Breaking in the new C14 and risking understanding the Moss Magnuson Act.

[gnuse]

After a mid 30's ride into the NC mountains last week, I noticed upon returning home that my bike now had 596 miles on it. I pondered if that was close enough to take a leap of faith and change the engine and final drive oils. I figured that even this electronic marvel doesn't have a feedback link to Kawasaki's warranty attorneys, so I made plans to move ahead.

After read about 596 posts about oil, filters, seals, and the Moss Magnuson Act, I went ahead. In spite of or as a result of my almost 50 years of riding, a ridiculous number of motorcycles, forum posts from experts and obvious clueless experts, and fourteen pages of legal stuff about the risks I was taking by servicing my own bike, I took out the appropriate tools and serviced my new bike.

Yes, I used 10-40 Mobil 1 4T with an official Kawasaki filter and a oil drain washer/seal from Murph's and 75w90 Mobil 1 LS in the final drive. The oil out of both drains had a visible metallic sheen to it. I guess I am lucky that I didn't wait until 600 miles. I hope the two rare-earth magnets that I put on the two drain bolts stay in place and do their job. Of course I couldn't pry them off after they attached themselves and thankfully they didn't interfere with the socket when reinstalling them. I can't wait to see what they pick up.

Yesterday I headed back up into the mountains of North Georgia which are about 100 yards from my garage. The shifting was noticeably more precise feeling, but I expected that change as I have experienced it in my other bikes as well which switching to this type oil. What I didn't expect was to finally start enjoying a few more revs on the tach and then promptly get "smoked" by a girl on one of my favorites bikes (actually I like almost anything that burns fossil fuels), a red VFR Honda. I was impressed with her riding as she eased away from me in the corners. I only saw two Georgia State troopers and one was already busy and the other caught me slowing down as I approached home. I fear this bike is going to make me become even more careful with my speeds. I even started to understand why someone might want a radar detector on one of these after having never even thought about one on my BMW RT.  I hoped to find that young lady and thank her for helping me remove the last vestiges of the "chicken strips" on my rear tires and making a noticeable impact on the reduction of the front ones. Alas, she didn't stop for gas along my route, as that was my only hope of seeing her again.

I love this bike! It handles so much better than my previous two sport touring bikes from Germany. It is helping me learn to be a more adept rider.

Best wishes to all for a great holiday riding season. 

[Boomer]

Wait until ya get some good tyres on her. 
She only really starts to get going once yer above 6,000rpm so once you've broke her in, go do that route again and show that VFR rider how it's done. 

As for the BMWs, the only thing I liked on the K1300GT (the closest they came to the C14) is the saddle which is way comfier.
The rest of the bike I was unimpressed with and the motor was pretty buzzy.
The K1600 is a different market and the Boxers, although they are nice bikes, are just too bland for me.

If it doesn't scare me silly at least once per week then I go looking for more power.
Luckily for me as I get older I scare easier. 
Otherwise I'd be riding a V10, 5 litre, 600Bhp bike by now! 
Oh no,.... now I want a LamborgSaki Concours 5000 .......

[gnuse]

As I ease up the RPM scale, I am noticing what you mean!

Alas, I never got to ride bikes when I raced in England. Too focused on other things at the time. I have a good friend in Thetford up the A134 from you, too bad he wasn't in to motorcycles at the time, but I found driving in England to be wonderful fun and challenging for the first couple of hours in a car. 

[Ron Dawg]

So you're pretty close to Dahlonega/Cleveland/Neels Gap, eh? I passed your house twice last week.  It's nice up there when you have it almost to yourself. Nice!!!!

[gnuse]

I'm glad you appreciate the area, I do. I waved and hope you did. 

[Ron Dawg]

Oh yes. I first moved to the mountain area when I entered Young Harris College in the fall of 1975. Two weeks later I bought a used 1971 Honda CB350 for $500 at the local Honda shop in Blairsville and proceeded to learn to ride after class every day and put 10,000 miles on it. Two years later, I traded the 350 for a Honda Hawk I CB400 at the Clarkesville Honda shop and paid $495 + the CB350. List on the Hawk was $995. Both those dealerships are long gone. I rode the 400 for two years until I ran out of money my senior year at Georgia. I sold that and my prized '54 Ford F100 truck that I restored in high school. I stayed off bikes for over 30 years due to career, marriage, kids, etc. but never let my license lapse. I got back in with a beautiful 2000 C-10 last year that had 5,000 miles.

Man did I miss riding, but life interferes sometimes. I live near Gainesville and come up that way often. Maybe a C14 is in my future when my son graduates from Ga in two years (or three...).

I love this area. I've spent many, many hours exploring N.Ga. Welcome to the funhouse.
Ron