almost bought a concours14

[jride]

well i bought an 09 fjr in part because after riding a sprint st the c14 seemed huge.

I have rode the fjr 300mi so far and the jury is still out. I must admit it handles very well and i feel very confident leaning it way over and even break the rear tire loose sometimes in slow speed turns ( intentional, just incase you wondered)

the main thing i am disapointed with is the heat i feel, I thought the heat issue was solved in 06. If it was worse than the 09

i can hardly believe they ever sold any after the first year. I hope it gets better after it has some miles on it or maybe i will get used to it.

 

[Sagebrush]

I find the Gen II FJR to be the best in the heat department, I was riding at 101 today and would hate to be on my past Honda ST or the air cooled V Twins etc. These are gas fired bikes, they will produce some major temps when the cooling fans kick on!

Enjoy the new ride, go rack up some real miles. Say 5,000 miles and see if you still want a C14. it's only money or in my case credit...

The two best things I did was the addition of a wind shield sized for me and a throttle rocker to help with the stiff throttle. The stock screen hit me totally wrong, I could only use it fully lowered. My Cal-Sci XL is holding up very well and I can get quiet air if I want to.

 

[Mcgyver74]

I too agonized over this decision, I bad a C-10 Connie for 10 years and loved every minute of it.

When the engine on the connie finally went, I was seriously thinking about the C-14, but in doing my research, I was put of by the maint schedule of the Connie as well as the smaller tank, and requirments for super gas.

I would still have bought it, but dealers werent making deals, and none would allow test rides, and frankly, it's only been around for 2 years. Put all that together, and I picked up my 09 FJR last Sat, 500 miles already on it (had to work all week and it was raining like hell last weekend) and still have a grin

Hope this helps

 

[DaJudge]

These are gas fired bikes, they will produce some major temps when the cooling fans kick on!
My Cal-Sci XL is holding up very well and I can get quiet air if I want to.

Oh so true. The heat's gotta go somewhere. The Gen I had a some of it creeping up around the sides of the tank to roast the inner thighs. On the Gen II, it seems like they set it up to vent out the sides down around your lower legs where the slipstream catches it. It was no problem yesterday at about 98 degrees even in town. The C-14 ejects much of it in the area of the ankles, primarily on the right side. It was a little harder to find a cooler placement for my ankles/feet on the C-14 than it was on the Gen II FJR. I'm wearing Olympia AirGlide 2 pants and Sidi Champion Air Boots.

+1 on the CalSci screen. I picked one up from a forum member (thanks Snookerman!) and have found it to do a very nice job of giving me a quiet bubble when I want it. I used it for a day trip yesterday and enjoyed the decreased wind noise. I'll switch back to the stocker for around town until the temps here (hovering around 100 for the high) cool down some.

 

[Cdogman]

My prior post was just in response to bullbogs post and an attempt to say that i use the current bike nearly to its limits at times and i would like to be able to use more of the tire ie lean further, if so desired. What i hear about the fjr is that it is nearly impossible to use the whole tire As it relates to the c14, articles i have read say that unlike the fjr they had no problems with dragging parts which seems to say that is capable of greater lean angels. Also i have seen pics of tires on c14's and there were no chicken stripes as the tread was worn all the way to the sidewall.

So in order to scuff tires all the way to the sidewall you have to be able to lean it farther than you do when you leave chicken stripes

Really, That is your logic?? Here is a picture of my back tire.. This picture was taken in 2007.. Track weekend.. Now I KNOW I am faster now than I was then.. The me then would not be able to keep up with the me now.. And now I dont need to use the whole tire to do it. I am not comparing my self to anyone.. I am comparing myself then to myself now

Jes sayin, I think you should buy the Concours.. of that is your criteria..

 

[Spook]

Lean Angle???? Seriously, if you have the ability (road and skill) where the difference in maximum lean/cornering angle is an issue between the FJR & C-14, why are you even looking at a big sport tourer? :dribble: Go for the VFR, or Sprint, or a 1+liter sport bike. I'm guessing you are NOT in the 3% of guys with riding the skills where this will make a real workd difference. So I'm gussing you, like me,and most of us will never push the FJR or C-14 to a point where this 'specification/measurement' will matter.
Both are great bike, with enough distinctions between them to matter, it all depends on what you like/want.

You may be right i may never use all the lean angle if it were more than the fjr is capable of but i might and i would like to be able to if i desire to.

My present bike i believe has the same size tires as the fjr (120zr70 17 front 180zr55 17 rear) and i leave chicken stripes of about 1/2 to 3/8" on either side as that is all i can use because i'm dragging pegs folded up nearly all the way at that point.

So while i may not use more than that I want the option should i so desire or need to.

Having said that I have just about albeit not totally eliminated the fjr due to the threads i have read about the vibration it seems from what i have read on this forum that many are unhappy with the vibration and unable to rid the bars of it. so while it is still under consideration it has slipped some

You will find cry baby s on any forum about any bike. I for one find there is not enough vibration to be a problem if you do not put a death grip on the bars.

 

[Spook]

jride,
Did you make a decision yet? I keep going back and forth, right now I'm leaning toward the FJR, trying to find a very low mileage bike, can't find any within a 250 mile radius in the last 2 months.

Why limit your self to 250, 750 is a day ride.