[56599]

Wow way to go Kawasaki. Love the looks of the new Concours. Beautiful classy lines. Has available ABS too.. (The GMP predicted most sport touring and touring bikes will have this an option. In a few years it will be standard equipement). I agree the ZX-6R looks bad ass.. Has nice smoth lines and no racer boy graphics. Kawasaki gets it. If a bike is designed well it doesn't need strips or racer boy graphics. Do you hear me Suzuki? Looks a lot better than the R6.



Since I wrecked the Ninja on tight twisty road today. Perhaps it's time for kpaul to update once it gets fixed.



Nice job Kawasaki.. The Middle weight shoot-out should be fun this year..

 

[stlarson]

What they've done with the Concours is a complete reinvention of that model. What seemed like a quaint, overpriced, but ultimately soft and benign tourer looks like it has made a quantum leap into an entirely different league. My only concern is price. With the ZX-14 being a $12k bike, the Concours line is looking at a pretty hefty bump up market. If they could bring it in at $10k it would be an unbeatable value but I don't see how that is possible, $12-$13k is my expectation.

 

[57406]

Sharft drive, elevtric windshield, para-lever rear suspension... Sounds very familiar. Now the Connie is almost as modern as the 1996 BMW R1100RT. It's real competition is the FJR1300, another well done clone at a fraction of the price.

 

[rconcor]

I was looking at an '05 Concours (I think) this week. It was like having something important taken away—like hope. The Concours Dept. must have been where Kawasaki sent designers they wanted to punish—A Gulag for the creative. Finally, The Design has changed, Comrade! I've saved the frame picture. Just attach a seat and hugger, maybe some highway pegs, and one phrase comes to mind: "What's a Teutal?" Obviously, someone at Kawasaki has been forgiven. What next: "Osama, come home?"

 

[43093]

Yeah, not happening! I expect to see 13.5K and up. At least they kept the shaft drive, I was afraid they would go to a chain with that motor.

 

[Habsdoc]

It seems more of an update and improvement of the ZZR 1200 than the Connie. Having said that, I'LL TAKE IT!! A nice comparo with the ST1300, FJR1300 and the K1200 is in order asap MO!!

 

[lwatcdr]

I had not idea that the R100RT made 170 hp. And had variable cam timing. So is the new BMW K just a very expensive clone of the Busa?

Actually the new Connie looks like exactly like the old Connie.

The old Connie was a Ninja 1000 that was made into a sport touring machine. The new one is a ZX-14 made into a sport touring machine. Kawasaki took their fast sport bike and made and ST out of

Sweet.

 

[BMWDavid]

Man I like the new ZX14 Tourer. Here's hoping that Kawasaki gives the bike decent ergo's.



My biggest problem with most modern bikes is the lack of leg room. To much bend in the knee and hip.



If this bike is the same as the ZX14 then its going to be to tight for me. I'm not that big...5'11" 220 pounds. It that I'm over 50 and my joints are a little less prone to bending than they were when I was 25.



Anyway, I'll sit tight and wait for more info on this bike. I was going to get an ST1300 to replace my recently sold FJR. But now I'm dreaming of this new Kaw!



Just think...165+HP and 100+# of torque! Shaft-drive, etc. Wow!



David

 

[53317]

Cruise control? Self cancelling turn signals? Price? Other specs? I am very happy with my 2005 FJR ABS; we have a great relationship. I still notice a pretty young woman, however. May be best to wait a season or two to get the bugs out of the 14. Will be time to upgrade by then. The K1200 GT is very cool, but absurdly high acquisition costs and no doubt exorbitant costs of ownership, together with scarce and precious dealers, are disincentives. Very interesting to see this market develop. I would expect Honda to up the ante with a re-habbed ST1300 very soon. Thanks for the scoop.

 

[55418]

Gentlemen (and Women); Life is Good

In cars, the Horsepower Wars are hot and heavy again, and worldwide, the Lunatics are running the Asylums wherever they are making motorcycles......

Wooo Hoooo!!!!!

 

[3833]

12-13k still blows away the competetion:



Cheaper and more powerful than the FJR1200.

Cheaper and WAY more powerful than the ST1300.

Way Cheaper and WAY WAY more powerful than the R1200RT.

Way Way Cheaper and still more powerful than the K1200GT.

 

[gtada]

The ZX-14 is still the Pontiac Aztek of the motorcycling world. Whoever the designer was that decided to put Testarossa fins on the side of that poor beast should be flogged in public.



The new ZX-6 looks great. It shares a lot of family resemblance to the ZX-14, but it's much more tasteful. I want it.

 

[50908]

It's true- most Misspelled mc model ever

Ha! "Kawasaki Concourse". It's true, has to be the most misspelled motorcycle model name ever in the histroy of motorcycling.

Also, poor BMW, they try and try, but can't get ahead. This Concours is going to kill similar BMW models, esp in value per dollar equations. I like them, but BMW is dead!

 

[SeanAlexander]

Even in full-sport guise, the Ninja ZX-14 is already Much smoother than the FJR 1300... so just imagine what a ZX-14-based Concours will do to the FJR and K-GT in the areas of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) .

Now... imagine what it will do to them in the performance realm ;-)

Anybody care to bet against a new Concours during the next Sport Touring Shootout?

 

[Buzglyd]

I wonder if Kawi should have considered a new name for the Concours.



Budget S/T is what comes to mind.



That being said, I dig it and would consider owning one for sure.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Re: It's true- most Misspelled mc model ever

KP, - Is that YOU?

 

[bmwclay]

Don't count your chickens just yet......Kawasaki may pull the old 'tuned for mid-range' trick on the new Concours 14. Drop about 30 hp for 5 more ft. lbs. torque. Now we're back to ST-1300 power and weight without Honda's V-4 smoothness and ride quailty.

 

[Buzglyd]

I'm already angling to get on the MO list for that one.

 

[Buzglyd]

I would almost expect that to happen. Kawi would likely move the power a little lower in the rev range.



Also it makes sense from a marketing perspective.

 

[schizuki]

"Nice looking bikes" gets a "2 - Intelligent"? Whatev.



Anyway, hope the injuries weren't serious.