Kawasaki Concours reviews

Can you say eye-opener? I have 30yrs. experience on motorcycles but NEVER on a sport-touring bike. After much research I purchased a used 2004 Connie because I wasn't sure I would like sport-touring. My eyes were opened! The research paid off. I love this old-tech tourer. I lowered the pegs. Installed Heli-bars and cruise control. Combined with a Rifle windscreen and Givi topcase the package was complete except for farkles I will list later. Proof is a 6005 miles ride that included a non-stop IRON BUTT RUN from Mexico to Canada in 33 hours. Comfort was GREAT! Wet weather - protection better than any of my other bikes. If the newer sport tourers are better (and I'm sure they are) I doubt they can be twice as good. It would be a hard sell to get me to spend $15,000 on a machine that is only newer and incrementaly better than the Connie. I am a VERY analytical biker and in my humble opinion the Connie still competes with modern bikes in the long distance arena. Especially, when you consider the initial capital outlay. And we all know buying the bike is just the beginning. Everyone adds accesories to make the sled comfortable to themselves. The engine is smooth. The tranny is effortless. The comfort is great for long days because the rider is protected from turbulance while sitting on a plush saddle. * See the big grin on my ugly mug as I know I bought this bike cheap! I do have some gripes... The bike is top-heavy at parking lot speed. Just take your time and be smart about your parking and this won't be a problem. The brakes are a little weak for the bike. Consider the weight of the bike full of seven(7) gallons of gas, me, all my touring gear and you have to slow down sooner than usual to avoid hard brakeing. The centerstand is hard to use when the bike is loaded with gas and gear. I have an extended lift handle to help with this. You know these are not objections that should keep a person from considering a Connie. ALL BIKES have something to complain about! I don't claim to be the world authority on sport-touring. However, I do have many years in the saddle and I LOVE this bike. I would recommend the Connie for a person who doesn't have a lot of stop and go driving. Mostly because of the closeness of the lower gears ratios. I know some will disagree with me, but it seems while in town, I am shifting all the time until I reach that beautiful sixth gear. The Connie can adapt to city driving alright, but its' forte' is the interstate and the curving backroads that are calling all of us. May the wind at your back...not be your own. Show less

Great bike for trips, going to work and is reliable as the day is long. Great seat but I needed to add some genmar risers for the handle bars. Limited choice on tires. I really only use this bike for trips as I have a few others for around town. I have had nothing go wrong with this bike. Show less

Well, I've rode this bike for 15000 miles now. After a summer on it, and a 10000 mile trip I still like this bike. I needed a front bevel gear gasget replaced, but on warranty. So I dropped my rating a little. This bike is great. I would buy again, but it looks like kawi has dropped this beast. Too bad for future riders. Show less

I wanted to wait until I put some miles on her before writing a review, in a little over a month I've put 3k on so I guess I'm ready. I had it dynoed yesterday - 92hp at the rear wheel and it was 89 degress out at the time. I love it! I use it as a daily driver during the week and touring/playing on the weekends. There is a little vibration in the handle bars so I upgraded to gel grips and I wear gel gloves and it's no longer a problem. Last weekend I took it on a trip 500 miles down to the coast of S.C. on Saturday and back on Monday. She'll cruise at 80-90 mph all day long without breaking a sweat and still have plenty left for getting by trucks or other traffic. I clocked it at 47mpg as a daily driver and 40ish riding 2 up on the interstate. There isn't any point in checking that when your playing! Yes you can get the front end up if you want to. :-) Show less

I rode my 2001 out of the dealership in November of 2000. I've posted three reviews over my first two years of ownership, one of which was luke warm. But, every time I began to think about trading my Concours in, I talk myself out of it. At this point, I honestly can't imagine being without my Concours. While there are "better" bikes in the class, there isn't one that comes close to the value. This bike does everything I expect a motorcycle to do, is easy to maintain (because there's so little that has to be done to it), and is as reliable as they come. For me, it really isn't a matter of how much bike I can afford, it's a matter of why I want a motorcycle in the first place. If a bike meets all of my needs, why spend twice the money (or more) for something else? I'd kind of like to see a little "fashion upgrade" because I like the look of the newer style lights, but even if not, my next bike (if/when this one dies) will most certainly be another Connie. Show less

First of all let me start out by saying I just purchased a 2006 Concours about a week ago. I have looked at these machines for about 10 years now and bought everything but, even though I kept being drawn to it. The first time I looked at it was in 1995 when I purchased a 1982 Honda nighthawk 650 instead. It was more a financial consideration at the time, you know, a cheap set of two wheels that still looked cool. The very next year I looked at the concours again but insted purchased a cruiser, a 1996 brand new Vulcan 1500 A10. I kept that 7 years and then after having heard so much about Harley, I had to have one to say I had one so I purchased a brand new 2003 Heritage Softtail Classic one hundred year anniversary edition. It set me back 24,700 dollars with alarm and some very nesessary asessories. MISTAKE, VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE. Heavy, underpowered, low in corners so that you scrape bottom, and I'm not talking about any kind of hard corner I'm talking about a curve! Finally here it is 2006 and this time I purchased the concours, Brand New! This bike has been in production for 21 years and now I know why. It is THE bike! Quick, agile, comfortable and comes to you lacking nothing. If you have looked at the Concours or as they say Connie, you know the basics already, lots of storage, ninja engine, 7.5 gallon gas tank, ect. But what I didn't even know until after the purchase was that it comes with not only a tool kit but a chain and padlock to lock it up with, a built in rack right behind the seat under a cover that is removable and get this, built in tie downs that pop out when you want them., Side covers so that when you remove the hard bags you just pop in the side covers and you have a sport bike! Plenty of wind protection and if it has a fault it is that you do feel heat from the engine on the legs on a real hot day. Big deal! What is the downfall of the Concours? A huge difference in payment, a proven track record of 21 years, and the very best of both worlds, a touring bike for 2 for a nice long trip and a corner carver for you when you get the urge to heat it up a little!! GO FOR IT!! You won't be sorry, and you won't go broke which makes the ride so much more enjoyable. Show less

I bought my bike one year ago and used it for a daily commuter to work on a twisted paved road. It handles great at all speeds and you can keep up with any racer if you have the ability. My first bike was a Nighthawk 450, fun but not much power. I went for almost 20 years without having a bike then got a KLR650, which I still have and put 8000 miles on it. I then got the Connie 1 year after that and the KLR has hardly moved since. It is very comfortable on short and long rides. The only complaint about the bike is the saddle bags are not water proof which is easily fixed with interior bags. Best buy you can get on the market. Show less

I got the Connie for over $1000 off of sticker, added 3 yrs to the factory 3 yr warranty, and got out the door with tax, title, and license for less than the suggested retail of $8500. Buzz? No problem for me so far, though I will get handlebar risers. Windscreen was fine for my height..airstream flows about two or three inches above my helmet. Sure, you can spend a LOT more for a Harley, Honda, or Beemer, but the connie makes it possible to own and ride NOW. Show less

I love this bike! 90% of my riding is with the love of my life sitting right behind me. She's comfortable, I'm having fun at the controls. This Kaw gets some bad press about vibrations, I beg to differ! It's smooth, quiet and powerfull. It handels like a dream, even through the twisty mountain passes of West Virginia riding 2 up! Let's not forget about the price...I bought mine for 8K and change new in 2002. This is the best all-around 2 up sport touring bike bilt period! Show less

Before purchasing a 95 "Connie" I hadn't been on a bike for 10+ years. After reading all the literature I could find on the web I made the choice. It is not the lightest bike out there, weighing in at 592 lbs, but there is a reason. The mass weight combined with the 997cc engine makes for a bike that can go the distance. 7.5 gallon fuel tank, fairing and side bags make this bike a distance cruiser. It is nimble enough for everyday city commuting and getting out of trouble. This model has been going strong for 20 years virtually unchanged. If that doesn't say something, nothing does. What other bike or car manufacture hasn't made a modification to 1 model? The ampunt of resources via the web and (COG) Concours owners group are astounding. You can go wrong with this bike. I ride this bike every weekend to work....a Harley Dealer! Show less