Drove a Concours Yesterday...

I helped a freind replace the fork seals in his concours. I think it was a '96 model year. I took it for a spin when I was done and I was impressed. Seems like a great commuter or over the road bike. I think a Goldwing is an Albatross next to the Concours. The Kaw is smaller and was very agile and had good power. It would lift the front tire in second gear. I didn't ride for very long but it felt like a comfortable bike for the long haul. I think I might look for a used one for trips to the lake etc.

I see the new model the Concours 14 has the ZX-14 powerplant in it. Can anyone say "Ludicrous Speed" (Oh No! They've gone PLAD!):ohmy:

I also discovered that there is a bit of a cult following with this bike. Any Concours owners out there care to chime in?

I bought a new 1990 and kept it for 1000 miles. That was enough of that motorcycle for me. Seat was not comfortable, bodywork fit and finish was not all that great. Maintenence was pretty challenging with all the plastic. Of course this was near 20 yrs ago so no way applies to the new 1400. One thing I did read about the new 1400 from a guy who owns one is they use that transponder key setup like the new cars. A new car they generally have instruction how to progam a new key. Apparently on the Kawasaki this is a dealer only thing and costs $250 per spare key and if you happen to loose your key it's like a $1500 out of pocket error. This right here would scare me away from wanting one of them. Extra complexity I don't need or want.

I have two spare keys in a gunsafe becasue of that very issue with my car. If you don't have two, you can't program a new one. No I wouldn't want that hassle at all. If I wanted to be screwed by my dealer I would just by a Harley.

I was considering finding an older bike, but I do see the issues with the faring and covers with maintinence. All dress bikes are going to have that issue to some extent. They are all shaft drive as I understand, thats a plus, and they were based on the big Ninja originally.

Tyler wrote:

I have two spare keys in a gunsafe becasue of that very issue with my car. If you don't have two, you can't program a new one. No I wouldn't want that hassle at all. If I wanted to be screwed by my dealer I would just by a Harley.

I was considering finding an older bike, but I do see the issues with the faring and covers with maintinence. All dress bikes are going to have that issue to some extent. They are all shaft drive as I understand, thats a plus, and they were based on the big Ninja originally.

locksmith can copy/program those keys fairly cheap in these parts anyway.tganek runs the wheels off his connie as he calls it,never complains.

I had one (86 model) for several years. It was making an awful noise when I bought it, but I took a chance that it might be the cam chain. This is not a big deal since on the concours the cam chain is on the left side of the engine rather than the center. This means it can be serviced without splitting the cases. It turned out that a fairing bolt had fallen in during previous maintenance and the cam chain was rubbing against the bolt. There were metal shavings all in the oil. The mechanic doing the work changed the oil and I changed it again after a couple hundred miles. He showed me the bolt - the bolt head was worn almost off so there was a fair amount of metal in the system. However, as I said, I rode it for several years thereafter. They are tough motors it seems.

There are two problems with them in my opinion. The biggest problem is that in warm climates the heat will bother you if you are used to unfaired bikes. It is a very good winter bike though. The second problem is that for me, the handlebars are too low and forward. My hands always got tingly feeling due to the pressure placed on the palm of your hand against the grips. I tried either gen-mar or the other guys, risers and it helped, but not enough.

On the plus side, the motor ran strong, started and carbureted better than my previous Kawasaki (I wonder if connie carbs would fit my LTD1000 and work better...), and the luggage made carrying a laptop or other stuff very convenient. The bags actually detach and can be carried in like luggage when on overnight trips.

On the return trip from Road Atlanta from watching the races I was burning up and swapped bikes with my brother who was riding an '82 Magna. I fell in love with the unfaired "in the wind" feel that I had been missing. Soon after I sold the Concours and bought a '74 CB750 that I still have.

All in all though, I think the concours is a pretty good bike. My wife liked riding on it better than any other bike I have owned because it had plenty of room and the rear portion of the seat is wide and comfortable.

The COG web site (Concours Owners Group) is a very helpful resource and also a good bunch of guys, so yes there is a pretty good following out there. Since Kawasaki made basically the same bike from 1986 to 2006 or so, there are plenty of good buys and plenty of parts available.

Ha - that is more than .02 worth... Send .03 or whatever you wish.

My '92 Concours had more than 60,000 miles on it when I sold it. It was a terrifically reliable and very enjoyable ride. For me, it was an ideal blend of sport and touring. It hanlded well enough to be entertaining in the Texas Hill Country, the Arkasas Ozarks, Oklahoma's Ouachitas and the mountains of Tennessee. It could also lay waste to any superslab in between. Yes, in traffic, engine heat could be felt on the shins, but was not really a problem. Kawasaki upgraded the seat, forks, front brakes and the instrument panel in 1997, making the later ones even more enjoyable. Only one time did I have a mechanical problem. Once while in deep East Texas, the alternator gave up. Apperantly this is very rare as the shop that replaced it was unable to find a single company that offered rebuilt ones, and the nearest oem unit was in a warehouse in California.
Maintenance was not really a problem, as the 'tupperware' came off easily. That lovely shaft rarely needs attention, is quiet and clean, quite unlike chains. The only annoyance in this area was valve adjustments every 6k miles. The upside, though, is that Kawi used screw and locknut rather than shims, so the procedure was pretty simple.
I'd love to have a 14, even with the odd and unecessary key business. If only I could part with my ZRX or find a way to expand the garage...........

Well I would gladly take that old ZRX off your hands so it wouldn't be in your way any more...:laugh:

i always wanted one until i rode one
they just never put fuel injection on it, and the looks of the 14 do not appeal to me. it is a sport tourer built to a budget and was looking very dated at the end, but i guess Kawasaki is good at that ie. Voyager and the KLR come to mind. i think they are a real good bike but i went with my BMW for sportier touring it fits my want a bit better, air cooled, shaft drive, twin. it still is carbed but i can live with it.
one problem already mentioned with the older sport/tours in the quest to get good wind protection they can become stifling to ride it the heat, my bimmer is worse that the kawi with the cylinders and all, but WOW do you roast.

I recently bought a '93 (still first generation/significant changes were made with the '94 and up). Then Kaw introduced the 14. WAY too much motorcycle for me.
Anyway, I found a '93 with 65K miles on craigslist for $1800. I was reluctant to buy a bike with that many miles but after a lot of research on cogonline.org and
ZG/GTR fanatics ( forum.concours.org/ ) I bit the bullet and gave the seller the $$ (via my brother who rides and lives in the same city).
I drove my car 2.5 hours away to get the Connie; left my car there and rode the bike back home.
My initial impression(s) were that the bike was damned heavy, but that heaviness quickly disappeared once I was undewrway.
The Connie rode extremely well on the trip back home. I was grinning all the way back. It felt so stable and under worked. When the situation presented itself I rode it back as fast as I had the "cajones" to do so. It really didn't smooth out 'till about 80+ mph; you should have seen the grin on my face!:lol:
Once I got home (and returned the next day to get my car), I was able to inspect it very closely.
Man was I surprised to see that the tires looked A LOT WORSE the next morning!
Since then I have been going over it bit by bit. So far I have installed a new set of Avons, new wheel bearings and seals; new SS brake and clutch lines, new forks springs and seals, etc., etc.
I am EXTRENELY PLEASED with my purchase. Is it the latest and greatest bike on the streets?? NO.
But is it a blast to ride, especially at freeway speeds?
DAMN RIGHT!!!!!!!!
So I guess it all boils down to what you want out of your motorcycle. Good luck with your decision. If you decide to make the purchase all I can say is good luck!
Like KZrider is for older KZs, you will find forums that are dedicated to the ZG/GTR bikes. Just remember the Concours' heritage;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the original big Ninja!
Ride safe,
Jim

Sorry Tyler, I love that rascal and the p. o. has first dibbs if I decide to sell. :laugh: