The manual is fixed!

[maxtog]

I and others have been joking for years about how horrible the Owner's Manual is for the Concours 14.  It was one of the worst examples of English I had ever had the displeasure of trying to comprehend (for a major purchase).  This was especially perplexing, since all the other materials (service manual, website, marketing stuff, inserts, labels) were all proper/fine.  I even wrote Kawasaki a letter explaining how unacceptable it is to have a manual for their most complex bike that can't be understood.

It occurred to me that I had never followed up on it and continued to joke about it.  So I looked at the 2013 manual and compared.  Yep, they fixed it.  Here is a quick example:

Before: After the meter operation check, leaving the throttle completely closed, push the start button.

After: Without holding the throttle grip, push the starter button to start the engine.

A big improvement.  There are many such examples.  I also noticed some expanded and different warnings.  Seems they also replaced certain words- for example, they appear to have replaced every word "flash/es/ed/ing" with "blink/s/ed/ing".

So I suggest if anyone was frustrated and confused before and didn't fully read the manual or just didn't understand it.  Try again now.  http://www.kawasaki-techinfo.net/showOM.php?view_lang=EN&spec=US&book_no=99987-1748&lang_code=EN

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any way to download the manual, only view them, because it pushes just small sections to your PDF viewer and downloads new sections as you read them   I also did not look back at the previous years to see if more than just the 2013 manual was fixed.

[Spanky]

 

Mom Kawi has not been perfect with customer response on this bike, but they have done very well in bike improvement over a few short years. I can't remember a manufacturer putting focus group ideas for improvements into effect in only two model years like Kawi did from the 08's to the 10's. Now if we could just get a new customer rep for the few people who have had legitimate problems with their bike, I would rate Kawi as excellent in overall customer responsiveness.

Anyway, very nice to hear that they responded and fixed the problem.   

I don't want to name names, but:  Kawasaki Customer Representative
From all of the postings I have seen on here, I am very glad I have not had to deal with him.

[Conrad]

You mean,

Mark?   

[Spanky]

Yes. Fortunately my 09 is the norm and I have had zero problems in over 45k miles. I do feel for the people who have had to deal with him. There have been too many separate instances for the issue not to be him being the back end of a horse. I think it is a shame. Kawi should fire him and put someone in that position that would take care of the few people that have problems - I feel that would be a benefit for all concerned.  From a financial perspective, all the money they have invested improving this bike has to outweigh the increase in costs kawasaki would incur to properly take care of the few warranty issues that Mark has dealt with. The small extra cost would be well worth the customer loyalty that would create.

[connie1]

A big improvement.  There are many such examples.  I also noticed some expanded and different warnings.  Seems they also replaced certain words- for example, they appear to have replaced every word "flash/es/ed/ing" with "blink/s/ed/ing".

Changing flash to blink screws the rest of the world up.  My lights flash and my eyes blink.  I always giggle a little when you Americans call them blinkers.
'Just a sec, I've got to go out to the lorry and pop the bonnet, I left a spanner under there.'
We had Australians as neighbors for a year...we speak the same language but I needed a translator for most conversations.

[maxtog]

Changing flash to blink screws the rest of the world up.  My lights flash and my eyes blink.  I always giggle a little when you Americans call them blinkers.
'Just a sec, I've got to go out to the lorry and pop the bonnet, I left a spanner under there.'
We had Australians as neighbors for a year...we speak the same language but I needed a translator for most conversations.

I am really not sure why they made that particular change.  For lights, "flash" and "blink" are both widely used in the United States, I don't really see one being better than the other.

As for flats, lifts, lorries, bonnets, and torches; and pretending the letter "z" doesn't exist; and adding lots of unnecessary vowels in certain colorful words... well...

[VirginiaJim]

I am really not sure why they made that particular change.  For lights, "flash" and "blink" are both widely used in the United States, I don't really see one being better than the other.

As for flats, lifts, lorries, bonnets, and torches; and pretending the letter "z" doesn't exist; and adding lots of unnecessary vowels in certain colourful words... well...

Fixed it for you.

[Pokey]

Somebody needs a hobby. 

[stevewfl]

Somebody needs a hobby. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

[CrashGordon]

For lights, "flash" and "blink" are both widely used in the United States, I don't really see one being better than the other.

I've always heard that flashing lights are off more than on and blinking lights are on more than off. Not sure if there's any technical truth to that, but it sounded good to me.

[martin_14]

colourful

Fixed it for you.

you beat me to it! 

[maxtog]

colourful

you beat me to it! 

You realize that I did use the word "colorful" intentionally....

[Makz58]

You mean,

Mark?

I think his brother lives up here in Canader...or they were trained at the same Asylum.LOL

[Flathead]

Somebody needs a hobby. 

Apparently I need a hobby as well.... Snowing today so I can't ride so I pulled down the 2013 Manual, put it back together and added bookmarks to the index.

However, it is 5.43 MB so I can't upload it
Happy to email it out or if an admin can PM me I'm happy to share so that it can be uploaded.

[VirginiaJim]

Sent a pm to you...

[Flathead]

Emailed you a copy Jim

[VirginiaJim]

Got it.  I've got to talk to Rick to see if we can make an exception to the size.  That's what's killing it now.  I tried to compress it more but that didn't work.

[Flathead]

No worries Jim. Max, the technical editor, found a couple of paging issues so it's not ready for prime time just yet. I'll send you another copy tonight. I was able to shrink it down some more as well but still not below the size limit.

[kurt1305]

Oh, it has been worse before.  Back when Japanese products had the same standing as Chinese junk does today, translations were often humorous. 

From a 1965 Honda Manual:

At the rise of the hand of the policeman, stop rapidly.
Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him.

When a passenger of the foot hove in sight, tootle the horn trumpet
to him melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage
tootle him with vigor and express the word of mouth the warning "Hi! Hi!"

Beware the wandering horse that he shall not take fright as you pass him.
Do not explode the exhaust box at him. Go soothingly by or stop by the roadside till he pass away.

Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport in the roadway.
Avoid entanglement of dog with your wheel spokes.

Go soothingly on the grease-mud, as there lurk the skid demons.
Press the brake of the foot as you roll around corners to save the
collapse and tie up.

[gPink]

That's funny stuff.

Welcome to the forum.