Are FJR's as top heavy as the old Concours?

[Don]

Anyone had both? I had a Connie for a short time, and hated it. Really awkward feeling at low speeds! Hell, my 03 Voyager felt lighter!!

Is the FJR anywhere near as bad?

Thanks

Don

 

[MojaveFJR]

Never had a connie but in all honesty, it "feels" only slightly heavier than my R-1 in the turns. All in the top. There is an almost 300 lb difference in the bikes. Very well balanced and extremely nimble machine.

 

[faster675]

Never had a connie but in all honesty, it "feels" only slightly heavier than my R-1 in the turns. All in the top. There is an almost 300 lb difference in the bikes. Very well balanced and extremely nimble machine.

Ditto ... only slightly "harder to handle" than my Speed Triple

.... well, except for the braking into turns at 80-100 MPH ...

 

[drjfjr]

I have had both. The FJR is a completely different animal. It handles better is seems much lighter. It does not fall into the turns like the connie.

 

[madmike2]

BUT....if the tank is full you have 6 1/2 gallons of gasoline that when leaned over....well, its impossible hard to hold up if you let it tip 35-40 degrees at a dead-stop.

There's no comparison. In regards to handling my Connie was a truck.

 

[Zorlac]

I have both, and although Connie is pretty graceful when underway, she's quite the pig at parking lot speeds, the FJR is svelte by comparison.

Fill both gas tanks, stand still, and lean both bikes back and forth between your legs and you'll notice that you'll reach the bad event horizon a lot sooner on a C10.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Had a '86 Concours and now have a '06 FJR.

FJR is much easier to handle IMO. I suspect the aluminum frame on the FJR helps.

 

[SkooterG]

NO.

 

[Rogue]

I had a 99 connie. With 11.4 gallons (Tank & fuel cell both full) of fuel in my 04 FJR it is no where as top heavy feeling as the Connie!

 

[FJR1300A]

I have a 1999 Concours and just bought a 2008 FJR. While I haven't spent much time on the FJR due to weather and illness there is no question, in my opinion, that the Concours feels SIGNIFICANTLY more top heavy. The concours holds more gas in its tank than the FJR and rumor has it more than a goldwing.

Hope that helps.

 

[LAGO RUNNER]

I had a 98 concours for a couple of years, It had 89k miles on it when I sold it. It was my first sport tourer...buzzy at hwy speeds, and slow comapared to the fJR. the concours was 80's technology and did not change much until this year..the FJR is by far a smoother, quicker, and more nimble ride..

 

[Timbo2015]

My FJR feels less top-heavy than my '99 Concours did in parking lot speed situations. I never really thought the Concours was that bad, though. It was a big, heavy bike, with up to 7.5 gallons of fuel up high in the tank, so I expected it to feel like it did, and not feel as light as sportbike.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Kawasaki (C-10) Concours -- Heart of a Ninja -- certainly had a heavy feeling problem when the gas tank was full and you were trying to maneuver it around in the garage! I took to not ending-up, back home, with a full tank (or, almost full) because of that. I still think of that with the FJR; although it doesn't seem nearly as critical, w/FJR, as it did with the Concours.

The C-10 will go more than 300 miles on a tank-full (so will a 250 Ninja, w/abt. 4+ gal).....

 

[kid41]

You might want to check this out they actually mentioned the Connie not being as good as the FJR at slow speeds !

 

[Don]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the critique!! I was indeed talking about the extremely slow manuevering. That damn thing was SO tippy, yet the FJR weighs close to the same, and with the high mounted tank, I couldn't help but think it would be similar. I knew it would be light years ahead of the Conk at higher speeds, but I don't want a bike that I dread moving around in the garage!!

Any opinions on what an 07 with 5k miles is worth?

You might want to check this out they actually mentioned the Connie not being as good as the FJR at slow speeds !

wrong Connie....I meant the old one.

 

[Rogue]

Any opinions on what an 07 with 5k miles is worth?

Where? CA bikes are costlier than 49 state & Canadian are more than US bikes.

 

[bramfrank]

Never had any issues with either bike in that department.

 

[Khunajawdge]

There's no comparison. In regards to handling my Connie was a truck.

I love Trucks!

Hi Mike! :glare:

 

[madmike2]

There's no comparison. In regards to handling my Connie was a truck.

I love Trucks!

Hi Mike! :glare:

I know, George. I loved my Connie (C-10), it is the bike that introduced me to sports-touring and sealed my fate...leading me to purchase my beloved FJR.

BUT, to me, the FJR handles better and corneres easier. The COnnie wasn't any handling improvement over my XS1100 (same rake and trail) other than it doesn't have a "flexi-flyer" frame like the old Yamaha. That being said, I rode my Connie with the FJR group and it held its own...thank you very much!

If I could, I'd keep a C-10 in the garage "just because". But for now, the 3 I have will do just fine!