concours

[taters]

motorcyclist magazine just gave the concours best sport tourer for 2007. with its price with abs around 14,000 the rt does have some serious competition now i think

[BruceWA]

The RT? Wouldn't a better comparison be the GT?

 

Other comparos like the Ducati ST3, Yamaha FJR1300 & Honda ST1300.

[taters]

i agree but they gave the rt and honorable mention so i just put that in

[BamaRider]

Did they even test the bike?

[BruceWA]

The RT is certainly a sport touring bike, and a very fine one at that. Looked at the Concours last week....dealer was too busy BSing with others....left without any info....was not impressed with the appearance of the C14....after test riding the K1200GT two weeks ago I have been looking for one. My RT fits me well and I have it setup to my liking....hate to think about doing all that again on another bike.

 

Did they even test the bike?

Excellent question. Reminds me of the year Dirt Rider mag picked the Cannondale as the dirt bike of the year. All without ever riding it. Credibility.

[taters]

said they did

[tallman]

New bike, new buzz = new award.

Not uncommon.

Did the tell you the bike comes with a built in heater?

"Competition"?

Not really.

Different price points, different value.

Will be interesting when resale time comes.

Anything that helps riders get the opportunity to enjoy the road is OK by me.

[BigGalloot]

I would think that the new Connie is mostly going to be competing against the Yamaha FJR1300. These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette. They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth that will end up taking up room in the garage next to the Bowflex gathering dust.

 

There was a time that I thought that being fast and having lots of horsepower was REALLY important. I think I was about 13 at the time.

 

motorcyclist magazine just gave the concours best sport tourer for 2007. with its price with abs around 14,000 the rt does have some serious competition now i think

[AviP]

There was a time that I thought that being fast and having lots of horsepower was REALLY important. I think I was about 13 at the time.

It's blissful when you don't know what you've missed.

[tom collins]

BigG: tell us how you really feel, don't hold back now.

[DeWolfe]

I would think that the new Connie is mostly going to be competing against the Yamaha FJR1300. These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette.

 

Hum, sounds like me. May I should have looked at the new Connie, nay

[RichEdwards]

According to Cycle World's Sept. issue, no motojournalists have been given the opportunity to test-ride the bike. It has some good stuff, according to the Kawasaki rep who provided the info. But the specs give me a good feeling about choosing to purchase the GT:

Weight: 69 pounds heavier than the GT. (The title of the Cycle World article is " Heavy Hitter"

H.P.: Around 140, 12 less than the GT.

 

This slim, balding, old guy loves the GT.

[motoguy128]

It's heavy bike and I'm a bit spoiled now with the BMW comfort features, dealer customer service levels and fit and finish. If it's anything like the ZX14 or ZX10R.. it will have plenty of cheap plastic and a cheap feeling throttle... but a hell of a motor under it.

 

I'm willing to pay $5000 more to get cruise control, heated grips & seat, a very unique high tech/low tech boxer motor, and great passenger comfort. I've also heard that like the ST1300, the windscreen isn't the best.

 

Old Concours owners must be angry that Kawi went this way. I think they were hoping for something more like a ST1300 with better comfort closer to the old concours, but wiht the ZX14 motor. I think they went too far on the sport side to compete more directly with the FJR.

 

Off topic, but what is Suzuki doing? They did update the big Bandit, but it's more of a naked standard like the FZ1. A Haybusa powered GT sport tourer would be nice to see. Maybe a 1500cc shaft drive torque monster just ot 1-up everyone else.

[Deadboy]

I'm a bit spoiled now with the dealer customer service levels

 

That is the first time I have ever heard that....glad someone is happy. The lack of dealer support is exactly why I am considering making the jump.....

 

As an FYI plenty of journalists have ridden the GTR....

 

http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2007/Concours/

 

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/30june07_2008kawasaki_concours14.htm

 

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/19july07_2008kawasaki_concours14_pt2.htm

 

GTR owners forum: http://www.zxforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=30

[notacop]

Saw the Kawi at the Top of the Rockies. Looks fine in person. Read the article last night in the moto mag. For about the same price as the new 800ST you could stretch your arms and ride on the foreskin of cycle science with the hydraulic valve action and that "gonna fail" key system.

And yes, that muffler is huge and acts as a rear bumper when backing.

What a grand idea, complicate the heck out of basic transportation.

[quaintance]

I would think that the new Connie is mostly going to be competing against the Yamaha FJR1300. These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette. They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth that will end up taking up room in the garage next to the Bowflex gathering dust.

 

There was a time that I thought that being fast and having lots of horsepower was REALLY important. I think I was about 13 at the time.

 

huh... I thought thats what the new HD Rocker was aimed at..

 

I looked at the C14 and I guess I'm just a little spoiled by all the features of my RT.. The Connie looks kind of small and lacking by comparison for long haul rides... I've ridden an FJR and its definitely a fun bike... I'm sure the Connie is too but I'm stickin with the R12RT, gut and receeding hairline issues aside....

 

actually I should append this note.. I'll be stickin with the RT assuming I ever get it out of the shop... in for two weeks now with an ESA problem they cant diagnose(BMW just finally agreed to replace the whole unit) and some tappeter<sp?> adjuster snapped off in the cylinder head one day while riding.. they've spent the last two weeks trying to track down a missing chunk of it in the engine that mushroomed my valve head...

[Rich06FJR1300]

confirmed in Rider magazine that Suzuki is re-designing the haybusa...heard the motor is now up to 1340cc and there are 3 settings to adjust the motor..similar to the GSXR100 bike. Probably doing this to compete moreso with the ZX-14 sportbike. Claimed 195 hp!

[motoguy128]

My experience with Japanesse motorcycle dealers is

 

1) They sell everything from lawn tractors to ATV's and know a little about everything but not a lot about any 1 motorcycle and have limited riding expereince.

 

2) They almost never carry any sport touring machines in stock. It's mostly ATV's, dirt bikes, crusiers and sportbikes.

 

3) I've been completely ignored half the time I walk in.

 

4) Test rides are rare occurances.

 

5) Showrooms are usually Morton buildings with bare concrete floors or cheap carpet and linoleum and usualy smell so strongly of either tires or gasoline, that my wife can only stay there for 15 minutes before getting a headache.

 

I'm not saying the dealers were nessesarily bad. But were less focused on customer service. BMW dealers remind me more of the newer Harley dealers. It's liek the comparison of walking into a Sushi Restaurant vs. a Wendy's restaurant. I enjoy both, but 1 is a more pleasant experience.

 

I don't doubt there are great Honda/Yamaha/kawi etc. dealers, and I'm sure there are bad BMW dealers. I honestly have only been to 3 BMW dealers in 3 different states and about 20 different Japnesse dealers, so my limited expereince.

 

I might also have become a BMW snob since getting my new RT.

[BruceWA]

 

 

These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette. They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth that will end up taking up room in the garage next to the Bowflex gathering dust.

 

Hmmmm......maybe those of us over 50 should be euthanized??

 

Nice flaming post!

[chasR]

Hey Dude, I just sold my R1200ST a few weeks ago for a 2007 FJR. I loved the BMW but the FJR is just amazing. Holds better lines in the twisties and more stable at high speed, better suspension. Anytime you want to come to Savannah have a push-up, or better, a handstand push-up contest, you just let me know. Also drive a BMW330CI (manual). Not into Corvettes, never had a bowflex. Have a great day Dude.

[BigGalloot]

Actually, it's kind of scary. I was thinking that when I was young, I USED to have a fast bike.

 

The truth is that my '72 Bonneville 750 would barely qualify as a learner today. Maybe I should buy a turbo for the RT?

 

It's blissful when you don't know what you've missed.

[Deadboy]

I honestly have only been to 3 BMW dealers in 3 different states.

 

3 down 47 to go....oh wait I think their are 2 in Idaho so that makes it 51...

[Bud]

I would think that the new Connie is mostly going to be competing against the Yamaha FJR1300. These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette. They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth that will end up taking up room in the garage next to the Bowflex gathering dust.

 

There was a time that I thought that being fast and having lots of horsepower was REALLY important. I think I was about 13 at the time.

 

huh... I thought thats what the new HD Rocker was aimed at..

 

I looked at the C14 and I guess I'm just a little spoiled by all the features of my RT.. The Connie looks kind of small and lacking by comparison for long haul rides... I've ridden an FJR and its definitely a fun bike... I'm sure the Connie is too but I'm stickin with the R12RT, gut and receeding hairline issues aside....

 

actually I should append this note.. I'll be stickin with the RT assuming I ever get it out of the shop... in for two weeks now with an ESA problem they cant diagnose(BMW just finally agreed to replace the whole unit) and some tappeter<sp?> adjuster snapped off in the cylinder head one day while riding.. they've spent the last two weeks trying to track down a missing chunk of it in the engine that mushroomed my valve head...

 

Oh yah, the legendary BMW fit and finish and German engineering for which BMW's are famous.

[fourteenfour]

only thing I have read of interest is that the seat height is very tall

[Steve_Witmer]

They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth that will end up taking up room in the garage next to the Bowflex gathering dust.

 

If that's true, just wait a couple years and get a used one cheap after his wife tells him to get rid of all that stuff gathering dust in the garage.

 

The truth is, these bikes don't hold their value as well as BMWs and historically have been good used bike values since there's not as much demand as there is for BMWs and Gold Wings.

[Tippy]

Re:

These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette. They are just a pathetic last grasp at youth

________________________________________________________

 

Hmm, should I take that last grasp at youth, or just pack it in now? Hmm..

[richiwx]

Quick question: Does the 2007 GT have an electric windshield? I can't find any info on it, so I thought I would just ask an owner.

[steveg]

can't go by thoe magazines , they'll say anything to keep the ad dollars rolling in

years ago one of the car mags. voted the chevy vega car of the year. we all know how that turned out.

then there was the renault alliance. another loser

[Paul Mihalka]

Quick question: Does the 2007 GT have an electric windshield? I can't find any info on it, so I thought I would just ask an owner.

I'm not an owner, but the answer is yes.

[Paul Mihalka]

These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette.

Hey, that can describe many of my friends (you know who you are) who are excellent dedicated riders. It does not apply to me. I'm way past middle age.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I'm way past middle age.

 

Me too, and when my Blackbird wears out, I figure I've got another 75K or so, on top of the 49K I'll have on it when I get home this weekend, I'll be looking at a used Conni for my next bike.

 

I could care less about retained value, I tend to keep my bikes for 8 or 10 years anyway, by which time the poor things have so many miles on them they have virtually no value to anyone but me.

[Bud]

These bikes are aimed at fat balding middle-aged guys who can't afford a red convertible Corvette.

Hey, that can describe many of my friends (you know who you are) who are excellent dedicated riders. It does not apply to me. I'm way past middle age.

 

Hmmm,

 

I'm a little overweight, balding, early 60's, can not afford a red Corvette.

 

Who are you talking about?

 

Oh, wait a minute, I'm not a excellent dedicated rider so you must be talking about someone else.

[BigGalloot]

I wish people wouldn't say things like that. The Blackbird is a fabulous machine, the FJR/Concours are not in the same league.

 

After I finally get my Ducati, I start looking for a used Blackbird.

 

 

Me too, and when my Blackbird wears out, I figure I've got another 75K or so, on top of the 49K I'll have on it when I get home this weekend, I'll be looking at a used Conni for my next bike.

[JRMSR]

Whoa! you must get your data from BMW

 

Motorcyclists dyno K1200GT

673lbs wet

127HP rear wheel (the only thing that counts)

70 ft lbs torgue

 

GTR1400 stock from Two Brothers Dyno

658lbs wet

142HP rear wheel

95 ft lbs torgue

 

Not even close

Nice to have good data when you make a decision or not

[JRMSR]

Well I just road a GTR1400 at my Dealer, and my feet hit the ground at least and inch earlier, than on my RT. So if its got a high seat, my RT is stratospheric.

[RichEdwards]

Nice to have good data when you make a decision or not

 

I await the first side-by-side comparison from a respected motojournal.

[wrestleantares]

Well I just road a GTR1400 at my Dealer, and my feet hit the ground at least and inch earlier, than on my RT. So if its got a high seat, my RT is stratospheric.

 

The RT at the lowest seat height is less than a quarter inch taller than the Concours. But seat height is not the only thing that makes a difference - cut/width of the seat makes a difference as well.

 

The Concours - felt very tippy to me, and was uncomfortably high for my wife to mount - which compounded the tippy feeling to me. I had to fight to hold the bike up. As comparison, a 1200GS was much easier (lighter weight probably had a lot to do with that).

[HexHead]

motorcyclist magazine just gave the concours best sport tourer for 2007. with its price with abs around 14,000 the rt does have some serious competition now i think

 

The RT has always been ranked in the "touring bike" category in the "Best ... " issues. And for good reason, it's not a "sport touring" bike.

[motoguy128]

The RT is far too comfortable to be a sport touring bike. It's just a "sporty" touring bike. I can live wiht that description.

[TowJam]

The RT at the lowest seat height is less than a quarter inch taller than the Concours. But seat height is not the only thing that makes a difference - cut/width of the seat makes a difference as well.

 

I saw on a new Connie today (didn't get to actually ride though). The seat didn't actually feel "high", but the cut of it splayed my legs out somewhat so I was on the balls of my feet. I may have been able to flat foot it except that the pegs were positioned right at my ankles. I think I would have a hard time waddling it out of a parking space. (I'm 5'6" with a 30" inseam.)

 

On the other hand, this is a helluva lot of bike for the money. I've talked to two local Kawa dealers here in the past couple of days and both of them have deposits already placed on incoming units. (The one I sat on today was actually being prepped for delivery.)

[Roger D]

motorcyclist magazine just gave the concours best sport tourer for 2007. with its price with abs around 14,000 the rt does have some serious competition now i think

 

The RT has always been ranked in the "touring bike" category in the "Best ... " issues. And for good reason, it's not a "sport touring" bike.

 

To the best of my recollection the R11RT was originally classified as a sport touring bike, and was designed to compete with such makes/models as the Honda ST(as in sport touring)1100. Somewhere about 1999 or 2000 the RT "suddenly" became a touring bike. Not sure who was responsible for the reclassification (BMW?). No doubt the "sport touring" classification was due in part to the fact that there were few true sport bikes with hard bags at the time the RT was originally developed.

 

As early adopters of this site may recall, this was originally an RT "only" site. The "sporttouring" part of the current site name reflects the sport touring legacy of the RT.

 

While it was originally called a sport touring bike, earlier references to the RT still emphasized the touring part of its character. It was common to see refernces to the RT as a "sport TOURING" bike as opposed to a "SPORT touring" bike.

[bakerzdosen]

Well, I was hanging out at the Kawa-dealer down the street today for a bit for them to do my state safety inspection. They have two Connie's in stock - one with and one without ABS. Honestly, I'm pretty impressed with the bike. IMHO, it looks a LOT better in real life than in pics. It's still a bit too "sit up and beg" for me, but I did like it. From all the fit and finish reports I've read, I would have thought that just touching it would have knocked some tupperware off or something. I didn't see a single thing that I'd call a quality flaw. If I were in the market, I'd give it serious consideration.

 

It does indeed seem like a great bang-4-buck deal.

[ghaverkamp]

From all the fit and finish reports I've read, I would have thought that just touching it would have knocked some tupperware off or something. I didn't see a single thing that I'd call a quality flaw. If I were in the market, I'd give it serious consideration.

 

Which ones have you been reading? Every review I've read talks about how Kawasaki clearly pulled out all the stops on fit-and-finish on this one, with at least one wondering if it will be only for this inaugural year.

[Ben_Ricci]

Because I'm one who made a comment in another thread about the Concurs 14's overall fit and finish, and having another look at one today, I'll clarify what I observed. The seat covering is thin and was "saggy" on the Connie I looked at. The console on the tank was flimsy plastic, the side cases were thin, hard plastic (small too) and the passenger pegs were aluminum stubs compared to the rider's pegs or most other other's on bikes in this class. I have nothing against Kawasaki and have new reason to bash the bike, it just seemed to me those were particularly unimpressive designs/materials that stood out with just casual looking. The seat in particular was surprising. I also believe you need to use the large key to open the side cases and I think it would be more utilitarian if the bags could be left open or locked like Beemer cases. In my observation, it seems like that's how Kawasaki manages to achieve a low MSRP. From a few feet away it's a very nice looking bike. Closer examination reveals a few weaknesses--and obviously I didn't see everything that isn't up to snuff in my casual gazing. For a luxury bike, it had some econobox materials here and there. That's all.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Big,

Go for it. You can find nice '01-'03 bikes in the 5-7K range. Just for some reference in re the Connie, mine dyno tested at 140 RWHP with 78 lb/ft of torque. Wet weight of the bike is right at 546 lbs. A set of Givi bags and a rack will set you back about 7-900 bux depending on models. Just a lovely bike. Power is linear and pretty much there everywhere. Mine tends to "wake up" above 7K and is truly impressive from there to the 10.8K red line. 80 to 100 mph is a mere light twist of the throttle and a couple of seconds away which makes it great for squirting around a line of traffic on the freeway. If you are so inclined, a little heavier twist of the throttle, minus bags of course, will take you to a GPS confirmed 177 mph.

 

The only drawback to the bike is its not so good fuel consumption and the fact that the suspension could use some help. In particular the front end. Ohlins or Penske rear shock, Trac Dynamics Gold Valve kit and new front springs pretty much take care of that. Figure about $1600 more. BTW, the fuel consumption is not all that bad, at the speeds I run, I average between 36 and 39 mpg at an indicated 90 mph, GPS 83. I plan on installing a PCIII USB pretty soon and should be able to get into the 40's.

[bakerzdosen]

From all the fit and finish reports I've read, I would have thought that just touching it would have knocked some tupperware off or something. I didn't see a single thing that I'd call a quality flaw. If I were in the market, I'd give it serious consideration.

 

Which ones have you been reading? Every review I've read talks about how Kawasaki clearly pulled out all the stops on fit-and-finish on this one, with at least one wondering if it will be only for this inaugural year.

I was talking about forum notes (like Ben's, but not his specifically).

 

However, as you well know, forums are like statistics... You can prove anything by them.

[glockster]

motorcyclist magazine just gave the concours best sport tourer for 2007. with its price with abs around 14,000 the rt does have some serious competition now i think

 

$13,999 OTD in So Cal area. Quite aggresive.

 

I imagine they'll sell'em all.

 

I'm not sure about competition for the RT though.

[Ben_Ricci]

$13,999 OTD in So Cal area. Quite aggresive.

 

I imagine they'll sell'em all.

 

I'm not sure about competition for the RT though.

 

I think you're right. That's an amazing price regardless of my thoughts on a few items. I just paid $14,315 for an F800ST OTD. Really highlights one of the most obviously differences between BMW and its competitors. Yet some us keep buying them.

[keithb]

Marco

I am sure they will sell them ALL at that price. I cannot even find one in a dealership here in Orange County.

[glockster]

Keith, Montclair Yamaha had one sitting next to a new FJR. Nice to see them right next to each other.

 

Here is the link to OTD Motorsports You get the quote back in the form of an e-mail.