Why is mine a pig?

[rrsperry]

With all you guys saying your Connie's are great, I have to ask why is mine a pig?

Some background.
 
I've been riding since I was 12 (48 years), I currently own an Aprilia, and a 16 C14. I bought the 14 because I really didn't want to have to choose between another pair of underwear or a pair of flip flops with the single Givi 45L top case on the Aprilia.

Ok, I bought the C14 new, set static sag, (still not right), broke it in for 500 miles, changed the fluids, and then took a 1600 mile trip.

This thing just doesn't like to turn. It takes a lot of effort to start a turn, and requires a lot of effort to keep it in a turn.It may be just the C14 weighs 700+ plus lbs vs the 440 of the Aprilia, (or my previous Honda VFR) but I think there is more too it.

Oh, and the stock BT 021's are pure junk.

After talking to the Penske guys, and the K-tech guys at the NYC motorcycle show, it seems that it's probably just a geometry problem in that it doesn't have enough rear ride height, and the front forks are crap...lol

So my plan for the winter is to add ride height via a Penske shock and lose the hydraulic preload, either gold valves, and springs or the AC 20 kit, and replace the tires with PR-4 or Angel GT's... (190-55-17)

Do you guys think that will be a good start?

[B.D.F.]

The biggest single problem is the tires IMO and IME. Swap them out for something better and it will be like riding a very different (and better) bike.

Of course sport bike rubber is probably the best but this bike will eat them pretty fast. Some sport touring tires are excellent, most often given the highest marks are Michelin PR (2,3,4 but 3 and 4 are grippier than the 2's) as well as Pirelli Angel ST's or GT's. My own experience is that the Angels are better when new but lose a lot of their good manners as they wear and by the time they are half- worn they start to turn like a tank. The Michelins maintain a lot more of their handling properties all the way down to the wear bars. My suggestion would be to try a pair of either one and then try a pair of the other (whichever of them you did not try first) and find what works best for you on your bike for your riding.

Brian

With all you guys saying your Connie's are great, I have to ask why is mine a pig?

Some background.
 
I've been riding since I was 12 (48 years), I currently own an Aprilia, and a 16 C14. I bought the 14 because I really didn't want to have to choose between another pair of underwear or a pair of flip flops with the single Givi 45L top case on the Aprilia.

Ok, I bought the C14 new, set static sag, (still not right), broke it in for 500 miles, changed the fluids, and then took a 1600 mile trip.

This thing just doesn't like to turn. It takes a lot of effort to start a turn, and requires a lot of effort to keep it in a turn.It may be just the C14 weighs 700+ plus lbs vs the 440 of the Aprilia, (or my previous Honda VFR) but I think there is more too it.

Oh, and the stock BT 021's are pure junk.

After talking to the Penske guys, and the K-tech guys at the NYC motorcycle show, it seems that it's probably just a geometry problem in that it doesn't have enough rear ride height, and the front forks are crap...lol

So my plan for the winter is to add ride height via a Penske shock and lose the hydraulic preload, either gold valves, and springs or the AC 20 kit, and replace the tires with PR-4 or Angel GT's... (190-55-17)

Do you guys think that will be a good start?

[MAN OF BLUES]

 

[works4me]

It's not a pig.
It's a Kaw.

[VirginiaJim]

Usually the ones having the handling issues are not having enough air in the tires (42) or their tires are crap.  I will say that even with owning this bike since day one or so of it's inception I've never found the handling to be crap even with worn tires including the stock BTs.  Take it back to the dealer and have them look at it or get someone who knows this bike to ride and offer an opinion.

Here's a Gen 1 undergoing police trials...start looking about 1:45 in.

http://youtu.be/oFWelHXueQE

[Rhino]

Perhaps if I spent a lot of time aboard a 440 lbs Aprilla I'd think it was a pig also. But compared to my last 2 bikes, Honda VTX and Valkyrie, it's a guided missile. But agree with others, first upgrade the tires, make sure the air pressure is correct, then set the stock suspension properly. Still not going to be a full on sport bike but should be great on spirited long distance rides as it was designed.

[connie14boy]

With all you guys saying your Connie's are great, I have to ask why is mine a pig?

Some background.
 
I've been riding since I was 12 (48 years), I currently own an Aprilia, and a 16 C14. I bought the 14 because I really didn't want to have to choose between another pair of underwear or a pair of flip flops with the single Givi 45L top case on the Aprilia.

Ok, I bought the C14 new, set static sag, (still not right), broke it in for 500 miles, changed the fluids, and then took a 1600 mile trip.

This thing just doesn't like to turn. It takes a lot of effort to start a turn, and requires a lot of effort to keep it in a turn.It may be just the C14 weighs 700+ plus lbs vs the 440 of the Aprilia, (or my previous Honda VFR) but I think there is more too it.

Oh, and the stock BT 021's are pure junk.

After talking to the Penske guys, and the K-tech guys at the NYC motorcycle show, it seems that it's probably just a geometry problem in that it doesn't have enough rear ride height, and the front forks are crap...lol

So my plan for the winter is to add ride height via a Penske shock and lose the hydraulic preload, either gold valves, and springs or the AC 20 kit, and replace the tires with PR-4 or Angel GT's... (190-55-17)

Do you guys think that will be a good start?

Don't hesitate to replace the Crapstone 021 tires asap. I almost sold my C-14 because of these evil freakin' tires after 3000 miles because they wobbled and tried to high side me 2x in high speed sweepers. The best advice this forum ever gave me at that time was junk the Bridgestones and get a pair of Michelin PR's with 55 rear profile. The rest is history and 78000 miles of pure bliss. The PRs also will outlast any other tire too.

[maxtog]

Me too....  TIRES

Stock tires are crap; get some PR3's or PR4GT's when you can't stand the stock anymore and always inflate them to 42 and ride that sucker.  When my stock tires were half worn, it did get really hard to turn and sometimes even unpredictable.  I now have 85+% worn PR4GT's and it doesn't feel much different than it did when they were new (but broken in)!

So, otherwise, the C14 only feels heavy at under a few MPH, after that, it feels light, fast, and responsive.

[MAN OF BLUES]

I'm sorry, but buying my 14 in 2007, and burning the stock tire off it, it handled just fine for almost 5k miles.. stop all this B/S about the the tires, he doesn't have barely 2k on them.. they don't show the inferiority till they hit 4k, and even then, they still work...
yes, PR's are superior, and when it's time to switch, I recommend it, but man, the tires actually do work for almost 5k miles... sheesh..
 and now I get to hear about people gettting 12k out of a set of tires... which I've never seen either... meh......
swap em at 5k, and keep swapping them.. like oil changes....

[VirginiaJim]

Coming off a C10, the C14 was as nimble as a ballerina..  Totally agree with MOB on the BT's.

[rrsperry]

I'm sorry, but buying my 14 in 2007, and burning the stock tire off it, it handled just fine for almost 5k miles.. stop all this B/S about the the tires, he doesn't have barely 2k on them.. they don't show the inferiority till they hit 4k, and even then, they still work...
yes, PR's are superior, and when it's time to switch, I recommend it, but man, the tires actually do work for almost 5k miles... sheesh..
 and now I get to hear about people gettting 12k out of a set of tires... which I've never seen either... meh......
swap em at 5k, and keep swapping them.. like oil changes....

I know I don't know you guys, but.. these tires were just ok in 2004 when they were designed, but they are crap today. They inspire zero confidence in the colder temps, and wet. And the profile looks wrong.

Anyway , I'll get a set of PR-4s in the 190-55 and see if it's better.  It's only money, I'll make more. Maybe they dropped the crate with this bike and tweaked something, but it's not right. I felt better riding my friends K1200lt sport couch...lol

Just saying

[connie14boy]

I know I don't know you guys, but.. these tires were just ok in 2004 when they were designed, but they are crap today. They inspire zero confidence in the colder temps, and wet. And the profile looks wrong.

Anyway , I'll get a set of PR-4s in the 190-55 and see if it's better.  It's only money, I'll make more. Maybe they dropped the crate with this bike and tweaked something, but it's not right. I felt better riding my friends K1200lt sport couch...lol

Just saying

Like you, I've also been ridin' since Nixon, and the 021"s will bite you in the ass if you do any serious SPORT touring, which is what this bike is for. Nuff said.

[maxtog]

I'm sorry, but buying my 14 in 2007, and burning the stock tire off it, it handled just fine for almost 5k miles.. stop all this B/S about the the tires, he doesn't have barely 2k on them.. they don't show the inferiority till they hit 4k, and even then, they still work...

I didn't have problems with my stock tires until about half way through them and they were pretty bad at that point.  And yep, that was at about 5K miles.  They continued to handle worse and worse and I replaced them at 9K even though they still had lots of tread left.  So actually, my experience wasn't all THAT different from yours.  But people's tires wear differently due to a huge variety of factors.  I am up to a whopping 16K miles on the PR4-GT's now, and they still feel just fine!  To me, that is a big difference.   Maybe at 4K, he hasn't hit that strange situation on the OEM tires I (/we) hit at something like 5K, but perhaps he has.

and now I get to hear about people gettting 12k out of a set of tires... which I've never seen either... meh......

I couldn't be more pleased, myself!  I have never seen mileage like this before.  It really is time to replace them (I don't think they would pass inspection, if I ever bothered with such things) but part of me wants to push it to the limit (plus the timing isn't good for me yet).  Since I rarely ride in the wet, the lack of tread isn't a huge concern...

[just gone]

  I am up to a whopping 16K miles on the PR4-GT's now, and they still feel just fine! 

Well now you're just verbally poking MOB with a stick, don't we have rules about that sort of thing?   

[O.C.]

Reasons

1, You, and your expectations
2, Tyres(maybe OEM) Bridgestones --- they don't suit everyone
3, Tyre pressures
4, Lack of familiarity with the bike, its big compared to what you have, its a sports tourer not a naked, or sports bike

Keep trying and you will Gel with the bike very soon

[blue14]

Try PR-4's and a 55 series in the rear.  You will think the bike got power steering.

[BigAlan]

Try PR-4's and a 55 series in the rear.  You will think the bike got power steering.

Just this last week I did this after using the standard PR4GT 50 series for 28000 miles, the 55 series is yet another step up in my enjoyment of the bike.

Usually I keep a bike two years and get fed up, not this one, it's going nowhere without me sat on it.

It's a keeper for sure.

[VirginiaJim]

Better be.  I've got my eye on you...

I know I don't know you guys, but.. these tires were just ok in 2004 when they were designed, but they are crap today.

Actually, I think that they've been updated since the inception of the bike.  Not sure when but I remember something about them happening on one of the gens..

Well now you're just verbally poking MOB with a stick, don't we have rules about that sort of thing?   

I'll have to check the rule book...but I'm thinking it may not be prudent....poking MOB that is.

[sanmo]

Well now you're just verbally poking MOB with a stick, don't we have rules about that sort of thing?   

The bear could be in hibernation till spring time. Poke away to your heart's content.

[connie_rider]

No one has sed this, but do the obvious before going to a 55 series rear. (which raises the rear)
Drop the front about an inch and give it a try.
You may be pleasantly surprised.

Ride safe, Ted