2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 Print E-mail
By Dirck Edge,
www.motorcycledaily.com
Photo: Adam Campbell
To say that I was impressed by the 2008 Kawasaki Concours 14 would be a gross understatement. That bike represented a ground-up redesign of the original Concours – essentially unchanged for a couple of decades. Despite being long-in-the-tooth, the original Concours had quite a loyal following, some of whom were aghast at the dramatic changes to the character and performance of their beloved sport tourer. Most of the old guard that tried the new Concours 14 were impressed, however, as was I. What Kawasaki describes as “supersport touring” turned out to be a wonderful mating of high-performance supersport technology and long-range comfort. It looked like Kawasaki was in for another decade or so of small refinements to a winning formula, and that the first tweaks might be at least five years down the road.
Not so. Kawasaki went right back to purchasers of the 2008/2009 model and started asking questions. While the bike was favorably received by its owners, there were distinct criticisms, including an uncomfortable amount of heat that reached the rider from the engine compartment and cooling system. To address this and other owner concerns Kawasaki went right to work and just two model years later is introducing some significant changes.
New bodywork not only provides a subtle refinement to the aesthetics, it effectively blocks hot air from reaching the rider. That air is now effectively ported outside the fairing ahead of and around the rider. Kawasaki could have easily stopped there. They did not.
ImageAnother criticism involved the original windscreen, and Kawasaki reacted by putting a much larger screen on the new bike (2.75 inches taller) reshaped to reduce buffeting and increase comfort. In this same area, Kawasaki relocated the tank-mounted storage compartment to the left inner fairing and made it lockable. The more tank-bag friendly location is complimented by two hooks at the front of the tank to further secure your removable luggage. Heated handgrips are now standard on the Concours 14, and they feature an easily reached stepless dial adjuster.
In addition to all the rider information provided in the original redesign (see our test of the 2008), Kawasaki added an outside air temperature monitor, as well as a fuel economy gauge to help the rider keep a judicious right hand. Instruments now also reflect whether the rider has selected a fuel economy assistance mode (the so-called “ECO” mode that switches to a leaner ECU map to increase economy up to 25 percent) and how the rider has set up the K-ACT ABS system (on the ABS model).
That ABS model gets a sophisticated new linked braking system that’s a generation beyond the system recently debuted in the Kawasaki Voyager. The rider can choose one of two modes of K-ACT, one designed to fit better with more aggressive riding (by effectively softening the linked effect) and another described as “ideal for touring and two-up highway use”.
The ABS model also features a new traction-control system known as KTRC. This is a very sophisticated system that brings into play three variables, including air intake volume, ignition timing and fuel delivery. Interestingly, KTRC adds no weight, because it uses the existing ECU and ABS sensors to do its magic.
We put approximately 140 miles on the 2010 Concours 14 in and around Palm Springs, California. Our route took us through mountain passes and switchbacks, along two-lane country roads and even a sampling of Southern California freeways. Since the bike has the same 1,352cc inline four-cylinder engine with variable timing, we were immediately familiar with the pleasant and ample power delivery described in our riding impression of the 2008 model. The fine handling we recall seems even better now, with new tires (the latest generation Bridgestone sport-tourers) and slightly adjusted front fork damping.
The most noticeable differences were in the area of comfort. The new windscreen is superb. Dramatically increased wind protection (still electrically adjustable for height, but now with four presets selectable by the rider that position the screen as soon you start the bike). Kawasaki carefully designed the venting of air underneath the new screen, including new passages from windscreen slits that direct air through the inner fairing to vents next to the instrument panel. The system flat works! I do not recall riding behind such a large windscreen without experiencing significant head buffeting. The flow of air over the new Concours 14 screen is extremely smooth and, despite encountering some high speed, swirling winds during our test ride, I never experienced significant head buffeting. Quite remarkable, actually. The range of adjustment is also quite large, with the highest position now offering protection reminiscent of a luxury tourer like a Gold Wing.
Unusually for Southern California this time of year, we encountered some pretty cold temperatures (into the high 30s, at one point). In addition to the wonderful wind protection provided by the redesigned fairing and windscreen, the new heated grips performed exceptionally. It is often difficult to find that perfect temperature when the system has select presets (such as a system that features only 2 or 3 settings). The stepless dial on the Concours 14, however, allowed me to find a setting that kept my hands warm and comfortable without becoming too hot during the ride. The fact that this feature is standard on both models (ABS and non-ABS) really enhances the touring capabilities of this bike in my opinion. The repositioning of the rear view mirrors also seemed to keep more wind off my hands during the ride.
One other new feature I failed to mention earlier is the toggle switch located on the back of the left handgrip that allows the rider to easily toggle through different modes on the information display, such as fuel consumption, instant fuel consumption, remaining range, tire pressure, battery voltage and outside temperature. Much easier to use than taking your hands off the grips to toggle through similar settings (without the outside temperature) on the old bike.
After our ride, back in the parking lot of the hotel, Kawasaki allowed each of us to experience the impact of the new traction control system on a wet, slippery surface. In short, the traction control works extremely well. The bike hooked up regardless of throttle position in first gear on a surface as slick as ice. You can’t ask for much more than that, and it was smooth in operation, as well.
Without sacrificing the extremely high standards set by the 2008 model for sport riding, the 2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 provides a much more comfortable rider experience that can only make those long trips more enjoyable. Are the changes enough to make you want to sell your earlier model Concours 14 and buy a new one? That depends on where you ride, and how you ride. The comfort enhancements are quite significant, and the safety enhancements associated with the linked braking system (particularly, for less experienced riders) and the traction control system are huge. In our opinion, the bike looks a little bit better now, as well.
The 2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 is priced at $14,599.00 in the U.S. for the non-ABS model, and $15,299.00 for the model with both ABS and traction control. The only color available here in the U.S. is Candy Neptune Blue.
Dirck Edge is the Editor-in-Chief at Motorcycle Daily. Go check out the 10-plus years of archived motorcycle news and reviews: (www.motorcycledaily.com)
 
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