Good News From Kawasaki!

I just got an email from my buddy about the new Concours 14 for 2008. This machine is top notch and will surely give the VFR a run for it's money. Now Honda will have to upgrade the VFR to at least 1000cc's and get more high tech. This is great news for VFR fans. Or we may all be starting a Concours 14 Forum.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Sep/060923-kawasaki2.htm

 

WOW! That is going to be a nice bike! Hope this does wake Honda up and make them realize that the other bike manufacturers are stepping up. I have a 5th gen that I love and will probably have for quite awhile, but I don't want to move up to the 6th gen. I just can't stand the look from the front and they are so much bigger and I like my gear driven cam whine. Hopefully I can just skip up to the 7th gen. if Honda does it right.

 

My understanding is that the Concours 14 is more aimed at the ST1300 and the FJ1300 in the big sports touring market. Both of which are great bikes. The viffer is really in a different category from what I can make out but it will be interesting to have a look when Kawa comes into the shops. Be interesting to see the price too as both the ST and FJ are a bit on the pricy side compared with the VFR.

Keep the rubber on the road.

 

Gotta hand it to Team Green, that's pretty sweet. The weight of it is right there with the 6th gen VFR too, you just know that thing is gonna be a rocket.

 

It'll probably make Honda rethink the ST1300, not the VFR800.

If it's making you rethink your VFR you may want to think about weather you want a sporty touring bike or a sport bike you can take touring. Of course you can feather the edges of tires on any bike, and it's 'the rider not the bike' but the fact is you put the same rider on all these sport touring bikes and the rider will probably say the VFR is the 'quickest'. Personally I need a sport bike I can take touring, so the VFRs perfect. The Futura would be OK too, but again it's a little bigger. And I've seen a Futura with it's sidewalls feathered by a dood who can smoke most sport bike riders in the twisties.

Anyways, I want the 1000cc V-5 motoGP engine in the VFR setup That's all there is to it If I spent more time on road trips than commuting or sport riding I'd shop for the ST1300 or FJR and then the concourse would definetly be a contender.

It's a cool looking ride though...

My 2cents

 

Agreed with the other comments on the playing field here.
Definitely a ST1300 head-to-head, not VFR.
I'll also agree, however, that there is a gap in advancement growing between Honda and it's competitors.
It'll take a bit more than a stagnant VFR from me to loose hope in Honda though. I think there'll be strides in their camp soon enough.

 

yeah put that v5 moto gp engine in the vfr:first:

 

Impressive!! I was always Team Green - Kawasaki & Arctic Cat. It's about time Kawi updated that ole horse.:wink:
I was looking at the big 4 those sport tourers before buying a VFR. Not enough sport for me.:biggrin:
I'd have to fall in to a pail of cash first though....

 

If you guys read the review you would see that the new Concours is aimed more towards the VFR. It blows away every bike in the ST catagory, just like the VFR did. It is a sport bike with bags and better ergonomics. A ZX14 under the skin. What would be the sense of making the ST more sporty. Just make the VFR more powerful and you can then top the Concours. This bike may change everything in this class. This new Concours is not like the old one. They have really raised the bar on performance. And has now crepped into the class that only the VFR and maybe the Sprint ST has occupied. Let's just hope that the VFR gets the call and not the ST. Keeping the VFR's current size and adding a 1000cc or better motor would surely top the Concours.

 

Much like every other bike Kawasaki makes with a fairing on it, it's butt ugly.

KC-10 FE out...

 

Got to agree. Kawa seems to have trouble with styling of this sort of thing.

 

So, I was looking through some old posts and wouldn't you know it. I am currently and owner of a 2009 C14. Great bike. If only it had a VFour.

 

I was looking at a C14 ... great bike, but a completely different beast than a VFR.

When I think of the C14, I also think of the FJR1300, ST1300, K1200ST ...

 

Yeah that's for sure. But I run it like a VFR and it eats tires. More comfy and that's a plus. Great power too. Nice to have a bagger. I can see myself getting another VFR for playing around. I currently use the Buell for that.

 

I ride my neighbors C14 occasionaly, its a very nice bike, comfortable, fast and can haul a lot of stuff. But it will never be a carver that the VFR is.

 

Had a friend..RIP...that had everything from KTM, 851 ducc to a Kawi 10....and absolutely loved his FJR especially after adding a PC and getting a friend to dyno it.....always raved what an awesome bike it was. Was looking at it after being out of riding for 10 years, but at 5'6 was enormous for my size....so went for the viffer