Kawasaki Concours Forum
Introductions - Tell us a bit about yourself => Introductions => Topic started by: ShadowJack on April 12, 2016, 05:25:20 PM
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Bought a 2013 Blue Concours today, loan approved, papers signed, remainder paid for. Waiting for the check to get to the dealer (Fay Myers in Denver) which should be Thursday.
Been riding off and on since the 70's but my longer time in the saddle has been since I got back on in 2001.
While I've had a few bikes since then, in 2004 I picked up a Hayabusa and have stuck with her. I turned it into a SPORT-Touring platform and have 131,000 miles on her. Been to every state and Canadian province I could reach on two wheels from California to Alaska and Labrador to Florida on her. Plus I have my Iron Butt :) But she still runs great. :)
About 5 years ago I was looking at something like the 'busa but a tiny bit less scrunched. At 6'2", even with the mods, it could get a little uncomfortable at times. Took a test ride on a C14 and it was basically what I wanted. Still, not quite time.
Two years ago, I stumbled on a wonderful woman. She likes my attempts at guitar, enjoys table top gaming, is a computer nerd, and weirdly would much rather ride on the back of my 'busa than ride herself (she wants to tour, I want to ride). The 'busa is good, we rode to Virginia, Chicago, and back to Denver including 36 miles short of an Iron Butt for her :) But there are little things like pegs vs footboards, hand holds vs holding on to me, and lockable storage so we can walk away from the bike.
Last year I said I would be in the market this year. I was. We test drove a couple of bikes and I went for the C14.
We have a 2 week trip planned in June. 5,000 miles to California, Canada, and back to Denver with many stops along the way. There are a couple of mods I have on the 'busa that I want to put on the C14 to prepare; Throttlemeister, Flashing tail light, and some clear shelf paper for the bags and tank. I have an order for the service manual in at the ealer. I sent an email to SISF for the ECU and I'll poke about here for other suggestions.
I look forward to more riding and seeing what's here. (Pictures Thursday.)
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Welcome!
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Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new bike! If you are still looking for a brake light flasher I can recommend this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Flasher-Module-Universal-Motorcycles/dp/B00FADDOL4 (http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Flasher-Module-Universal-Motorcycles/dp/B00FADDOL4)
I had it for about 1000 miles and it still works. Programmable and does many other functions.
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Welcome :chugbeer: to the forum, Shadow!!!
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Welcome to the forum!
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Welcome mate!! :) Nice intro btw! ;)
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Welcome! Enjoy the new bike.
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Welcome to the forum, and congrats on your purchase. I wish you many happy and safe miles on her.
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:chugbeer: Welcome
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New Bike Day.... :banana :banana :banana
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New Bike Day.... :banana :banana :banana
Getting exited for your behalf Bud.... :chugbeer:
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Thanks! Yep, new bike day today. Got the call. Check is in hand. Just arranging a ride down to pick her up.
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Thanks! Yep, new bike day today. Got the call. Check is in hand. Just arranging a ride down to pick her up.
I remember about 6 years ago getting a ride to the dealer to pick up my 2010. I was 54 going on 7 on Christmas morning.
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Rode the new bike home. 2 hours in rush hour traffic plus I bought a new helmet. My HJC visor bits broke again.
Anyway, spent the last hour reading the manual and checking bits out. Now I can order the throttlemeister and the flasher module.
Need to chase down floorboards for me though.
Later and thanks again!
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Don't know your riding style but floorboards will affect your cornering speeds.
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I can be a bit aggressive but I'm looking more for heel rests than full on floorboards. I ginned up a pair for the 'busa several years back and they work great and don't affect my cornering speed in the slightest (if I'm that far over, I'm probably sliding into the weeds :) ).
Pics of the new bike BTW:
(http://schelin.org/jpgshow.php?id=12306)
(http://schelin.org/jpgshow.php?id=12307)
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Nice! I see you bought the fastest color ;)
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That would be the fastest of the slower gen 2 models?
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:)
I have a few observations and of course some bits I picked up from reading the owner's manual last night :)
First off, I couldn't figure out how to lock the trunk. I closed it but nothing I could do while at the dealer could secure it. Since I'm in the wind, I'm not too worried about something flying out. Heck, I left my Givi unlocked on the 'busa riding through a heavy rain storm in Oklahoma with a bunch of gaming books and my laptop and nothing even got a raindrop. Still, I put the paperwork and stuff in the left saddlebag with the spare helmet in the right one. Once I got home, I removed it from the bike and brought it inside where I could examine it in better light and after a few minutes figured out how to secure it. The label does say "push" but it wasn't real clear to my simple 'busa mind :) But pushing on the bottom of the catch had it pop over and secure the lid and it's good now.
When riding her home, I was cycling through the LCD using the top button on the dash to check air pressure, temps, and other bits of information. The book pointed out that there's a little gray switch on the back of the left bar instrument cluster (see the bit next to the clutch reservoir in the first pic) that cycles through the display without having to take your hands off the bars.
There's a 'eco' mode which leans out the mixture when just riding the slab. Default is off. There's also a 'twisty'/'slab' mode for the brakes, default 'twisty' oddly enough.
I'd ridden a FJR in the past and as part of the test rides I did last weekend. I hadn't realized the screen would raise and lower on the C14 and drop to basic when shut down. At the top, I found it blocks the wind which is a bit uncomfortable if you're used to the wind keeping you from full weight on your wrists. I'm riding at a pretty good speed and raising it changed my riding from comfortable to all my weight on my wrists. About 50% to 75% is good for me. Amusing that you can set the default height for when you turn on the bike. :)
As noted, I do need to chase down something for the pegs. But it doesn't have to be full floorboards. I have heel rests I ginned up for the 'busa which work perfectly. Even this morning, my arches are a bit sore. Same with getting a "throttlemeister" as I have it for the 'busa and a taillight modulator. I think I have the 'custom dynamics' modulator (or something like that) but I'll check out the one recommended above as well.
It's interesting that many of the mods I did on the 'busa to make it more of a touring bike are already on the C14.
I have the service manual on order and need to have a second FOB configured for piece of mind.
I will note that buying and riding with a new helmet and a new bike through 2 hours of rush hour traffic isn't something I care to repeat :)
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And me, from my Alaska trip
(http://schelin.org/jpgshow.php?id=826)
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I can be a bit aggressive but I'm looking more for heel rests than full on floorboards. I ginned up a pair for the 'busa several years back and they work great and don't affect my cornering speed in the slightest (if I'm that far over, I'm probably sliding into the weeds :) ).
Pics of the new bike BTW:
(http://schelin.org/jpgshow.php?id=12306)
(http://schelin.org/jpgshow.php?id=12307)
Mr. ShadowJack, Great lookin' Concours (KonKoor) silent "s". You might wanna dump the Crapstone 021 tires before any serious long distance tours or twisty action; just a word to the wise- they completely suck to put it politely.
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I pronounce it with the 's'. Always done it. I know it's not correct but I do it anyway.
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Isn't the Internet silent?
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Maybe when I'm drinking..