For me it’s the perfect balance between sport, touring capacity and 2-up comfort. The ride is beautiful, way better than shaft drive is supposed to be. They are currently selling for NT$700k which I assume will come down in time.
The “Concours” title threw me initially since they’re just called GTR1400’s outside yankee land… It’ll be an excellent mile cruncher no doubt… shaft drives are without doubt the bee’s knees (that’s 2 in a week on the flob ) never having to piss about oiling and adjusting chains is a god send and of course the reliability is better… I’ve never tried Kwak’s “tetra-lever” but if it’s anything similar to BMW’s paralever the best thing about it is how it totally avoids the bike squatting down on the power since there’s no chain line forces fighting the suspension, instead on heavy thottle the opposite happens and the rear wheel digs into the road even harder which will be great with the 1400cc grunt… which brings me to the first of only 2 significant weakpoints I can see with that bike… 1.) it’ll be thirsty as hell and cost the earth in gas, plus 144hp from almost 1.5 liter engine ain’t that great (I know detuned for better midrange/power where you need it/grunt over shunt etc. but you can get plenty power from much smaller displacement) of course it’s primarily a tourer the power ain’t that important, but I just think 1400cc is over kill… tax, gas and emmissions wise it’ll bite you in the arse… 2.) at NT$700k+ it’s too expensive… no doubt since that price is the kitchen sink spec with the electric screen adjust, keyless start, electronic variable valve timing, alarms, etc etc… but still Kawasaki is to some extent taking the piss at NT$700k, partially since rather strangely in Taiwan bike dealers target “kitchen sink” tourers at the same people who buy 7 series Beemers and thus they are sold as prestige/luxury bikes with the “appropriate” face surcharges applied…
Great all rounder though, can’t take much away from it… plus it looks even cooler naked…
This new Connie is Kawa’s answer to the Yamaha FJR1300 (of which I have a 2005, but not in Taiwan), which was Yamaha’s answer to the Honda ST1100/1300. I have followed the GTR1400 closely since it has a sixth gear, which the FJR needs. The suspension and the detuned ZX14 1352cc engine are pluses, but most reviewers find the bike “less than” the FJR for sport riding and for the pilot. It seems the pillion is better on the Kawa. One review was ecstatic, so if you want to get psyched up to buy one, read these:
In short the bike is big and heavy (280 kg), guzzles gas, and handles about like an ST1300 in the twisties. The original Concours 1000 became a cult bike in the US, the way that the KLR650 is a cult bike … a vanilla bike that doesn’t excel at anything, but appeals to certain riders. At least you won’t have to put blue Loc-tite on every bolt on the GTR1400.
The biggest issue in Taiwan would be who would maintain such a bike? Variable-timing valvetrain meets chabudo wrench… shudder.
it looks like a big lump in there, but only 144 ponies? bizarro. probably a good bet for many less-throttle happy riders here i suppose. wee bit heavy though… almost twice as heavy as some of my old bikes.
Oh, and from the title, i too did think you were organising a show-off day for very polished Kawasakis. never mind, i
) never having to piss about oiling and adjusting chains is a god send and of course the reliability is better… I’ve never tried Kwak’s “tetra-lever” but if it’s anything similar to BMW’s paralever the best thing about it is how it totally avoids the bike squatting down on the power since there’s no chain line forces fighting the suspension, instead on heavy thottle the opposite happens and the rear wheel digs into the road even harder which will be great with the 1400cc grunt… which brings me to the first of only 2 significant weakpoints I can see with that bike… 1.) it’ll be thirsty as hell and cost the earth in gas, plus 144hp from almost 1.5 liter engine ain’t that great (I know detuned for better midrange/power where you need it/grunt over shunt etc. but you can get plenty power from much smaller displacement) of course it’s primarily a tourer the power ain’t that important, but I just think 1400cc is over kill… tax, gas and emmissions wise it’ll bite you in the arse… 2.) at NT$700k+ it’s too expensive… no doubt since that price is the kitchen sink spec with the electric screen adjust, keyless start, electronic variable valve timing, alarms, etc etc… but still Kawasaki is to some extent taking the piss at NT$700k, partially since rather strangely in Taiwan bike dealers target “kitchen sink” tourers at the same people who buy 7 series Beemers and thus they are sold as prestige/luxury bikes with the “appropriate” face surcharges applied…
