almost bought a concours14

[jride]

But i keep 2nd guessing myself and go back and forth between the FJR and the c14. i LIKE BOTH BIKES IN SOMEWAYS AND I DISLIKE BOTH BIKES IN SOME WAYS. If the FJR was as smooth as the c14 and had a little more lean angle i would buy it no question.

If the c14 was as cool ( no heat on rider ) as the FJR i would buy it no question

I know the fjr gets better gas mileage but that really doesn't concern me much. The heat and the vibration are my main concerns the lean angle also cocerns me some but to a lesser deg.

 

[Zorlac]

Ride the C14 at 85F or more with mesh riding pants over a pair of shorts and see how your right leg feels.

Then maybe watch Fred's video of a valve adjustment.

 

[happyPuppy]

Maintenance was the thing that sent me running. Checking valves or the required by the manual plug change @ 8500 requires removing all the fairing, the frame braces, the fairing stays, most of the of the wiring harness too. Add to that when I looked it last year, gas was sky high and it needed premium. Fear of the typical 1st year blues that can occur was an issue also. The bags and exhaust I did not like ascetically too much either.

 

[v65]

No fixes for the heat on the C14 yet? That seems like something that could be fixed while the lean angle on the FJR is pretty much fixed. Vibration is a personal matter, lots of fixes for that out there, works for some and not others.

In conclusion, no bike is perfect no matter how new it is - get the one you want and ride it.

 

[Foxhuntr]

Don't forget the smaller gas tank, and I also heard no OAT gauge.

 

[Phugedaboudet]

if you're "inseam challenged" you can forget about the new Connie too. I almost dropped one just trying to sit on one. At least with the Feej I can get one foot flat and most of the other on a flat surface.

And that radio keyfob thingie worries me. but the more I hear about the Connie's teething problems (I'd never buy a first-generation anything without some serious reviews recommending otherwise) the happier I am with the choice I made.

 

[wfooshee]

The C14 would be sold if someone gave me one, simply because of the maintenance difficulty. Spark plugs should not be a weekend project.

 

[Wicked Webby]

Jride,

Do the re SEARCH and figure out the ups and downs of both bikes.

They are both great bikes and very close competitors.

Buy which ever bike floats your boat.

WW

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

Not to mention those sporty fluid reservoirs that resemble urine sample containers.

 

[Bounce]

The smaller gas tank, the lower MPG, the maintenance routine, and the effort needed to get to things on the C14 that are a breeze on the FJR combine to turn me away from it. There's more to owning a bike than it's top speed.

 

[zorkler]

+1

 

[Foxhuntr]

Although on the plus side, I took a ride on one and found it pleasant to ride, smooth, powerful, and the shifting was slick. Still happy I got the FJR, tho!

 

[playgtar]

Buy neewer than '05. Mine is very hot!

 

[Karmak]

The C14 would be sold if someone gave me one, simply because of the maintenance difficulty. Spark plugs should not be a weekend project.

+1. The FJR is very easy to work on and maintain compared to many other machines.

 

[kolonial72]

More on the pile here....

Just participated in my first tech day. That's right, I was a tech day virgin, but Rick and Pete took it easy on me.

Anyhow, I was amazed at how easy the 05 was to work on. So far nothing I've done to the bike has required a great deal of effort. As long as you lift up the tank and remove that T-bar underneath, a whole world of maintenance items open up to you.

But maybe the C-14 is even easier to work on, I dunno.

 

[VTFJR13]

The ride height is very easy to fix. They sell dog bones(on ebay) that raise the *** end of the bike and will give you more ground clearance and they only cost like $25 bucks. I have been on both bikes and I like the FJR way better than the C14 for alot of the same reasons stated above.

 

[jjsC6]

I've never understood the comments about not enough lean angle. I ride pretty hard in the curves, and I have taken off about 1/2" of the feelers on the pegs - yet I've never felt like it needed to lean over any more.

 

[jhinderliter]

tough call.... id've bought one but i already have a big kaw in the stable (ZX-12)... the connie has an awesome powerplant and the 6 speed...the wife wasnt really crazy about the color selection ( the FJR was bought for us to tour on ) and she fell in love with the new leftover 07 in burgundy we found...

at the end of the day im extreemly happy with the fjr B) and they are both great bikes...

truth is i was upset cuz the dont make a duc ST

 

[SkooterG]

I've never understood the comments about not enough lean angle. I ride pretty hard in the curves, and I have taken off about 1/2" of the feelers on the pegs - yet I've never felt like it needed to lean over any more.

+1

I've never really understood it either. I do have a custom suspension which gives me a little more clearance, but I only touch a peg every great once in a while. And I have no chicken strips on my rear tire.

Maybe if the FJR is really heavily loaded with the stock suspension it might touch down a bit early, otherwise, well.....it seems to have plenty of cornering clearance.

And if you want more, just hang off the side!