Why you DO NOT want this Kawasaki Concours 

Gotta say, these videos are immensely valuable when shopping for a bike, but sometimes exaggerated. I moved up from a BMW G310R (a 300 beginner bike) to a Concours 14 a few months ago and would like to let all the potential buyers know that this bike is extremely docile and smooth. Not in any way jumpy or ridiculously dangerous. It’s super easy to ride around nicely and in some ways a lower learning curve than a small bike, since the gears span a wider range of speeds, it’s extremely stable and grippy, and you’re far more comfortable when riding and more visible to others. So of course you can rev it all the way up and shoot through the Nth dimension, but at the same time it’s very smooth and controllable at low speeds. Lastly, it’s not bad at all in the city. It’s incredibly nimble and at the same time super stable at anything over 10mph. Nice and quiet while also hearing the engine at any RPM. Just don’t sit in the same spot for too long, or you’ll have hot air blowing on your legs... If you’re thinking of buying one, do it. It’s incredibly versatile-very permissive and friendly for an inexperienced rider, but will also wipe the floor with almost anything you encounter on the street, if you’re at that level. The best part is that it has traction control, meaning that if you mess up and give it too much juice, it’ll cut the throttle to prevent you from lifting the front wheel and consequently dying. (This can be turned off if you do want to wheelie) Oh and last thing, it’s pretty heavy so you may drop it. However I had the honor of doing so, and can gladly attest that it falls nicely onto the folding mirror and corner of rear pannier leaving minor cosmetic damage, unlike other bikes. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk 😂

I picked up a 2014 with only 7k miles mint condition for 5 grand. The owner was scared of it. Best deal I've ever scored.

I was a Harley-Davidson test rider for 16 years at their Talladega test facility. I owned a HD but my touring bike was a 1996 Kawasaki Concours. I loved the bike.

You are 100% right about this bike. I built cafe racers in the late 70’s and 80’s. Owned multiple ninjas and bought a Concours 5 years ago. The Concours is the only bike that ever scared me, definitely not for anyone inexperienced or stupid. This is a ninja for the over 50 rider. Take Care, Be Safe, Have Fun!

This video is very nice and I love the start with prayer. I have a 2008 and have 104k miles on it. It is my daily driver and has not failed me once. I bought it in 2007 once it was available on the floor. a deer hit me and I bike stayed true. Yeah, this is the best bike I have ever owned.

I own one of these, I've had it 8 year and love it, it handles, it glides, it eats miles, it has power to spare, it puts a smile on your face, it's comfortable, it makes you feel sorry for people on other bikes they don't know what they are missing!!! What a machine, when you get to where your going, you don't feel like been fighting a battle,,,, take one for test drive you'll love it !,, keep em shiny side up! Out there!

I had the opportunity to test run one of these and it’s everything you say it is. No need to downshift to pass just tug the throttle. And I had a passenger! One thing I’d like to add. It’s also far more nimble than ppl think. Yes it’s huge but doesn’t handle like a boat. In the hands of a competent rider watch out! A buddy of mine had an earlier 08 version and We were darn near knee dragging to keep pace with him - and he didn’t scrape one saddlebag. And no we don’t ride like old ladies! Monster speed. Very good agility.

Love this channel! I watch it daily. Great attitude and honest reviews. I need to stop by your shop someday soon since you’re only 30 minutes away. Keep it up!

After riding many different manufacturers in over 30 years of riding, I've come to the conclusion that Kawa bikes are the most fun to ride. Honda bikes may be the most refined and smoothest, but Kawa bikes always topped the fun factor. Glad to see that this was the case for you here too.

Good video. I have that 08 myself and love it. The tire pressure sensor (TPS) on the 08's have a battery that can be changed with some effort. The newer models are sealed and expensive to change. If you have a Concours you should also consider getting the ECU flashed by Shoodaben Engineering or Ivan Performance. Helps with power delivery, fuel econ and heat issues.

Just clicked over 160,000km on my '08 over the weekend (bought August '07 - yes, that year is correct, they came out here in NZ in '07 but were called the '08 Connie) and still love it. Rock solid reliable tourer. I think I'll keep it...

I absolutely love how you prayed in the video. You are bold and we absolutely need more people like you. I pray that God blesses you and your family and watches over you. Thank you for standing up for what’s right...

If I'm going to buy a bike to do long distance rides, I'm getting this bike so I can give my GPS ETA the middle finger.

I own a 2008 Concours and absolutely love it. All the power you’ll ever need when you you want to grip it n rip it, but extremely comfortable and easy to stack miles on. Great videos brother, God bless!

Older video, but it’s still fun to watch. Almost 40k on my 2016 concours. Jumped to 140 the other day coming out of a toll with the front wheel floating off the pavement. What a fatty beast, love it. Thumbs up.

I ripped past one of these yesterday wondering what it was. Now I know the guy was taking it easy.

Try helibar multi-axis bars and you'll find it is super comfortable and eliminates handlebar vibration. "It is a fast bike and I love it" - great review of the Concours 14 mate!

Bar ends are kind of interesting! Let me illustrate the case for bar ends: the handlebar can be thought of as a "spring-mass" system. The whole of the bar is the spring and its weight is the mass. If you know spring and mass systems, you know the mass does not damp the system at all. Since there is minimal damping in the handlebar itself, your hand damps it, which is unpleasant. Bar ends add mass to the system which reduces the resonant frequency into the rpm range where it is the least annoying. That's really all, but I wanted to clarify more here! TL;DR, I know. Lets assume adding more weight makes it resonate at 2k instead of 5k. This is perceived as less vibration because you don't spend much time around 2k, and when you're on the highway where it counts, the handlebar is not at its resonant frequency, so the amplitude of vibration is much less. Sometimes you will notice that handlebars shake at idle, but when the engine is revved up they are calm. This is because the bar end weight is tuned for a low resonant frequency to allow comfort at speed. If you took the bar ends away, you might notice it doesn't shake at idle, but is like holding a weedwhacker at cruising speed. Another thing to note: By using risers, the spring is longer. If you kept everything else the same other than length, the spring constant of the handlebar is now softer. This would have the effect of reducing the resonant frequency, which might not be an issue unless you are a nit-picky engineer who doesn't want the handlebars shaking at idle. So you would want to include lighter bar ends to keep the ideal resonant frequency. They added heavier weights? Well it is possible that the spring constant of the risers is actually greater than that of the stock setup due to material and dimensions, requiring more mass to balance the equation to keep the same resonant frequency. FYI: the moment of inertia of the handlebars is negligible compared to the inertia of the bike, so it does not motivate the addition of bar ends. Only if there was a reason to be whipping the handlebars from left to right while riding, you might want to adjust the weight at the ends of the handlebars. If that doesn't sound convincing, imagine that you had the entire front end off the ground and the steering stem was perpendicular to the ground so that the handlebars can turn easily without wanting to fall to either side. Now you change the bar ends. Would that have any effect on how easily the handlebars turn? Only if you added a substantial weight, like a few pounds. Thus, the small weight of the bar ends has negligible effect on the steering feel. Outside of this and the vibration problem, I can't imagine a case where the engineer would care about handlebar inertia. Thank you for your attention.

I know, the video is two years old. Bought mine new in 2016. Three trips to Tennessee from central Florida, (riding, no trailer), almost 45k miles now and it's never missed a beat.

Love your description of the bike I bought and never felt uncomfortable on even after a winter lay off. Had mine remapped to give 150HP at the wheel and take out the ridiculous torque spike mid revs that came in like a supercharger. Handled like a dream for me.

Heavier should dampen vibration. You should put ends on either way unless you want a core sample of your arm or leg. If you're experiencing vibration that makes you uncomfortable while riding- throw the heavy ones on. The light ones may only serve to fill the holes and as sliders.

the concours 14 is such a great bike, I owned a 2011 for a couple years put 20,000 miles on it. had 1200 mile weekend, beat a Dodge Viper doing 145+ mph once lol..its fast comfy, has heated grips, just change oil, gear oil and tires and all good.

I owned a 2010 C14 model for seven years and I put 30k miles on it. I loved it! I left it completely stock other to add a Zumo GPS and 12v power outlets for heated gear. I did all the regular maintenance myself with no issues. The bike was 100% reliable. I had to replace the lower cowling, which cracked when I hit a dead animal on the road while riding at night in Texas (no crash..just a womp womp). The bike is very stable and comfortable at high speed, making it an excellent coast-to-coast ride! The bike handles great, the engine and transmission are flawless, and I enjoy the bike's aggressive looks!. Having all that power came in handy one day when a crazy person tried to run me off the road in Oklahoma City. Thank goodness for its roll-on acceleration! My only criticism of the bike is the tire presser sensors die quickly and they are a pain to replace. Great bike!

Those are the standard bars, there are no risers on this bike. It needs a new wheel sensor for air pressure, they are not serviceable but you can change the battery in the sensor. These bikes do not vibrate, they are butter smooth with one of the best shifting transmissions. I had an 08 and an 09 c14, great bikes.

I want one of these so badly... For me at 61 years old, it's the perfect blend of quick/fast and comfortable... with cargo capacity. Wonderful machine

I love these sport touring bikes. I fell in love with the BMW R1100RT and have loved it through all it's iterations.

I'm getting one. Thanks for a great, enthusiastic review. You do a fantastic job.

Dang, that looks like it pulls and pulls. I like that it's not super loud in the higher RPMs as you accelerate. Sweet bike

Currently have one as a loan bike while my Multistrada 1200 is in being serviced and it's silky smooth with that shaft drive, just beautiful. It's a hefty bike for sure at around 300kg and you feel all of that moving it around but once your on the road it's surprisingly agile.

the bars are stock. Bar ends dampen vibration.

Nice Video Brother . I work on these bikes as a Kaw Mech. In Indiana. There big intimidating size But drive insane comfort power! LOl It would be my choice for long distance driver! reminds Me of the older late 80's KZ1100 . Love Bikes !! Keep safe Nice video

Got an 08 love it love cruising and getting where I need to go as fast as possible when needed . Emergency run fully loaded and bagged hit172 and still pulling until come up on traffic and had to slow for safety

Sean, your reviews are some of the best on the web! I am constantly watching all of your latest videos. You chose the perfect title for this video. I switch off between the ZX-6R and the Concours and every time I get back on the Concours I am amazed how comfortable it is. The bike is extremely maneuverable.... U-turns, circles, whatever are a breeze. Even turns from a stop starting at the full lock position is very doable. Redline on the Concours is ~10,500 where as the redline on the ZX-6R is around 16000. There is power throughout the rev range on the Concours unlike the ZX-6R which does not wake up until hitting at least 8k. Shifting: best ever.... very smooth. Linked braking: difficult to even sense the linkage. The linkage does not impact slow speeds using the friction zone and rear brake. The only negative is probably the fact that it is slightly top heavy especially after filling the tank up. I am 6'2" so the weighting really doesn't bother me, but if I was shorter I am not sure I would have the same level of confidence during slow speed maneuvers (parking lots etc). The shaft drive is a little clunky... not a big deal. I prefer this compared to the insane maintenance of a chain drive system.

The Concours, the ST1300 and the VFR1200 are The Sport Tourers on the market. The power is way out there, the handling has been honed to a fine point on all three. They have storage and easy to live with maintenance schedules. Absolutely killer machines if you enjoy big miles.

Just bought an updated 2015 Connie 14. It's a great ride... fast, smooth, turns way better than my old Tiger 1050. Those look like stock bars to me though, the base plate of the bars is flush with the rest of the assembly... mine came with 2" bar risers from the old owner. I just need some tackier grips and some bar ends to help with vibration on the highway.

I have a black ‘09 I bought new spring of ‘10. Those are the stock bar risers. Most of us add some shims under them that really improves the bar position. The shims don’t raise them so much as moves the bars back an in a bit. I did 4 track days on mine in the first year I owned it as I had nearly gotten in over my head a number of times on the road. That lead to a track day obsession and adding a track bike to my stable. It’s been a great bike and my only real complaint is the heat off the engine and the annoying tpms low battery message like you experienced.

Heavier bar ends are for vibration reduction. Recommened Tire pressures are generally given cold. Measure cold. If the bike is indicating low pressures from cold, I'd guess that they are in fact, low. Perhaps an actual owner, seller or mech can say for sur

I have the original Concours 14 (2008) is a 187 MPH bike off the showroom floor. Later models top speed was reduced .. I love Mine and agree 100% that These are NOT for riders of little experience ! I have the Harley FLH Electra Glide for long trip comfort but the night and day difference of the two bikes makes Me A happy Camper every time I hop on the Zed 14 ... Hurts my Jaw from the Perma-Grin ! God Bless : )

Thanks for the ride /info!

Great video, I love my 2009 Concours so far!

I've had my 2008 Concours to the Dragon Tail many times. It is a blast! But Southern Ohio is a very good place to ride weekends also. Great bike.

I've got a 16 GTR1400 as we call them in the UK and it's comfortable and mental a great combination.

After buying my 2009 C14 I did notice a vibration in the handlebars that would cause my hands to tingle on long rides. FIXED, HeliBars are expensive but they transformed this bike into the most comfortable sport cruiser I have ever ridden on. A must have if you like to sit up straight IMO

Thanks for your videos, verses, and sweet motorcycles!

Love my '09 Connie. Mine is black, because the Black one is the fastest one. Bought mine new.

I remember getting completely dusted by a old man on one of these when I was on my 08 Z1000. I hit 250 and the thing just pulled hard on me 🤣😂

The heavy bar ends are supposed to reduced vibration in the bars, but do they work ?

I had a honda vtx 1300 and rode that on the freeways of L.A for over 3 years, everyday. Loved the bike and loved the power. This Concours is different; it scares the shit out of me. The question this guy asks you about whether you can handle this sort of bike IS NO JOKE! Even with my vtx I had to do a bit of meditation every morning before getting on to allow me to get into the proper mind-set of being a responsible rider. It's too easy to lose control with this sort of power. Definitely not for the inexperienced. I'm seriously considering buying this bike :)

Great vid. Speed limit on the Texas 130 is 85mph

Same with the zzr1100 I had, first was good for about 70-odd mph. I maxed it out in top gear once. Only once. Didn't know how fast I was going because I genuinely couldn't take the time to look down at the speedo. But it was quick. And scary. I really thought that bike would be the one I'd die on. That was about 16 years ago and I actually ride slower now thanks to that bike, I'm not in a rush any more like I was when I was a kid. I don't own it any more but it's the only bike that i have owned that's generated so many mixed emotions. And terror, can't forget the terror.

Hi: Loved your video. I have a 2002 1000cc concurs and I need some advise. Can you help instruct me where the clutch nibble is located inorder to flush the line.

I bought an 09 new and still have it. Great bike with really only wear items that needed attention thus far. Like your content.

A good safety tip>> When you pull in onto polished concrete in a garage with wet tires, come as strait in as possible.

Less vibration! God bless brother!

Had a 2013 Concours....keyword had. Handle bar risers, Corbin heated seat, tinted shield, two brothers exhaust. Had to sell it but miss it everyday. Good smooth bike.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 2012. Only complaint I think the Corbin seat is a touch hard. Love the weight, windy days or highway riding she is unfazed. Always complimented in her Arabian Red garb.

I bought a 2012 C 14 new and never really noticed vibration in the bars. A small amount of high frequency buzz in the pegs at higher rpm’s but not the bars. I tell everyone that the C 14 gets smaller and smaller the more you ride it plus you better be a very good sport bike rider if you think your going to keep up to a Connie in the twisties! First thing though, tear off the stock tires as quickly as possible! The stock tires are just embarrassing! Put on a set of Michelin road 5’s and you’ll be in heaven. Can’t say it enough, the stock tires absolutely suck on a Concours and it will jump to life as soon as you upgrade. Put a good quality slip on muffler for a little more bottom end torque and for $350.00 send your ecu to have it upgraded for more power and smoother shifting, better fuel mileage as well. If you want an anvil of a motorcycle that is super fun to ride you cannot beat a Connie. Much much cheaper than a Beamer too!

I think there's a section of hiway in Texas that your able to teach out in just about able to max out all of your gears.

I've actually ripped my right bag off on my concours in the Advanced rider course. This bike loves to lean! I don't know of a concours that doesn't have that tire pressure sensor alarm. However you can replace the watch battery it uses and clear it.

It’s very well known that heavier, beefier bar ends are mainly used for taking out car mirrors. When you hit the mirror the heavier bar ends create more rotational mass and make it harder for the bars to turn when hitting the car mirror.

After the dog approached you, you would think that you would keep BOTH hand on the bars. Or maybe you have a nuerological problem with your left hand which I would sympathize with, but with that much bike at hand, positive control is a must.

God bless you bro from Australia. Love your work. Prayers & safe riding bro 🙏❤️🇦🇺👍

The heavy bar ends dampen vibration? How do I know if I’m right?

Bar end weights are to help smooth vibration. If there is no vibrations, then they are there to extend the bars so if the bike falls over it will save the mirrors, and other items on the bike from breakage.

I really enjoy my FJR1300, handles incredibly well, great ergonomics, very smooth and powerful inline four with very low maintenance schedule. The R1200RT I've rented many times while traveling and owned an R1100RT. Just not a fan of Boxer engine nor BMW's maintenance schedule. I ride a lot of miles each year and the cost per mile on a beemer can get ridiculous! I've ridden several times over the years the Concours, I try to like it i just don't seem to be able too. Kawasaki makes tremendous motorcycles without question IMHO for what I enjoy, speed, handling, quick smooth acceleration and reliability. (Yes I'm an old fart) I find the Kawasaki a bit too brash both in engine vibration and shifting acceleration. The concours handles well and the older model windscreens would annoyingly buffet. To me the ergonomics, smoothness and sport bike handling of the Yamaha FJR1300 out performs all of the bikes in the sport touring class. (FJR1300, ST1300, R1250RT, Concours, Trophy) which are all terrific bikes. It's been a while since I've test ridden a Concours mainly because they hadn't up dated the model or included ABS standard for quite awhile. I think it's time I give Concours another Go!

Thanks for the clarification guy, I have talked to many guys who want to pick up their first bike and almost all of them say they want a Concours. We definitely needed this video to explain to these guys that a massive 1400CC bike would not be a good first bike. Who knew?

Love your videos. This is an amazing bike. Thanks for sharing. God bless. Need bar ends to minimize vibration.

Heavy bar ends will damp vibration. I had a first gen Concours that was so vibrating that I filled the handlebars with lead shot and silicone and added heavier bar ends. I also wore heavy padded gloves. All for no effect, my hands went to sleep in a half hour.

To minimize felt vibration on the handle bars, to answer your Q.

110 mph at 5000 rpm, feels like 65 mph.

Like your review on the "Big 14!" I have the 03 1000 model and I'm happy with it. It's been I'll maintained but I will fix it. Well balanced going forward, if it tips left or right all you can do is let it down easier than gravity has to offer. Upon thinking about its performance, it's a wolf dressed in a nice suit. At 165mph it doesn't disappoint a seasoned rider. All you have to do is look farther ahead, slow down easy and dont throttle to hard! You'll get there. Like I say...like the review on the big 14, i think mine is a Ninja at an awards ceremony! Gotta like the older rides! Be safe people and watch for them, they dont always see you!🤓👍

Nice bike, I've rode one of those and it was so smooth and fast. Also everyone's lawn is so green there . Grass is always greener on the other side .. lol.

Hey man, This is the first video that I have seen of yours. Love it, I am a believer and love that you incorporate your faith in your commentary. As for the risers, all concourse 14 have risers like that, fyi. I did cycle sales for a while and fell in love with this bike and its on my wish list (possibly next summer) which is why I was watching. The only other bike that I found that had an engine anywhere near as "Bad" was a second generation V-Max, but that is a totally different type of ride. Prayers of safety to you. God Bless, Steve A

Heavy bar ends are for vibration dampening only, it has nothing to do with the making the bike turn in quicker or tip in quicker whatever you said.

To reduce vibration and take the pull of 1st gear of protect from a fallll it can absorb shock

Heavier bar ends to lessen vibration from bars?

I had a 2010 blue one with abs. HUGE mistake getting rid of it for something lighter.

What do you do if your in a situation like that, "have two hands on the handlebars". Please dude don't want you to be superman without a cape if a car pulls out in front of you. Nice vid other than that love the connie and thanks for the prayers for fellow riders I need to do that more often, thumbs up!

Tps on yours is serviceable they use a cr2032 battery so when you change your front tyre would be a great time to change the battery on your tps

As one of your friends you have not met yet, who is a riding brother, I thank you for the prayer for safety. I wonder if that prayer came in handy when that little doggie wandered into the road. The Concours reminds me of my BMW R-RT, though I don't thrash mine the way you thrashed the Connie in the demo. Be safe out there!

Great video of the C14! I enjoy the prayer and verses from the Bible too! I have the 2017 C14 and it is my favorite bike I have ever owned!

I owned a ZZR1200, I loved that bike.Have been eyeing one of these for years ...

I would absolutely love to see you do a review of a older concours GTR 1000 with and with out the bags...kawasaki made these things forever. Before the 2006 concours 1400.

That was sick... Windshield goes down.🙌

“Demon on wheels” right when you said that the two horns popped into sight holding the wind screen, and the mirrors looking like gargoyle ears.

FYI, those are factory grips and factory bars. No risers on that bike. Not that I can see anyway.

Love my 08 Connie. All around great bike.

From Leo: Not many baggers will get air under the front wheel with a twist of the grip. Amazing bike, Heavy bar ends absorb more vibration. I also like to push Harley foam grips OVER the standard grips as a thicker grip feels better in my hands for long trips.

Motorcycles and bible verses... nice. I'm from PA too btw. It's good to see you succeeding my bro!!

For a while I had nearly a 2 hour commute to an Air Force base. There was a dog that would run out and try and attack the bike every morning. Then one day he was gone, he wasn't missed. Bar ends= vibration damping

That was a cute dog, I’m glad you didn’t have to take him out. Also, I have been thinking about this bike for some longer rides, because my RC51 just doesn’t cut it for Touring any more...

MIght want to think twice about hitting a dog rather than swerving. As a former motorcycle cop, we scraped up two dudes in the same week who decided to hit the dog. Both riders died. One of the dogs lived. Practicing my swerving technique saved me when a big deer ran out in front of me. I would have been toast. God Bless and love your videos.

My mom ran over a puppy on her brothers moped when she was 10 she’s 54 and still cries when she thinks about it

I had a 2009 Zx14 , had over 30k on it , just got a concours 14 and have just got it out the last few weeks and it’s everything the zx14 was and more ! The shaft drive is incredible and the comfort of the bike is second to none! The corners are buttery smooth and the straight 4 has such steady smooth power you don’t get vibrated to hell with this bike even at 10 grand on the revs. So happy with it and look forward to many miles and smiles

The main reason people put bar ends was to quell handlebar vibration. At least, most articles during the 80s and 90s on Motorcyclist and Cycle magazine used to always mention it.

were you counter steering at higher speeds?didnt look like it

Well, I bought a brand new Concourse in 2006, and it was so uncomfortable for my back I sold it 8 months later. Understand that I am of average athletic build at 5‘9“ and have no health or back issues. The arrangement of the handlebars just made this incredibly uncomfortable, even though I spent a lot of money getting handlebar extensions and trying to make it more comfortable, ultimately after about 50 miles of riding my back would always get uncomfortable.

"You run over that dog" lol

Dude i freakin watched this video thinking it would talk me out of buying this concours im looking at tomorrrow...damn now I'm def prob gonna buy it! Thanks dude

I have one of these in Accra Ghana, West Africa. I have it in black and it is definitely an amazing bike so I was very curious to find out why i will not want this bike. Great video man