading home from work on the interstate when I thought I would try out my new throttle lock. I reach across with my left hand to hold the throttle while I engage the lock and bam all of the sudden no power! I coast off the side and sit there trying to get the bike to fire and I'm getting real panicky. After about a minute of this I see that the kill switch is off. Turn it on fires right up. I had knocked it off trying to set the lock and couldn't figure it out. But what a feeling of relief when I figured out what I had done. :P
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: rar on May 31, 2011, 12:46:25 PM
Curly - I did the exact same testing my throttlemeister.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: YoDoc on May 31, 2011, 12:47:38 PM
I borrowed a Buell Blast from a buddy a few years back. He told me when I left (he wasn't coming with us) to make sure that the pavement I parked it on was as dead level as I could get. Well, we rode to a restaurant, we ate, we came out and started the bikes, and stepped away to smoke a cigarette (to give the bikes time to warm up, it was only about 40 deg out). My other buddy and I are watching the Blast vibrate like crazy, on account of being a 500cc one cylinder, and I'll be damned if that thing didn't jump off the side stand and fall right over. Stupidest thing I ever saw a motorcycle do.
Title: Re: A note to NEWBIE's... (as I am one myself)
Post by: manowarwi on May 31, 2011, 01:51:43 PM
I did basically the same thing last Friday and I've been riding for 10+ years!  I was at a friends house whose driveway is pretty steep so I put the bike in gear to park it, which I hardly ever do, then when I got out to leave, I turned the key and I didn't hear the fuel pump and only the oil light was on and it wouldn't turn over.  Of course right away all of the KiPASS stories and other electrical stories I've read here starting going through my mind and it wasn't until I tried turning the key about 3 times that it dawned on my the kickstand was still down!