As far as the price difference is concerned, I am finding a C14 is around $16k, an an R1200RT is around $21k. But if maintenance is $1,500/year more on the C14, then after year three, the RT becomes less expensive.

If you belong to Costco they have a powersport program where you can buy a new Concours from a supporting dealer for $13,655 plus local tax and DMV fee's. After you complete a survey they toss in a $250 Costco gift card. Worth the price of admission to join. If you don't want to join use this information as a tool to get your local dealer to come down in price.

I have owned both bikes and I think they are so different that choosing one is more about preference than specs.

I did not like the BMW (which I bought to replace a K bike that I had owned for 15 years and loved). I traded the R bike in after 6 weeks.

I really like the C14, but I ride with a bunch of BMW R bike pilots and they would not ride anything else.

So my advice is to get some good time on a C14 and then go with your gut. (Try looking at some private used sales. The owners usually tolerate test rides and you just might find a good deal.)

The C-14 is more comparable to the K bikes than the R bikes. I had an '06 K1200GT and it was truly a money pit. I've never put so much money into bike maintenance and repairs into any of the other 24 bikes I had owned prior to it.  Sorry, but from my experience, I will never own another BMW. So far (knock on wood), my C-14 has cost me nothing but farkle money.

I think about 2 or 3 months ago, Cycle World Magazine did a comparison article about the two bikes. Yamaha was at my local dealer for a Demo Day. I drove the FJR, what a difference and I'm glad I got the C14 instead. Another local dealer had a Can-am Demo Day and I was able to test drive those also.
Call your local Kawi dealers and see who has a C14 Demo. That is how I was able to test ride a 2012 C14.
Depending on your bike purchasing timeline, visit you local BMW dealer and see if they have a bike you can test drive. Act like you ready to buy but undecided on what model, they might let you ride a used bike to make the sale. Its worth a try. 

In March 2008 I bought a '08 RT and had it for 2 years, in which I drove less than 5000 miles. In March 2009 I've got my C14, so during one year I had both on the stable.

During that time I did 10000 miles to the C14 and 400 to the RT. They are just different things. My girlfriend likes the rear seat of the C14 better, and considered the RT to be a car with 2 wheels. Pretty good comparison, actually.

The RT allows you to go at your pace and see more of the landscape, with a more relaxed, touring position. The Kawasaki puts you in more of "attack-mode" and explore the boundaries of your comfort-zone, with the knees in a tighter angle and a harder suspension. Me? I love the Kawa, but it's just me. I never "clicked" with that boxer engine: noise, vibrations, torque... everything seemed wrong. Again, to me. If you like it, then that's the bike you should get.

Maintenance wise, I can't say anything bad about the BMW, but I had it very shortly. The Kawa can be expensive if you do all the non-sense in the manual, like checking your valves every 15000 miles or whatever it says, or changing those Iridium spark plugs every 7500 miles. Even my dealer (Kawasaki official dealer) refuses to change the spark plugs sooner than 15000 miles. Oil changes and such can be done by you if you fancy it. I don't. I let the bike at the dealer instead and get loan bikes to try, and enjoy driving instead of wrenching, specially because my garage is useless, unheated and poorly lit, and another 170 cars park there in the building.

To wrap up, the upside of (or the reason for) a higher maintenance is that you get a much higher performance bike, and that needs more attention. Just like a Tomcat needs more looking after than a Cessna 172.

My 2cents...
I rode a 1150rt that was my lady friends and the surging and lean spots from about 4800 rpm down were so bad that I taught myself Motronics and fiddled with it until I got it to run correctly.

I still do not like the constant/variable pull to the right due to crankshaft orientation that is inherent in all boxers.

This bike had power brakes.... WTF !!!      An answer to a request that no one made I suppose.

I did like the high center of gravity that the boxers have as it allowed the bike to lean over fairly fast.
The engine felt pretty good after tuning it and I got it to make an honest 80 hp on a dynojet 150.

The bike had a nimble overall feeling to it which the connie seems to lack.




I bought the connie......(obviously)

Fretka

I rode a 1150rt[...]This bike had power brakes.... WTF !!!      An answer to a request that no one made I suppose.

Are you kidding?  How can that possibly be useful or needed on a bike??  Wow

I think it came in the trailer towing package.   

Yeah for your HD bike.

I loved my RT, if you follow the maintenance requirements at the dealership, it will drain your wallet.  My wife and I thought it was much more comfy, but I decided it wasn't sporty enough.

when my dealer talks got serious about the c14, they let me take it out. I'd already ridden an FJR for 40 minutes and got on the c14 and knew in 20 minutes it was what I wanted. I could have gone out a lot longer but there was no need.

My dealer has a 3 year prepaid maintenance plan that covers all scheduled services including parts like plugs, filters, gaskets, fluids etc. The only exception is synthetic oil- you pay the difference. There is no limit on how many services a year you can have done. It was about $1700 for the 3 year deal for the C14. I've had 3 services done since 10/1/11 and those services would have totalled around $900. I'll easily have 2, if not 3 more services before the 1st year of the agreement, including the valve adjust one which is supposed to run around $700. So in 1 year I will have paid for the price of the plan, making the next 2 years basically free.

We have the same plan on my wife's vulcan, and renewed it. Her bike is around $800 for the 3 years since the maintenance isn't as hard. She averages 3-4 services a year.

For people who ride a lot it's a good deal. If you only do 1 service a year on your bike then it's not a good deal, but there are plenty of people who ride that way too and that's where they make their money. For me it's nice knowing that the work is being done per the maintenance schedule by qualified mechanics, and if anything goes wrong it's on them, not on me.

Well, you guys convinced me.  I'm going with a C14.

Well, you guys convinced me.  I'm going with a C14.

I'll get one too. Do you know of a good forum?

I rather like the ZG/GTR forum, but they are a bit fanatical...

Gee! you guys are making it real hard ! My original choise and ALMOST pulled the trigger on a roto tiller with the mufler cut off! That thing sounds SWEEEET !! I even found a NICE bicycle seat to strap on it !

Any suggestions amongst my peers on here how I may be able to get a dealer to allow me to do this?

It's sad that you are having a problem in this area, however understandable it might be from a dealer's point of view.

I was told at a motorcycle show that the closest dealer to me did have a demo available to try. However I liked the price at
another dealer better. The difference in price was much more than a rental, and 24 hours was much better than 20-30 minutes.
I was able to rent a Concours14 for a day to help cement my decision. If you Google Motorcycle rental Concours14, I think
you'll find a few places around the country to rent one. Including travel expenses it may cost you about what a valve clearance
check would. Still much less than what your loss would be if you made the wrong decision. I rented from here and I recommend them, but to be honest it's a bit warm here now. Unless travel prices are a factor, I think I'd rent in Colorado. 

I had an R1150RT, really nice ride, kinda vanilla.  What led me to go with the 14 was the cost of the ABS break service.  Put me over the top, I always had the services done on time by the dealer, quite spendy, but my time was worth more.
My comparison is easy, RT plush for touring, quite buzzy, but in the PNW it was the cats paw, stayed dry when moving, toes to nose.  I didn't find any differance in slow speed handling, just a differant finese.  The 14 is a full blown ice cream sunday.  I ride 20k+ a year, hit the track twice a year for an Advanced Street Skills class as a coach, do lots of slow speed stuff, and tour when the schedule allows it.  I won't be giving up the 14, so far 6 year/unlimited warranty, will soon bump that to 9 years/unlimited.  Hard to beat.  Last 10 months have seen limited riding due to back surgery and continuing issues, but almost 54k on an '08 bought new in July '08.  For me must do's, seat, and LSL bar kit ( www.murphskits.com ), grip heaters, and Baker Hand Wings.
So, if you don't want a new bike, skip the test ride.

You can't pick a new ride based on the maintenance costs. Even if you had zero maintenance costs, if you really wanted a different bike, you would still be unhappy. How happy are you with your wife? Ever consider a higher maintenance, younger model?

yes and yes

You can't pick a new ride based on the maintenance costs. Even if you had zero maintenance costs, if you really wanted a different bike, you would still be unhappy. How happy are you with your wife? Ever consider a higher maintenance, younger model?

You have to ask?  And who hasn't at least considered the idea?  There is a rental program, take a cigar, worked for bill, should work for others?