Opinions on the Kawasaki Concours 14

[misterprofessionality]

Howdy gang,

I know i've seen at least some of you mention that you own or have owned Connies, so i'm asking the group for a generalized opinion on the bike as a workhorse, touring machine, and overall purchase value. I have an opportunity to get a 2008 with only 4500 miles on it, and despite the bike being 12 years old it appears to be in slamming good condition. If everything is as it seems, I want to know what owners of the bike think in realistic terms.

* What would be the real difference between a 2008 and a 2019 model Concours in terms of features and benefits? all the research i've done seems to suggest that there is almost no measurable difference. the bike hasn't been redesigned in 15 years.

* What's the most you'd pay for a 2008 connie with 4500 miles on it?

* What should i look out for on a concours that appears to have spent most of the last 12 years not being ridden?

* If my goal is to get a good, safe, satisfying sport touring motorcycle, what should i shop for instead?

Thanks folks.

[misterprofessionality]

Thanks M. i'm totally aware of the speed. Rode a '15 about 2 months ago at my local dealership (it's still there but they want 9k for it). I liked what i rode, but wasn't willing to pay all that much considering what I already own. It was good but not in a "replaces my CB" kinda way. Certainly more powerful, but not with power that's more useful if that makes any sense to say. However, it occured to me that these bikes haven't changed in many years so when i saw the low mileage '08 i realized i might be able to have one.

If your 1st gen burst into flames tomorrow and you needed a new sport touring bike, would you get a 2nd gen, or would you get something else?

[Crazyirv_imp]

Kawasaki inline four bikes are every bit as dependable if not more than Hondas. The Connie is built to load up the miles and last and last. Haven't owned one but always admired them starting with the older generation ones, which had to be one of the great bargains ever in motorcycling. Sold my Kaw Z750S in 2018 that I owned from 8k miles to 46K miles. Total Issues:1 short cost me $99 to fix. The most I would pay for the one you describe would be $7000.....less than half of a new one. A Yamaha FJR 1300 would be also be a great ST bike to have.

[LongRanger_imp]

If I were to compare sport-touring bikes, I’d make a list of the features that are important to me and go from there (electric windscreen? cruise? heated seat / grips? 300-mile range? electronic adjustable suspension? etc.). I’m sure the C14 is a fabulous bike but only you can determine if it checks all your boxes and is right for you.

[PowerDubs_imp]

I'm in a weird world- if there was a new bike with new stuff that I really loved, I suppose I would pay 12-15k, IF it hit everything correctly to me.

The more *EH* I see that I need to correct, the less I am willing to pay, as I need to fix that stuff myself.

The CB is a perfect example- I knew I was interested for years before I bought one.

But I didn't want red.

Then came the black model... but I don't want all black.. and the look needed tweaking which takes time and money...

So I waited...and bought a leftover '14 standard in '16.

Long story short- peoples garages are filled with low mile used bikes. Cash talks. Especially on a bike that hasn't changed in 12+ years.

I'd ask myself what would that bike offer me that the CB doesn't? Style? Range? Comfort? Passenger? Thrill?

Some of that can be addressed, if even a little improvement for much less- without the negatives that bike may bring.

[misterprofessionality]

Longranger: It's not so much a matter of what features i want and considering whether or not the bike ticks all the boxes. If i could do that I would be spending around 20k on a bike that's perfect, and entirely replacing my CB. That's not happening here. What i've run into is a chance to buy a Kawasaki Concours 14 with very low miles for about 4.5k. It doesnt tick *all* the boxes truth be told, but it does tick some. and it ticks way more than anything else I could ever buy for 4.5k, i'll say that for sure. What i'm asking the group is "what's wrong with this bike?"

Josh: That's a lot of good input. for me it's always about "what can i get for the price?" it was the reason i bought my CB and i've always been happy with that decision. The Concours certainly offers me a great deal more comfort and safety. with a better suspension, ABS, traction control, and other features the bike is just plain safer and more practical for my daily commute. since i live on a motorcycle and have no car at all, this is important. the CB is a stellar bike but at the same time i've locked up those tires more than a few times. at the end of the day, better brakes all by itself is a reason to rethink my commuting strategy. In this case, i'm looking at an opportunity to get all that extra safety and comfort for the price of 4.5k, and I don't even have to give up my CB1100, which is now a sentimental favorite.

There's also the range advantage to think of, which affects my commute in a big way and gives me the ability to take much longer trips which would be quite uncomfortable on the CB. This way I can save the CB for rallies, trips to he NC mountains, and pull out the Concours for almost everything else.

[bflint]

What year/model cb1100 do you own? My 2014 DX abs breaking and suspension make it pretty safe/comfortable for me.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

I'm glad to see you're looking to keep your CB and add another bike MrP. I'm not in the same position as you that bikes are your only means of transportation (although I have been in the past) but it's smart and fun to diversify.
I have no experience with the Concours but I do with Kawi fours and if you find it's a bike that fits your needs then grab it, you can't go wrong. They are super reliable bikes.

Bflint, the '14 standard does not have ABS.

[Houtman_imp]

A riding buddy of mine had one , never did much to the bike and loved it . He is dead now . ( the rider I mean , bike is still alive)

[Cormanus]

I'm sorry you lost your friend Houtman, but I'm glad you told us the bike is still alive as we might have thought they both went together.