Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: timbo on September 26, 2011, 05:58:19 PM
-
Well I just put a down payment on a 2011 silver abs connie today. It is in the crate. They are putting it together tomorrow and I'm picking it up wed morning. I'm coming from an 08 Suzuki M109R cruiser. Hope I like the connie as much as you all do. The cruiser was killing my tailbone with my feet out in front of me. I think with my feet under me is going to help a lot! I will post some pics when I get it. Already got a list of mods I'm wanting to do.
-
Congats on the new bike. I like mine :chugbeer:
-
Awesome! Hope you love yours as much as I love mine!
-
Way to go!
-
Seems like a lot of Connie owners either came from an M109R or have one as well as the Conk. Never rode one, but they look like a nice ride.
-
Congrats, enjoy the ride.
-
I had a 109 a few bikes ago... great bar hopper... sucked on the highway to me, you ride in the position of a sail :o I think you will like the 14... I have the 11 silver also :thumbs:
-
Glad to hear that everything worked out. Have fun with your new bike.
-
Seems like a lot of Connie owners either came from an M109R or have one as well as the Conk. Never rode one, but they look like a nice ride.
Does look nice, if you are into that chrome/twin stuff. But the Concours is so DRASTICALLY different. About the ONLY thing the two bikes share is having two wheels and a shaft drive. Should be interesting to see what he thinks after he has adjusted :)
-
Does look nice, if you are into that chrome/twin stuff. But the Concours is so DRASTICALLY different. About the ONLY thing the two bikes share is having two wheels and a shaft drive. Should be interesting to see what he thinks after he has adjusted :)
You are correct that they are different, but I wanted something more practical that I could ride hard and still take my wife with me comfortably. C14: Utilitarian, yes........ sexy, no.
-
Talk about chrome, here is a pic of my 109. I have it sold, the guy is picking it up Fri. I love the bike, it is just not comfortable to ride long distances. It will be nice not to have all that chrome to clean after every ride!
(http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/tkchaser/IMG_3382.jpg)
-
I had a cruiser and the chrome took 25 hours a day to keep clean. One thing you never get tired of, is people with chrome bikes telling you how little time it takes to clean/shine it up. Crapola.
-
I am really looking forward to you getting your bike. (let me explain)
I currently ride a Vulcan 900LT and even with a Mustang touring seat, about 40 miles and my tailbone
is killing me. I do have some back problems so I was thinking I may have to quit riding.
Then a friend was telling me the problem could be the forward foot postion and a bike like his FJR, where
your feet are up under you may solve my problem.
Well being a Kawi guy my whole life I am very interested in the C14.
Im just not ready to pull the trigger till I hear from more people with back issues.
So please let us know about the tailbone pain.
-
I am really looking forward to you getting your bike. (let me explain)
I currently ride a Vulcan 900LT and even with a Mustang touring seat, about 40 miles and my tailbone
is killing me. I do have some back problems so I was thinking I may have to quit riding.
Then a friend was telling me the problem could be the forward foot postion and a bike like his FJR, where
your feet are up under you may solve my problem.
Well being a Kawi guy my whole life I am very interested in the C14.
Im just not ready to pull the trigger till I hear from more people with back issues.
So please let us know about the tailbone pain.
What about a test ride on an ST bike? Shouldn't be to hard to find a dealer with a used bike or two that you could take for a spin.
-
Congrats Tim! :chugbeer:
-
What about a test ride on an ST bike? Shouldn't be to hard to find a dealer with a used bike or two that you could take for a spin.
exactly my thoughts... In any case, even if the OP had experience with other bikes that offer different body positions, he still should try the C14 (or any bike, for that matter) before buying it.
-
I am really looking forward to you getting your bike. (let me explain)
I currently ride a Vulcan 900LT and even with a Mustang touring seat, about 40 miles and my tailbone
is killing me. I do have some back problems so I was thinking I may have to quit riding.
Then a friend was telling me the problem could be the forward foot postion and a bike like his FJR, where
your feet are up under you may solve my problem.
Well being a Kawi guy my whole life I am very interested in the C14.
Im just not ready to pull the trigger till I hear from more people with back issues.
So please let us know about the tailbone pain.
Will do.
-
Got her home safe and sound!
-
Congrats! :chugbeer:
Another former M109'er here. I'll admit I miss that big 'ol thing but I love my C14. 8)
2011
(http://www.stevenferris.com/dragon2011a.jpg)
2010
(http://www.stevenferris.com/dragon2small.JPG)
-
Congrats Timbo, you gave up a beautiful 08 LE but you will enjoy a huge improvement in comfort with room to take along all those needful things.
I also came off an 08 LE 109, I miss that bike but the C14 is just awesome. Tomorrow I'll be riding mine from Little Rock to just east of Abilene, Tx. to see mom and then back home on Sunday, if I still had the 109 I would be dreading the ride, with the 14 I am looking foreward to it because I know my legs and back will still have some feeling after a 900 mile round trip.
Enjoy your new ride.
-
Congrats Timbo, you gave up a beautiful 08 LE but you will enjoy a huge improvement in comfort with room to take along all those needful things.
I also came off an 08 LE 109, I miss that bike but the C14 is just awesome. Tomorrow I'll be riding mine from Little Rock to just east of Abilene, Tx. to see mom and then back home on Sunday, if I still had the 109 I would be dreading the ride, with the 14 I am looking foreward to it because I know my legs and back will still have some feeling after a 900 mile round trip.
Enjoy your new ride.
Thanks Excavator. I love the 9 but for me it just killed my tailbone just after 100 miles. It was not a bike you could ride any long distance for me. I love the riding position of the Connie! Now just add some risers and a new confy seat and I will be set. Oh and maybe an exhaust system too ;D
-
Congrats!
-
I am really looking forward to you getting your bike. (let me explain)
I currently ride a Vulcan 900LT and even with a Mustang touring seat, about 40 miles and my tailbone
is killing me. I do have some back problems so I was thinking I may have to quit riding.
Then a friend was telling me the problem could be the forward foot postion and a bike like his FJR, where
your feet are up under you may solve my problem.
Well being a Kawi guy my whole life I am very interested in the C14.
Im just not ready to pull the trigger till I hear from more people with back issues.
So please let us know about the tailbone pain.
I commute daily 86 miles round trip. The morning is stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for the last 30 minutes. The C14 is fine on my stock seat. I start to get a little discomfort on rides about 150 miles or longer. I can tolerate it for a tank (about 225 miles). then I have to get off and rest my butt. But 40 miles is never a problem.
-
Congrats!
+1! 8)
-
I am really looking forward to you getting your bike. (let me explain)
I currently ride a Vulcan 900LT and even with a Mustang touring seat, about 40 miles and my tailbone
is killing me. I do have some back problems so I was thinking I may have to quit riding.
Then a friend was telling me the problem could be the forward foot postion and a bike like his FJR, where
your feet are up under you may solve my problem.
Well being a Kawi guy my whole life I am very interested in the C14.
Im just not ready to pull the trigger till I hear from more people with back issues.
So please let us know about the tailbone pain.
I know your pain... literally! I too was on a 900LT, and could not ride it more that 30 min without horrible back pain and my ass was on fire. I got rid of that for a C10, and now I have the C14. Having your legs up under, and leaning forward takes all the pressure off your back. Best decision ever!
-
Man that is great to hear.
Now I gotta get a test ride on one, and then convince momma ;D
-
I second what Caffeine said. I have a couple of bad discs in the lumbar and one in the thoracic. I've taken some pretty long rides, and my back is never the sore body part. For me it's the butt, and will be eventually remedied with a better seat! Congrats on the new ride! 8)
-
Man that is great to hear.
Now I gotta get a test ride on one, and then convince momma ;D
Where are you located? MO or AR Ozarks?
-
Congrats!!
-
Yeah, Flippin, AR I'm about 15 miles from Push Mountain Road if you have heard of it.
There are a ton of videos on youtube of it. I have never been to the dragon in NC
but I sure some of our roads would be close to it.
-
Yeah, Flippin, AR I'm about 15 miles from Push Mountain Road if you have heard of it.
There are a ton of videos on youtube of it. I have never been to the dragon in NC
but I sure some of our roads would be close to it.
AR 341 is one of my favorite roads. I will be down there next month to hit 309 (Mt Magazine) and Pig Trail and whatever other great roads Arkansas has to offer. There really aren't any bad choices. This will be my third trip this year and 6th overall since last year when I first started riding.
Hopefully you can find a dealer that has a used C14 since that is the easiest way to get a test ride. If you can't find one I would let you take mine for a spin as long we have a "you break it, you bought it" agreement. But be warned, you will want one as soon you get off of my bike.
-
Well I just put a down payment on a 2011 silver abs connie today. It is in the crate. They are putting it together tomorrow and I'm picking it up wed morning. I'm coming from an 08 Suzuki M109R cruiser. Hope I like the connie as much as you all do. The cruiser was killing my tailbone with my feet out in front of me. I think with my feet under me is going to help a lot! I will post some pics when I get it. Already got a list of mods I'm wanting to do.
Wow...this is the exact same reason I switched from HD cruiser to a sport tourer. Only use my cruiser around town or short stint of no more then 60 - 70 mile round trip. By then my tail bone is mush.
One thing I would like to point out though is that initially the pain changed from tail bone (cruiser) to my wrist with my hands going numb (C14). It was just a very different posture for me and found myself putting most my weight on my hands. A few things and suggestions from good members helped me out tremendously and I do not experience them at all:
1) First is to get some tennis wrap and wrap that grip. For $10, this is an awesome mod to relieve a lot of pressure. That grip is pretty hard. Probably suits some folks, but not me.
2) Learned to relax my grip more and hold on to the bike with my legs against the tank.
3) Got a cramp-buster (another $10) for the long rides. Some people say it is not good for spirited riding - but it does not matter for me because I got a permanent governor siting behind me.
4) Phil's wedges or any decent bar risers helped me have a bit more relaxed posture than the factory position of the handle-bars.
-
Yep AR 341 that is Push Mtn Road.
Sad to say the guy who use to take pictures and put them on the web for sale.
Does not do it anymore, terrible story.
-
Yep AR 341 that is Push Mtn Road.
Sad to say the guy who use to take pictures and put them on the web for sale.
Does not do it anymore, terrible story.
What happened, I noticed he wasn't there either of the times that I was there this year. I figured he just wasn't there that particular day.
-
What I heard 2nd hand, but I believe to be reliable.
Is that he was driving his pickup out to the spot he sits in.
And some kid on crotch rocket crossed the centerline in a curve and hit him head on.
It threw the kid up into his windshield and killed the kid.
And the Push Mountain Pics guy felt guilty that him out there taking pictures
was encourging people to ride faster than their ability.
So he quit taking pics and took his website down.
I had stopped and talked to him many times he was a good guy.
He had told me about a couple people who had wrecked right in front him
when he was taking pictures. You know trying to get that maximum lean photo.
-
Bummer :-\