2009 Kawasaki Concours

Summary:

Great bike for the money

Faults:

Rear tire pressure gauge not working when new.

Batteries in sending unit.

General Comments:

This bike is the best sport tour bike I have owned to date. I have had three others, ST's, Triumph Trophy 1200 and the old Concours. This bike handles almost as good as my Daytona 955i, and has more power than it.

Comfort is good, but the windshield is too short; there are good after market shields out there. I purchased a Cal Scientific; much better wind protection.

The brakes are very strong, and the handling is great for a bike this size. Best bags I have ever used, shaft drive is "untouchable" in the bike market. Service to the shaft is easy, and so is the oil and filter.

Overall I would recommend this bike first for the price, and then for its overall satisfaction. Don't pass it up if you can afford it.

Good luck, there are still few leftovers out there.

P.S. the heat on the legs is not that bad.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 2010

2008 Kawasaki Concours

Summary:

Wow!!!

Faults:

I added fog lamps, Sargent seat, ram ball mount, two bros pipe, cruise control, top case.

General Comments:

This bike is FAST!!!

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th August, 2009

2003 Kawasaki Concours

Summary:

A smooth, dependable, awesome bike for fun

Faults:

I didn't think I had used up all the brakes on the rear, but had to replace the pads this past summer. I guess it was about time anyway.

General Comments:

This is the first large road bike that I have owned. I have ridden bikes since 1966 and this one is absolutely the most dependable, steadfast bike I have owned. It has never let me down. I have managed to get at least 12K on each set of tires.

I love the handling and acceleration. I didn't expect it to "come alive" as it does when you hit 6200 rpm, but I have consistently beat every HD that has dared to try.

Low end the "big-thumper" HDs with big bore kits will hold me till I get to around 70 then it all over, but the crying. I have not had the guts to top it out, but so far 129 mph in 5th is as far as I have gone (with one more gear to use).

I may purchase the new Connie 14 when it comes in red.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st March, 2008

2001 Kawasaki Concours

Summary:

A GREAT mount!

Faults:

This is a fuel issue. The carbs have become plugged with debris in fuel from the gas stations. Two dealers I spoke with said that fuel contamination in the area was a problem and that they were getting new bikes returned to the shop for fuel system cleaning only weeks after rolling out of the showroom floor. My bike would not idle correctly, but was fine above 2000 rpm. A disassembly and cleaning solved the problem. An in-line filter was installed at this time.

However, this happened again 2 years later after a period of 4 months of non-use. I will try to flush the fuel system with "Gum-Out" to see if that will fix. If not, then carb disassembly time again.

Had the 500 mile service performed at a dealer. They missed two loose engine mount bolts. I took it back for them to get it right for me. This eliminated a vibration which I thought was caused by something not tight enough.

General Comments:

Great bike, I always have admired the machine before purchasing one.

I was disillusioned on my first ride though. The windshield was horrible, it's actually a turbulence generator! The after-market windshield kit by Rifle is perfect.

Also purchased the Gen-Mar handlebar risers, bringing up the bars about 1 1/2 inches without having to alter any cables, lines, etc.

Driver seat is fine, passenger seat leaves that person with an uncomfortable sliding forward feeling.

The bike is top heavy! I fell victim to the "tip-over" while leaning over to put the kick stand down. I felt cheated. One minor scratch on the lowers and a broken right foot peg mount.

I can handle the engine "buzz" by wearing a padded riding glove. The engine runs lean and I think by richening it up a bit, at least to get some tan color on the plugs, would make it run smoother.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th March, 2007

28th May 2007, 06:13

Re Vibration and engine mount bolts. Concours have always had a reputation for being buzzy, and clearing the buzz has become something of a minor art form. Visit the Concours Owners Group website: http://www.cog-online.org

Re Fuel problems. I bought a '95 back in 2000. The previous owner had done all the COG recommended fixes for the vibration, and this was still the worst vibrating Concours in my experience (this is my third one). Problem was solved when I ran a bottle of Chevron's Techron fuel system cleaner in a tank of gas. Miracle stuff... cleared the buzz out when nothing else worked.

20th Oct 2014, 23:51

Ethanol may be the culprit, clogging the carbs. I started running all gas, no ethanol, and saw a big difference fast. Small engine repair shops suggest gas additives as mentioned above on a regular basis. Ethanol seems to gum up fast. I'm using regular gas 91 octane in my truck too, and it instantly got rid of a nagging little miss I had at idle.