thinking about a newer concours

[RiderRich]

 OK, I'm a long time member of the forum. Well the old forum anyway. I haven't joined since I've  really haven't had much time to ride or read the forum. But lately I have had a little more time. Although the C10 has been a lovely bike to own and  ride. I have been kicking around the idea of getting a new motorcycle. I've been reading the antics of the Concours14 for the last few years on and off and I do have some opinions that I will keep to myself at this point.
 I know I am new on this new forum and posting on the Concours14 sections as well. And please don't take this the wrong way in my next paragraph, since it's not meant to insult anybody in any way. With that said, I'm interested in why you like the Concours over the Sprint GT, ST1300, FJR, RT1200, etc. I'm really not interested in the dumb comments about how this bike is the best in the world at everything and the rest are old and suck. Or how the keypass rules the world and such. If your one of those people who feel a need to express this type of information, I would rather not waste your time as well as mine! Again, no disrespect is meant towards any of the forum regulars. Just a plead to keep my thread honest with pertinent and useful information to help me decide. The older Concours guys have normally been very friendly and cordial over the years. I'm hoping the newer breed of Concours guys are of the same stature.
 What I like in a bike is a comfortable, reliable motorcycle. I'm not a boy racer and do not need to lean on the tank.  One that handles well and will run at a fine pace. I don't need to get to 100 miles per hour in two seconds. I don't need to run 400 miles an hour. I do not purposely drag pegs if I can prevent it.
 How is this bike to work on? The Concours (older) is fairly easy to work on. Removing the body work makes some tasks more involved, but still not bad.
 How expensive is this bike to maintain (if I find that I have to have work done)?
 I've read about some of the quirks of this bike, with the keypass getting the most press it seems. But I'll not ask about it for fear of ruining this thread with the useless information that I would like to avoid. I'm only mentioning it in an attempt to avoid your common Keypass threads that I use to read way back when on the old forum.  But I really need to know what the true positives and negatives are on this bike. I like my old Concours and really don't need a new motorcycle. But need and want are two different things!
 What are the bigger issues that face this new motorcycle? Is it as comfortable as the other Concours. Hopefully the factory seat has improved? Basically what has gone wrong on the bikes. Thankfully the Concours has been a very good motorcycle that stayed clear of the dealer. I have been less than impressed with my Kawasaki dealers and repairs in the past. Which kind of forces you to work on the bike on your own. Lord have mercy if you have to deal with the for breakdowns and such!
 I admit that I am not very good on these computers. So my search the forum skills leaves a lot to be desired. But after I post this, I will start fishing for information through old threads. Maybe I will learn a few things when I get back on here to read this. Of course it may spawn new questions. Anyway like I said, this is my information gathering thread. I do not want to insult or offend anybody. But if you could help me with some valuable information worth our time, I will very much appreciate your efforts. Thanks.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

IMO the C14 is best blend of Sport and Touring in the segment.  The ST1300 is more touring (less fun), the Sprint is more sport (less comfortable) and the FJR just looks a little fugly to me (sorry Cap'n Bob).  And the BMW didn't have the dollar to fun ratio I was looking for.  Consider me Goldilocks and the C14 is my "just right" bowl of porridge. 

The maintenance could get a little pricey if you don't do it yourself, I consider myself an average shadetree mechanic and I have yet to have any problems (I checked but haven't adjusted my valves). 

Good luck with your decision, I don't think you can go wrong with the C14 as long as you don't mind paying for new tires a little more often.   

[RiderRich]

Thank you Jeremy. That is the type of answers I was hoping to start getting. Honest and useful.

[Awaz]

When I was out shopping, I was looking for the ST1300, the FJR, BMW 1300GT (I may have this name wrong. It is not the air cooled opposed twin, but the 4 cylinder liquid cooled sport tourer), and the concours14. The BMW dealer was about 200 miles away and is the only dealer within a 300 miles radius. So I knew right of the bat, service will be a PITA. Not to mention I potentially have to sell an organ. Researching the magazine showed that ST1300 is a pretty good tourer, but no where the power of the other 3. So, that left it to the FJR and concours14. The FJR seemed to be a reliable proven tourer. The concours14 was the new and sexy kid in the block. So decided to try concours14 first. It was a bit tall for me, but absolutely loved the ride. Kawasaki special promotion was going on and was to end in the next couple days. The dealer threw me a deal I could not resist. The yamaha dealer close by did not have a FJR in stock to try out. So I said F it and put my plastic down for the C14.
Nutshell, imo, the C14 looked to me as the more modern ST than the FJR. Hind sight, the FJR might have fit my built better, but a little tweaking of the C14 took care of it. Do not regret one bit for getting the C14...well maybe just a bit for not getting the 2010 model. Other than that, praying to God to win a lottery so I can go buy a BMW 1600GTL.

[vortex2]

I will take a stab at this and try to leave K-Pass out of it.
First let me say I have ridden all the other bikes you list, well the Sprint ST, which is similar.
Let me give you my thoughts on why I didn't chose the others.

BMW- too expensive to really fit in this group and final drive issues made me wary.
Honda- heat issues made the first gen C-14 seem cool by comparison. Down on performance too.
Sprint-  fine engine, decent bike, but VERY limited dealer network.
FJR- perhaps originally closest to C-14, but lack of updates has left it lagging technologically.

I see that performance is not really one of your main criteria. You would probably be just as happy with any of the other bikes you list as with the Concours. I have  been a Kawasaki fan since the 60's so I have some bias towards performance, which is what sets this bike apart from the rest.

Every bike has ergonomic issues. You will probably have to change the seat, windshield, and handlebars on any bike to suit you. I have never seen a stock seat I could ride for 200 miles in comfort.

In the end it comes down to combining all the factors, price, dealer availability, color, brand preference, looks, etc. Some are subjective, some not. Go ride them and see which works for you.

Kawasaki works for me.

 

[crashdb]

I pretty much agree with what everyone else said.  I owned a Sprint ST.  I loved the bike, the build quality was very good, and it made great noises.  With that said, it is more on the sport-side of things.  If that's what you're looking for than I recommend it.  I wanted something with a little more slant toward touring, but not too much. 

I also looked at the R1200RT.  While I really liked the bike, I didn't dig the price too much.  I also felt the bike was devoid of the fun factor.  The bike rode great, it looked nice, I just felt like it was soulless.  Does that make sense?  It was also the first bike I've ever ridden where I actually had enough leg room (I'm 6'4"). 

I don't know too much about the others.  I can tell you why I ruled them out before I started looking.  The ST1300 is overpriced in my opinion.  It seems to be that way with some of the Hondas.  And that was enough to steer me away from it.  I liked the FJR when it first came out, but other makes have outclassed that bike by leaps and bounds.  If I was looking around that time frame I probably would've bought one, but cried when the C-14 came out.

Jeremy put it the absolute best.  The C-14 is just right.  Maintenance can be full of cussing, but I think once you figure out how to remove all the plastic and get down to al the innards it's not at all that bad. 

I'm no boy racer either and the first time I cracked the C-14 open I knew that I wouldn't be using all the bike had very much.  But even in the lower reaches of the tach you can still have loads of fun on this bike. 

[B.D.F.]

If you are not interested in power or performance but reliability and a high quality bike, why not consider a Gold Wing? They are considerably more expensive than a C-14 when both bikes are sold new but there are some really well taken care of and immaculate Gold Wings out there. Just a thought.

Brian

OK, I'm a long time member of the forum. Well the old forum anyway. I haven't joined since I've  really haven't had much time to ride or read the forum. But lately I have had a little more time. Although the C10 has been a lovely bike to own and  ride. I have been kicking around the idea of getting a new motorcycle. I've been reading the antics of the Concours14 for the last few years on and off and I do have some opinions that I will keep to myself at this point.

<snip>

[GTRrob]

I bought my 09 Concours14 last summer and did considerable shopping around before I pulled the trigger. Let me start by saying that I am not a Kawasaki fan. I have never been impressed much by any of their other models. The bike this Connie replaced was an 03 R1. I wanted something that was still quick but also a bit more tour ready. I really wanted the ST1300 or FJR, but they just weren't right for me. I didn't consider BMW due to price alone. Money was the restriction I put on myself.

I found the ST1300 a very capable bike. I think the stock set up is much more comfortable than the FJR and Connie. I like the huge gas tank of the ST (7.7 gals!), and I love Hondas. But the model had been around since 2002 or 03 I think, and I just like to have more current technology I guess. So that left the FJR and Connie. I thought the FJR was superior to the Connie in handling and fuel efficiency, and maybe even some of its details (I liked the gauges). And I love Yamahas too. But the power, looks, Concours community, and price made the Concours the bike to live in my garage. Good luck!

[rcannon409]

What is it you are looking for in a bike?  I rode a lot of different machines before gettign my c14 and was amazed at how competent all of them were.

One thing to check BEFORE falling in love with any one of them is Insurance rates. Picking the wrong bike coudl end up costing an extra 200 per month, easy. 

I'm 46 and have 1 ticket on my record.....I endangered society by traveling 71mph in a 65mph zone in the wrong small town in Utah. Sorry for scaring everyone.   My bike choices came down to a 2011 zx10 and my 08 concours.  The concours payment, plus insurance, ended up costing less than the zx10 insurance itself.

[Mighty]

6ft or over get the 14,  Under 6ft get the FJR.  FJR is just a more refined bike.  Yes, I have owned both.

[stevewfl]

6ft or over get the 14,  Under 6ft get the FJR. FJR is just a more refined bike.  Yes, I have owned both.

So its not just me that is against the "rough Kawi fit and finish" huh!? 

Well, I can't go slow enough to ride any of the other brands/bikes discussed in this thread so i'll have to deal with it. Plus I got a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty from Kawi.  The other bike I was going to purchase (K1300GT) the dealer laughed at me when i asked him to match it.  For 7K more I just thought he should.

[manowarwi]

I just bought my 2008 C14 this year, and to be honest my last three bikes were a Honda and 2 Yamahas, so originally I just assumed I would end up on a FJR or ST1300 but I didn't for these reasons:

The FJR was an all around nice bike, however it bugged me that it was only a 5 speed.  Both times I test rode them, I noticed it right away.  All three of my prior bikes had 6 gears and I am just used to it.  Now the C14 is a 5spd with OD which to me is the best option: you have the power / speed in the first 5 gears, but on the highway you throw it in OD and its a smooth ride at a lower RPM. 

When I rode the ST1300, the first thing I noticed was it felt a lot heavier than both the FJR and the C14.  I don't know if it actually weighed more, or if it was just poor balancing, but I always make a U turn on bikes I test ride and that is the first bike I ever test road that I actually thought I was going to tip over.  Also, those little fins that stick out of the front always smacked my shins when I was moving the bike around.  I could tell right away this bike was off my list.

I haven't had any issues with my bike so I can't comment on how hard they are to work on.  Most new sport tourers are going to be wrapped in plastic and parts are going to be a pain to get to, so I'm guessing it wouldn't be any better on the other bikes you listed. 

I just got back from a trip around Lake Michigan last weekend (1000 miles), which was my first long trip on the bike and I'm totally sold on it.  I'm running pretty much stock besides a V-Stream windshield and a throttle rocker and after 400+ miles of sharp turns in a day my behind was a bit sore but I wasn't fatigued in any other way.

[Snibbor]

Honestly, all your choices are great bikes.  I ultimately did not consider a BMW due to the initial as well as ongoing costs.
I must admit, I originally planned on purchasing the FJR.  I had previously owned an FJ 1100 (liked it alot) and had ridden the FJR.  I bought the C14 because I came across a deal I simply could not refuse.  I didn't even ride it first!!  I am so glad I did.  To me, the C14 just handles better.  I am able to push it through the twisties harder and the engine is smoother.  I admit, this is primarily a subjective comment.  I find maintenance (the fairing) easier to deal with than on the C10.  I haven't tackled a valve job yet, but have done everything else on my own so far and don't find it too demanding.  (I am certainly no mechanic, if I can do it anyone can).  I definitely appreciate the Sprint ST, but as previously stated find the local support network lacking.
The Honda ST is a great bike, but way to tourer for me, definitely lacking in the wow factor when you pin the throttle.
Oh, and I have honestly had ZERO issues with the bike, its a 2008.  No kipass issues and both original TPMS monitors still work.  Anyone can end up with a lemon from any manufacturer.  You just "hear" far more comments from the few folks with problems than you do from the numerous happy customers.  Good luck with your choice.

[RiderRich]

If you are not interested in power or performance but reliability and a high quality bike, why not consider a Gold Wing? They are considerably more expensive than a C-14 when both bikes are sold new but there are some really well taken care of and immaculate Gold Wings out there. Just a thought.

Brian

I don't won't to give a totally wrong impression. Yes I like to play around. But I don't have to the baddest on the block to have fun. Yes I have considered the GoldWing. As as nice as they are, I only have room for one. The Goldwing would be nice on trips, but it might be too much for around home. Plus I really wound rather not spend $25,000+ and have 900 lbs to move around. I really do not want used if I do this. But thank you for the idea.

[RiderRich]

6ft or over get the 14,  Under 6ft get the FJR.  FJR is just a more refined bike.  Yes, I have owned both.

Interesting. I'm glad you said this. I will also look closer now at the FJR since I am a bit under 6ft. And the FJR is more refined? I will have to look at my friends a little closer now. Thanks for the honesty and definitely the rider size info.

[RiderRich]

So its not just me that is against the "rough Kawi fit and finish" huh!? 

Well, I can't go slow enough to ride any of the other brands/bikes discussed in this thread so i'll have to deal with it. Plus I got a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty from Kawi.  The other bike I was going to purchase (K1300GT) the dealer laughed at me when i asked him to match it.  For 7K more I just thought he should.

I will say that a 3year warranty is a major plus in buying a Concours14.

[jjsC6]

I've owned a ST1300, FJR and Concours now.  The ST was too boring but a competent bike for someone who liked boring, competent motorcycles.

I loved the FJR and it will probably go down as my all time favorite bikes.  It rides better, has a more comfortable seat, is far better looking (IMHO).  I only got rid of it because I put 44,000 miles on it and it was time.  I got the Concours because of the updated features and I guess it was just time for something new, and I wanted a little more performance. 

To me, the Concours does handle marginally better than the FJR (but not much) and is probably slightly faster (but not much).  It rides harsher than the other bikes and because it sits higher I had to compromise on the seat - I put a Sargent "low" seat on it.

If Yamaha would simply add a six speed and some of the features such as tire pressure monitoring and maybe traction control I would go back to the FJR.  This is not meant to knock the Concours - it's a fun bike and in many ways I really like it.

I posted these pics on another thread the other day, but these pics will give you an idea of what all three of them look like....







And here is a picture of the Concours that shows my mods to it a little better.....

[Awaz]

6ft or over get the 14,  Under 6ft get the FJR.  FJR is just a more refined bike.  Yes, I have owned both.

In my opinion, it is inseam that counts. If you are over 6ft, but your inseam is less than 30, you may not be able to flat foot the bike with regular boots. My inseam is 30 and I had to get a pair of red wing boots that have 3 inch heals to flatfoot. On the plus side, it eats bumps for breakfast. It is a behemoth - may not be like a Goldwing, but a behemoth nonetheless. It makes my HD Fatboy look like a pygmy (well exaggerated - but you get the point:D).

Most folks install the ZX14 or muzzy's lowering links to lower the bike a bit.

[jjsC6]

In my opinion, it is inseam that counts. If you are over 6ft, but your inseam is less than 30, you may not be able to flat foot the bike with regular boots. My inseam is 30 and I had to get a pair of red wing boots that have 3 inch heals to flatfoot. On the plus side, it eats bumps for breakfast. It is a behemoth - may not be like a Goldwing, but a behemoth nonetheless. It makes my HD Fatboy look like a pygmy (well exaggerated - but you get the point:D).

Most folks install the ZX14 or muzzy's lowering links to lower the bike a bit.

Eats bumps for breakfast?  My Concours rides like a dump truck on concrete roads with uneven expansion joints. 

[Deathwish]

Eats bumps for breakfast?  My Concours rides like a dump truck on concrete roads with uneven expansion joints.

I'd have to suggest that you adjust your suspension then. My 2009's ride was very plush when I purchased it. Maybe too much so. I have since bumped up my preload considerably and it is a firm ride now, but far from unpleasant.

The Concours is not a bike for short riders, out of the box. However, it can be lowered relatively easily without sacrificing much road clearance. I have owned upwards of 30 motorcycles over the years. Some I liked enough to have had three of the same bike. (early 80's GS1100 and 95 GPZ1100) I have always gotten tired of each bike I've owned after riding it for a couple of years and ended up trading for something else. The Concours is the first bike that I really believe I can hold on to indefinitely. Fits me great! With some minor adjustments, it's totally comfortable for me. Has great power and handling.

I was originally planning on buying the FJR1300 and test rode a couple of them. The FJR just felt too small for me (6'3"). The lack of a 6th gear was a real deal breaker for me as well. It also seemed that used FJR's were a little pricey when I was shopping. I ended up getting my 09 Concours with 1500 miles on the clock in the summer of 2010 for $8500 and haven't looked back!