I recently bought the same Concours '08. It's been 8 years since I owned some bikes, my last being an '06 R1. For a few minutes the weight was noticeable to me at the stop lights. Not anymore. The up right clip-ons are the only thing I still have to get used to. I still have a tendency to want to lean forward on the bike. Comfort has never been a concern for me. But like you, I think I'll be keeping this bike for the rest of my life unless I replace it for a newer version. The performance is great and it's got the bags for taking trips. I'm sold on these old man bikes now and it's long overdue. LOL!
I just bought a Concours too, but a little older one. I got it from the original owner who bought it new here locally and had all the records for it. I have not had a street bike for a few years and was really starting to miss riding. Nice bike you have there! Thanks for the video!
I would like to thank you for this review!! I know the bike has been out for 8 years but I finally decided it was time for a big mature bike so my wife and I could travel. I have not seen on in person or even heard one but decided to put money down on a 2008 just like yours today here in Denver, CO. I pick it up on Friday and am super excited! Thanks again.
Makarov9, nice post. For those that are considering the Concours 14, allow me to elaborate. I own a 2012 Connie 14, and therefore know something about the bike. In its stock form, the bike is capable of 130+ rear wheel hp, 90+ rear wheel torque, and can clock 2.9 seconds from 0-60 mph. This bike generates its power after 4,000 rpm when the secondary butterflies begin to open. That is why the bike seems a little choppy or sluggish when you first twist the throttle in 1st gear. If you are into performance mods, here's a few. I highly suggest purchasing a Healtech GI Pro ATRE, PC5, and your choice of hi flow air filter. The Healtech "tricks" the bike into thinking that the bike is always in 6th gear (or whatever gear you program it for). Because of this, the secondaries are always open (maybe 95%). With the PC5 and new air filter, the air - fuel ratio is honed in and the power is instantaneous from the first twist of the throttle. If you twist the throttle like you mean business, you will have a smile on your face like never before. If you add your choice of exhaust, even more power. The difference is definitely what you want and expect from this bike. I think it's reasonable to type that in this configuration, the bike is capable of 155+ rear wheel horsepower and 105+ rear wheel torque. Again, no need to remove the butterflies, because with the butterflies physically removed, I believe you lose aiding the traction control. With all due respect to Makarov9, I think it's wise to spend a little more money on what the engine was meant to be. And that lends itself to a motorcycle that can really & truly perform while being comfortable. I've also read on a few forums where some riders ding the handling and suspension. The solution again is an easy fix. Purchase a set of Michelin PR3s or 4s, and dial-in your stock suspension per the owner's manual instructions to your liking.
I got back into riding a bit over a year ago. Started back on an NC700X. Looking to upgrade, as the NC is just a bit underpowered for my taste. Going to keep it for daily commuting, but looking heavily at the Connie. Nice review, and just reinforced my desire to have one of these. Thanks for sharing.
I love my ‘09 GTR!!!! Just turned 30k on her this month and they’re all miles of smiles! I added a set of 2” risers, APositive Pipe, cruise control and heated grips. All have been great additions.
Love how you keep your bikes in showroom condition - I'm the same. Would like one of these or an fjr1300 both are great machines that are brilliant at their given purpose. FJR1300s tend to be very expensive in the UK compared with GTRs.
I own a 2008 as well. (Purchased new in Sept 2007). Truly enjoyed your video. Great camerawork and insightful narration. Now I'm motivated to go out in the garage and polish mine. (Silver hides dirt better than most colors, but your vid does highlight how great these bikes look when they are spotless. .
Great review. After picking up my GTR1400 yesterday, I noticed the gel comfort seat to be a waste of money as it lowered me down about an inch. I felt cramped in the footpeg region and the wind buffeting was terrible at 120kph. I put the stock seat back on with my custom old man sheepskin cover with a little foam. (was on my ZRX and worked well for 30,000k's). I'll take her out today and see if there's any improvement.
have one in the dark blue. love it! don't ever want to change, I had ZZR1400 before which was fantastic but at 6 foot and 16 stone the GTR/concourse is better in every way and far more fun in the bends. Enjoy it
This bike is great. I have the same in black. Ride all year long, also winter. Never fellt unsafe on the bike. Quick enough if you want to. A great commuter and sporty tourer. Yours looks great.
I also live close-by where you toured, in Santa Teresa NM. Thank you for this very valuable info on the Concours 14. I'm planning to start with one of the older ZG1000s due to budgetary constraints. My primary interest in the aftermarket is flashing the ECU, which I can well-understand interferes with the Traction Control on the bikes so-equipped. Some of these Kaws really wake-up when re-mapped. Also, I would like to "ride-tune" my future bike. At 6'4", and 240 lbs., I'll probably be FORCED to tune the ride with the components and formulations from RaceTech. I'll need seat mods, peg relocation, and handlebar risers as-well, as I can't tolerate the bike shoving me forward too-much. Yours sounds wonderful to me, but I'm old-school and getting older anyway...
Good review on the bike. I have a 09 C14, and I won't buy anything else after having one. I have test driven a 2015 FJR, and I can say, it was a foot cooker and it was only about mid 80's to low 90's out. The C14 doesn't get any where near as hot. There are pro's and con's to both bikes, but after doing some work to the C14, the FJR can't compare. This passed summer, I drove all of the Blue Ridge Pkwy, and also drove US129. I averaged 48 mpg, and on a few tanks got 54 mpg. Couldn't be happier with the Connie
I have the same bike and I love the V stream windshield, yes, not cheap at almost 2 bills, but I can ride with my helmet face open even at highways speeds with 0 issues. instead of the cramp buster I got a throttle lock, but it is tricky to use even as an experienced motorcyclist. I have been thinking about the bolt on exhaust but I want something with a bit of sound, not something that is going to let the whole neighborhood that I am riding . I have the 08 albeit without the ABS, have not needed it , it would be nice to have but ok so far. I got a Givi mono lock back case seems sturdy , not using it for anything heavy just for the wife to rest on it and some light stuff. I got some LED aux lights that help me be seen during the day and switch them on on dark roads to see on some really dark back roads. Another thing I want is some crash bars to mount forward leaning pegs to stretch my legs on long trips. I also got the Saddleman RS seat but ... I would hold off on buying it, looks better and does not get hot like the original on the sun but comfort is.. ok, not worth it for 400 bucks, if I could do it again I would probably go Corbin or custom made. Alright man thanks for the video!
What kind of camper do you have? This guy in my area posted this bike craiglist for sale. It was an 2011 with 14,500 miles on it. It was selling for $2,900. Said it makes a loud noise in 4th gear though but drives and runs well. This it's legit?
It’s crazy how quiet that is. I’m soooo glad I put the dual 9” oval slip-ons on my zx14r with the removable DB KILLERS (not baffles) removed. Thought about going with the carbon versions but couldn’t justify spending the extra $100.
I hear you when you say you are loving your c14, I got a 2011 took it from San Diego, CA to Guatemala, 3500 miles total in two weeks and I am impress with this bike
Really good review- I have 06' ST1300 with the Delkevic on it.. just reading down through the thread/comments.. as far as noise, it has its benefits and draw backs.. the Delk's have a good mix of both, you may or may not be aware that you can pull out the baffle by just removing the one bolt at the base of the exhaust. I run mine with no baffle so it just has a little more throaty ( feel safer I think bc people can hear you better) and if you ever want to quiet her down.. just pop it back in.. Most of the stock windscreens suck on all tourer's... thank God for aftermarket options.. Great bike, great review
It is has been said if the parts you add don't make it go faster or make it stop faster then they are superfluous. I think your new parts are a great Idea! I am thinking of buying a 2000 Concours they look super and are well engineered. Perhaps I will see you or one of the commenters on the road while you pass through Albuquerque area. Dont forget to wave
I have the same bike. (Great video, by the way) I bought mine right after the model debut in fall of 2007 (Hit-run driver killed my Valkyrie). 35,000 miles later- I have two things to say about the C-14-- 1. it eats cruisers and sweats the sportbikes 2. I didn't like the silver color at first, until I realized it IS the best color for hiding road grime. Less polishing, more riding-- good thing! Again, great video TheMakarov9...
What did you mean the C14 eats Cruisers? Haha. I’m now undecided between a 2013 Vulcan Nomad 1700 and a 2013 C14! And I can only get one. What would you pick and why?
As a proud owner of two courcours , 86 and 2006 , with 55 years riding ting time. wrecked the 86 bike in 1991. 14years later, 2006 for five years and drueling for the new 1400 shortly. Both bikes have their problems, but won' t exchange the experences of both for anybody! I ride for fun. took all safety courses and taught one MS F course. Had more experince than the teacher. but share your experiences with other bikers to keep the sport alive!
I want a Concours. I also own a '83 KZ1100 A-3 with all the Vetter fairing/bag/trunk gear, all stock and I'm the 2nd owner. Love the Kawasaki inline fours! I'm in OK too. Maybe cross paths or roads sometime.
posted 4 years ago, you see the updates now? they added a vent to the windscreen, made the 1st gear lower for better maneuvering at low speed, did some more with the heat management and made some improvements with the steering stem bearing
About 3 weeks ago I went to New Mexico with a couple of friends and we rode all over the state for 5 days and it was incredible. The C14 is simply an amazing bike and I find it hard to fault this bike in any area. I averaged 40mpg all week no matter how I rode it. This was all with the stock exhaust on it, so my next trip planned will be riding all the way to Las Vegas from Oklahoma in July. I plan to take the Drift HD170 camera with me and mount it on my helmet
Always Lusted for a C14. Rode a ZX-9. ZX-12r and Gen II Hayabusa "off duty". As a LEO / Motoro officer and Instructor, I was issued a ST 1300. GREAT bike, Amazingly functional, but like a Honda Accord, it did nothing wrong, but did not excite like a motorcycle should either, in my opinion. I ride, race, Supermoto bikes as well, so I don't just view my machine as a "tool", but as a intimate part of my daily life. With high hopes, I picked up a brand spanking new 2012 -absolutely beautiful- C14P model with all the bells and whistles for a demo. I rode it in town, on the freeway, parking lot low speed work and pushed it up Angeles Crest Hwy well up into the iced over section past the tunnels to the road closure before Wrightwood at the time. (I know, dream job, right?) My less experienced partners on the St1300 in full gear were fully loaded and dragggin it's abnormally low pegs frequently trying to keep up. Sadly, I was disappointed. Perhaps I had set my expectations too high? The additional safety electronics were rapidly deemed to be nothing more than annoying "Nannies" that I could not completely defeat. Sure, ABS is awesome, but the linked brakes are not my thing (I think BMW got this part right) but a complete nightmare when it transitions from linked front & rear during normal use, to dividing the two systems at low speeds (below 18?) as it gives a distinct and annoying "kick back" through the rear pedal and you have to completely have to manual (brainpower) recalculate the pressures between the front and rear bias. The rear pedal literally goes to glass when this happens. Sure, it prevents locking and potential for high sides, but there are odd occasions, when I like to sample available traction with the rear wheel, or prefer to have it slide, while the front minds it's own business. Pulling in off the road to a polished fuel station concrete floor, wet underground parking lot, or dirt / gravel shoulder, or deliberately "low siding the bike to use it for cover / concealment in the rare event I find myself out in the open taking "unfriendly" fire in my direction. Extreme, Unique to my application of the machine, but possible. The other electronic "Nannies' I found annoying, and nothing more than a selling point, was the traction control, It would be nice to have it with selectable levels, including Totally OFF. Sure, great in the snow, rain, accelerating from the shoulder of a damp, moldy leaf soaked off deeply crowned shoulder of a road, but really a pisser to have it flat cut the power when trying to throttle up or chop/bounce up a wheelie to clear a obstacle in the road. Tree branch, bed liner or dislodged man hole cover (enough time / hours on the road, it will happen). Just when the bike lifts off to it's nice balance "Sweet Spot", it completely chops power. Love the handling, though it is a little firm in damping and saddle foam for all day cruising, but nice, when performance riding. Compromise is difficult to come by. I was also a little turned off by the "Plasticy" second rate look and feel of the dash components and windscreen that would flex and flutter at high speed. Other than that, GREAT bike. It has a personality, unlike the ST1300 which is functional , but has the personality of a Honda Accord. Just depends if you are a "rider" at heart, or just use it as an industrial tool and expect no personal bond with your machine. One thumb of the starter, and you know that sound. It harks back to many years of Kawasaki's, which for me, brings back a flood of memories of the old original KZ1000P's, Gpz's and Ninjas of long ago. It's NOT perfect, but it harks back to the good old days, of my early years, surviving high school aboard two wheels and all my antics I somehow managed to survive, let alone land a job that allowed me to do what I wanted on 2 wheels for the last 25 years. And that alone, just may be enough to sell me one. Ride hard, ride often, ride well and be safe out there. /BRAKELATE/
Accurate report from a person with the credentials and the experience to make it credible. I just bought a 2011 which is nearly the same as the 2012 you demo'd and I share the same opinions about the electronic aids. This comes from someone whose other bikes veer more to the sport, as opposed to the touring equation (GSXR 750, CBR-1000rr, FZ-1). None of my other bikes have electronic aids and I found the linked brakes annoying. Don't know about the TC utility as I haven't had the "opportunity" to test it during the conditions it was intended to counter.and I don't have the skill level to wheelie a 700 lb motorcycle anyway. It does have a nice throaty sound, but mine comes from having a VH CS1 exhaust. After years of road racing and track days with competition exhaust systems, I'm no longer enamored with the constant growl, especially on longer rides and I switched back to the stock exhaust,with all the weight and howitzer looks. Like you, I think it is a great bike but I need more time to grow into it. Thanks for the review
I keep coming back to this video because it's very informative and well done. Thanks. My previous was a '01 ZRX 12000, so I was ready for the upgrade. Great bike. I call her MeO'MyOh...😏 My Kpass is a pain in my (rhyming word)! I can't find a consistent pressure to apply for starting/whatever. Does it have to"reset" b4 you can depress the key again? Do you know? Also, I'm not too enchanted with the extra technology. It's a distraction for me at this point. I see these zooming around metro Phoenix, and I'm glad to ride one. Tell me more about Kuryakin?
The cruiser brake and clutch levers are a real nice touch. The bike looks spotless. I know this is an old video but nice job explaining things. Very interesting review.
The east side (mid to south) in Oklahoma is undiscovered fantastic riding area. I made a mistake and bought a BMW, didn't get a 1000mi and catastrophic clutch failure. I will be getting a concours.
I don’t know if you still have this awesome sports tourer but if you do still have it have you had any problems with the drive shaft ? If so is it expensive to fix or replace? What maintenance or service does the drive shaft require? Cheers 🍻
In Australia with a 2008 Concours, absolutely love it. But, I'm a short ass 5"2'. Probably need to look for a seat that's a bit lower. It is a tall, top heavy bike 🇦🇺
Great video.. can you give a long-term reliability of Fort report I just picked up 2017 leftover any advice you can give me on reliability would be greatly appreciated. Also how is it going I'm passenger in the back is it comfortable for them. Thank you
What's the name of those chrome levelers? Or a link? I assume they fit without any issues. Also, about the screen, do you recommend changing them even for the later models that are 3 inches higher? Is the one you have better? Would like to see a link to these items. I did find the bar weight ends easily.
I had the Yamaha fjr' then bought the Kawasaki 1400 gtr best bike I've ever owned way better than the Yamaha great vid happy and safe riding from the UK.
I’m now having a hard time choosing between a 2013 Nomad 1700 and 2013 C14! And I can only get one… what would you pick? You have the 900cc Vulcan too. 😊
I tried that wind screen, but it is not as good as the German MRA screen (with the deflector) - the MRA is far better than the one you have because it is vented
Exactly. Same engine cases and that's it. Ninja forged con rods, Concours cast con rods. Ninja higher compression ratio, different cams. Concours also has VVT.
Nice bike... I've got an ST1300 myself... More on the touring end of the spectrum and it fits my well... I've also got the delkevic cans on mine in carbon fiber... That adjustable windscreen will spoil you...
I currently ride a 1993 1CBR1000F and live in Southern California. I don't have to tell you I am in biker heaven. However, I am SERIOUSLY considering a sport touring machine. If I pull the trigger on one, I'm going to grab a Concours 1400.
I've since decided to run with the baffle out and I installed the GMan G-Pop in the pipe in place of the baffle for some backpressure. Search Gman Industries on google and you can see the G-Pops
Your review is/was awesome, Brother. I'm considering some of your upgrades for my 2014 C14 as well. The angle of the windscreen retracted also brought down the buffeting factor on your face/helmet? I definitely sense the "reverse buffeting"/suck with the screen up and at speed. It's wicked disconcerting!!! Also, was the change out of the windshields easy, with the Aftermarket fitting the existing pattern of the stock windshield?
I have a 2012 Connie and love it. Thinking about a pipe. Your Delkevic pipe looks great. Being all stainless steel, have you noticed the muffler (as opposed to the mid pipe) darkening from the heat as stainless typically does or has it maintained the bright finish as in your video? Would you recommend it?
lowriderrjw I have a 2017 Versys 1000 LT with a stainless Delkevic exhaust. It is still shiny.....no discolouration. I have the 13” tri oval unit. Looks and sounds great.
Just picked up a 2012 C-14, my second Connie. What I’ve already noticed is when braking or downshifting, I really slide forward on the stock seat, into the tank. It’s annoying. I can tell the seat has been re-covered, but it’s still the same stock shape. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
The heat off the engine is not as bad as alot of people talk about. I wouldn't let that deter you from getting a C14. The Versys is a great bike, but for long distance touring , comfort, power and pretty decent and stable handling in the corners, you can't go wrong with the big Connie.
hay buddy good video, i am a happy GTR 1400 owner in the uk, fantastic looking screen just a shame i am going to have to find a way to import from the states as you cant get the in the uk :(
I never paid attention to these bikes. I like the Yamaha fjr1300, but I think if I buy another bike this year, it will be a Concours 14. I had a ninja zx10. Rode everything else. I'm a Kawasaki fan
Very good presentation overall and gave me some good insights for my touring plans (One hand for the camera / one hand for the 'Touchy-Feely'; how did you do it?). I have the '09 (Wine-Red=Gorgeous) and I have loved it since day one! Do add the K&N air-filter; very noticeable performance increase. Tks for the info on the aftermarket exhaust systems. I've been looking at Two-Bros; but a little PR$$$Y. I'll look into the one you added. Thanks again>>
Don't do the K&N air filters, they let all the small dirt particles in and it wears out the top end. The K&N oil filters have been failing too. Good idea to get rid of K&N anything and go back to OEM.
