Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: BMahar on May 10, 2012, 08:30:45 AM
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Hi All;
I rode up to Shasta City in Northern California on Thursday May 3 rd and had the Russell Day Long Seat custom made on Friday May 4 th.
Rode home to the Central California Foothills on May 5 th and 6 th. A ride of just over 500 miles taking Hwy's 36, 89 and 49. Great ride and one of the most comfortable 500 miles I've ever ridden. The Russell Seat and the 2011 Concours are a perfect match.
The folks at Russell Day Long Seats, Kim, the front desk person and Mike Bradford, the seat builder were friendly, helpful and did a great job building the seat to fit me.
They also gave me a loaner seat so I could tour the area while the seat was being built.
I'm including a picture of the Concours with the new seat.
Brent
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The Russell seat is one of my top three must have's. Congrats on the new seat.
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Hi All;
I rode up to Shasta City in Northern California on Thursday May 3 rd and had the Russell Day Long Seat custom made on Friday May 4 th.
Rode home to the Central California Foothills on May 5 th and 6 th. A ride of just over 500 miles taking Hwy's 36, 89 and 49. Great ride and one of the most comfortable 500 miles I've ever ridden. The Russell Seat and the 2011 Concours are a perfect match.
The folks at Russell Day Long Seats, Kim, the front desk person and Mike Bradford, the seat builder were friendly, helpful and did a great job building the seat to fit me.
They also gave me a loaner seat so I could tour the area while the seat was being built.
I'm including a picture of the Concours with the new seat.
Brent
I just got mine last week. LOVE IT, but I found it a bit of a reach to the bars despite risers and wedges due to the increased seat height. I just received setback risers today and will be putting them on probably tomorrow. Have you noticed the same and what do you think you will do to improve it?
Funny side note. Typically I put the bike on the centerstand and I rock it forward while sitting on the seat to take it off the centerstand. First time I tried that with the RDL, I just could not do it! The seat raised me up about an inch and it was just enough that I can't completely flat foot the bike so I could not generate enough forward force to get it down! I found it pretty funny. It took me a couple of tries before I got it down. Love the seat.
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Best seat for the C14. I had basically the same seat on my C10. After riding the C14 for a few miles from the dealer, I had the Day-Long on order. Took me a few weeks to get it (this time I had the heater option added - it's great!). Now have ridden over 26,000 miles in comfort. Adding over 10,000 miles this summer as well.
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I just got mine last week. LOVE IT, but I found it a bit of a reach to the bars despite risers and wedges due to the increased seat height. I just received setback risers today and will be putting them on probably tomorrow. Have you noticed the same and what do you think you will do to improve it?
Funny side note. Typically I put the bike on the centerstand and I rock it forward while sitting on the seat to take it off the centerstand. First time I tried that with the RDL, I just could not do it! The seat raised me up about an inch and it was just enough that I can't completely flat foot the bike so I could not generate enough forward force to get it down! I found it pretty funny. It took me a couple of tries before I got it down. Love the seat.
I also have the same problem. I have risers/pull backs on order from Ryan on this forum as the reach was just about 1 1/2 inches more forward then before the RDL Seat. Hopefully that'll fix the leaning forward situation.
Also the seat is approximately 1 1/2 inch higher and I'm on the balls of my feet instead of flatfooted. Just have to be careful where I stop that there isn't a depression where my foot will be.
The seat is so comfortable that it's worth the extra effort.
I should be getting the risers within several days. I ordered the on Sunday and they are being shipped from Michigan.
I'll let you know how they work out for me.
Thanks for the reply.
Brent
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Best seat for the C14. I had basically the same seat on my C10. After riding the C14 for a few miles from the dealer, I had the Day-Long on order. Took me a few weeks to get it (this time I had the heater option added - it's great!). Now have ridden over 26,000 miles in comfort. Adding over 10,000 miles this summer as well.
I didn't get the heated seat as I didn't think it was a necessity. I've hardly used my heated vest where I live and I ride all year.
I was torn between several different seat makers but choose the Russell due to the great write-ups they received on this forum.
I was fortunate that there was an appointment available in early May and it was a great ride up to Shasta City and back.
A friend who rode with me, strapped his Corbin on the back of his BMW and left it with them for a re-build. He should get it in several weeks as they are shipping it to him.
Thanks for the write-up on the seat. Makes me glad I got the Russell.
Brent
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I also have the same problem. I have risers/pull backs on order from Ryan on this forum as the reach was just about 1 1/2 inches more forward then before the RDL Seat. Hopefully that'll fix the leaning forward situation.
Also the seat is approximately 1 1/2 inch higher and I'm on the balls of my feet instead of flatfooted. Just have to be careful where I stop that there isn't a depression where my foot will be.
The seat is so comfortable that it's worth the extra effort.
I should be getting the risers within several days. I ordered the on Sunday and they are being shipped from Michigan.
I'll let you know how they work out for me.
Thanks for the reply.
Brent
Brent-
My risers from Ryan arrived today. I ordered them a couple weeks back, but he was out of stock. He notified me last Thursday that the new batch had just come in from the machine shop but needed to be sent out for powder coating. I assume he mailed them Tuesday since they arrived Priority Mail today. I plan to get them installed this weekend. I hope yours arrive as well.
Since I now have wedges and risers installed I plan to take a bunch of measurements with the bike as is, and then with just the current risers, then just the wedges, then stock, and then with the Ryan risers, then with the Ryan risers plus the wedges to try to quantify for anyone interested exactly what each option provides over the stock setup.
Let's compare notes once we both have them installed.
Bob (Armyguns)
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What's the height of the Ryan risers verses others? mine are 1 5/8". I also have the wedges, but my arms are still stretched to the limit. I would like to sit up a little straighter with some bend at the elbows.
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Get the Heli Horizon ST bars. I had the same problem and these bars fixed it. Pricey but worth it!! Love them!
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What's the height of the Ryan risers verses others? mine are 1 5/8". I also have the wedges, but my arms are still stretched to the limit. I would like to sit up a little straighter with some bend at the elbows.
Ryan's risers measure a full 2 inches in height and the offset to the rear is 1 inch. I'm not sure exactly what that does to the bar height as the bars move up and back but at an angle in relation to the ground. That's why I plan to take a bunch of definitive measurements with each of the options I've tried and also look at how they are affected by my two seats (RDL and Spencer's).
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Get the Heli Horizon ST bars. I had the same problem and these bars fixed it. Pricey but worth it!! Love them!
I am really hoping that I won't need to take that next step, but I am fully prepared to do it if the Ryan risers are not the solution I'm seeking. Heli is going to be up at Laconia Bike Week and is offering FREE INSTALLATION for the bars, appointment required. If the risers don't do it, I'm going to see if Heli has any installation slots available and I'm headed to New Hampshire!
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I just added the helibars to my 2008 and the upright seating position really brought out how good the Russell seat is. The new bars shifted my weight back into the "bucket" of the seat, where before the weight was forward, even while I was sitting in the designed location. Hope the risers do what you need, but if not, you won't believe how well the Russell and Helis work together.
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Those helibars are very expensive. Think I'll ask philipintexas if he's taken any orders on the ones he made.
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Since we have the same first name, can I have your seat?
I need to make a trip up there.
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Since we have the same first name, can I have your seat?
I need to make a trip up there.
I'll certainly send you the seat, a picture that is.
Before you go up to Shasta City, call Russell (800-432-9566) to make an appointment and try to get reservations at The Fawndale Lodge, 800-338-0941. About 3 miles north of Russell Seats.
They gave us a room with an attached Car Port for the bikes. Real nice folks. Be sure to tell them your going to Russell and you'll get a discount.
Bob, the risers came in yesterday and I'll be installing them today after doing some early morning mowing.
I'll let you know how it went.
Brent (the other Brent)