It's spring and I am in love. New love. Fresh love. The kind of love that makes you giddy.
And the objection of my affection is the 2011 Kawasaki Concours 14. We met last week and hit it off right from the start. Granted I was a little intimidated at first. This Connie gives the appearance of being massive and a bit much to handle, but I was willing to be open-minded.
"Shall we go for a spin?" I asked.
"You bet. I promise I'll show you a good time," she purred in reply.
Truer words were never spoken.
Let me take this moment to say that I did not come to this meeting inexperienced or lacking in expectations. For 12 years I have been riding this Connie's older sister, a 1999 Concours 1000. She's been a very good bike but there have been issues. With a massive 7.5-gallon gas tank sitting up high, the center of gravity is way up there. With a considerable forward lean to the grips, the first thing I did was install 3-inch risers to make the seating position tolerable. And she's very tall. After all this time I now comfortably ride in sneakers, but in the beginning I wouldn't dare get on without wearing my highest riding boots.
Welcome to a new generation.
The Concours 14 has a smaller gas tank, 5.8 gallons, and while that's smaller than before it's still a good bit of fuel. More importantly, the tank is no longer up high. The overall center of gravity for this bike must be a foot lower and the increase in stability is astounding. This bike is not as tall, either, although it is wider, which still makes it hard to plant both feet flat on the ground with my 29-inch inseam. But that lower center of gravity makes all this much less significant.
There is still a bit of a lean to the grips, and I'd still probably want to install risers, but an inch would probably be enough. And before I spent that money I would want to spend some serious time on the bike to see if after a month or so I still felt the need.
Are you looking for power? The Concours 14 runs a 1,352cc inline four that puts out power that won't stop. Of course the brakes are more than up to the task of countering all that forward momentum. ABS is an option. Acceleration is smooth, the vastly improved suspension eats up the road irregularities that were extremely noticeable on the old Connie, and an adjustable windshield lets you choose the setting that's right for you.
Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) allows you to adapt to current riding conditions, for greater confidence and improved handling. Heated grips come standard, too, which make for safer and more enjoyable riding in the cooler months.
Another improvement is what the folks at Kawasaki have done about heat dissipation. On the old Connie the engine was a furnace. That could actually be welcome on a cold day but on hot days in the middle of summer you would roast. It's all that sleek bodywork that makes the difference. Says Kawasaki, "Designed to duct warm air from the engine away from the rider and passenger, the bodywork enhances comfort on hot days and in traffic."
In addition to the two standard side bags, Kawasaki also offers a rear trunk as an option. That's something you had to go to a third-party vendor for on the old bike.
The Concours 14 also uses an ignition system that requires the key fob to be within a certain distance from the bike. Slip the fob in your pocket and ride as usual. Walk away knowing that no thief is going to be able to hot-wire your bike.
Finally, the new Connie comes with a 36-month warranty.
So we went for a spin. Connie kept her promise. I was enchanted. We had to part, but my parting words were heartfelt: "I love you."
