I used to have one of those and the battery in the TPMS sensors went flat too. Despite Kawasaki claiming the batteries aren't replacable, they are; the sensor case is held together with one small screw - undo that and you can de-solder the dead battery and solder in a new one. Cost me £1.50 for a pair of new tabbed button cells from ebay.
Nice review, Sir and thanks. I'm 6'1" tall, and prefer to ride without the hardbags, but even so, you'll be on easier if you step up on your left peg to mount/dismount. I never kick the bag now...👍🏽
The tire pressure gauge saved me and my girl doing 80 on the highway. By the time I came to a stop it was completely flat. It was priceless that day.....
2/9/2023 ,i have just stumbled upon this video, i am 55years old5"8inches also, your bike is really mint, loving that green, i am state side, wont be seeing that color here,nice run mate👊🏽😎
I've just purchased a the "faster" green version, absolutely amazing first ride home mixed roads. One thing I do want to look it is the lights, feel they need brighter lights and or even the lights are pointing to much to the floor. Overall very pleased, off out tomorrow and Sunday on it too. :) Keep the vids coming.
Great review, I really miss my ST1100 during my time of owning I also bought a CBF600- SA8 and only covered 1300 miles from new because I just loved my Pan. I need another bike 68 year old fool.
Only thing its missing is a proper cruise control. I have a ZZR1400 after the RT1200 that I had. 2nd gear is where all the legal fun is similar to the GTR1400 but i miss the creature comforts of the touring bikes like the moving screen, stock heated grips and the shaft drive so looking at a K1600GT next to do some proper touring to places like spain, Italy and Norway. Often thought the GTR would be a good mix of RT and ZZR but once in a life time purchase will be the K1600GT with all the trimmings. Something about that straight 6 howl makes it worth the extra 2k on a fully kitted up RT
Had one for awhile... great on long journeys but very cumbersome around town... plus being the same height as you I had to have it lowered....eventually sold it.
I've been really interested in grabbing me one of these babies. I want something that can get to the speed limit absurdly fast but also be pretty comfy lol. I really appreciate this video. You aren't some idiot just twisting the throttle and hollering in surprise because you somehow didn't expect a 1400 v4 to have power, you are clearly experienced and give a very "real world" and concise kind of presentation of the bike. Thanks.
Russ, nice review of the 1400GTR (not GTR1400). As you know I love mine. It's now coming up to 60K miles. I agree about the standard seat and have replaced mine with one from Top Sellerie (not heated). The fuel injection is one of the things I too really like ... in Eco mode. I wish it would start up in Eco mode. Full power mode (157 bhp) is fine if you are riding briskly out of town, but is like a lot of modern bikes a bit snatchy at slower speeds. I've got used to the linked brakes and really don't notice them in action. The rear pedal only has a little front activation if you have it set to minimum and it stops work below 12/15mph for low speed manoeuvres. You mentioned servicing at 4k BUT that service is only kick the tyres and check nothing is falling off. Oil change services are at approx 8K miles (the service manual is based on kilometres). Will I keep mine? I don't know? It's got a bit of corrosion on the wheels and I've worn a lot of paint off the bar ends and frame (where my heels/boots anchor to the bike) but I still love riding the thing. Finding it hard to choose something to replace it with. Observations on your riding (you wouldn't expect anything less!) - You were a long time waiting in gear at the traffic lights at about 7:22 (there was a car stopped behind you). Rear wheel lock up at 12:22? If anyone is still reading this far you'll find plenty more footage of GTR riding, including some demo rides on my TH-cam channel. th-cam.com/channels/CtB1JLlZqMLvmj95oWoGrg.html
.. Hey Mike, I don't like the idea of 8k on a high revving bike with the same oil, like my vw T5 on long life oil, just doesn't seem right to me. That wasn't a lock up, it was an excited tyre, haven't you ever done track days? 😉. Regarding having it in gear at the lights, we've already discussed this and the only problem there is hand ache. It's certainly an excellent bike but not £4500 more than the Pan. I'm sure I'll find something... Thanks for your input as usual.
Always loved these....looking at getting either this or ST1300 as I miss the big tourers (Had ST1100 and BMW K1600GTL in the past) currently running the KTM Superadventure S, an old 09 GS Adv and an XJR1300....two adventure bikes...I must be mad! A local dealer has an import of a 2012 spec GTR with 0 miles....essentially new....asking 11k for it...tempting!
I tried a 2008 and was expecting a bit more torque down low, you need to rev it above 5k for it to start pulling harder. Windscreen was magic, suspension is not R1200RT comfortable, but decent, ergos are pretty good too, but I noticed it was quite easy to scrape the pegs, without really trying. Overall I can see why people love these bikes, just not sure its for me :)
I love that color, I have never seen one that color so it's probably not available in the States. I bought an 08, then an 09 and now the 2011 and i pretty much agree with everything you have said about it here. I don't like the linked brakes either, however there is I mod that defeats this feature and I will implement it soon. I have a 35" inseam and still at times kick the bags, i lowered mine in the rear 1" which helps a lot with throwing your leg over the seat. I have never like the seat on a c14, I always change them out for the seat off a ZX14 which fits right on with no mods (they are exactly the same mount wise). I never cared about the fuel mileage either although it's better than 40 always and it has a Fuel Capacity of 5.8 gallons and I usually get between 250 and 300 miles to the tank. I had a ST1100 (pan) but there was a lot of heat coming off the engine and other than that it was OK.
You've a massive knowledge on the c14, thanks for the insight. Also, are you sure de-linking the brakes wouldn't have an effect on the insurance as a "modification"?
@@RoadcraftNottingham Not in the States, not sure about anywhere else, the mod does not change the way the ABS works and I understand from model year 2015? you can selectively un-link the brakes as you choose.
heavy exhaust was made on purpose to minimize chances of death wobble at 180+ km/h speeds. This happens when you have back bags loaded over capacity and a passenger on. Same problem on Honda ST. Removing heavy exhaust undoes the effort of engineers to make a ride safer at high speeds.
Good informative video, respect your opinion as a fellow instructor. The guy who runs our training scheme has one and I almost bought it off him last year although its an older 08 version. I Have the ZZR1400 which is such a beast of a bike and I love it but now re thinking about one of these as at 6 ft 2 my 62 year old knees are now creaking a bit on long tours here in UK and Europe.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Yes thanks, I had chance to buy that one but to get all the modes that have on ZZR 1400 need to get one at least 10 plate. So would be looking for something around 15 plate.
Do you recall the make of the seat? I ride a 2016, am 5’8” and hate that forward tilt of the seat. Female so not crammed bits, but a rounder bum certainly contributes to the discomfort of the seat. I also own a 2005 Concours, the 1000 cc old school carbureted version. Nice ride along thanks.
Which of the two do you prefer? Plus/minus points? I'm currently looking at a GTR to replace a Honda NC750 (incredible mpg but want a bit more power, and a shaft drive for ease of maintenance....
I have wanted to have a shot of a 1400 so thanks for the detailed review pal. But then again I tend to want every bike I see so I’m stuck in a warp of choosing. I’ll stick to my ZZR600 (K plate) for a wee while longer. 😁👍
It's not "obviously 1400cc", it's a 1352cc engine. Absolutely agree about the exhaust and I actually have the Beowulf one. Great sound, very resistant to dirt and easily affordable. Also, it's strange don't care about the mileage... that's one of most important criteria for a long travel motorcycle. In any way, the consumption bearable, but, combined with just 23 liter tank, summed up - it's shitty. Just up to 380 km/tank riding calmly and around 300 in a somewhat fun mode. The things I just hate about the GTR are the panniers - after some time they start to wobble and, if riding empty - can be easily dropped if catching a deeper bump. They are not as hermetic as FJRs, and they are closer to your seat making it more difficult for rider not to touch them while mounting the bike. The bike has air intake under the headlights, which sucks in a lot of moisture under the heavy rain making engine act weird (dropping RPM very slowly after releasing a throttle, for one). The air filter change is the pain in the ass, since you have to disassemble almost half of the bike. I am 190cm high (6.23 ft), and even with the largest windscreen, I still get blasted with wind. This is so because of the very low front-end. Because of that - checking the dash takes you sight away from the road. The low mirrors are large and comfortable at a day, but at night every single bike or higher vehicle blinds you. I think the FOB system is fixed on this one, but each second bike of first generation had it malfunctioning. The replacements worked bad too, so owners had to make manual 'reset' switches for bike to search for a wireless key. Same with the rear suspension adjuster, it's aluminum casing oxides inside and stops completely jams itself. WD helps... most of the time... but only after 20 continues lubrication each hour. Jams again later tho. Oh, and you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to use front dirt guard extender or some radiator guard, otherwise you will have to remove it for cleaning after each sandy ride... or even damage with gravel. If you are thinking about getting yourself The Conrouse/GTR1400, do check the FJR prices and offers too, and think about it very well. Yamahas are much better built (material AND design wise). FJRs are simpler to self service, it's better designed for a sports tourer functionality - more fuel efficient, has larger tank capacity, is much passenger friendly (comfort wise). With high torque engine, this tourer 5 gears gear box is actually an advantage - lets you cruise 25mph and quickly speed up without any jerking, not switching any gears. IMHO, FJRs have only 2 problems, both - adjustable with some experience, one is the weight center (it's really high), second - the shaft drive is more clunky. I've used FJR for 3,5 years. Was forced to get on GTR after a crash far away from home. It was the only option at the time with clear history and affordable price. Kawasaki does the job, don't get me wrong, but there are much better options. Thanks for the video Russ, good to see you're back :-)
I owned the FJR and the concours 14 at the same time. I'm on my third c14 and don't have any of these problems, i don't like the linked brakes but there is a cure for that. The Concours has more power than the FJR, a smoother engine and a lot better transmission. On the FJR I was always looking for a sixth gear because the vibs are very noticeable at 80 MPH. The panniers never wobbled on any of the three I have owned and the only ones that ever fell off were the ones on the 2008 first year which a recall was issued to replace the latch that solved the problem. There was not a problem with the fob on the first gen bikes it was the release latch under the ignition switch, I never experienced this and I understand that lubing it stopped the problem. None of the panniers (bags) have leaked on any of the three c14's I have owned. BTW; I sold the FJR because to me it is no match for the c14... The review here by Roadcraft Nottingham is pretty much as I see the concours14 (C14)/ (GTR1400).
FJR is cramped for legroom, not enough power on tap and the old school shaft arrangement wallows badly when pushed. If you don't ride hard the FJR is great, i think the wind protection is better and the bar angle is better and a shorter reach. I ride the 14 like a big sportbike, it's better than the FJR at that.
I have read somewhere that the linked brakes on the gtr can be delinked... I should imagine that someone on the gtr forum would have some information on this..
Iv had mine for 6 months now and I'm only just back from its first proper tour around the Scottish Highlands for 7 days. Compared to my old 1990 GTR 1000 the 1400 lacks in weather protection by a considerable amount, I was soaked several times while two years ago on the old GTR1000 on the same trip it rained heavily and I stepped of her bone dry. Also the fueling in appalling with the dreaded kawasaki snatchy throttle, I plan to remap the ecu to cure this however if my opinion of the bike doesn't change by a lot I will trade it for a Pan.
I also added the bar risers, larger shield, as the wind buffeting was awful. Oh, I agree with the seat. I had to spend five hundred bucks to make it remotely comfortable. Glad I sold it actually as my Yamaha FJR is overall a better bike. (My opinion only).
Im thinking to buy the 1400gtr or st 1300 i fear st1300 is a slow and inestable bike. I saw a video of bobber of st and i dont like it. And in the corner gtr1400 looks goin better. What do you think? I wanna ride the bike in winter too and do a lot of kms. Give me your opinion pls ✌️🤙
"Concourse" (with an e) is an entrance to a public place, a kind of hall or foyer. "Concours"(without an e) comes from the French and means competition. So if a bike wins a "best in show" competition, it is in concours condition. It is not in concourse condition.
Great review Russ, and what an awesome bike.. Im on a 1200 Exploder for transport now days.. love all the tech and comfort in me dotage... Hope you're well mate.. Ride safe.. Del.
... Hey buddy, nice to hear from you. I've got loads of ideas and am building back up a yamaha rd250lc. Wanna tackle the engine but never done a full strip before. Should be fun eh? Hope you and Pen are well and happy.
Great fun looking bike and great to see you posting vids again. I have a question that might help other riders too... When I ride i'm constantly covering the front brake with the fingers of my throttle hand and I tend to use the heel of my palm to twist the throttle. Is this bad practice? I rarely have all fingers on the throttle tube... Cheers
.. Great point, I'll cover that point in my braking upload soon but a tip for now... Only cover your front brake when approaching a hazard, will be more comfy for you but if it's too bad a habit then as long as you're in control, no worries.
I had a GTR1400 a couple of years ago. I ECU flashed it because of the speedlimiter (was 245 kph after ECU flash it was 280 kph) and the bike was limited in the first 3 gears. After ECU flash it wasnt limited anymore. Bike was great but it was eating brakedisks and they were expensive twice a year. I am looking for a tourer and was wondering about the ST1300. Any diffirences between the GTR1400 and ST1300 except for power. How is the torque on the ST1300? I had to rev the GTR1400 and above 4500 rpm it was a bullet but under 4000 rpm it wasnt all that imho. Other contenders are Triumph Trophy 1200 se, RT1200 FJR1300. I am getting older (luckely) and my priorities shift. High topspeed isnt that important anymore, also because of more speedlimits. Nowadays I like torque. Riding 60 and trottle up and gone. I like the ST1300 because its a Honda wich means good quality but I get insecure because of stories of people saying it has a speedwobble. The GTR1400 is a rocksolid bike. Only flaws where the brakedisks and the batteries of the tyrepressure (expensive) but other then that its almost perfect.
Hi Vincent, firstly, regarding the discs, I mean no disrespect but all advanced riders I know with one of these isn't having problems with brake wear, maybe look at planning ahead more and using more acceleration sense (check out my "braking game" upload for an explanation) Personally I'd prefer this over the pan13. Only some of the bikes suffered from the speed wobble but the kawasaki is streets ahead of the 13 in my opinion. Hope this helps.
Thnx for responding. The brakedisks were an common problem according some forums in the Netherlands. And I experienced it also. I mainly use the highway instead of citytraffic and I mainly brake using my gears without touching the brakelever (on the highway). That does the job in almost every situation I encounter. With other bikes I did not have those problems. I had a VTX1800, vstrom1000, Z1000 and several BMW's and those breaks hadnt those problems, only the GTR1400 had it.
3:15 I have a 2008 Concours and my tire pressure batteries in the tires have also gone dead, and are almost US$400 to replace! I am having my tires replaced next week and wondering if I too should just replace them with a normal valve. Currently, my information on the dash is limited because of the dead tire pressure battery warning. Does this go away if you just replace with normal valves? That would be a great solution to getting my dash information reading out without constant warnings about the tires. I don't see any warning in you LED panel so looks like the warnings go away - just would like reassurance. Thanks.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Back to say that I did have normal tire valves put on last year and no problems - dash readouts are all there, but now no tire pressure info. I also had a tune installed by Shoodaben Engineering (in Chiefland, Florida). He is well known on the Coucours Forum here in the states for his excellent tunes. Gave me more power (as if I really needed that, lol), but more importantly, smoothed out the throttle response which I always felt was a tad snatchy, especially at low speeds. Certainly, makes U turns easier. Motor on!
Just watched your video and you were talking about a counter steering vid you did not to sound stupid but does counter steering apply to any bike example gtr 1400 ?.on a personal note love watching your vids very informative be safe
I will be travelling down to kosovo via Austria Slovenia then Adriatic coast, Croatia etc. Will that be a good steed. Around 2000 miles. What do you recommend? I'm looking for around £4000. Thanks .
I hated mine for the first year, then got 2 inch raisers and sent the ecu to shouldabeen engineering for a reflash to cure the terrible snatchy fueling and now I love it, I might disconnect the linked brakes because of the strange feeling in the rear pedal...
Good. More people should be liking this! What a pity the English weather is not like this all year around! Seems a bit of a waste to use such abig heavy bike when you don't really need it. Actually, you could use one with only half the power and save money on petrol. How much was the new seat and bar raisers? I have always fancied this bike... No, when you are going only 30 m.p.h. you have more time to admire and enjoy the scenery!
@@RoadcraftNottingham I now own this exact bike bought it about 4 months ago, really nice chap sold it because he was going down the adventure bike route. I have been riding for nearly thirty years and this is with out a doubt the best bike I have ever owned, closely run by the FJR 1300 and TL1000R. Strange thing is my wife saw it on Autotrader and I went on line to research the type as we do and this was the first video that came up! It took a while to work out it was the same bike, clues Beowulf , heated seat, personalised number plate etc. plus I picked it up from Spalding - I knew that this was the bike for me!!. We are now hopefully retiring to Spain in next few months and the bike is coming with us. Thanks for your hugely informative video it helped me buy this bike with confidence, and I hope to have many a happy year with it in the Spanish sunshine.
The first thing that needs to be done to this bike is an ECU tune and this guy is the way to go: ivansperformanceproducts dot com/ZG1400.htm. These guys know what they are doing. What's most important to me is that they remove all power & speed limiters, fuel mileage is improved, response improved, etc. It didn't make sense to me that the earlier models were capable of 186mph and somehow dropped down to 150mph range with newer models. I don't need to be controlled by government or corporations. These guys at Ivans have tapped this bike's full potential and performance.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Ha Ha! Well said.. I'm sad that they don't currently produce Sport Touring bikes that don't weigh over 600 pounds, or are based upon Offroad geometry (ADV's), or have footpegs up in your chest. I ride a venerable GSF1200 Bandit, now with 155,000 miles (yup); it makes 120 HP (some careful motor work)...has lovely Ergos.. has carrying capacity, weighs in at just 480 lbs, Wet, and can do Continental Touring AND Trackdays. I'll replace it some day... if they build something equitable!
I used to have one of those and the battery in the TPMS sensors went flat too. Despite Kawasaki claiming the batteries aren't replacable, they are; the sensor case is held together with one small screw - undo that and you can de-solder the dead battery and solder in a new one. Cost me £1.50 for a pair of new tabbed button cells from ebay.
Still running my gtr 1400. No problem. Freinds bmw never out of workshop. No comparison kawasaki every time.
The 2015+ have a windscreen vent to get rid of that forward suction effect. It's great...
Nice review, Sir and thanks. I'm 6'1" tall, and prefer to ride without the hardbags, but even so, you'll be on easier if you step up on your left peg to mount/dismount. I never kick the bag now...👍🏽
The tire pressure gauge saved me and my girl doing 80 on the highway. By the time I came to a stop it was completely flat. It was priceless that day.....
2/9/2023 ,i have just stumbled upon this video, i am 55years old5"8inches also, your bike is really mint, loving that green, i am state side, wont be seeing that color here,nice run mate👊🏽😎
Awesome bike
No regrets buying this bike. I have the 2017 model.
I've just purchased a the "faster" green version, absolutely amazing first ride home mixed roads. One thing I do want to look it is the lights, feel they need brighter lights and or even the lights are pointing to much to the floor. Overall very pleased, off out tomorrow and Sunday on it too. :) Keep the vids coming.
Thats a very nice looking shop! Great to see things are going well.
.. Thanks buddy.
Great review, I really miss my ST1100 during my time of owning I also bought a CBF600- SA8 and only covered 1300 miles from new because I just loved my Pan. I need another bike 68 year old fool.
Only thing its missing is a proper cruise control. I have a ZZR1400 after the RT1200 that I had. 2nd gear is where all the legal fun is similar to the GTR1400 but i miss the creature comforts of the touring bikes like the moving screen, stock heated grips and the shaft drive so looking at a K1600GT next to do some proper touring to places like spain, Italy and Norway. Often thought the GTR would be a good mix of RT and ZZR but once in a life time purchase will be the K1600GT with all the trimmings. Something about that straight 6 howl makes it worth the extra 2k on a fully kitted up RT
Had one for awhile... great on long journeys but very cumbersome around town... plus being the same height as you I had to have it lowered....eventually sold it.
take it around town , great either way, a 300 would be better for around town but having only one bike this will do
I whip mine around town, so do all the cops around here, I think you're having a short guy issue.
I have an 08 in Neutron Silver but I REALLY like the colour of yours. 🥰
nice to know of a new bike shot opening :) too many disappeared recently :(
I am getting so envious to see you riding in beautiful weather, i can not await this year season. Greetings from germany.
... This was recorded at the end of last summer, it's cold here now if that makes you feel better? 😉
Lol, I was jealous too. Its 25f degrees and snow here today. And Happy New Year!
I've been really interested in grabbing me one of these babies. I want something that can get to the speed limit absurdly fast but also be pretty comfy lol. I really appreciate this video. You aren't some idiot just twisting the throttle and hollering in surprise because you somehow didn't expect a 1400 v4 to have power, you are clearly experienced and give a very "real world" and concise kind of presentation of the bike. Thanks.
The engine is not a V4. It's an inline 4.
love the video. my mate has one 2010 .91000 on the clock still going well
Can't beat a patio door on bike 👍no wind with that bugger
That was great, thanks! I’m also Pan 1100 and was thinking ZZR but the GTR makes more sense 👍😎
Russ, nice review of the 1400GTR (not GTR1400). As you know I love mine. It's now coming up to 60K miles. I agree about the standard seat and have replaced mine with one from Top Sellerie (not heated). The fuel injection is one of the things I too really like ... in Eco mode. I wish it would start up in Eco mode. Full power mode (157 bhp) is fine if you are riding briskly out of town, but is like a lot of modern bikes a bit snatchy at slower speeds. I've got used to the linked brakes and really don't notice them in action. The rear pedal only has a little front activation if you have it set to minimum and it stops work below 12/15mph for low speed manoeuvres. You mentioned servicing at 4k BUT that service is only kick the tyres and check nothing is falling off. Oil change services are at approx 8K miles (the service manual is based on kilometres). Will I keep mine? I don't know? It's got a bit of corrosion on the wheels and I've worn a lot of paint off the bar ends and frame (where my heels/boots anchor to the bike) but I still love riding the thing. Finding it hard to choose something to replace it with. Observations on your riding (you wouldn't expect anything less!) - You were a long time waiting in gear at the traffic lights at about 7:22 (there was a car stopped behind you). Rear wheel lock up at 12:22? If anyone is still reading this far you'll find plenty more footage of GTR riding, including some demo rides on my TH-cam channel. th-cam.com/channels/CtB1JLlZqMLvmj95oWoGrg.html
.. Hey Mike, I don't like the idea of 8k on a high revving bike with the same oil, like my vw T5 on long life oil, just doesn't seem right to me. That wasn't a lock up, it was an excited tyre, haven't you ever done track days? 😉. Regarding having it in gear at the lights, we've already discussed this and the only problem there is hand ache. It's certainly an excellent bike but not £4500 more than the Pan. I'm sure I'll find something... Thanks for your input as usual.
Thanks Russ, great video! I love the Concourse too, but SO satisfied with my ST1100 as well !
.. The Pan is a hard act to follow.
Always loved these....looking at getting either this or ST1300 as I miss the big tourers (Had ST1100 and BMW K1600GTL in the past) currently running the KTM Superadventure S, an old 09 GS Adv and an XJR1300....two adventure bikes...I must be mad! A local dealer has an import of a 2012 spec GTR with 0 miles....essentially new....asking 11k for it...tempting!
That is one tricked out steed.
100% agree about "linked brakes"
BTW; You can replace the battery in the wheel sensor, I have done two and need to change the front one on this 2011 now... Less than three bucks...
Auto brakes would be great for rogue learners and motorcycle thieves!
I tried a 2008 and was expecting a bit more torque down low, you need to rev it above 5k for it to start pulling harder. Windscreen was magic, suspension is not R1200RT comfortable, but decent, ergos are pretty good too, but I noticed it was quite easy to scrape the pegs, without really trying. Overall I can see why people love these bikes, just not sure its for me :)
The tire pressure sensors are good to have when you get a nail while on the freeway. It will trip an alarm when the tires get below 30 psi.
1400 tire sensors.. they're boy who cried wolf.
I have the 2015 version. Love the bike.
I love that color, I have never seen one that color so it's probably not available in the States. I bought an 08, then an 09 and now the 2011 and i pretty much agree with everything you have said about it here.
I don't like the linked brakes either, however there is I mod that defeats this feature and I will implement it soon.
I have a 35" inseam and still at times kick the bags, i lowered mine in the rear 1" which helps a lot with throwing your leg over the seat.
I have never like the seat on a c14, I always change them out for the seat off a ZX14 which fits right on with no mods (they are exactly the same mount wise).
I never cared about the fuel mileage either although it's better than 40 always and it has a Fuel Capacity of 5.8 gallons and I usually get between 250 and 300 miles to the tank.
I had a ST1100 (pan) but there was a lot of heat coming off the engine and other than that it was OK.
You've a massive knowledge on the c14, thanks for the insight. Also, are you sure de-linking the brakes wouldn't have an effect on the insurance as a "modification"?
@@RoadcraftNottingham Not in the States, not sure about anywhere else, the mod does not change the way the ABS works and I understand from model year 2015? you can selectively un-link the brakes as you choose.
heavy exhaust was made on purpose to minimize chances of death wobble at 180+ km/h speeds. This happens when you have back bags loaded over capacity and a passenger on. Same problem on Honda ST. Removing heavy exhaust undoes the effort of engineers to make a ride safer at high speeds.
Captain Sensible -- not like so many other TH-cam videos with SQUIDs! I like ...
I'm definitely considering the C14
...and I did get a C14 -- fab bike !
Wish we got the dark green S tr stateside.
My dream bike work and play.. went to rt bmws here... these were too powerful 🙄 great review as always.
Good informative video, respect your opinion as a fellow instructor. The guy who runs our training scheme has one and I almost bought it off him last year although its an older 08 version. I Have the ZZR1400 which is such a beast of a bike and I love it but now re thinking about one of these as at 6 ft 2 my 62 year old knees are now creaking a bit on long tours here in UK and Europe.
I've not ridden the older one but an instructor colleague had one and loved it. Hope this helps. ☺
@@RoadcraftNottingham Yes thanks, I had chance to buy that one but to get all the modes that have on ZZR 1400 need to get one at least 10 plate. So would be looking for something around 15 plate.
Great review,im looking at a 2010 one of these with 38000km..they are nice ticks all the boxes..subbed..
Thanks and enjoy. ☺
great honest review really enjoyed it thank you
You're welcome.
Good review. I'm in 2 minds wheather to get one of these or a zzr1400.
Do you recall the make of the seat? I ride a 2016, am 5’8” and hate that forward tilt of the seat. Female so not crammed bits, but a rounder bum certainly contributes to the discomfort of the seat. I also own a 2005 Concours, the 1000 cc old school carbureted version. Nice ride along thanks.
The seat was made by Sargent.
Which of the two do you prefer? Plus/minus points? I'm currently looking at a GTR to replace a Honda NC750 (incredible mpg but want a bit more power, and a shaft drive for ease of maintenance....
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne I'd have them both, GTR for distance and NC for commuting. ☺
@@RoadcraftNottingham Certainly an option....but not sure the wife would be too pleased as I own three cars too....
This is like the Pontiac trans am in motorcycle, My next motorcycle.
Класс машина. Интересно в 2020 г. ещё есть возможность купить новый ?
Don't laugh too much. Honda now has a self driving motorcycle that will actually follow you around when you're on foot.
I have wanted to have a shot of a 1400 so thanks for the detailed review pal. But then again I tend to want every bike I see so I’m stuck in a warp of choosing. I’ll stick to my ZZR600 (K plate) for a wee while longer. 😁👍
Another amazing video Hun xx I just can’t get enough 😉 keep um coming , best videos on TH-cam 💋
It's not "obviously 1400cc", it's a 1352cc engine. Absolutely agree about the exhaust and I actually have the Beowulf one. Great sound, very resistant to dirt and easily affordable. Also, it's strange don't care about the mileage... that's one of most important criteria for a long travel motorcycle. In any way, the consumption bearable, but, combined with just 23 liter tank, summed up - it's shitty. Just up to 380 km/tank riding calmly and around 300 in a somewhat fun mode.
The things I just hate about the GTR are the panniers - after some time they start to wobble and, if riding empty - can be easily dropped if catching a deeper bump. They are not as hermetic as FJRs, and they are closer to your seat making it more difficult for rider not to touch them while mounting the bike. The bike has air intake under the headlights, which sucks in a lot of moisture under the heavy rain making engine act weird (dropping RPM very slowly after releasing a throttle, for one). The air filter change is the pain in the ass, since you have to disassemble almost half of the bike. I am 190cm high (6.23 ft), and even with the largest windscreen, I still get blasted with wind. This is so because of the very low front-end. Because of that - checking the dash takes you sight away from the road. The low mirrors are large and comfortable at a day, but at night every single bike or higher vehicle blinds you.
I think the FOB system is fixed on this one, but each second bike of first generation had it malfunctioning. The replacements worked bad too, so owners had to make manual 'reset' switches for bike to search for a wireless key. Same with the rear suspension adjuster, it's aluminum casing oxides inside and stops completely jams itself. WD helps... most of the time... but only after 20 continues lubrication each hour. Jams again later tho.
Oh, and you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to use front dirt guard extender or some radiator guard, otherwise you will have to remove it for cleaning after each sandy ride... or even damage with gravel.
If you are thinking about getting yourself The Conrouse/GTR1400, do check the FJR prices and offers too, and think about it very well. Yamahas are much better built (material AND design wise). FJRs are simpler to self service, it's better designed for a sports tourer functionality - more fuel efficient, has larger tank capacity, is much passenger friendly (comfort wise). With high torque engine, this tourer 5 gears gear box is actually an advantage - lets you cruise 25mph and quickly speed up without any jerking, not switching any gears. IMHO, FJRs have only 2 problems, both - adjustable with some experience, one is the weight center (it's really high), second - the shaft drive is more clunky.
I've used FJR for 3,5 years. Was forced to get on GTR after a crash far away from home. It was the only option at the time with clear history and affordable price. Kawasaki does the job, don't get me wrong, but there are much better options.
Thanks for the video Russ, good to see you're back :-)
Now THAT was a great review! Thanks for your input, very useful longer term impression there. Thanks.
I owned the FJR and the concours 14 at the same time.
I'm on my third c14 and don't have any of these problems, i don't like the linked brakes but there is a cure for that.
The Concours has more power than the FJR, a smoother engine and a lot better transmission. On the FJR I was always looking for a sixth gear because the vibs are very noticeable at 80 MPH.
The panniers never wobbled on any of the three I have owned and the only ones that ever fell off were the ones on the 2008 first year which a recall was issued to replace the latch that solved the problem.
There was not a problem with the fob on the first gen bikes it was the release latch under the ignition switch, I never experienced this and I understand that lubing it stopped the problem.
None of the panniers (bags) have leaked on any of the three c14's I have owned.
BTW; I sold the FJR because to me it is no match for the c14...
The review here by Roadcraft Nottingham is pretty much as I see the concours14 (C14)/ (GTR1400).
FJR is cramped for legroom, not enough power on tap and the old school shaft arrangement wallows badly when pushed. If you don't ride hard the FJR is great, i think the wind protection is better and the bar angle is better and a shorter reach. I ride the 14 like a big sportbike, it's better than the FJR at that.
Beautiful tourer
I have read somewhere that the linked brakes on the gtr can be delinked... I should imagine that someone on the gtr forum would have some information on this..
Iv had mine for 6 months now and I'm only just back from its first proper tour around the Scottish Highlands for 7 days.
Compared to my old 1990 GTR 1000 the 1400 lacks in weather protection by a considerable amount, I was soaked several times while two years ago on the old GTR1000 on the same trip it rained heavily and I stepped of her bone dry. Also the fueling in appalling with the dreaded kawasaki snatchy throttle, I plan to remap the ecu to cure this however if my opinion of the bike doesn't change by a lot I will trade it for a Pan.
Doesn’t look like the England in January that I remember!
... 😉. It's the end of last summer.
Sounds nice and smooth but top heavy is not good
I also added the bar risers, larger shield, as the wind buffeting was awful. Oh, I agree with the seat. I had to spend five hundred bucks to make it remotely comfortable. Glad I sold it actually as my Yamaha FJR is overall a better bike. (My opinion only).
Is it just me or does the screen look like Darth Vaders Dome! lol
.. That sounds rude. 😂
Im thinking to buy the 1400gtr or st 1300 i fear st1300 is a slow and inestable bike. I saw a video of bobber of st and i dont like it. And in the corner gtr1400 looks goin better. What do you think? I wanna ride the bike in winter too and do a lot of kms. Give me your opinion pls ✌️🤙
Still love my fjr 2002 the gtr is great but more expensive
ABS kicked in at 12:16 .naughty boy lol .. good bike and nice ride out
.... Who me? 😉
That’s what it’s there for lol
crump buster? lol....its a throttle rocker (we call it that in the states) nice video! thanks
... Cramp buster. Lol
I get on my 2012 like getting on a horse, it works
"Concourse" (with an e) is an entrance to a public place, a kind of hall or foyer. "Concours"(without an e) comes from the French and means competition. So if a bike wins a "best in show" competition, it is in concours condition. It is not in concourse condition.
Great review Russ, and what an awesome bike.. Im on a 1200 Exploder for transport now days.. love all the tech and comfort in me dotage... Hope you're well mate.. Ride safe.. Del.
... Hey buddy, nice to hear from you. I've got loads of ideas and am building back up a yamaha rd250lc. Wanna tackle the engine but never done a full strip before. Should be fun eh? Hope you and Pen are well and happy.
I have a turbo.
A 1985 GPz 750turbo.
Same size engine as my car!!
Great fun looking bike and great to see you posting vids again. I have a question that might help other riders too... When I ride i'm constantly covering the front brake with the fingers of my throttle hand and I tend to use the heel of my palm to twist the throttle. Is this bad practice? I rarely have all fingers on the throttle tube... Cheers
.. Great point, I'll cover that point in my braking upload soon but a tip for now... Only cover your front brake when approaching a hazard, will be more comfy for you but if it's too bad a habit then as long as you're in control, no worries.
Thanks for your reply, i'll try and get out of the habit!
Excuse me, please would you write how these palm rests are called? Crumb boosters? That sounds so wierd. You mentioned these on 9:10
Cramp buster
Superb bike
Could u compare this and an fjr1300 to a tracer 900gt?
Evisto varios videosbuscando un buen motivo para enamorarme totalmente de la concours14, y este x fin lo a logrado.excelente.gracias
Please advise on the wind protection, helmet buffeting. I am 6 feet with long torso..thanks.
Nice review. Can you say why you picked this over the Pan?
I didn't. ☺
I had a GTR1400 a couple of years ago. I ECU flashed it because of the speedlimiter (was 245 kph after ECU flash it was 280 kph) and the bike was limited in the first 3 gears. After ECU flash it wasnt limited anymore. Bike was great but it was eating brakedisks and they were expensive twice a year. I am looking for a tourer and was wondering about the ST1300. Any diffirences between the GTR1400 and ST1300 except for power. How is the torque on the ST1300? I had to rev the GTR1400 and above 4500 rpm it was a bullet but under 4000 rpm it wasnt all that imho. Other contenders are Triumph Trophy 1200 se, RT1200 FJR1300. I am getting older (luckely) and my priorities shift. High topspeed isnt that important anymore, also because of more speedlimits. Nowadays I like torque. Riding 60 and trottle up and gone. I like the ST1300 because its a Honda wich means good quality but I get insecure because of stories of people saying it has a speedwobble. The GTR1400 is a rocksolid bike. Only flaws where the brakedisks and the batteries of the tyrepressure (expensive) but other then that its almost perfect.
Hi Vincent, firstly, regarding the discs, I mean no disrespect but all advanced riders I know with one of these isn't having problems with brake wear, maybe look at planning ahead more and using more acceleration sense (check out my "braking game" upload for an explanation) Personally I'd prefer this over the pan13. Only some of the bikes suffered from the speed wobble but the kawasaki is streets ahead of the 13 in my opinion. Hope this helps.
Thnx for responding. The brakedisks were an common problem according some forums in the Netherlands. And I experienced it also. I mainly use the highway instead of citytraffic and I mainly brake using my gears without touching the brakelever (on the highway). That does the job in almost every situation I encounter. With other bikes I did not have those problems. I had a VTX1800, vstrom1000, Z1000 and several BMW's and those breaks hadnt those problems, only the GTR1400 had it.
3:15 I have a 2008 Concours and my tire pressure batteries in the tires have also gone dead, and are almost US$400 to replace! I am having my tires replaced next week and wondering if I too should just replace them with a normal valve. Currently, my information on the dash is limited because of the dead tire pressure battery warning. Does this go away if you just replace with normal valves? That would be a great solution to getting my dash information reading out without constant warnings about the tires. I don't see any warning in you LED panel so looks like the warnings go away - just would like reassurance. Thanks.
I honestly don't know but I certainly think it's worth trying. Good luck.
@@RoadcraftNottingham Back to say that I did have normal tire valves put on last year and no problems - dash readouts are all there, but now no tire pressure info. I also had a tune installed by Shoodaben Engineering (in Chiefland, Florida). He is well known on the Coucours Forum here in the states for his excellent tunes. Gave me more power (as if I really needed that, lol), but more importantly, smoothed out the throttle response which I always felt was a tad snatchy, especially at low speeds. Certainly, makes U turns easier. Motor on!
Just watched your video and you were talking about a counter steering vid you did not to sound stupid but does counter steering apply to any bike example gtr 1400 ?.on a personal note love watching your vids very informative be safe
Countersteering works on anything with two wheels
@@RoadcraftNottingham how can I get your counter steering video up is there a link thanks in advance buddy
Found them brilliant thanks
I just bought a 2020 Concurs and I am 5.7" (midget) what brand is that seat and bar raisers?
Not sure about the risers but the seat is Sargent
Amazing !
12:21 Did I hear read wheel lock up as you stamped on the rear brake? :)
It did lock slightly. Too early change down gear, not rear brake ... Naughty boy 😂
hahahah
@@RoadcraftNottingham so it has no slipper clutch... interesting.
I will be travelling down to kosovo via Austria Slovenia then Adriatic coast, Croatia etc. Will that be a good steed. Around 2000 miles.
What do you recommend? I'm looking for around £4000. Thanks .
... FJR1300, ST1100, Early GTR1400, ST1300, BMWR1200RT. There's a few to be going on with.
I hated mine for the first year, then got 2 inch raisers and sent the ecu to shouldabeen engineering for a reflash to cure the terrible snatchy fueling and now I love it, I might disconnect the linked brakes because of the strange feeling in the rear pedal...
Good. More people should be liking this! What a pity the English weather is not like this all year around! Seems a bit of a waste to use such abig heavy bike when you don't really need it. Actually, you could use one with only half the power and save money on petrol. How much was the new seat and bar raisers? I have always fancied this bike...
No, when you are going only 30 m.p.h. you have more time to admire and enjoy the scenery!
This is why I went for the tiger 800 xrx low. What's the point in something like this when I can't do above 70.
@@RoadcraftNottingham I now own this exact bike bought it about 4 months ago, really nice chap sold it because he was going down the adventure bike route. I have been riding for nearly thirty years and this is with out a doubt the best bike I have ever owned, closely run by the FJR 1300 and TL1000R. Strange thing is my wife saw it on Autotrader and I went on line to research the type as we do and this was the first video that came up! It took a while to work out it was the same bike, clues Beowulf , heated seat, personalised number plate etc. plus I picked it up from Spalding - I knew that this was the bike for me!!. We are now hopefully retiring to Spain in next few months and the bike is coming with us. Thanks for your hugely informative video it helped me buy this bike with confidence, and I hope to have many a happy year with it in the Spanish sunshine.
@@philipnorris9013 wow, what's the chances of that!? So pleased you love it. Hope you have many a happy hour in Spain. Russ
@@philipnorris9013 I have the stock seat if you want it for £40. ☺
@@RoadcraftNottingham Hi Russ that would be great. Let me know how you wish to do it. Pay Pal bank transfer?
Unfortunately you didn't try 10000 rpm shifts. Like starting out doing 105 kph in first. Yes I'm riding a 2013 Concourse
It wouldn't be sensible on a motorcycle instruction channel. I'm pretty sure there's plenty of vloggers out there for that. 😉
@@RoadcraftNottingham Yes I'm kidding. I wouldn't do it on those narrow busy roads either. Come to BC Canada, we have some amazing roads. 👍🤙😊
Screen goes up, screen goes down. Can't explain that! Also, it's got neek-neeks!
I need to grow up 😂
Please tell me you still have that lovely FZS1000?
I sold that just after I bought the Tuono in 2011
@@RoadcraftNottingham Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
So Russ.. what one is better the FJ or this ? :)
... This
Depends which one he's selling, I cynically say, I jest!
I have the '11 to it's not the gtr1400 it's called the Concourse 14 Abs after 2010...Dont date it😉
How many miles has your pan done now Russ?
.. It's about 87k miles now I think.
seriously, do you like all that technology?
I'm a bit of a gadget freak. ☺
FJR1300.
The first thing that needs to be done to this bike is an ECU tune and this guy is the way to go: ivansperformanceproducts dot com/ZG1400.htm. These guys know what they are doing. What's most important to me is that they remove all power & speed limiters, fuel mileage is improved, response improved, etc. It didn't make sense to me that the earlier models were capable of 186mph and somehow dropped down to 150mph range with newer models. I don't need to be controlled by government or corporations. These guys at Ivans have tapped this bike's full potential and performance.
Stand on the left footpeg and swing your right leg up and over.
Problem solved.
Kawasaki 10x better than pan european
Traded mine in for a new Harley The Mrs loved the GTR tho
Waaaa
Just get a convertible and be done with it.
I tried but it wouldn't do 0-60 in 3.5 seconds or lean around corners and I kept scraping doors when filtering through traffic 😉
@@RoadcraftNottingham
Ha Ha! Well said.. I'm sad that they don't currently produce Sport Touring bikes that don't weigh over 600 pounds, or are based upon Offroad geometry (ADV's), or have footpegs up in your chest. I ride a venerable GSF1200 Bandit, now with 155,000 miles (yup); it makes 120 HP (some careful motor work)...has lovely Ergos.. has carrying capacity, weighs in at just 480 lbs, Wet, and can do Continental Touring AND Trackdays. I'll replace it some day... if they build something equitable!
0:07 lmao british kids look different these days. Hijabs seem really popular over there.
Yeah cos the uk would be a brilliant place if we all looked/dressed the same way.