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Concoures

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:37 pm
by gpn50
OK guys, I'm likeing the price of the kawasaki concoures and need input. Never owned a kawasaki but hear "good things" about it and would appreciate any info on this bike. I know it,s been around a long time and as I hear it, kawasaki has no plans to discontinue it. Likes, disklikes any and all comments apreciated!!! Thanks in advance. RIDE SAFE!!!

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 4:01 pm
by scan
I can reply this much. I have a 1200 Kawasaki inline 4, and it has been a fine bike. The Connie has a 1 litre (1000 cc) engine, if I recall. Like my bike it has 4 carbs, one per cylinder. On my bike this works very well and my bike always starts like a charm. I set the choke and let it run rich for about 30 seconds and drop the choke. It runs great every time. Gobs of power.

The Connie also has a shaft drive, which I don't have. No chain to grease at a regular interval. I can tell you, that would be nice. It also comes with hard bags and a fairing. And it is old as heck, with few changes, but it has all the bugs worked out. Older ones may need some tweaking if the previous owned didn't follow along with the Concours club online. Big community. Have a read over there some time.

http://www.concours.org/

I'm a fan. I may buy one myself. Kawasaki has proved themselves well to me with my current bike, and I'd love to add touring and the bigger gas tank (7.5 GALLONS!!!). I ride long distances all the time, so it is better suited than what I ride now. And the price, even new, you can't find anywhere else in touring bikes.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:44 pm
by OMJunk
I have one and I love it, but it has been discontinued. It doesn't worry me tho, because they are very long lasting and there are, after a 20 year production run, many on the road.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 1:45 pm
by Gummiente
OMJunk wrote:but it has been discontinued.
Are you sure? The 2006 model is still in production.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:29 pm
by scan
Gummiente wrote:
OMJunk wrote:but it has been discontinued.
Are you sure? The 2006 model is still in production.
Yeah, I'm not sure where he got that news. As far as I see they have not yet made a formal announcement.

I even searched with Google for "concours kawasaki discontinued" and found no matches that said ANYTHING to back up it going away any time soon.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:37 pm
by camthepyro
Seems like too popular of a bike to discontinue. Maybe they're just going to remodel it or something.

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 6:54 am
by Berserk
I'm thinking of possibly getting one myself. I'm tottaly new to the world of bikes. But I really like the price other tourings are more than I can afford. I like being able to go long distances and all, but I'm not sure if I wanna fork over the money for it, or get another bike that isn't as good at touring. Dunno lol

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:03 pm
by OMJunk
I have been hanging out on the Concours site for 4 years and this rumor of stopping production has come up every year. This year I have heard that the assembly line in Lincoln Nebraska that makes them has been torn down. Production in Japan stopped I believe 2 years ago. Yes there are 2006 models available, but no more will be built.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 2:28 pm
by scan
OMJunk wrote:I have been hanging out on the Concours site for 4 years and this rumor of stopping production has come up every year. This year I have heard that the assembly line in Lincoln Nebraska that makes them has been torn down. Production in Japan stopped I believe 2 years ago. Yes there are 2006 models available, but no more will be built.
Cool. Show your sources.

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:56 am
by jstark47
Sat on one at the dealership last week. A 2006 model, a pretty dark blue (sure beats the 2005's which were a wretched beige-like color like office furniture!) Conventional wisdom is that the suspension & brakes are 80's vintage technology so handling is not up to modern standards, the bugs are totally worked out of the engine, and that it's strong suit is weather protection...... and of course the price. I could see the protection angle, you sit more "down in" the bike than other sport tourers.

Cycleworld mag was beating the drum for the ZX14 platform as the basis for a Connie replacement in 2007. Don't know if they had any facts, or this was just journalists' speculation masquerading as "news"......