Concours 14- First Impressions

[keithb]

Well I finally got to see a Concours 14 on the floor in the flesh today. I was at Bert's Mega Mall in Covina, Ca. for about 20-30 minutes. The lineup was perfect. A Concours 14, ST1300, and a FJR1300. I am 5'7" with a 30" inseam so these are my impressions based on my height and inseam and I ride an 05 RT. The Concours definitely had a more forward lean angle like my K1100RS. The bike was taller so it was harder to reach the floor and the ergos were not that great. The glove box was a joke and was actually broken. The bags did not look very big at all. Next was the ST1300. This bike was even taller than the C-14 for me and definitely top heavy. When I sat on the bike the seat felt like it was 2 feet wide and the bags looked very small. Ergos were OK. The last bike I sat on was the FJR1300. The ergos were very good, seat felt good and my feet reached the ground better than the C-14 and the ST1300. The bags appeared to be the largest of the 3 bikes. Based on sitting on each bike for about 5 minutes the FJR fit me the best based on ergos, seat comfort, and being able to touch the floor. The fit and finish of the C-14 seemed good except for the broken glove box lid. It just seemed very cheesy and cheap. If I was in bike buying mode the ST1300 would be out. At this point only a test ride on the C-14 and the FJR1300 would separate the two bikes.

[ScottT]

Hmmm... I have no doubt my R1200RT is the right bike for me. Especially since I've already fed it the ZX1400, and a ZX1200 on Deal's gap... I've fed it some Duc too... I seriously doubt a new Concours will get me... It's a pig weight wise and I've yet to be caught by riders on lighter faster bikes... The fast ride is more the rider than the bike... Believe it or not the R1200RT is as fast as any crotch rocket on the street or real world... So much so that a better rider will eat a lesser rider on a "faster" bike. I know... I've done it many times. I always wonder what they think when they can't catch that big red BMW with the bags and huge trunk...

[russell_bynum]

So much so that a better rider will eat a lesser rider on a "faster" bike.

 

True dat.

 

Mark and I ran away from a guy on a Vstrom coming down the Million Dollar highway. It was raining and we were on our DRZ400's on agressive knobby tires. Traction? We don't need no stinking traction!!

[Mike O]

So much so that a better rider will eat a lesser rider on a "faster" bike.

 

True dat.

 

Mark and I ran away from a guy on a Vstrom coming down the Million Dollar highway. It was raining and we were on our DRZ400's on agressive knobby tires. Traction? We don't need no stinking traction!!

It's much more fun doing it going UP the Million Dollar highway. My buddy (admittedly on a KGT), and I (on my RT), zoomed past a few UJM rockets. Because I was paying attention and they were wearing helmets I didn't get the pleasure of seeing their 'Buckwheat' expressions.

 

 

 

Mike O

[EffBee]

So much so that a better rider will eat a lesser rider on a "faster" bike.

 

True dat.

 

Mark and I ran away from a guy on a Vstrom coming down the Million Dollar highway.

 

I thought Wurty was off in Idaho somewhere.

[Wiley]

Helpfull insite Kieth. I happen to disslike the way the bags are perched way up and at an acute angle on the Concours. I guess it's to follow the angle of the huge muffler. For me it came down to the FJR and K12GT. The FJR doesn't have cruise, only a one year warranty, no trip computer, and a 5 speed transmission. Also the FJR is 30 lbs heavier than the GT. The Concourse is 65 lbs heavier than the GT and a whopping 115 lbs heavier than the R12RT!

[SageRider]

Traction? We don't need no stinking traction!!

Something you've proved multiple times...

It's pretty hard on your bikes, though.

[BrianT]

Traction? We don't need no stinking traction!!

Something you've proved multiple times...

It's pretty hard on your bikes, though.

Ouch, right in the beansack.

[Tool]

Ouch, right in the beansack.

 

 

Yep. We already know that left a mark... or two or three!!

 

 

I'd still like to find a place offering test rides on the Concours 14. (It'll always be a Concours, no matter what Kawasaki says...)

 

I think my best "All Around Bike" was my early gen Concours... yes, it needed suspension, brakes and such, but that was cheap and easy to fix. After that, you had a sport tour bike with a SEVEN-POINT-FIVE GALLON TANK!

 

As the saying goes, "Let us MOTO!"

[keithb]

After writing my initial impressions of th 3 bikes I sat on yesterday the FJR1300 fit me the best stock out of the box no doubt about it. I would be curious to know how the seat would be after a few hundred miles. Three years ago I rode a buddies FJR and really liked it a lot and almost bought one. I rode it up Angeles Crest to Newcombs and back and put 200 miles on it that day. 3rd/4th on this bike were just great up in the mountains. Or lets say I looked and all I could find at the time was either wrecked or they wanted almost full boat for a used bike. Daddy don't play that game.

[Deadboy]

To quote the previous Concours thread:

 

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

 

 

Like what you want but at least deal in real #'s....the GT is the heavyweight in this group...