Kawasaki GTR1400 - Son of Concours

[boogahboogah]

Is it my imagination or do those side bags look small ! Also, there seems to be an internal indentation taking up internal volume... And what's with those gay ribs on the bags ? What are the chances of Kaw getting it right the first year of production ?

Yeah yeah I'm being pessimistic, right ?

Well, we'll see who's cooking in 2010 ...

 

[Clark Kent]

Some interesting fairing design mods there....

1) Windshied has a hole similar to the CalSci shield.

2) The fairing is tight to the tank so no heat ( if there's any ) is thrown on the riders upper leg / crotch.

3) The front tiangular "nose " fairing is wide open behind the front wheel, air flows right through the headers.

4) Glove box is at the front of the tank ??

5) rear rack is HUGE !!

and the calipers and wave rotors are too cool, and the statement of the lean angle being the same as the ZX is a big plus!!

These aren't production pictures guys, just marketing shots. Who knows what it will really look like when it becomes available.

You are a fickle bunch of riders. :lol: It's not even real yet and you're ready to buy one.

T"he Concours 14 may be a physically impressive machine, but as soon as riders flip the side stand up, they’ll be astonished at the bike’s lightweight feel. "

That sounds like marketing speak for "it's heavy like a pig" Only when we see the specs and people ride the bike will the truth be known. Maybe it will be great, or maybe it will just be another ST-1300.

Actually these ARE production photos!!! I just talked to my dealer. He already has a Catalog insert on the Concours 1400! I SAW IT!

Production bikes are already in the USA. They are being taken to different shows.

My dealer says the 2008 Concours 1400 will be in his showroom in FEBRUARY 07! I sure hope so!

The production line is ready to go. They may be making them as I type. Wouldn't that be nice!

CK

 

[bmwhd]

The only thing so far on MSRP:
"Pricing and availability are not set in concrete, but the bike is projected to be released sometime after March and before June of 2007 as an early release 2008 model. Expect pricing to fall somewhere between the $13,500 FJR1300 and the $18,000 K1200GT. For the sake of the current cost-conscious Concours owners let's hope it's closer to ten than twenty"

That part about the $18K GT cracks me up. Not a single GT has been delivered in the US at that price. All US-bound GTs come in at a minium MSRP of $20,385 per BMW with the floor price expected to increase in '07 with the addition of some additional base features. Compare that to the real world price on a new FJR of $11,999 and you have a much larger gap in reality.

 

[ndivita]

I think the Concours 14 lines look somewhat cluttered and busy compared to the FJR.

 

[wpbfjr]

first off, D&H cycles is also a kawi dealer...

next, i'd note that many fine people bought the fjr as a pdp, unseen, unridden...

lastly, biketoberfest is this month, kawi's gotta be there with the conni14... who wants to go?

dana

 

[TheRepairMan]

Why can't it be a Honda?

Indeed. :angry2: F*** you, Honda, for abandoning the hyper-bike category. :angry2:

I'd like to see one in person, but I'd hate to have to break-in a new forum!

So would I. B)

I think Honda isn't through just yet!

 

[Warchild]

lastly, biketoberfest is this month, kawi's gotta be there with the conni14... who wants to go?

There are a couple of GTR1400s in the country right now.

You are guaranteed to see one at the International Motorcycle Shows.

Indeed. :angry2: **** you, Honda, for abandoning the hyper-bike category. :angry2:

I think Honda isn't through just yet!

Maybe.

Doesn't really matter to me personally... because I am though with them.

Even if they release the CBR1500XX next month, I am still done with them.... they've had us in the XX community waiting so many years for them to update the Blackbird, only to have them drop it from USA sales in 2003. Screw you, Honda.... they can just continue to build their white robots and HondaJets..... :angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

 

[skyway]

I think Honda isn't through just yet!

I'm in no hurry to add this bike in my garage.

Or this :bad:

 

[bmwhd]

This baby looks a lot better live than in the early pictures:

 

[Scab]

My wife wants that one.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

I still remember a Warchild post from a couple of years ago where he didn't speak so highly of the possibility of owning a Kawasaki. Something like he'd rather own a Schwinn or something.

But...things and opinions do change. It's all part of keeping an open mind I suppose.

Indeed... things and opinions do change.

For example....

I used to hold Honda in extremely high regard. But after building/releasing the ***-cheese bikes they have the last 5 or so years, and completely abandoning the hyper-bike class (leaving XX owners high and dry), you can guess my opinion of them now...

Basically, from what I can discern through careful research, Honda has apparently installed a snatch where its testicles used to reside. :angry2:

With regard to Kawasaki, hey, my first brand new bike was a Kawa... and while never leaving me by the roadside, the POS did have to have several significant instances of warranty work. Hence my "Schwinn" comments. However, this was a couple decades ago.... and as we said, things changed. Where Honda used to be the best of the Big 4, the other three manufacturers have really upped their game in the last 5-10 years, both in terms of fit/finish, and in general reliability.

The GTR1400 merits a serious look, and that's what I am doing now. But that's all I am doing.

For now.

Looks like someone wants his picture a magazine finishing first!!!!!!

Or doing it more often as I do not have much knowledge of the iba and how every one does or does not do! :lol:

 

[airboss]

My wife wants that one.

What iss it ah ah ah Batcrusier?????

 

[painman]

Randy beat me to it...that might be a concern for many; about 1-2 yrs. ago a guy wrote in to CycleWorld bitching about the cost of his VFRs VTEC valve adjustment costing ~ $500. CycleWorld defended the dealer, mentioning the extensive procedure...could be a rude awakening for some owners if the Kawi follows suit. Of course, I'll still be surprised if current Connie owners buy this bike...'drive out', this bike will probably be *twice* the cost of an old Connie..(no comparison, of course) I always seemed to get the impression that Connie owners were rather, how should I say it? Frugal?

CycleWorld put the BMW K1200GT above the FJR this month also. They can take a hike to..... Oh yea, the more I look at the Kawi the better she looks excluding the can of course as mentioned....PM. <><

 

[Mogambo]

Randy beat me to it...that might be a concern for many; about 1-2 yrs. ago a guy wrote in to CycleWorld bitching about the cost of his VFRs VTEC valve adjustment costing ~ $500. CycleWorld defended the dealer, mentioning the extensive procedure...could be a rude awakening for some owners if the Kawi follows suit. Of course, I'll still be surprised if current Connie owners buy this bike...'drive out', this bike will probably be *twice* the cost of an old Connie..(no comparison, of course) I always seemed to get the impression that Connie owners were rather, how should I say it? Frugal?

CycleWorld put the BMW K1200GT above the FJR this month also. They can take a hike to..... Oh yea, the more I look at the Kawi the better she looks excluding the can of course as mentioned....PM. <><

I concur about current Connie owners not buying this bike, at least right off, if it is priced or sold in the 15k price range. People not buying BMW'S might spring for the bucks because....it's a Honda and has Honda's history (whether currently deserved or not. The Honda name still makes allot of people feel very comfortable about their purchase). People will pay 11,500-13k for the FJR because that seems to be a fairly comfortable price level for most of the folks not opting for the Beemer and the Beemer price tag. Hit this same market with a 15k Kawasaki and I can't see it being a huge success here in the states.

But, I for one don't know how much this baby will ultimately sell for. If Kawi wanted to hedge their bets, they may be wise to price the bike in the same ball park as the FJR. Let it take off a bit and let allot of new owners do a little free advertising and PR work for them. At that point they can then nudge the price up to a level that could provide the level of $ return that can pay dividends for a long period of time. First thing, get the bikes in the hands of the riders. This concept has worked well for drug dealers for years :lol: .

Regardless of upgrades to the brand in recent years, I'm just not sure folks are willing to shell out 15k for a Kawasaki.........YET.

 

[Warchild]

Looks like someone wants his picture a magazine finishing first!!!!!!
Or doing it more often as I do not have much knowledge of the iba and how every one does or does not do!

:blink:

Can someone translate for me?

If you're referring to me, your comment is misplaced: I am medically retired from competitive Endurance Rallies nowadays due to night vision issues.

I can still ride far and fast during the day. Night-time riding, OTOH, is another issue altogether. Even with the new 50-watt PHIDs, the best I can do at night is *maybe* the speed limit; and frequently, not even that.

 

[mdisher]

Looks like someone wants his picture a magazine finishing first!!!!!!

Or doing it more often as I do not have much knowledge of the iba and how every one does or does not do!

:blink:

Can someone translate for me?

If you're referring to me, your comment is misplaced: I am medically retired from competitive Endurance Rallies nowadays due to night vision issues.

I can still ride far and fast during the day. Night-time riding, OTOH, is another issue altogether. Even with the new 50-watt PHIDs, the best I can do at night is *maybe* the speed limit; and frequently, not even that.

Ahhh, it's all coming together now.

That just means you _need_ that Kawi to ride that _much_ faster during the day to make up for what you lack during the night.

 

[Warchild]

I can still ride far and fast during the day. Night-time riding, OTOH, is another issue altogether. Even with the new 50-watt PHIDs, the best I can do at night is *maybe* the speed limit; and frequently, not even that.

Ahhh, it's all coming together now.

That just means you _need_ that Kawi to ride that _much_ faster during the day to make up for what you lack during the night.

Heh... no, not really.

The Blackbird has been my primary LD platform since 2002 (with one noble attempt to make the FJR the LD bike in 2004, with unfortunate results). I immediately went back to the XX for all my Endurance work.

The big, massive Cow GTR1400, like the FJR, is not going to hang with the Blackbird in any performance category, including top speed. Especially top speed.

If it did... if it was actually capable of 170+ mph runs... then I'd unload all three of my current bikes to score it. B)

But I'm thinking all three bikes are pretty much safe from that fate..... :lol: The FJR/GTR may have more cc's, but they don't have the aerodynamics to make 170+ speeds.

The ZX-14, the ZX-12R, the Heavy Bus... sure, these bikes will hang with (and surpass) the Blackbird in outright speed runs.

But no sport-touring bagger will..... no way, no how. B)

 

[BrunDog]

... If it did... if it was actually capable of 170+ mph runs... then I'd unload all three of my current bikes to score it. B)

Surely you are not serious. :blink: :dribble: :blink: :dribble: How long before you are caught and locked away for 20 years at that speed??

And no, I will not stop calling you surely.

-BD

 

[SkooterG]

Surely you are not serious. :blink: :dribble: :blink: :dribble: How long before you are caught and locked away for 20 years at that speed??

Some rare advice from SkooterG to Warchild:

Make sure the little BrunDoggie is NOT on the next Cognescente event invite list.

 

[Warchild]

Surely you are not serious. :blink: :dribble: :blink: :dribble: How long before you are caught and locked away for 20 years at that speed??

How long? Well, lemme see here... I bought the Blackbird in the summer of 2000, so.... I would say a minimum of 6 years. So far.

Some rare advice from SkooterG to Warchild:
Make sure the little BrunDoggie is NOT on the next Cognescente event invite list.

Pfffffft! Fat chance of that happening.... first of all, BD would more than DOUBLE his current odometer readings just getting to and from Nevada... much less the mileage required to complete the event itself!

Do we really think that's a likely possibility? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

That having been said.... the Cognoscente Group is, in fact, toying with the idea of opening up our 2007 event to the public at large (mind you, after previous CG veterans are extending an invitation first), because the format for next year's event will return to a somewhat more, um, typical (read: sane) Endurance Rally. :blink:

However, it will still be a Cognoscente event, so it will be particularly sick and twisted... with heavy penalties for low total mileage, and significant rewards for ultra high mileage.