Advice... zx14 vs Concourse 14 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Advice... zx14 vs Concourse 14

wildbill vfr

wildbill vfr

Member
Forum Sponsor
Question: who here owns a zx14 or a concourse. I’m torn between the two. I enjoy weekend getaways (600km+) and I have a soft spot for the zx14 but the concourse makes more sense for my riding style. (Although the Connie isn’t my dream bike.)

Can you tour with a zx14? Is bags an option, cost of ownership,maintence, insurance?

I would like to hear real people’s experiences good or bad between the two from Ontario owners and not from sponsored videos on YouTube.


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
 
Haven’t owned either but I’ve ridden both. For longer distance touring the Connie is the way to go. Far more comfortable, shaft drive as opposed to chain and still is capable of arm-ripping acceleration!
 
A call to your insurance company should bring this into focus.
 
wildbill vfr said:
Question: who here owns a zx14 or a concourse. I’m torn between the two. I enjoy weekend getaways (600km+) and I have a soft spot for the zx14 but the concourse makes more sense for my riding style. (Although the Connie isn’t my dream bike.)

Can you tour with a zx14? Is bags an option, cost of ownership,maintence, insurance?

I would like to hear real people’s experiences good or bad between the two from Ontario owners and not from sponsored videos on YouTube.


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
Click to expand...
Not sure how often he checks this forum, but maybe @schrader2 will know.
 
wildbill vfr said:
Can you tour with a zx14? Is bags an option, cost of ownership,maintence, insurance?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can. Rode one for 8 years and put on just under 100k. Standard maintenance, tires, oil, plugs, valves. No issues at all. Lots of options for luggage, that isn't a problem. Depending on your age and years of riding, you may want to get an insurance quote first. I'd still be on one but I'm getting old and the knees and hips couldn't take it anymore. Used to do 600-1000km days no problem. I've ridden the Connie as well. Definitely more comfortable and 2up friendly.

If you've always wanted one, go for it! You only live once. If you find you don't like it, just sell it. They are a great bike.
 
I owned a ZX-14 for a summer, and while it wasn't for me, it was still a very good bike. My biggest issue was it wasn't comfortable enough to justify the handling sacrifices over a sportbike. I did some longish tours on it (600-1000 km/day for five or six days), and while it worked, I found my knees and legs got sore and cramped after four hours or so. I'd do similar days on a ZX-10R with similar discomfort, but no worse.

I'd love to have a Concours 14 now. Similar power and reliability, but just way more comfortable. For me, unless I was drag racing, I don't really see the trade-offs being worth it for the ZX besides looks. You may find it comfortable, though, and plenty do...
 
I appreciate everyone’s input here. So between the two bikes no one has had mysterious gremlins hit the bike. I’ve heard/read horror stories of electrical harness just burning out, swing arms stress cracking,etc
 
Mine did have a random coolant overflow on shutdown issue that I never did get to the bottom of (did all the usual easy stuff like replacing rad cap, burping system, checking for leaks etc.), but the dealership didn't seem bothered by it when I traded it in. They fixed it but I never asked what the issue was.

Otherwise, I didn't have the bike long enough to see any major issues. It felt pretty bulletproof, for what little that's worth, and the only issue I had was the bodywork was a bit of a pain to remove and replace, as it was complicated.
 
Not sure if OP is looking at new vs used, but the new versys 1k and ninja 1k have better touring electronics
connie spec sheet looks like it might as well be a 2010 model
 
GreyGhost said:
I thought it was? In my mind, it is one of those bikes that they just keep cranking out while putting very little effort into modernizing (like the KLR until recently).

Please Honda, bring back the blackbird :(
Click to expand...

the ninja 1k looks underrated imo, reasonably priced and comes with all the modern electronics and amenities
and probably not too shabby on the power either
 
Not to hijack this but I have a connie question. I'm looking for a replacment for my 1200 Wing (GL1200) for 2up touring. I was going to buy a first gen connie (1000cc) but then I was talking to a couple of owners who said it's kind of top heavy and ponderous at low speeds. So I bailed.
Wondering if the 14 is top heavy - anyone chime in?
 
bigpoppa said:
the ninja 1k looks underrated imo, reasonably priced and comes with all the modern electronics and amenities
and probably not too shabby on the power either
Click to expand...

Several of the Honda ST crowd gave up on Honda updating the ST1300 and purchased a Versys 1000, which they love. Only downside referenced was the chain vs shaft drive. Obviously night and day compared to a ST1300 designed in 2001 - 2002 in terms of technology, power and handling. If a 2020 works for you you can get 1.99% for 84 months if you're going to finance it, which is a great rate for a motorcycle. 3.69% for a 2021.

In attending dozens of ST events with all types of bikes only seen 2 or 3 Concours. Great engine apparently, but never caught on with the sport touring crowd. The older generation Concours was around forever before being updated to the current model which now has older tech, love it or hate it styling, but a good price, shaft drive and probably lots of negotiating room on a 2020 model.
 
Last edited:
bigpoppa said:
the ninja 1k looks underrated imo, reasonably priced and comes with all the modern electronics and amenities
and probably not too shabby on the power either
Click to expand...
Not so sure about reasonably priced... I'm looking for one. The msrp is 15k, then tax and freight and you're close to 18k. And the side cases (plus brackets and locks) are another $1000.
 
danp said:
Not so sure about reasonably priced... I'm looking for one. The msrp is 15k, then tax and freight and you're close to 18k. And the side cases (plus brackets and locks) are another $1000.
Click to expand...

fair

but they not exactly popular, maybe you can pick up a leftover model?
 
bigpoppa said:
the ninja 1k looks underrated imo, reasonably priced and comes with all the modern electronics and amenities
and probably not too shabby on the power either
Click to expand...
It's only underrated in North America. In Europe, it's one of the biggest selling big bikes. It's hugely popular as a true sport-tourer in the VFR800 spirit (as opposed to the big, heavy tourers that get marketed as sport-tourers here).

Similarly, the Versys just had an electronics update and is getting glowing reviews from the non-sportbike Brit bike magazines.
 
danp said:
Not so sure about reasonably priced... I'm looking for one. The msrp is 15k, then tax and freight and you're close to 18k. And the side cases (plus brackets and locks) are another $1000.
Click to expand...
Now go lookup the cost for Premium brands equally equipped...
 
bigpoppa said:
fair

but they not exactly popular, maybe you can pick up a leftover model?
Click to expand...
The 2020 was redesigned, it's got some cool features not found on the 2019 so it's worth the extra money in my opinion. You get a quickshifter, leaning abs, a big color screen with bluetooth, the display even tells you you how many degrees you lean.

I was looking at dealer websites and don't see many of them at the dealers. I guess they don't sell many of them so they don't keep them in the showroom. The kawasaki dealer in guelph has a 2020 model for a few hundred dollars off. I'd take a leftover 2020 if it was at a significant discount, but if the difference is only a measly few hundred bucks I'd rather just get a 2021.

Anyways I'm gonna start visiting dealers as soon as the weather is nicer and see if I can get a decent deal on a Ninja 1000. Oh yeah, gotta get an insurance quote first, I'm worried that "ninja" in its name might do something crazy to the rates.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom