Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: geebo on March 17, 2012, 12:39:23 PM

Title: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: geebo on March 17, 2012, 12:39:23 PM
I've been lurking around the forum for about six months now and just wanted to introduce myself. I sold my SV1000S late last year and much to the disappointment of my sportbike buddies, I decided to move more towards the sport touring route. I was torn between a Duc Multistrada 1200s and the C-14 and decided to go with a 2011 c-14 in black... It's cheaper to buy, own, and maintain; I personally loved the look of this bike since it came out in 2008; and I found the ergos more comfortable for my style. As with other owners in their 30s, I was accused of buying an old man's bike, but I didn't mind. It's been four months since I got the bike and I love it more and more each day. Coming off a v-twin, it is so damn smooth and powerful and so easy to ride fast. I love being able to move the windscreen to full up for cold 40 deg mornings and fine tune it during the day to direct airflow to exactly where I want it. The on board computer is awesome. Linked brakes took a bit to get used to, but I don't mind it now. The handlebar position is perfect for me and the heated grips are definitely a treat. I could go on and on, but I would be preaching to the choir.

Thanks to this forum, I've added a few things:
Tankslapperz protection kit
Techmount titanium center mount
Reflective tape kit for saddlebags (I do a lot of riding at night and was convinced when I saw a Connie pass me in my cager with this reflective tape - very bright!)
Battery tender pigtail

Next purchase is probably a carbon AreaP slip on (great customer service in answering all my questions via email and seems to be the best value overall) and some LED light kit for the rear (leaning towards the admore lightbar). I'm also considering jumping in on the MC enterprise group buy as this bike is damn heavy and I've already put my foot down on some slow speed u-turns (emabrassing for a former MSF ridercoach).

I'll post some pics soon.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: VirginiaJim on March 17, 2012, 12:55:57 PM
Welcome!
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: maxtog on March 17, 2012, 01:11:54 PM
Welcome!!!
Don't fret what your buddies think.  The C-14 is no slouch and your happiness is far more important.  Besides, 4 cylinders are twice a nice.

+1 on the Admore :)    http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2505 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2505)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: W14 on March 17, 2012, 01:47:24 PM
Congrats and welcome.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Makz58 on March 17, 2012, 02:05:34 PM
Welcome...congrats on the new bike.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: ZG on March 17, 2012, 02:56:16 PM
Welcome GB!
 
But...
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/cdsioduyf8we.gif)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Rhino on March 17, 2012, 03:07:25 PM
Welcome and congrats!
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: geebo on March 17, 2012, 03:12:04 PM
Welcome GB!
 
But...
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/cdsioduyf8we.gif)

I know I know... I'm actually away from my bike for a few days and it's killing me. I'll get a pic up as soon as I can.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: stevewfl on March 17, 2012, 05:55:40 PM
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/avatars/welcome5_smilie.gif)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: momo65 on March 17, 2012, 09:24:23 PM
First of all congrats on the new bike, the wife and i took a four hundred mile ride thru Wisconsin today, little windy but i think everyone on two wheels was having the same slap in the face (wind) problem lol, the thing about people saying that this bike is an old's man bike to me is bull, take her down the curvy's and i bet your friends will be wondering how in the heck you did what you did with this bike, after a few rides this is what is going to happen, rule one you are going to love it, second rule, if you were too old you would not be on two wheels? right, and third if you love to ride it does not matter if you have a concours,honda,goldwing,harley,norton,suzuki,,,,,etc. it's all about being on the road and waving to your two wheel riding brothers....... just my two cents
p.s. am from Minnesota but if you ever in wisconsin and near the city of Nelson, you have to make a stop in this Creamery called of course Nelson's creamery, just a few miles from the city of WabashA (GRUMPY OLD MAN), the ice cream and cheese will blow your socks off. keep the rubber on the ground peace.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: IRULE on March 17, 2012, 09:45:07 PM
Congrats. 

Just in case you are looking for a way to protect your bike.  This Group-Buy will end 3/23/12.

Take care.

here is the link:  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7206.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7206.0)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: CADMAN97 on March 18, 2012, 09:00:05 AM
Old mans bike...no way! There are lots of us here in our 30's, myself included.

From one 30 something to another...Welcome!
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: vwtom on March 18, 2012, 07:47:24 PM
Me too geebo, I found a used 2010 and am also loving the forum all the good information.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Conrad on March 19, 2012, 05:16:15 AM
Old man's bike? No way!

Stock, these bikes are capable of mid to high 10's in the quarter mile, that's some fast old men man!
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: jamcou2020 on March 22, 2012, 01:50:38 PM
Old man bike I don't think so. Im 28 and I love to ride. I paid more for my brand new black 2011 concourse than I did for my car. I used to ride a TL1000S that's the sv1000s cuzin. I still own and love that bike. When I came home with the connie all of my sport bike friends thought I was jokeing. They all admitted that is was a beautiful bike but since it was a concourse they said that I wasn't old enough to ride it.  I did alot of research before I bought a new bike. I wanted a bike that was comftable, powerful, looked fast, was fast, could handel all types of weather, had heated grips, saddle bags, a big windscren, could handle two up ridding for long periods of time, had tons of storage space and was shaft driven. The concours handels all of those task and more. When I ride with my friends I keep up with them with no problem in the straights and the twisties. When its time for a break Im the one that has drinks, granolla, bars, chips, water, a medical kit and more. Let's see my friend on his cbr 1000 carry all of that. My friends all love the connie now. 
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: wipfel on March 22, 2012, 02:05:59 PM
welcome from one new connie owner to another!
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: geebo on April 24, 2012, 08:39:11 PM
I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by bringing up an old thread, but I did promise that I would post pics once I put the new exhaust on.  So, here you go.  Five months later and I still love this bike and have no regrets.

Before...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a241/gilbesa/DSC_0236.jpg)

After...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a241/gilbesa/DSC_0249.jpg)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: maxtog on April 24, 2012, 08:56:24 PM
I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by bringing up an old thread,

Absolutely not.  It is preferable to add to existing threads than creating new ones :)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Jeremy Mitchell on April 24, 2012, 09:15:02 PM
Welcome, hope you are still enjoying your C14.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: ZG on April 24, 2012, 09:49:14 PM
I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by bringing up an old thread, but I did promise that I would post pics once I put the new exhaust on.  So, here you go.  Five months later and I still love this bike and have no regrets.

Congrats on losing that ugly massive potato launcher GB!  :thumbs:
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: maxtog on April 25, 2012, 03:56:27 PM

Congrats on losing that ugly massive potato launcher GB!  :thumbs:

You mean the totally cool, impressive, bike-matching OEM muffler :)
Of course, his replacement looks good, also.
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Son of Pappy on April 25, 2012, 06:50:20 PM
Anyone care to know why exhausts are silver on the ends and black in the middle?

Great, I'd love to explain :)

The pipe is silver, rushing the exhaust gases to the pipe, the beginning of which of course is also silver, once the exhaust hits the black portion the gasses are slowed to an extent of almost hushed silence, the end cap is silver to speed up those slowed gasses, making room for more exhaust.  Just more proof that Silverdammit is the fastest color ;D ;D ;D ;D  Jay tried to camoflage his speed enhancers by adding dual exhaust, but the truth is out, it's still a black bike, quite similar in nature to Hardley Davison :o 8)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: ZG on April 25, 2012, 07:44:55 PM
Anyone care to know why exhausts are silver on the ends and black in the middle?

Great, I'd love to explain :)

The pipe is silver, rushing the exhaust gases to the pipe, the beginning of which of course is also silver, once the exhaust hits the black portion the gasses are slowed to an extent of almost hushed silence, the end cap is silver to speed up those slowed gasses, making room for more exhaust.  Just more proof that Silverdammit is the fastest color ;D ;D ;D ;D  Jay tried to camoflage his speed enhancers by adding dual exhaust, but the truth is out, it's still a black bike, quite similar in nature to Hardley Davison :o 8)

 
 :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
 
Truth is Chet that the end cap on the potato launcher is silver to resemble a butt hole...  :o ;) ;D
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: maxtog on April 25, 2012, 08:14:41 PM
Truth is Chet that the end cap on the potato launcher is silver to resemble a butt hole...  :o ;) ;D

I am not even going to ask...
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Son of Pappy on April 25, 2012, 08:22:29 PM

 
 :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
 
Truth is Chet that the end cap on the potato launcher is silver to resemble a butt hole...  :o ;) ;D
Maybe in Portland :yikes: ;)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: geebo on April 25, 2012, 11:06:11 PM
You guys crack me up.   ;D

I really was surprised how much lighter the AreaP exhaust was compared to the stock exhaust. I was even more surprised to discover that the AreaP is actually just as quiet as the stock exhaust at highway cruising speed, but just a little louder and so much better sounding at idle. The sticker on the can was pretty cheap looking and just didn't look right on it, so I took that off right away. A simpler, smaller logo on a metal badge would be nice, but would probably drive the cost up. 

The carbon fiber is a really nice look and I'm fairly confident that it alone adds about 5hp to the fastest color Concours 14.  ;)
Title: Re: New owner of 2011 C-14
Post by: Conrad on April 27, 2012, 07:26:22 AM
You guys crack me up.   ;D

I really was surprised how much lighter the AreaP exhaust was compared to the stock exhaust. I was even more surprised to discover that the AreaP is actually just as quiet as the stock exhaust at highway cruising speed, but just a little louder and so much better sounding at idle. The sticker on the can was pretty cheap looking and just didn't look right on it, so I took that off right away. A simpler, smaller logo on a metal badge would be nice, but would probably drive the cost up. 

The carbon fiber is a really nice look and I'm fairly confident that it alone adds about 5hp to the fastest color Concours 14.  ;)

The CF really looks good on these cans. I thought you had a black bike?    ;)