Sat on the C14 in Toronto

[Yogi]

I was at the Toronto show and was able to get a sit on the C14. I currently ride a Triumph Rocket, but this will be my next bike. I have some miles on my brother's FJR which has turned me to the ST side.

Here's some pics http://www.personal.psu.edu/cah9/images/C14

[matkal]

I was at the Toronto show and was able to get a sit on the C14. I currently ride a Triumph Rocket, but this will be my next bike. I have some miles on my brother's FJR which has turned me to the ST side.

Here's some pics http://www.personal.psu.edu/cah9/images/C14

Cool! Someone had posted that at the show they went to you couldn't sit on the C14.
I hope we can sit on it in Novi (Detroit)

[Against The Wind]

sometimes the sign gets moved ACCIDENTALLY

[JoBu]

Cool! Someone had posted that at the show they went to you couldn't sit on the C14.
I hope we can sit on it in Novi (Detroit)

Kawi was encouraging people to try it out when it was down here in Daytona.  Hopefully, you'll have the same experience.  There were quite a few pretty big scuffs on the hard bags from people dragging their boots/shoes.  I can't imagine why they wouldn't want people to sit on the bike.  

Cheers,

Joe

[ride200mi]

It is looking more and more like I will be getting one of these. Mainly because we have put quite a few miles on the Futura and really love to get out on the road. With my wife and me we reach around the 500 lbs mark and hope the Conti will be suited for that kind of weight. The power should be really nice compaired to the V-Twin we have now. I might even keep the Futura for comuting to work, a 30 mile one way trek.
I see from the pic that you seem to have your arms stright out..?? But as long as it feels comfy. Lucky guys.. I saw the bike in Long Beach but was unable to sit on it as "the dealers kinda had their way with the bike and broke a couple of things...i.e. the glove box cover" (missing in the pics also)....
I am still looking at the BMW line but weighing in all the cost to run the Bimmers might be a little hard on my income. It's funny though, I have a 3 series car and the cost to drive that (except for gas and tires) is a big fat zero for 4 years. Wish that would aply to the motorcycle division.

[Snowbird]

I can't imagine why they wouldn't want people to sit on the bike.  

Now that you mention it... good question.  

[phoenix]

I was at the Toronto show and was able to get a sit on the C14. I currently ride a Triumph Rocket, but this will be my next bike. I have some miles on my brother's FJR which has turned me to the ST side.

Here's some pics http://www.personal.psu.edu/cah9/images/C14

How tall are you? The bike almost looks small on ya.
How does the fit compare to FJR or ST1300 (or other similar)?

[ruffcut]

Now that you mention it... good question.  

 I would guess the bags would look like Chuck did the boogaloo on them afterwards.
 Maybe they could make them look like samsonite or somthing and they wont get that bad.
 You`d think kawasaki would have thought of that.

[TalkingHead]

How tall are you? The bike almost looks small on ya.
How does the fit compare to FJR or ST1300 (or other similar)?

That's what I was thinking! I really like the looks of the new Conny except for the bags. Why Kawasaki needs to need Testarossa everything is beyond me.

What did you think of the Norge?

[Sarchi]

Hey..my ATGATT scripture survived the great STN purge!  Cool.  

[matkal]

Hey..my ATGATT scripture survived the great STN purge!  Cool.  

It's my sig on most of the boards I belong to, I give you credit if there's room.
When STN came back up I just did the copy/paste thing.

[Brayon Rider]

How tall are you? The bike almost looks small on ya.
How does the fit compare to FJR or ST1300 (or other similar)?

That's the first thing I noticed, it looks even smaller with the red shirt guy sitting on it. The pictures at the bottom show a FJR and others, the Concours looks comparable in size.
Hopefully Yogi is a large man and not the Concours a small bike.

[drsmig]

I love everything about this bike but the pipe and the ape hangar handle bars.  I know I can buy an aftermarket pipe but has anyone looked closely enough to determine if a set of aftermarket clip-ons might fit on this bike.  It is just to FJR like (not that there is anything wrong with that) for my taste.  I would dress out a zx14 for sport touring but I think the front end of it is too fugly.  I might have to keep my ZZR1200 for another year or two or convert to BMW and go with the K1200S.  I like the new GTR1400 a lot except those ape hangars would have to go.

[homebrew]

Nice bike.
Holey-moley are those reservoirs big and weird looking.

[Mr Sunshine]

Anybody notice the picture that has a sign that said "Please keep off"  

[1moreroad]

Anybody notice the picture that has a sign that said "Please keep off"  

It's okay -- they moved it to the pillion seat before they sat down.  

Am I the only one that think these bikes look reallly, really similar?  Thanks for the pix -- you can get an idea of body position from these (but bend your elbows and sit up straight!)

[hig4s]

I'm thinking about a new bike but need one with decent comfort for the wife,, I was pretty excited about the C14 but after looking at these pics it appears it has the same problem as most Kaws, high set tiny metal passenger pegs.

The Norge looks like it has rubber pegs set lower giving the passenger more leg room.

[goto]

When the show was in Phoenix, they had it up on a pedestal AND had the do not sit on sign.  There must only be a few of them out there for them to be that picky.

[Against The Wind]

Changing footpegs has got to be one of the easiest things to do on a bike. If everything else does it for you, then why wouldn't you make such a simple mod?

[hig4s]

Changing footpegs has got to be one of the easiest things to do on a bike. If everything else does it for you, then why wouldn't you make such a simple mod?

It is not just the type of passenger peg, but where is mounts. and I'll have to check but from the pics here and on the kaw site, it doesn't look like there is any way to lower them without hitting the pipe on one side and drive on the other.. My current Kaw 750 is the same way.

[Against The Wind]

Shorten the legs......or trade them in for a shorter pair.  

[BradleyRas]

I reeeeeaaaaaalllly need a C14 to replace my ZZR..

[BlueRidgeKat]

We are going to the IMS event in Atlanta even though I dont think there is much of of a chance of  sitting on one. If they want to sell them they need to let people get the feel of one and drool on it.... bastards. Maybe they will make a exception for a long time Kawasaki owners club member (dreaming)

Hope to at least try out the new Triumph Tiger while there.

[matkal]

At the recent show in Detroit, the C14 was up on a platform with a rail around it.  

And a sign stating, basicaly, that we don't know how much, etc., don't ask.

I still want one though!

[Against The Wind]

They sure make it fun don't they?

[kyzrex]

ralked with one of the Kaw Reps that I kinda know at Novi.  He said that the one there was the only one that they had in the states at this time.  No replacement parts were available either.  So if they did let people sit on it, and something got broken... they were screwed.  He did say a couple of things of interest about the bike.  One, he had been able to sit on the bike and move it around while setting up and taking down the display at other shows.  His feeling was that it was slightly heavier than the ZX-14, but only by a few pounds.  MUCH lighter than the current connie...est. weight at about 550 or less, dry.  Two, they were really pushing Kaw very hard to have several of the bikes avaliable for Daytona, and said for sure would be avaliable for demo rides this summer.  Est was that the bikes would be in dealers showrooms by mid-march.  I have heard that they are going to make them avalable much the same way that the FJRs were made avalavle.....pay your deposit, then wait for your bike to come in.  They are going to send enough over to meet deposits only the first year....just what I have heard, don't know how accurate that is.

I must say that I really, really like the bike.  Even more than the Norge, FJR, ST1300, or any other bike of that type.  At least from looking at it.  I'll wait until ride reports start coming in, and having the chance to demo it, untill I decide if this bike is in my future.  But I do like the looks of it, looks better in person than pictures, IMO.

patrick

[s boy]

hope you're wrong about the deposit plan... that is one of the reasons i steered away form the FJR (as did many others i'm sure).  

and buying a 1st year (market entry) bike via deposit, sight-unseen, is certainly not somthing i would do... ?  

[kyzrex]

hope you're wrong about the deposit plan... that is one of the reasons i steered away form the FJR (as did many others i'm sure).  

and buying a 1st year (market entry) bike via deposit, sight-unseen, is certainly not somthing i would do... ?  

I agree....hope I'm wrong also

[Baz]

I was able to plant my butt on one today also.

I have to be honest, It did not turn my crank at all. I don't like the looks, and I didn't like the feel of it. Much more cramped than an FJR. I can't see this bike ever being on my "must have" list.

I really think you folks who lean towards the Sport side of Sport Touring are going to be disappointed. Feels more like the Norge than the FJR if that makes sense? (By the way, the Norge wooed me in photo's, but disappointed when she showed up at the door).

You can also forget passenger comfort from what I saw, and in fact, I am not that large, & found the thing rather cramped when comparing it to a ST-1300 or the FJR.

[chornbe]

Yogi,

I realize you were just test sitting, but I see a lot of people test-sitting (and often, riding) in this position:



When I'm sitting on bikes and testing fit, I try to conciously sit like I'm riding; little more end at the hips, some bend in the elbows, straight line down the forearms and thru' the wrists. Then I try to sit still like that for 5-10 minutes and see if that's a position I can adapt to.

The Viffer and ZX/14 are almost identical in general position and feel doing this (for me, 5'6", ~29.5 inseam). Comfortable. Only the ST, the FJR and the Katana are more comfortable (to me). How would you rate the seating compared to the FJR. With your arms fully straightened out, it looks even more upright, but again, I doubt you actually ride in that position, so just trying to get a real feel for it.

Thanks.

[1moreroad]

Total thread hijack, but I agree that with this completely:

I realize you were just test sitting, but I see a lot of people test-sitting (and often, riding) in this position

I know I'm not going to change the world, but it's a pet peeve of mine to see some guy (usually on an BMW RT for some reason   ) with his shoulders hunched up to his ears and his elbows locked riding around.

These are the same people who say that sportbikes are uncomfortable for riding.  And that it's hard to get a bike to turn-in (no kidding, if you have to swing your whole upper body to turn).  I realize not all riding positions are equally comfortable to all riders, but proper form and at least a little conditioning in the abs goes a long way towards rider comfort.