Test ride results: FJR1300A vs Concours 14

[jjsC6]

$1500 for a valve adjustment which also includes dropping the motor from the frame from what I've read! Pulling all the fairing off to change plugs! Have fun I'll keep the FJR any day and get 46 to 50 mpg running on 87 octane. If the clutch pull is to tight simply slip a 05 slave cylinder in there. Throttle to tight? get a G2 throttle tube and unwind the throttle spring 1 turn. If ya don't like Black there are plenty of people going thru rough times and have theirs up for sale.
This forum rocks and I wish you the best what ever you buy. But we have the one and only bustanut as well as some real helpful folks :yahoo:

I've done a lot of searching, and your information does not appear to be anywhere near correct...

https://forum.concours.org/index.php?topic=47800.0

That's just one thread - I've found others with the same basic information. Prices they are reporting are in line with what I've been quoted for the same job on a FJR.

 

[Bungie]

Fair enough. The early C14 is said to be pretty hot. But so is the 1st gen FJR and it's not a problem for me.
But let me ask, do you have a problem with the heat on your 2006 FJR?

If not, why would you spend so much additional money to get back to where you already are?

And how do you know that the heat is really fixed as well as on your '06 FJR?

This is all based on what you said; that the heat is really the reason you want a 2010 C14.

Uhm Fred. It's his money, he can do what he damn well pleases with it. He needn't justify anything you, me or the man on the moon.

 

[Fred W]

Of course not.

I am trying to lead him to reveal (what I think is) the real reason he wants to get a new Concours. Not because the heat is fixed or the new wizz bang features for 2010. I think he wants it because he wants a new bike, and it's something different. Ain't nothin' wrong wid dat!

 

[jjsC6]

Of course not.
I am trying to lead him to reveal (what I think is) the real reason he wants to get a new Concours. Not because the heat is fixed or the new wizz bang features for 2010. I think he wants it because he wants a new bike, and it's something different. Ain't nothin' wrong wid dat!

Your are trying to hard to figure this out. I typically trade my vehicles every two years. I've had the FJR 3.5 years and have 42,000 miles on it. I'm about to turn 57 years old, and at 42,000 miles I've only owned a few vehicles of any type with that many miles on it.

Soooo, I'm do for a new one and the 2010 Concours is the best choice out there right now. I'm not trying to get out of a heat problem - my FJR has none. As to concerns about heat on the 2010 being fixed, the "other" Fred (Harmon) has extensively ridden a 2010 and says the heat is gone. I trust his opinion.

A few other comments. In this day and age, it's time that $15,000 sport touring motorcycles have a minimum of features on them. The '10 Concours has added heated grips, traction control, an "economy mode" and it already has tire pressure monitoring. I'll be the first to say that I can and have added heated grips to bikes, and the traction control and economy mode are not must haves. But the tire pressure monitoring is something that I think is becoming a must have. Technology has come a long way and it's about time that motorcycles in this class catch up.

The FJR is a great bike, but it has some issues that they have not addressed and at this point I feel that the Concours has surpassed it. If the FJR keeps similar to its current styling and what it does well now, and steps up a little in features, horsepower and fixing some of it's shortcomings, I will likely be back on one in a couple of years. As I've said all along, I love the FJR and will miss it.

 

[Bigbeavk]

Well after doing a search I went to a concours forum and read thru a couple more threads. Obviously the forum post I was quoting was in error so I'll stop making asinine statements. I also found that the highest price quoted included the complete 15k service at around $600. Valve adjustment only was between $300 and $400 and also had a video offered by one of the members on the do it yourself process. Also there was a stament from the manual that only US and Canada model needed it at 15000 miles and all others were due at 26000 miles. So basically I'll just stand behind my original statement that we got Bustanut and I'll refrain from forming opinions and making technical statements of which I know nothing about. What ever you ride have fun and be safe and I hope to see ya on the road someday.

Take care,

BigBeav

 

[jjsC6]

Well after doing a search I went to a concours forum and read thru a couple more threads. Obviously the forum post I was quoting was in error so I'll stop making asinine statements. I also found that the highest price quoted included the complete 15k service at around $600. Valve adjustment only was between $300 and $400 and also had a video offered by one of the members on the do it yourself process. Also there was a stament from the manual that only US and Canada model needed it at 15000 miles and all others were due at 26000 miles. So basically I'll just stand behind my original statement that we got Bustanut and I'll refrain from forming opinions and making technical statements of which I know nothing about. What ever you ride have fun and be safe and I hope to see ya on the road someday.Take care,

BigBeav

Honestly, I understood where you were coming from. There were a lot of posts early on about what a PITA job is was. I actually was a little surprised myself when I went and read through the posts that it was not quite as bad as originally suspected.

One thing I have read between the FJR and Concours forum is that FJRs actually don't need valve adjustments as often as recommended - they don't seem to get out of wack as quickly. On the Concours forum, they report that if they do a thorough job of checking them, they do have to replace quite a few shims even on the first check up.

No problem with your post. It actually got me to spending more time investigating it again - which is always a good thing.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

<snip>...or the new wizz bang features for 2010.

But the tire pressure monitoring is something that I think is becoming a must have.

It's also -- the law of the land: "The Tread Act", all light motor vehicles (under 10,000 pounds) sold after September 1, 2007.

(motorcycles excepted)

Next (maybe?) will be On-Star 'nannys' on all vehicles...

 

[MCRIDER007]

Soooo, I'm do for a new one and the 2010 Concours is the best choice out there right now. I'm not trying to get out of a heat problem - my FJR has none. As to concerns about heat on the 2010 being fixed, the "other" Fred (Harmon) has extensively ridden a 2010 and says the heat is gone. I trust his opinion.

I have a lot of respect for Fred and his evaluations but question whether he had the opportunity to ride the 2010 in hot enough temperatures to declare the heat issue is gone. I don't feel that my C14 has a heat issue until the temperatures get above 90 degrees and the source of that heat seems to be the the 2 cats that are in the 4-2-1 exhaust system that passes too close to the riders right ankle. This has been pretty much confirmed by those that have installed AreaP's new full exhaust system (without cats) and reported the excessive heat on the right leg was gone.

As far as I can tell, Kawasaki's solution has been to better enclose the rear of the engine compartment and route the engine heat out the side vents, which should be effective for that heat, but I haven't read anything about deflecting the heat coming off the exhaust pipe. I hope Kawasaki has a solution for the exhaust heat because that solution may be applicable to the 08-09 models.