Re-Post of another riders insight from the LD Rider Mail List.
----- Original Message -----
From: J Fortner
To: LDRiders
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 11:40 PM
Subject: Re: [LDRider] Concours 1400
>
> Has anyone else scored a ride on one of these machines?
> I'm interested in your thoughts. I test rode one today and am blown away.
> I have a test ride write up but am not sure I should post it.
Ok so I'll reply to my own post. Bad form I know.
Thanks to all for the encouragement to post.
I'm no writer, hopefully I will get better before I run out of time.
So I get a call from my favorite local moto sales guy about quitting time.
He asks what I am doing and tells me has one of these:
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/detail.aspx?id=220
Would I like to be the first customer to ride it?
Well does a bear? Well you know.
I've been wondering about this bike and what it will be like.
I'm thinking it will be some kludged together POS.
But I'm still curious. What time do you close?
We close at 6. Me mm test ride in rush hour? WTH.
So I beat feet over to the dealer.
The tech has finished putting the unit together and giving it a 2.8 mile
shake down.
He pulls it around and says "this thing is like a turbocharged magic carpet
ride."
I wonder what he means? I ask. He says this thing is smooth.
Really? I ride a XX and I know smooth I tell him.
I think to myself dam this bike looks pretty darn good.
Much better than the pre-prod unit I saw at the moto show last year.
The tech gives me the low down on the FOB and key operation.
Pretty high tech. The BMW gadget folks are going to love this.
FOB has to be within 5-10 feet of the bike for bike to start with the key.
FOB locks key in ignition when FOB leaves bikes and some other neat tricks.
blah blah blah lets ride.
One ting that strikes me. This bike is quiet. Like ST1300 quiet.
Are they sure they put the right engine in this bike?
I start the bike up while mounted up. No engine vibes.
Like moped smooth. WTH? I rev the engine a few times.
Dam this engine is smooth and feels tight to boot.
I recall riding the 2004 FJR off the lot and getting a few miles down the
road.
That engine and transmission were rough as washboard fire road. No kidding.
I wanted to take that bike back and demand a refund.
But it smoothed out after several hundred miles of break in.
I wonder what this engine will be like after break in? It is already smooth.
So I am the second person on this bike with 2.8 miles and it feels like it
is broken in.
What's up with that? So I launch it towards the service road where it takes
forever to get a break in traffic.
Wow the engine feels smooth, clutch feels smooth.
I get a break and enter the service road. The engine is ST1300 smooth.
I plod along in 2nd gear on the service road and make it to southbound 75.
Find a few gaps and make it into third gear. Dang 60mph feels like 30.
Where can I find some room to stretch the young steeds legs?
I'm thinking eastbound 190. After a few miles I find some space.
Wow this bike feels really smooth at speed.
The gearbox is so smooth, I practically think of shifting and it is the
gear I was thinking of.
I'm not making this stuff up.
Traffic opens up and so does the throttle. This engine will run.
The emissions guys obviously had a field day on this engine as it is LEAN
and warm.
Outside temp is 85F and humid. I feel heat on the shins but it is not
searing.
This engine could easily cruise at 100-120 all day long.
How do I put this? This bike will bury the other sport touring competition
in a drag race or roll on.
Not surprising I know. What is surprising is how comfortable the seating
position is.
The bars and seat are very high.
The foot pegs are probably an inch higher than I would like them to be, but
they weren't uncomfortable.
The windscreen up, down, in the middle. Seemed pretty useless to me.
High it put turbulence around the helmet. Low is what liked best, my helmet
in clean air.
Mid position blocked air to chest level slight turbulence to the helmet.
I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam.
So I make it to 78 and 190 and the large sweeping corners.
This bike corners well really well for a 600 pound bike.
40 mph no effort like cruising in a straight line.
50mph planted confident. 50-60 not much effort at all.
Back on 190 west. Open space, open throttle. This thing will roll.
Remember to watch for the DPS I saw writing a car for a performance award.
Sure enough he is writing another award. Dang I almost feel guilty. This
bike is quick.
Much quicker engine than I suspect the bikes aerodynamics are capable of on
the top-end with bags attached.
A slight front-end wobble warns me of this and I back off.
I wonder if the front wheel is balanced but it cruises so well at lower
speeds.
This engine is an animal. De-tuned engine my behind. But so quiet and
smooth.
Back into traffic on northbound 75. The bike maneuvers very well in traffic.
Very little effort or input required.
I'm actually sad to be headed back to the dealer. I pull back into the
dealer lot after closing time.
The sales guy Jason asks what I think. I tell him everything I have told
you.
He tells me he will work up a good deal on an ABS bike which he will have in
a few weeks.
I had planned to clean my garage this weekend.
I will be happily doing so and marking a spot in the garage for this bike.
If the price is right on these bikes Kawasaki is going to sell a TON of
them.
They got a lot of things right on this bike. Far more than are questionable.
Smooth, powerful, comfortable, with a shaft drive.
The LD and rally guys are going to eat these bikes up.
This bike kicks some major ***.
Jim Fortner
Plano, TX
----- Original Message -----
From: J Fortner
To: LDRiders
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 11:40 PM
Subject: Re: [LDRider] Concours 1400
>
> Has anyone else scored a ride on one of these machines?
> I'm interested in your thoughts. I test rode one today and am blown away.
> I have a test ride write up but am not sure I should post it.
Ok so I'll reply to my own post. Bad form I know.
Thanks to all for the encouragement to post.
I'm no writer, hopefully I will get better before I run out of time.
So I get a call from my favorite local moto sales guy about quitting time.
He asks what I am doing and tells me has one of these:
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/detail.aspx?id=220
Would I like to be the first customer to ride it?
Well does a bear? Well you know.
I've been wondering about this bike and what it will be like.
I'm thinking it will be some kludged together POS.
But I'm still curious. What time do you close?
We close at 6. Me mm test ride in rush hour? WTH.
So I beat feet over to the dealer.
The tech has finished putting the unit together and giving it a 2.8 mile
shake down.
He pulls it around and says "this thing is like a turbocharged magic carpet
ride."
I wonder what he means? I ask. He says this thing is smooth.
Really? I ride a XX and I know smooth I tell him.
I think to myself dam this bike looks pretty darn good.
Much better than the pre-prod unit I saw at the moto show last year.
The tech gives me the low down on the FOB and key operation.
Pretty high tech. The BMW gadget folks are going to love this.
FOB has to be within 5-10 feet of the bike for bike to start with the key.
FOB locks key in ignition when FOB leaves bikes and some other neat tricks.
blah blah blah lets ride.
One ting that strikes me. This bike is quiet. Like ST1300 quiet.
Are they sure they put the right engine in this bike?
I start the bike up while mounted up. No engine vibes.
Like moped smooth. WTH? I rev the engine a few times.
Dam this engine is smooth and feels tight to boot.
I recall riding the 2004 FJR off the lot and getting a few miles down the
road.
That engine and transmission were rough as washboard fire road. No kidding.
I wanted to take that bike back and demand a refund.
But it smoothed out after several hundred miles of break in.
I wonder what this engine will be like after break in? It is already smooth.
So I am the second person on this bike with 2.8 miles and it feels like it
is broken in.
What's up with that? So I launch it towards the service road where it takes
forever to get a break in traffic.
Wow the engine feels smooth, clutch feels smooth.
I get a break and enter the service road. The engine is ST1300 smooth.
I plod along in 2nd gear on the service road and make it to southbound 75.
Find a few gaps and make it into third gear. Dang 60mph feels like 30.
Where can I find some room to stretch the young steeds legs?
I'm thinking eastbound 190. After a few miles I find some space.
Wow this bike feels really smooth at speed.
The gearbox is so smooth, I practically think of shifting and it is the
gear I was thinking of.
I'm not making this stuff up.
Traffic opens up and so does the throttle. This engine will run.
The emissions guys obviously had a field day on this engine as it is LEAN
and warm.
Outside temp is 85F and humid. I feel heat on the shins but it is not
searing.
This engine could easily cruise at 100-120 all day long.
How do I put this? This bike will bury the other sport touring competition
in a drag race or roll on.
Not surprising I know. What is surprising is how comfortable the seating
position is.
The bars and seat are very high.
The foot pegs are probably an inch higher than I would like them to be, but
they weren't uncomfortable.
The windscreen up, down, in the middle. Seemed pretty useless to me.
High it put turbulence around the helmet. Low is what liked best, my helmet
in clean air.
Mid position blocked air to chest level slight turbulence to the helmet.
I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam.
So I make it to 78 and 190 and the large sweeping corners.
This bike corners well really well for a 600 pound bike.
40 mph no effort like cruising in a straight line.
50mph planted confident. 50-60 not much effort at all.
Back on 190 west. Open space, open throttle. This thing will roll.
Remember to watch for the DPS I saw writing a car for a performance award.
Sure enough he is writing another award. Dang I almost feel guilty. This
bike is quick.
Much quicker engine than I suspect the bikes aerodynamics are capable of on
the top-end with bags attached.
A slight front-end wobble warns me of this and I back off.
I wonder if the front wheel is balanced but it cruises so well at lower
speeds.
This engine is an animal. De-tuned engine my behind. But so quiet and
smooth.
Back into traffic on northbound 75. The bike maneuvers very well in traffic.
Very little effort or input required.
I'm actually sad to be headed back to the dealer. I pull back into the
dealer lot after closing time.
The sales guy Jason asks what I think. I tell him everything I have told
you.
He tells me he will work up a good deal on an ABS bike which he will have in
a few weeks.
I had planned to clean my garage this weekend.
I will be happily doing so and marking a spot in the garage for this bike.
If the price is right on these bikes Kawasaki is going to sell a TON of
them.
They got a lot of things right on this bike. Far more than are questionable.
Smooth, powerful, comfortable, with a shaft drive.
The LD and rally guys are going to eat these bikes up.
This bike kicks some major ***.
Jim Fortner
Plano, TX
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