Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: jamcou2020 on February 04, 2012, 07:53:50 PM
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Hello all. My name is James I am a proud new owner of a brand new 2011 concours ebony. I was just wondering at the age of 28 am I to young for this bike? Ive lived through my sport bike years. Over 4 years and 50k logged on sport bikes. My girl and I wanted a bike that was sporty and comfortable. The GTR is by far the best bang for the buck compared to all others in its class. I am happy with my purchase and have logged almost 600 miles in two 3 days on her. I can't wait to be able to open her up to 6k. All of my friends like her but they still say its an old mans bike what do you guys think? Am I to young. Should I have gotten a zx 14 instead?
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The only "old man" bike is the bike with an old man on it, and God Bless him for riding. Ride what you want! Who cares what other people think.
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ride what you like and to hell with what anyone else says or thinks.
just think how screwed up the world would be if we all liked the same thing
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Thanks guys I don't care what people think. I love this bike it handles like a sport bike it's powerful and comfortable. The only thing that I am getting used to is the weight. I have great clutch and throttle control. So I should be able to adapt fast. I just have to remember to use the gas more at slower speeds. Shes a little top heavy under 15mph
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I was 28 when I bought my C14 (30 now). So...........no you aren't to old.
Parking lot maneuvers can take a little getting used to but I love how my C14 handles.
I can keep up with my buddies that ride sport bikes and I am the one that everyone is talking to when we stop since I am not shaking out my wrists and stretching my legs. Carrying a case of water and all the tools needed is just icing on the cake. ;D
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Do some quick research now on "CDA" Connie Droppers Annonymous. That should be your first stop. These bikes are heavy when you are between slow and stop. You'll outride all your sport rider friends and they'll be jealous of the versitility of this beast. I wish I had this thing when I was 20 for sure.
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Yes you are way too young. Now you must sell me yours for $5,000 and go buy a ZX 14. Will paypal be OK?
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Yes you are way too young. Now you must sell me yours for $5,000 and go buy a ZX 14. Will paypal be OK?
LOL!!! Thanks for the offer. I must respectfully decline. lol
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Yes you are way too young. Now you must sell me yours for $5,000 and go buy a ZX 14. Will paypal be OK?
Thank for the advice I'll go over I'll check that out right now. Does anyone have any info on Suspension set up? The bike feels a little weird when I go over bumps it bounces all over the place even while riding two up. Any advice on that??
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I was 28 when I bought my C14 (30 now). So...........no you aren't to old.
Parking lot maneuvers can take a little getting used to but I love how my C14 handles.
I can keep up with my buddies that ride sport bikes and I am the one that everyone is talking to when we stop since I am not shaking out my wrists and stretching my legs. Carrying a case of water and all the tools needed is just icing on the cake. ;D
yeah I love the storage also. I can't believe that I have heated grips and a actual windscreen!!! Its amazing what little things in life make such a huge difference.
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I was 30 when I bought mine... and I get the same ration of sh1t over the old man bike from my friends. :) I did a few young-punk mods though, and they say it a lot less now. :) I'll ride sportbikes until the day I die, but having luggage for the commute and long trips just can't be beat.
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My friend, you are too young for a ZX-14. But we all are. ;)
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I can hear your pals now..."Hey your too young for that old mans bike"
"Hey man, would you mind putting my liner in your bag, it's getting hot"
"Uh, you think you have room for my helmet, I don't want to carry it around the mall all afternoon"
"Gee, my back hurts... want to swap for a few miles"
"You rode how far last weekend?"
Or as my pal said we he got off his R6 and tried my Connie "damn thats fast"
He bought one three days later.
Enjoy!
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I was 30 when I bought mine... and I get the same ration of sh1t over the old man bike from my friends. :) I did a few young-punk mods though, and they say it a lot less now. :) I'll ride sportbikes until the day I die, but having luggage for the commute and long trips just can't be beat.
I cant think of anything to do to her other than an a slip on. The stock pipe is way to big when the bags arent on.
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My friend, you are too young for a ZX-14. But we all are. ;)
LOL yeah Im sure my driving record likes the connie better. But with all of that power she has I dont know how good I can be for long.
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I can hear your pals now..."Hey your too young for that old mans bike"
"Hey man, would you mind putting my liner in your bag, it's getting hot"
"Uh, you think you have room for my helmet, I don't want to carry it around the mall all afternoon"
"Gee, my back hurts... want to swap for a few miles"
"You rode how far last weekend?"
Or as my pal said we he got off his R6 and tried my Connie "damn thats fast"
He bought one three days later.
Enjoy!
Lol Already held my boys helmet for him yesterday in the saddle bags.
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I can hear your pals now..."Hey your too young for that old mans bike"
"Hey man, would you mind putting my liner in your bag, it's getting hot"
"Uh, you think you have room for my helmet, I don't want to carry it around the mall all afternoon"
"Gee, my back hurts... want to swap for a few miles"
"You rode how far last weekend?"
Or as my pal said we he got off his R6 and tried my Connie "damn thats fast"
He bought one three days later.
Enjoy!
:rotflmao: :goodpost:
Enjoy the Connie JC2020! :thumbs:
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... All of my friends like her but they still say its an old mans bike what do you guys think? Am I to young. Should I have gotten a zx 14 instead?
All my 'young' pals said the same thing when I got my C-10 "many moons ago". So I stow their excess crap, as they have no real saddle bags, head off into the sunset, perhaps stopping for a cold smash pack (or two... or more) along the way, and/or wait for them to arrive at the crest of a really twisty curvy road.
Screw 'em, you like the bike. Insurance is probably much cheaper too ;)
Rick
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All my 'young' pals said the same thing when I got my C-10 "many moons ago". So I stow their excess crap, as they have no real saddle bags, head off into the sunset, perhaps stopping for a cold smash pack (or two... or more) along the way, and/or wait for them to arrive at the crest of a really twisty curvy road.
Screw 'em, you like the bike. Insurance is probably much cheaper too ;)
Rick
Full coverage 60 a month I cant complain its better than 340 that i was quoted for 2011 busa.
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Hell if you're too young I shouldnt even look at mine... I got it a year ago and im only 26 ;D
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Full coverage 60 a month I cant complain its better than 340 that i was quoted for 2011 busa.
Holy CRAP! :yikes:
BBHZX12 is pretty well spot on, at least for those of us that have chosen to ride an "Olde Phart's" bike. Think we've all been there, you'll get some ribbing too ;) Utility (and speed) of the C-10/14 series trumps most everything.
I had a National Rally near Wisconsin Dells several years ago. We had a track day at a local race track. One of the instructors (TZ-250, full race prep) remarked "Whats' with these Connie owners? They pull into the paddock, remove the bags, tape up the lights/mirrors, dice it up with the big boyz, then put everything back to street stock, and head off to their room at the Hilton as if it was a normal day."
Rick
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I had a National Rally near Wisconsin Dells several years ago. We had a track day at a local race track. One of the instructors (TZ-250, full race prep) remarked "Whats' with these Connie owners? They pull into the paddock, remove the bags, tape up the lights/mirrors, dice it up with the big boyz, then put everything back to street stock, and head off to their room at the Hilton as if it was a normal day."
Rick
That's sweet Rick, I love it! 8) ;D
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Too young? No, not for the slower ebony colored bikes. After ya have a few years pick up a good '08 Neutron Silver bike, vastly more powerfull and deadly quick, they only offered her this color the first year to help out with sales, if they had started out with black, red, or blue I dont think we would have a 2nd gen C14. ;D
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Old Man bike? Old Man bike?!? If so, old men are bad-asses. 8)
"The fuel injected engine on the 2008 and 2009 models has a power output of 114 kW (153 hp) at 8,800 rpm and produces torque of
136 N·m (100 ft·lbf) at 6,200 rpm. The ram-air intake on the 2010 model increases power to 117.6 kW (157.7 hp)."
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=5857.msg68748#msg68748 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=5857.msg68748#msg68748)
"102.0 lb-ft @ 6,200 rpm"
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?id=486 (http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?id=486)
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In the end... just smile knowingly and ride briskly away. You'll never be able to explain to someone else how incredible this bike is without sounding like a blathering idiot. It's so great a feeling that you literally can't put it into words. Congrats on your excellent purchase.
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What's this old man stuff? There ain't any old men around here! You'll have to go to another web site for that!
Ask these guys. ;)
http://forum.cog-online.org/ (http://forum.cog-online.org/)
:rotflmao:
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Too young? No, not for the slower ebony colored bikes. After ya have a few years pick up a good '08 Neutron Silver bike, vastly more powerfull and deadly quick, they only offered her this color the first year to help out with sales, if they had started out with black, red, or blue I dont think we would have a 2nd gen C14. ;D
yeah I love that silver color she looks fast sitting still in that color
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What's this old man stuff? There ain't any old men around here! You'll have to go to another web site for that!
Ask these guys. ;)
http://forum.cog-online.org/ (http://forum.cog-online.org/)
:rotflmao:
LOL ;D
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In the end... just smile knowingly and ride briskly away. You'll never be able to explain to someone else how incredible this bike is without sounding like a blathering idiot. It's so great a feeling that you literally can't put it into words. Congrats on your excellent purchase.
Thank you I very happy with her. It raining here in VA now so im kinda upset. I would normally ride in the rain and not care but for reason I don't want to get her dirty. Hopefully this feeling will pass. This is the first new bike O have ever owned and the most exspensive I guess I want to keep her cherry for as long as I can
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Old Man bike? Old Man bike?!? If so, old men are bad-asses. 8)
"The fuel injected engine on the 2008 and 2009 models has a power output of 114 kW (153 hp) at 8,800 rpm and produces torque of
136 N·m (100 ft·lbf) at 6,200 rpm. The ram-air intake on the 2010 model increases power to 117.6 kW (157.7 hp)."
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=5857.msg68748#msg68748 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=5857.msg68748#msg68748)
"102.0 lb-ft @ 6,200 rpm"
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?id=486 (http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?id=486)
Wow are those numbers at the crank or the wheels?
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Hell if you're too young I shouldnt even look at mine... I got it a year ago and im only 26 ;D
lol awesome
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Holy CRAP! :yikes:
BBHZX12 is pretty well spot on, at least for those of us that have chosen to ride an "Olde Phart's" bike. Think we've all been there, you'll get some ribbing too ;) Utility (and speed) of the C-10/14 series trumps most everything.
I had a National Rally near Wisconsin Dells several years ago. We had a track day at a local race track. One of the instructors (TZ-250, full race prep) remarked "Whats' with these Connie owners? They pull into the paddock, remove the bags, tape up the lights/mirrors, dice it up with the big boyz, then put everything back to street stock, and head off to their room at the Hilton as if it was a normal day."
Rick
LOL that's so bad ass
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Regardless of age, I thought maybe I should have bought the zx 14. I took some time to get familiar with the weight of the bike, and longer still to trust the bike was going to do what I wanted. The bags are great to have and the giant windshield is amazing on a 25 degree morning. Factor in the cheap insurance and the ease of carrying a passenger. I got back on my sportbike and the question became why the hell am I leaning over the tank, racer style, in a neighborhood marked 20mph?
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When you wack the throttle you feel like you're 12. Look at the speedo and reality kicks back in. Get back to legal speed. Knowing you can turn into a 12 year old with a twist of the wrist puts a smile on your face. This also can get you in trouble really quick. Johnny law does not understand the mind of a 12 year old on a machine that has a speed limiter of 154 MPH. Not to mention you could kill yourself! Be careful with your new incredible machine. Take it to a drag strip or a track and be 12 again. I have a red 09 with 28,000 miles on her. Strebor (57 sometimes almost 13) Ride safe.
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Thank you I very happy with her. It raining here in VA now so im kinda upset. I would normally ride in the rain and not care but for reason I don't want to get her dirty. Hopefully this feeling will pass. This is the first new bike O have ever owned and the most exspensive I guess I want to keep her cherry for as long as I can
Hopefully that feeling passes. I traded a "pretty" (Suzuki M109R) bike for my C14 so I have been a "ride it rather than clean it" owner since I was always cleaning my other bike.
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What's this old man stuff? There ain't any old men around here! You'll have to go to another web site for that!
Ask these guys. ;)
http://forum.cog-online.org/ (http://forum.cog-online.org/)
:rotflmao:
:stirpot: :rotflmao:
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Funny that both my 21 and 25 year old sons find reasons to take the old mans bike out when they are home. Must make them feel mature.
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Your friends will get smart one day.........and open that beast up, there is no stupid break in procedure "let er rip"!!!!!
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Wow are those numbers at the crank or the wheels?
About right for crank numbers. If you back calculate crank HP based on posted wheel dyno results, it's roughly in the 165 hp to the crank range.
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Thank you I very happy with her. It raining here in VA now so im kinda upset.
OMG- Yet ANOTHER Virginian! Why are there so many of us on this forum???
Yep- I was all excited to take the Connie out yesterday morning, but got delayed. When I was ready, the temp starting falling and rain. Blech. Looked at the forecast- yep, the same all through the weekend. Oh well.
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I'm 27 and have had my connie for 2 years.... nope, not too young.
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I am 60, but both my sons can't stop coming by when I have the insurance on the bike. Both are bikers, and said that they would not buy a C14 yet. So why when they ride over on their GS800s are they fighting over who is going to ride my bike :D
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Naaa, you're just wise beyond your years!
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When you wack the throttle you feel like you're 12. Look at the speedo and reality kicks back in. Get back to legal speed. Knowing you can turn into a 12 year old with a twist of the wrist puts a smile on your face. This also can get you in trouble really quick. Johnny law does not understand the mind of a 12 year old on a machine that has a speed limiter of 154 MPH. Not to mention you could kill yourself! Be careful with your new incredible machine. Take it to a drag strip or a track and be 12 again. I have a red 09 with 28,000 miles on her. Strebor (57 sometimes almost 13) Ride safe.
I don't think Ill take her to the drag strip. If I feel then need for reckless speed Ill bring the TL1000 out of the stable. I beat this sh*t out of it for 2 years and its still running good. My Connie is going to stay as nice as I can keep for as long as I can keep her nice. Shes a lady I must treat her like one. LOL.
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Hopefully that feeling passes. I traded a "pretty" (Suzuki M109R) bike for my C14 so I have been a "ride it rather than clean it" owner since I was always cleaning my other bike.
M109R was on my short list of bikes. The Connie beat it out because of it practicality.
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OMG- Yet ANOTHER Virginian! Why are there so many of us on this forum???
Yep- I was all excited to take the Connie out yesterday morning, but got delayed. When I was ready, the temp starting falling and rain. Blech. Looked at the forecast- yep, the same all through the weekend. Oh well.
Yeah man this weather up here has sucked I was going to ride her in tonight to work but my girl said that there was a snow/rain mix last night and Vdot threw salt all over the road again. So Ill take the avalanche tonight and wait till the salt clears off the road. I mad that mistake last year with my TL and it started to rust because I didn't get all the salt off. Not going to make the same mistake this time.
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Funny that both my 21 and 25 year old sons find reasons to take the old mans bike out when they are home. Must make them feel mature.
;D
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M109R was on my short list of bikes. The Connie beat it out because of it practicality.
Practicality and performance is why I traded for the C14. It makes me smile everytime I ride it.
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Am I to young for a concours???
KiPass insures no one is too old or too young for a C14 (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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I'm 24. I bought my first Connie when I was 21. I think your fine.
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I'm 24. I bought my first Connie when I was 21. I think your fine.
;D
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Went from FZ1 to C-14. I am 38 oh, is that to old for sport bike. ;) Ride what you want enjoy it. Live your life and enjoy it.
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I am 35 with a concours and love it. I think age has nothing to do with it as it has to do with maturity. You are mature when you realize no matter how stupid everyone else thinks you look, you understand the function of it and dont care.
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My son's 16 and I let him pace on Connie sometimes. Like others have said, ride what you wanna ride man! Whatever floats your boat...
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I bought my C14 last year when I was 28. To be honest I probably would have bought a ZX-14 if the insurance didn't cost 5X as much as it does for the Connie but I'm very happy with her and love the luggage. I've been riding about 2.5 years. I've gone from EX500-->VFR800-->FZ1-->C14 in that period of time.
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I bought my C14 last year when I was 28. To be honest I probably would have bought a ZX-14 if the insurance didn't cost 5X as much as it does for the Connie but I'm very happy with her and love the luggage. I've been riding about 2.5 years. I've gone from EX500-->VFR800-->FZ1-->C14 in that period of time.
That's a nice progression there... :thumbs:
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I'm 40 and don't have my Connie yet "wife wont let me" but I do run around the yard with my arms extended out in front of me making noises like VROOOOOOOM....screeeech...and every now and then a BooooWaHHHHH.....bubbbmmmm pop pop... I think I'm wearing her down. May have pushed C14 arrival up from may to march! Cant wait ....Ride what makes ya feel good!
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Got back to riding last summer, after a 15yr hiatus. Overwelmed by all the great choices and had little idea of what I really wanted. Bought 6 bikes in the last 10months. 2 trade-in in last 3months:
ZX10R -> Sprint ST 1050 -> C14
At this rate, I'll be riding Goldwing this summer, Road King trike in the fall, and visiting the ScooterStore for a motorzied wheelchair by years end.
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now thats funny :P
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Got back to riding last summer, after a 15yr hiatus. Overwelmed by all the great choices and had little idea of what I really wanted. Bought 6 bikes in the last 10months. 2 trade-in in last 3months:
ZX10R -> Sprint ST 1050 -> C14
At this rate, I'll be riding Goldwing this summer, Road King trike in the fall, and visiting the ScooterStore for a motorzied wheelchair by years end.
:rotflmao:
But at that rate, you'll have to get your wheelchair on the "won't cost you anything" Medicare plan because you won't have any cash left.
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I'm 40 and don't have my Connie yet "wife wont let me" but I do run around the yard with my arms extended out in front of me making noises like VROOOOOOOM....screeeech...and every now and then a BooooWaHHHHH.....bubbbmmmm pop pop... I think I'm wearing her down. May have pushed C14 arrival up from may to march! Cant wait ....Ride what makes ya feel good!
:rotflmao:
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I'm 40 and don't have my Connie yet "wife wont let me" but I do run around the yard with my arms extended out in front of me making noises like VROOOOOOOM....screeeech...and every now and then a BooooWaHHHHH.....bubbbmmmm pop pop... I think I'm wearing her down. May have pushed C14 arrival up from may to march! Cant wait ....Ride what makes ya feel good!
No ABS?
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I'm 40 and don't have my Connie yet "wife wont let me" but I do run around the yard with my arms extended out in front of me making noises like VROOOOOOOM....screeeech...and every now and then a BooooWaHHHHH.....bubbbmmmm pop pop... I think I'm wearing her down. May have pushed C14 arrival up from may to march! Cant wait ....Ride what makes ya feel good!
I was about that same age when I bought my first bike, a GL500. I told my wife that I needed a change. It was either a mistress or a MC. She went with the bike. Neither of us has regretted that decision. Little did she know, however, that the bike has become my mistress. After buying it I would take very long rides enjoying the experience. Come to find out in later years she thought I was having an affair.....I was, of course, with the bike.
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I was about that same age when I bought my first bike, a GL500. I told my wife that I needed a change. It was either a mistress or a MC. She went with the bike. Neither of us has regretted that decision. Little did she know, however, that the bike has become my mistress. After buying it I would take very long rides enjoying the experience. Come to find out in later years she thought I was having an affair.....I was, of course, with the bike.
She must be glad you didn't get one of these:
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A little over the top....midlife, for here...
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A little over the top....midlife, for here...
Since I had to use my imagination on the link that was posted by MidLifeCrisis, I assumed the worst and laughed pretty "hard". ;D
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Oops, my bad. I just assumed that what was kosher for broadcast TV was okay here too. Then again, SNL does push the limits. That "car commercial" spoof was one of the funniest I can remember.
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Since I had to use my imagination on the link that was posted by MidLifeCrisis, I assumed the worst and laughed pretty "hard". ;D
I had to use my imagination too and saw something totally different... :P
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A little over the top....midlife, for here...
??? I missed it! :banghead:
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Yes, you did... ;)
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:-X :grouphug: ;)
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Anyhoo, since I was guilty of taking this thread too far astray, I will try to redeem myself and steer it back on topic...
A little more than a week of owning my C14, I've already met up with 3 other C14s on my commuter route. One of them was exactly the same Candy Red '09 as mine. One I had a pleasant chat with at the local CycleGear store parking lot, and the gentlemen was older than I am. The other two I rode together only briefly but "appear" to be older than I am. So all in all, it's nice to feel youngish amongs my fellow C14 riders.
Definitely better than feeling like an old man on the ZX10R all leathered up and barely cracking the speed limit, when these twenty-sumthin's wail by at 90mph on their 600 supersports with jeans, sneakers and T-shirt flapping in the wind.
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Anyhoo, since I was guilty of taking this thread too far astray, I will try to redeem myself and steer it back on topic...
Don't worry about that, it happens all the time. In fact, we encourage it.
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it IS a good 2 up bike .
I never thought it was very sporty though.
Although it does have good power, just not suitable for twisties .For me anyway. Just to damn heavy.
Lighter is just so much more fun.I realize many love this bike I just could not bond.
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I agree on with the bike not being light, but in most cases there is no real disadvantage to it being heavy. Obviously it wont snap around like a supersport, but wind coming off of an 18 wheeler has very little effect on the bike. The handling is amazing...just more effort needed than my sv650.
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I'm 27, and was the youngest Concours rider at the 2011 national. I ride a 2000 C10, and I'd argue that that's more of an old man's bike than yours! (Still love it though!)
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No.
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No.
No? Non? Pourquoi "no?"
What is thiiiiis? HEY!
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Sorry about that chief. I was responding to the OP. Had a brane freeze. 27 is a fine age. I was 27 once and that was over 27 years ago.