Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: demonboy on October 10, 2013, 10:44:17 PM

Title: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: demonboy on October 10, 2013, 10:44:17 PM
Hi My name is carlos or Demonboy.....I just bought my used 2011 c14 from a dealer in bend....Love it...looking to improve my seat to corbin zx14 seat but hey its all good right now.....I was wondering if the LsL bar kit fits c14s after 09 and up? Does anybody know this bike? Or who made the carbon fiber wrap?
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: maxtog on October 11, 2013, 05:32:29 AM
I also moved from a [proper green colored] ZRX-11 to a 2011 Concours :)
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: ZG on October 11, 2013, 09:28:15 AM
Does anybody know this bike?




I wondered what happen with that bike, it was on ebay the other month but never hit the reserve $, seems the seller must have traded it in to a dealer eh? I like the paint job he did which is what caught my eye on his ebay listing.  8)



Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: demonboy on October 11, 2013, 09:32:38 AM
I got it for 10k the reserve was 10.2 But it was at a dealership
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: mntbiker-junkie on October 11, 2013, 09:51:02 AM
Congratulations on the new Connie and welcome!
I like the ELR ZRX and have been on an impromptu hunt for one.  Having never ridden one, a couple of questions:
1)  Is it a pretty versatile bike and do you ride it much?
2)  How is the reliability?

For reference, I have an 08 C14

Thanks, Tony
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: demonboy on October 11, 2013, 01:32:21 PM
Tony buy one .......you'll be a happy man
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: maxtog on October 11, 2013, 05:26:31 PM
I like the ELR ZRX and have been on an impromptu hunt for one.  Having never ridden one, a couple of questions:
1)  Is it a pretty versatile bike and do you ride it much?
2)  How is the reliability?

The ZRX-11 was fairly versatile, but without any fairings, I would freeze when the temps were below 60, no matter how much I wore.  I also found it to be not very reliable- valves would get out of adjustment easily and frequently and dealing with the carbs was a total pain and what ultimately made me replace it with the Concours.

I have a LOT of fond memories across the decade I had the ZRX, it only really started totally screwing up the last few years I had it.  But I will now NEVER own a non-FI/non-ABS bike.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: TallyRex on October 12, 2013, 03:19:42 AM
Congrats Demonboy.  I'm a big fan of the ZRX and have 2 of them.  They are incredibly reliable, if you treat them decent.  My 03 with 56,000 miles has been perfect.  I do the valves every 12,000 miles (usually only 1 or 2 needs a small adjustment), change the oil every 3-4,00 and have never touched the carbs and she runs great. My 01 has 62,000 with pods, jet kit and full Muzzy, a true hooligan bike.

Bought the 12 C-14 in January for touring and winter weather protection. Nothing like shaft drive when you're on the road.  I'm headed out to Tennessee this morning, my first real tour on the Connie, and I'm pumped
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: maxtog on October 12, 2013, 05:42:35 AM
Congrats Demonboy.  I'm a big fan of the ZRX and have 2 of them.  They are incredibly reliable, if you treat them decent.

I hope you are not implying I didn't treat my "decently"...  It seems most of the problems started shortly after they started ruining the gas with ethanol.  I wasted many hundreds of dollars on personal, dealer, and non-dealer tech trying to get it fixed.

Maybe I just had a problem child and it is not typical for the bike... I don't know.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: mntbiker-junkie on October 12, 2013, 10:15:01 PM
Thanks for the opinion on the zrx.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: TallyRex on October 21, 2013, 04:06:46 AM
I hope you are not implying I didn't treat my "decently"...  It seems most of the problems started shortly after they started ruining the gas with ethanol.  I wasted many hundreds of dollars on personal, dealer, and non-dealer tech trying to get it fixed.

Maybe I just had a problem child and it is not typical for the bike... I don't know.

Sorry - I was out of town - took the C-14 up to Tenn.

I was not implying that YOU mistreated the bike.  If the bike sits, the ethanol will fck up the carbs.  I ride each of mine at least once a week and the only time I put more than 2 gals of gas in is when I know I will be riding all day
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: Cuda on October 21, 2013, 04:43:42 AM
LSL's on a 2011
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: maxtog on October 21, 2013, 05:35:48 AM
I was not implying that YOU mistreated the bike.  If the bike sits, the ethanol will fck up the carbs.

Well, that was certainly a factor, then.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: bacaruda on October 21, 2013, 01:26:57 PM
I run the same setup as Tallyrex: two Z-rexer and a concours.

The reason to have 2 Rexes are simple: You allways have one to ride while the other is farkled  :)

The only problem I have with my main rex are due to my own fault. Fitting Keihin FCR carbs can lead to some tuning issues......
Easy to maintain, straight forward mechanics. lots of fun mods to do. Easy to find cheap extra HP. Great in the twisties. Not so great on the highway....
Otherwise I truly love my REX and will probably newer sell it.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: rocknrod on October 21, 2013, 09:20:03 PM
I was wondering what satin black would look like. Looks great  ;)
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: bacaruda on October 22, 2013, 01:50:51 AM
I was wondering what satin black would look like. Looks great  ;)

Agree.
Both the C-14 and the Rexes looks fantastic :)
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: TallyRex on October 22, 2013, 03:52:38 AM
Cuda,

That's a great lookin ZRX. The Euro bikes are sometimes different than the ones we get in the States.  Have you done something with the forks?
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: bacaruda on October 22, 2013, 04:24:00 AM
Cuda,

That's a great lookin ZRX. The Euro bikes are sometimes different than the ones we get in the States.  Have you done something with the forks?
Thanks.
yep, the ZRX R-version with bikini fairing is rather rare, at least in Sweden wheres the naked ZRX1100 and ZRX1200S-version with half fairing where the models sold in numbers by Kawasaki Sweden. Both mine and my brothers ZRX1100R are imported from Germany (more common there) . My other ZRX1200 is originaly a S-version with fairing brackets on the frame (will soon be cleaned from those).

The fork has been modified with a little help from some people at Ohlins. Ohlin springs, micropolished inner tubes with TiNi-coating and modified valves. The outer tubes where stripped from paint and polished to match the swing arm. Added a Posh fork stabiliser.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: ZG on October 22, 2013, 11:00:59 AM

The fork has been modified with a little help from some people at Ohlins. Ohlin springs, micropolished inner tubes with TiNi-coating and modified valves. The outer tubes where stripped from paint and polished to match the swing arm. Added a Posh fork stabiliser.




 :P :thumbs: :cool: :)
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: farmerjoe on November 02, 2013, 10:40:35 PM
Hey Carlos, here's the place I was talking about having your seat rebuilt at

http://billmayer-saddles.com/contact/ (http://billmayer-saddles.com/contact/)

(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/zrxoajoe/ZRXOA/29b50c72.jpg)

And I LOVE my ZRX1200. LOVE it
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: ZRX631 on December 09, 2013, 09:56:08 PM
Congratulations on the new Connie and welcome!
I like the ELR ZRX and have been on an impromptu hunt for one.  Having never ridden one, a couple of questions:
1)  Is it a pretty versatile bike and do you ride it much?
2)  How is the reliability?

For reference, I have an 08 C14

Thanks, Tony

Another ZRX/C14 guy here. My ZRX will never leave but I was surprised how many miles I put on the Connie this year.

A friend of mine has a really nice 03 ZRX for sale in Alabama with only 10K on it. He's probably asking a little above the usual 3 grand but it is piped and jetted with good gear and he is a meticulous maintainer. Career helicopter guy like me as well.


Anyway, plenty of good ZRX's out there if you are looking, I'm currently building one from a pile of spare parts.

demonboy , It looks like C10 did a black out job on that Connie or maybe JohnT as both have blacked out bikes similar to that. Looks good!  There are a whole lot of ZRXOA guys that now have C14's as well.
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: Zrexrob on December 10, 2013, 04:03:21 AM
Dangit now im starting to miss my ZRX :)
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: maxtog on December 10, 2013, 05:40:10 AM
Dangit now im starting to miss my ZRX :)

Me too

But it is easy to remember the good stuff and forget about all the bad stuff.  The carbs, alone- what a pain in the ass...  no fairings...   constant chain maintenance....
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: demonboy on May 21, 2014, 10:08:56 PM
So murph tells me the LSL kit doesnt fit the 11 c14.....because of all reasons  the wiring wont reach the length of the bars.....so now I see in a few pics it does .....so what gives?
Title: Re: newbie 2011 c14 and zrx hooligan
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 22, 2014, 04:28:51 AM
Murph would be correct.  Their website only mentions 07-09 which is strange as here in the US our bikes go through 08-09, then the 10+ upwards.  In looking back at your beginning post you mention 09 and upwards which is wrong.  File this in the back of your mind, 08-09 and then 10+.    One can get into trouble crossing the generations although many parts are the same.