jjeff441
Parking Attendant
Posts: 2
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posted January 11, 2008 01:47 PM
Concours14 questions
Hello, I stopped by the Kawasaki dealer the other day and looked at a Concours 14, I am impressed and considering buying one. Would like to do some cross-country riding.
Couple of questions:
First, has anyone used any of the ethanol-based fuel that you get in the midwest? The tag on the tank said 90 octane if I remember. I would just run premium if I can find it, but I like riding back roads and might run into ethanol in AR, KS, MO, IA.
Second, are there any aftermarket exhausts available (only thing I didn't like). The ZX14 Ninja has twin pipes, so I couldn't use that system.
Now I am not sold on ABS on bikes, honestly. Looking at the non-abs version, will use the money to buy an exhaust. cheers JJ
  
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted January 11, 2008 03:33 PM
In Nevada the fuel has a good percentage of ethanol in it. And it actually seems to run better. I ride at mostly high altitude and run a lower octane, also lower octane makes more HP.
There are several pipes available, visit our sponsors Area P and Muzzy's.
Although I thought the same way about the ABS, if I had to do it all over again, I would probably get the ABS because this bike is a mile eater, and being so you can find yourself on some very slippery roads and from what I have read the ABS works really well.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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donnbauer
Novice Class
Posts: 56
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posted January 11, 2008 06:48 PM
I love my ABS, it has saved me from a spill on more than one occassion and you really don't know it's there till your shitting your pants and praying for more road. Lots of threads here and at .org on pipes, slip on's and all the other great farkles for these great bike. Enjoy
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Donn
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wormgear
Expert Class
Posts: 339
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posted January 13, 2008 06:17 AM
 Edited By: wormgear on 13 Jan 2008 06:23
Per the owners manual you can run up to 10% ethanol. Avoid methanol whenever possible and never use more than 5% methanol. You can use up to 15% MTBE, up to 16.7% TAME and up to 17.2% ETBE. I run 89 octane in mine and it does just fine. I try to buy Chevron or Texaco because Techron is such a good additive.
A lot of people (including myself) are very happy with the area p slip-on, also muzzy and two brothers. Check the threads on secondary butterfly removal and adding a pc3 if you're interested in a real performance mod.
I have ABS and it saved me from going down within the first 200 miles of purchase. You don't know it's there till you need it, then it works very well. I can see no reason not to have it.
If you like the bike now, you're going to love it once you ride it a while.
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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garvin6
Novice Class
us citizen
Posts: 35
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posted January 13, 2008 11:08 AM
I dare you to find a better SPORT/touring bike. I commute to work everyday and get in some awesome weekend rides here in Ca. I couldn't imagine not having ABS, talk about confidence in hauling down to legal speeds when necessary. The more you "think" about it , the less time you are in the saddle and experiencing a great ride.
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Kevin F. Garvin
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21896
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posted January 13, 2008 09:20 PM
I;ve run ethanol blend in my .. no probs... very pleased with it... ABS has saved me a few times in loose gravel/parking lots 
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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jjeff441
Parking Attendant
Posts: 2
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posted January 14, 2008 10:30 AM
Appreciate the feedback on the fuel (good advice on avoiding methanol) so there should be no problem with the 10% ethanol gas I see at the pumps. Suppose we are a ways from a flexible-fuel bike that could run E85 ethanol, but at least I shouldn't have any problems on a cross-country ride.
I'm actually surprised to read that you like the ABS, and I should rethink this. It has to work the same way, with wheel sensors that "count" the wheel rotations and sense a lockup. With the brakes on it would interrupt the hydraulic pressure (cars have little inline "pistons" in the ABS module), the 1st time it kicked in was pretty scary in a car but I got used to it. Just wonder how it would work on a big bike on "washboard" roads, might make it worse (but on those roads I shut it down and take it real slow anyway). I'm sure that a lot of research and development went into this; so I'll just wait and see. Would like to ride an abs model and non-abs bike and test it myself--
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FBRR
Parking Attendant
Posts: 9
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posted January 14, 2008 04:23 PM
JJeff441,
I'm an old coot ( just to set the record straight). I searched for a non-ABS, and found one. I've ridden for a lot of years, and prefer the non-ABS. I tried several bikes with ABS. I actually was able to ride an ABS with out-riggers on a test track. Even that did not sway me, I like the feel of non-ABS brakes.
There you go, one vote for NON-ABS.
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DennisR
Parking Attendant
Posts: 7
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posted January 30, 2008 08:57 PM
Kawasaki's ABS is not linked like Honda's. I like this much better. I do find that the rear wheel ABS seems to engage long before the wheel would actually slide. This may make stopping distances longer. The front, where most of the stopping power is, works great. ABS is a good thing even for experienced riders. I was riding on a gravel road and grabbed a handful of front brake (this is a worst case condition) and it was a non-event. I'm sold.
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nabrxx
Needs a job
Posts: 2853
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posted February 02, 2008 12:11 PM
I dont regret buying a non-abs model. Id like to try out that "outrigger" experience you had fbrr, the only experience Ive had with abs on a bike was a bmw rsl 1100 boxer...I didnt like it. You guys with abs...can you turn it off if you want to?
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What we don't understand, we can
make mean anything...
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 02, 2008 03:18 PM
I run ethanol in everything and as far as ABS maybe when I get older I'll learn to appreciate such a thing, might even put my track bike for sale at the same time 
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted February 03, 2008 06:41 PM
I don't regret buying the non ABS but the thing about a sport tourer is you can ride in much worse weather and in funky weather you find the road conditions to be less than ideal. Gravel, ice, salt, water, etc. And that is where the ABS could come in very handy. I am looking forward to riding next weekend and guaranteed the roads are going to be a mess. And with a sport bike, the riding season doesn't start till April. The criteria is on this bike, no snow on the road and over 32 degrees.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 03, 2008 08:57 PM
quote:
but the thing about a sport tourer is you can ride in much worse weather and in funky weather you find the road conditions to be less than ideal. Gravel, ice, salt, water, etc. And that is where the ABS could come in very handy.
\
man, I have been so close-minded about ABS. Thanks Ted
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted February 03, 2008 09:46 PM
I too have been closed minded about them, but for reasons above, I had to do a bit of a rethink also.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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