2018 C14

[maxtog]

NOW THAT THERE IS FUNNY...

that ain't how motorcycles are assembled... especially at Kawasaki...

One might reasonably believe, however, that Kawasaki has significant stock or even overstock of expensive parts they would like to use up.  The USA is probably their biggest market (especially if you throw in Canada), so it makes sense to keep making and selling, as long as it is not taking away resources from doing something else more important.  Since the ZZR can pass Euro 4, the GTR could, too.  So something else might be to blame in the EU, like lower-than-needed sales.

Still, I have now changed my prediction to 2018 being the last year of the C14 and with no replacement.  An 11-year run, and  with a 21-year run of the C10.   32 years of Concours/GTR and then poof       I want to be wrong.

[eng943]

Well the gen2 improvements were significant and attractive, but probably not attractive enough to entice jumping from a gen 1.... UNLESS you just love the platform and want to to a brand new bike to start the love affair all over again and keep what you like and move most of the farkles, etc.  Quite a few people have done that.  Those with a 2008 can warp to an 11-year newer without any risk or uncertainty.

But it is disappointing they hadn't been interested in a real/significant gen3 kinda concept- with cruise, LED lights, fancier dash,  re-base on the zzr14 engine instead of zr14, etc.

I will point out that although there is no 2018 C14 in EU, there is in other markets, including USA/CA, so we still don't really know if the platform is dead or not.  Most likely it is, but who knows for sure...

See link below to new sport tourer from Kawsaki. The Concours is done in Europe now due to Euro 4. Evidently Kawasaki has had this new sport touring bike up their sleeve and hence no big updates to the C14.

This new bike seems more orientated toward sport than the C14.

 http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/2017/october/kawasaki-supercharged-ninja-h2-sx/

[MAN OF BLUES]

my response was directed to the "due to their being a warehouse somewhere full of rolling frames with engines in " posting... I know they have tonnage of parts, they just don't assemble them until the time is prioritized to fill active orders.

never mind, the point was missed...

[maxtog]

my response was directed to the "due to their being a warehouse somewhere full of rolling frames with engines in " posting... I know they have tonnage of parts, they just don't assemble them until the time is prioritized to fill active orders.

never mind, the point was missed...

I absolutely understand your point.  And I don't disagree with you.  I was simply expanding on his "they got stuff leftover" concept.

[maxtog]

See link below to new sport tourer from Kawsaki. The Concours is done in Europe now due to Euro 4. Evidently Kawasaki has had this new sport touring bike up their sleeve and hence no big updates to the C14.

This new bike seems more orientated toward sport than the C14.

 http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/2017/october/kawasaki-supercharged-ninja-h2-sx/

Now we are just full-circle back from another thread:  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22872.0

Summary so far based on THEIR speculation:

* Fake photo that can't be real for a lot of reasons.
* Is not a suitable replacement for the Concours for many based on their info.
* Apparently not named "GTR" or "Concours".
* If concept is even close, it means not shaft drive, so isn't a real ST.
* If short wheelbase of H2R, it won't be like the Concours experience.
* We will have to wait until Nov 8 to see what this new bike is really like.

[KawaC14]

In my humble opinion,  and being a relatively new C14 owner, a little over a year. I think if Kawasaki would just update a few things like factory cruise control, LED lights all around as well as a digital dash they would see a marked increase in sales. Come on, it's almost 2018, it's time. This would make a great bike even mo better. I don't think it would affect the base price much. I love my bike, but when its time to buy a new one these little updates would most certainly be a deal breaker for me anyway, to purchase a shiny new one.

[maxtog]

I very much agree with you.  I said it in other threads- I would love to have seen a gen3 version with all LED lights, LED headlights and corning lights, cruise control, throttle-by-wire, alarm system, even larger multifunction display with color, and perhaps with some other little revisions here and there; but WITHOUT touching the wonderful analog dials, the great engine or transmission, or general ergonomics and style.

Alas, Kawasaki is using Euro-4 as an excuse to kill the C-14 in non-north-american markets, and I am fairly sure it will disappear completely after 2018.  It will be "replaced" with a small (but fast) sport bike with luggage, short wheelbase, no shaft drive, short non-electric windscreen, no analog displays, no keyless ignition, and shorter range.  Probably won't even carry the market-leading 3-year, cheaply extendable to 9-year warranty.

Sigh.

[olie]

other than US and Canada, I am not aware of any country selling the MY2018 Concours /GTR 1400... meanwhile there are plenty unsold even at huge discounted prices. Buyers market as Kawasaki will not be feeding a dead fish for long.

[maxtog]

Probably won't even carry the market-leading 3-year, cheaply extendable to 9-year warranty.  Sigh.

No more "probably" about it, the H2SX has only a 1 year warranty.

[olie]

No more "probably" about it, the H2SX has only a 1 year warranty.

...same as ZX-14
Warranty12 Month Limited Warranty
Kawasaki Protection Plus™ (optional)12, 24, 36 or 48 months

Kawasaki is funny about warranties... check Versys 650 vs. Versys 650LT ... 1y vs. 2y . Not a typo!!

[DaddyFlip]

Yes, the H2SX has everything you want in a Connie and less (less weight, less displacement) for more (50% more MSRP). Meanwhile, my dealer has four black 2016's sitting in the showroom for $11.8k at the moment; probably lower soon.

[maxtog]

Yes, the H2SX has everything you want in a Connie and less (less weight, less displacement) for more (50% more MSRP).

It clearly doesn't have everything *I* want in a Connie!     If it were the same price, I would still pick the C14.  Even if it were a lower price, I would still pick the C14.  Now, if you could include the things the C14 has that the H2SX lacks, I would be salivating.... even at a higher price.  Make it silver, and I would lose my mind