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What should I do first to my new-to-me C14?

M

mrinnocent

Member
Member
Hi! I just bought a 2014 with ~15k miles and I'm wondering what I should do to it. Here is the list of things currently on my radar:

ItemPriceLink
Lowering pegs$115.00https://murphskits.com/foot-pegs-from-murphs-1/
Handlebar risers$100.00https://murphskits.com/c14-handle-bar-risers/
Bike half cover$165.00https://www.gezagear.com/cyclecoverfitting.htm
Top case back rest$80https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/kawasaki-kqr-47-liter-top-case-backrest-pad
Engine guards$210.00https://www.t-rex-racing.com/Kawasaki-Concours-14-14000GTR-Engine-Guards-p/n62-12egb7.htm
Throttle lock$130.00https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/kaoko-throttle-lock-kawasaki?
Change engine and gear oil
Chip$350.00http://www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/ZG1400.htm
Brake and clutch levers

What do you think? I'm more or less caught up on the quirks of the C14, but obviously I may have missed something. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
 
NEED-TO-HAVE's:

Throttle Control Lock $31 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/124511503905

Handlebar Risers $89 - https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle...rs-kawasaki-concours-2008-2018?sku_id=1272937

Head Lamps $19.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DHMNDF2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Location Lamps $9.95 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXO3IUG/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

NOTE: Headlamp and location lamp replacement bulbs make a HUGE difference at night, particularly the headlamps! Well worth the spend!

Next up will be tires (prices may vary) - https://www.cyclegear.com/tires/michelin-road-5-tires

NICE-TO-HAVE's:

John's Switchback lighting for front and rear turn signals - $250
1622230004282.png

Foam Grips $7 - https://www.cyclegear.com/parts/trackside-foam-grips?sku_id=1127290

QuadLock phone mount kit & components (I personally did not skimp on this vital piece of gear)
https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-mounts
1622230229189.png
1622230271464.png
 
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Vista Cruise Throttle lock $25.
www.ebay.com

NEW Sound Off Recreational #MCVICY Vista Cruise Control/Throttle Lock | eBay

Have you ever noticed after a few miles of riding at a steady speed how much your hand and wrist fatigue?. Well, I have good news, you aren't alone. The folks at Sound Off Recreational Inc. have devised an affordable throttle holding device to help you deal with this issue.
www.ebay.com

Requires some minor modifications to make it work, but not hard to install.
 
My first 3 most important things would be,
Bar risers, seat and pegs. Then the flash,, everything else can come later and as needed. I like the lowering pegs from Knight design llc.
 
Ride it for awhile and then consider Shoodabin Engineering's flash. SISF is a 16+ year COG member providing quality improvements to Concours owners (both the original Concours and the CONCOURS 14.). He's one of the most respected vendors in the COG community.
 
I'm 6'5", so lowering pegs and bar risers were requirements. I went with the AST lowering brackets. The lowering pegs don't "move" the shift lever and brake pedal, and the AST brackets do.

I thought I was going to do brake levers, haven't yet and I've got a lot of miles already.

I went with a Nelson-Rigg half cover. Cheap, works good enough. And I won't be mad when I have to replace it.

My other "requirements" are tank grips (StompGrip), a tank bag (my current one is a Sedici), and a phone holder of some sort (Quadlock).
 
Mr innocent... im kinda surprised no one has asked u the whys, of ur wish list. Are u tall, short, old knees, bad back ...etc. what is driving the need ir desire to make changes without having ridden the bike for a 1000 miles.

Is this gonna be a dailey commuter for u, or a long distance mount, so u can go to all the COG rallies and get togethers.

Like connie rider (ted) and ranger jim said, ride it a while b4 making big changes. Go to some COG events and meet sime coggers. We have our national rally coming up june 14-18 in nirthern Alabama. U should try to attend, there u will be able to see, sit on and possibly be able to ride some bikes with the farkles ur looking at.

And join COG..
 
Konehead34 said:
Mr innocent... im kinda surprised no one has asked u the whys, of ur wish list. Are u tall, short, old knees, bad back ...etc. what is driving the need ir desire to make changes without having ridden the bike for a 1000 miles.

Is this gonna be a dailey commuter for u, or a long distance mount, so u can go to all the COG rallies and get togethers.

Like connie rider (ted) and ranger jim said, ride it a while b4 making big changes. Go to some COG events and meet sime coggers. We have our national rally coming up june 14-18 in nirthern Alabama. U should try to attend, there u will be able to see, sit on and possibly be able to ride some bikes with the farkles ur looking at.

And join COG..
Click to expand...

PK, if you don't mind me interjecting here, I'd just like to posit that most riders with more than a few thousand miles will likely already have a base set of tweaks in mind based on their prior riding experiences. When I bought this one, after 20+ yrs not riding, I instinctively knew right away what I wanted to add by just reflecting on past lovers and whipping posts.

I use the example of getting a new PC/laptop. First thing I do is declutter and de-bloat the manufacturer's setup, then make a clean / bootable USB drive so I can always start the machine no matter what happens. Then I install a pre-determined list of tools / apps I use on every machine I own (even if it's used by my kids or wife). Then I get rid of Microsoft's 80% internet speed reserve for pushing down their updates. Making those few changes not only speeds up the machine dramatically, but it ensures that there are fewer possible resource conflicts with how I operate a machine.

So when getting a new bike, the sooner I can bring it to my personal baseline the faster I'm able to decide what else needs to be updated to make it safer and/or more drivable for anything from quick runs to long hauls.

That's just my approach though. Others may do it differently. :^ ) AB
 
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Thanks everyone for all the great feedback! You're right that I should ride for a while before making changes, though I also think about times when I've done mods after a few years and wish I had just done them when I got the bike, since they cost the same either way. I also plan to rent a workspace so I can do a bunch of fluid changes, and since the cost for that is fixed, I'd like to do any mods at the same time. It's kind of a pain working on my bike where I live.

Re: kind of riding, about me, and why changes. I come from an adv touring riding style (60k miles since 2008), so I'm used to riding more upright. I also want something my wife can be comfortable on. I ended up on the C14 because I wanted something more stable than a V-Strom, something less boring than an R1200. At least that's the excuse -- really the C14 is massive yet quick in a way that's intoxicating. Anyway, I'm 5'11" 175 lbs. and have some neck issues that certain positions can exacerbate. Like maybe the more forward position of the C14. It seems sport riders find it comfortable, but coming from adv touring it's a big change.

Re: seat -- I'm open to suggestion here, though looking at prices I see I'm well outside the world of the $200 foam-and-cover swaps I'm used to.

Re: muffler -- it already has a Delkevic exhaust and maybe headers. Coming up an on-ramp it sounds like F1. I'm good here.

Re: events -- I'm in northern California and see no events this year nearby. There is one weekend coming up with events in both OR (>500 mi) and WA (even more), but I can't make those.
 
Roger the neck issues. Had similar issues myself... had risers on my c10 which helped some, so when i had the chance i got a set of helibars (used) and it made a world if difference...flash forward to getting my c14 , whent with risers.. worked to some degree, added the wedges and much better. But in the back if my mind the best solution was going to be a set of helibars. Waited awhike until a used set showed up for sale and BINGO....!! Neck.pain, what neck pain... upright at the perfect position.

My older knees said a.peg lowering set was needed.

To protect the bike from an oops i got a set of canyon cages. And put on a set of highway pegs to stretch the legs on. Canyon cages are hard to find but T-rex makes a good looking alternative.

You can do a throttle lock but if u havent used them before, u may be disappointed. The alternatives are cruise control, via the Rostra system or Mcruise control. Rostra is cheaper and involved to install. I have one and enjoyed the challenge. Mcruise is more money and mostly plug and play, comes from Australia.

Theres SO much info here on the forum. Enjoy!!
 
mrinnocent said:
Hi! I just bought a 2014 with ~15k miles and I'm wondering what I should do to it. Here is the list of things currently on my radar:

ItemPriceLink
Lowering pegs$115.00https://murphskits.com/foot-pegs-from-murphs-1/
Handlebar risers$100.00https://murphskits.com/c14-handle-bar-risers/
Bike half cover$165.00https://www.gezagear.com/cyclecoverfitting.htm
Top case back rest$80https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/kawasaki-kqr-47-liter-top-case-backrest-pad
Engine guards$210.00https://www.t-rex-racing.com/Kawasaki-Concours-14-14000GTR-Engine-Guards-p/n62-12egb7.htm
Throttle lock$130.00https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/kaoko-throttle-lock-kawasaki?
Change engine and gear oil
Chip$350.00http://www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/ZG1400.htm
Brake and clutch levers

What do you think? I'm more or less caught up on the quirks of the C14, but obviously I may have missed something. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Click to expand...
Hi,
Shoo da Ben gets my vote for a flash.

2 small but priority add-ons that I was quick to get: radiator guard and front fender extender.

I also have nice levers, slip on, Ram mount, kickstand foot enlarger and SW Motech alu-rack/adapter/60 liter dry bag.

Oh, and added a small garage door opener inside the glove box - awesome!

Enjoy your awesome bike,
J
 
2 small but priority add-ons that I was quick to get: radiator guard and front fender extender.
Click to expand...

I noticed the other day I already have the fender extender. Not sure on the radiator guard, but I'll take a closer look. I know there's something there but I couldn't tell if it was stock or not.

Also, I think I know what my used 15k mi., single-fob bike is getting very first: a second fob and a 15k service with valve check. I was looking into doing the valve check myself, but the class where I would do it actually bans the Connie by name.

www.motoguild-sf.com

Valve Adjustment Workshop

Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Triumph, BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, KTM Learn how to check and adjust your valve clearances, change spark plugs, replace the air filter and sync your throttle bodies or carburetors. Changing engine oil and coolant is permitted as well, however additional...
www.motoguild-sf.com www.motoguild-sf.com

Right there next to the Ducati desmos! What did you guys get me into? 😁

Anyway, my wife loves the bike. We are going up PCH this weekend for an overnight trip. I have some Murph's risers and wedges coming tomorrow, not sure if I'll get them on in time though. The instructions looked more complicated than I was expecting, with the carefully aligned wedge washers and all.
 
mrinnocent said:
Also, I think I know what my used 15k mi., single-fob bike is getting very first: a second fob and a 15k service with valve check. I was looking into doing the valve check myself, but the class where I would do it actually bans the Connie by name.

www.motoguild-sf.com

Valve Adjustment Workshop

Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Triumph, BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, KTM Learn how to check and adjust your valve clearances, change spark plugs, replace the air filter and sync your throttle bodies or carburetors. Changing engine oil and coolant is permitted as well, however additional...
www.motoguild-sf.com www.motoguild-sf.com

Right there next to the Ducati desmos! What did you guys get me into? 😁
Click to expand...
That is a cool workshop but given the time needed for the C-14, especially in a learning environment, I am not surprised our machine and ZX are booted.

The job is not difficult at all just tedious, if you have developed maintenance skills, a Field Service Manual, good set of basic tools including quality inch and foot lb torque wrenches and the time you can do yourself.

First time into the machine probably budget yourself 4 days (2 full weekends). Also if you get stuck you can ask away here and many others who have performed the job will usually add advice.
 
2andblue said:
That is a cool workshop but given the time needed for the C-14, especially in a learning environment, I am not surprised our machine and ZX are booted.

The job is not difficult at all just tedious, if you have developed maintenance skills, a Field Service Manual, good set of basic tools including quality inch and foot lb torque wrenches and the time you can do yourself.

First time into the machine probably budget yourself 4 days (2 full weekends). Also if you get stuck you can ask away here and many others who have performed the job will usually add advice.
Click to expand...
For me allowing plenty of time made the job much easier. I did mine over our long winter
Being able to take my time allowed me to really study and tie up loose ends from PO.
 
Welcome!

My Dad taught me (among a thousand other things) not to put the cart before the horse. So in that vein, I humbly offer the following:

1. Become a COG member.
2. Become a COG member.
3. Become a COG member.
4. Put enough miles on the bike to determine if you really need things like risers, wedges, seats, lowering pegs, etc. It took me 1800 miles riding to, from, and around the 2015 Cortez National Rally to determine that I NEEDED Murph's risers and wedges. Everything else I've done to my 2010 has been for less pressing reasons.
5. I heartily endorse SISF's ECU flash. I've got his Mountain Runner Premium version now and it has made the bike even better than his first flash. Which was exponentially better than stock. But again, ride first. BTW, SISF is Steve in Sunny Florida. He's all over this forum.
6. DO get the aforementioned Factory Service Manual. Buy the print copy from Kawasaki. Stuff you download off the interwebs is unauthorized. And if you tackle the 15,000 mile valve adjustment, you might want to augment with Fred Harmon's maintenance DVD's. Fred is a C14 master, and his videos are super helpful. Check him out at AngelRideVideos.com. Between his videos and the FSM, my valve check went fine. Time consuming, but I tend to work slowly and carefully. Too much at stake that I probably wouldn't be able to remedy.
7. And, of course, the usual maintenance items; oil and filter, brake and clutch fluids, rear end gear oil service, etc. As an experienced rider, these are things you already know...

My bike is set up perfectly now, evidenced by the giddy feeling and face-cracking grin I get every time I pull out of the garage.

Hope my 2 cents helps, and stay safe out there!
 
^^^^^^ What he said. 👍

After 12 years of enjoyment I finally and recently put on Kawasaki's touring seat. I got rid of the potato launcher and replaced with a Black Widow slip on. Unfortunately I can't report on these due to lack of ride time. Busy getting the old bike parade ready.
 
Last edited:
I created a ride report here, but I wanted to update this thread on a change I made on Friday.

I added Murph's riser and wedges, and I have two reactions. The first is that a bunch of cliches went through my head -- it transforms the bike, it's like you're riding a different bike, etc. These phrases are used so much that they've lost their impact, even if sincerely felt, so I struggled to think of a distinctive way to describe the change, and what I came up with is this: these changes have made the bike what I'd hoped it would be. Like before I ever rode it and I envisioned what it would be like, this was the experience I wanted. Pretty drastic.

The second reaction is, I don't like how it's really important to get the wedge washers at just the right orientation, yet also very difficult to do so. I tried using an awl to keep the washers oriented properly but it didn't work. I'll probably redo it with glue (or Loctite?) between the washers and the counterbore bottoms. Suggestions welcome.

I already know lower pegs and a flash are in my future. Thanks for the input!
 
Now, that's a good point.
Many never get around to doing a suspension adjustment.
Their happy the way it is. But, it's worth doing!

Ride safe, Ted
 
Fred H. said:
The FIRST thing you should do is set the suspension adjustments.
Click to expand...

Grip Puppies (or similar product) are a very inexpensive upgrade and does wonders for the hands & wrists. The Cycle Gear near me had them for $7 and it took me a total of 10 mins to remove bar ends to slide them on. Just use a little dishwashing soap so they don’t rip.
 
Grip Puppies are the first (and cheapest) accessory I got when the new C14 came home. They don't cost much, but make a huge difference in grip feel.

They can be a bit of a task to install, even with warm soapy water.
 
Fred H. said:
The FIRST thing you should do is set the suspension adjustments.
Click to expand...

I want to do this but I've never found a good "if your bike does X then you should adjust Y in Z direction" summary. In other words, I have a hard time connecting the qualitative aspects of the ride to the specific adjustments that needs to be made.

That said, I've been slowly dialing down my rear preload since that is the one thing I understand. When I first got the Connie it rode compliant with pillion and gear but bouncy like an unloaded pickup with just me.
 
Here's the basics;

After you go over the basics; follow Fred's instruction's. (below)

forum.concours.org

Setting the Sag

Back in 2012 I spent nearly a year developing a chart to show suspension settings for various riders weight, and Carey Wofford and I spent a day at the national testing out various weight riders and getting bikes dialed in. I published this article in Chalkdust II, along with over 100 pages of...
forum.concours.org forum.concours.org

Ride safe, Ted
 
Last edited:
mrinnocent said:
When I first got the Connie it rode compliant with pillion and gear but bouncy like an unloaded pickup with just me
Click to expand...
To help reduce the bouncy, or pogo effect, on a stock shock. Turn the rebound adjuster all the way in, then back out 1/2 turn. This keeps the spring from extending so quickly, hence reducing the pogo effect. BTW, preload is a misnomer and ONLY effects ride height. Is that how you understand it?
 
laker9142 said:
To help reduce the bouncy, or pogo effect, on a stock shock. Turn the rebound adjuster all the way in, then back out 1/2 turn. This keeps the spring from extending so quickly, hence reducing the pogo effect. BTW, preload is a misnomer and ONLY effects ride height. Is that how you understand it?
Click to expand...

While adding preload does not increase the spring rate, it does in fact make the suspension (in which it acts) as a whole stiffer. Seems like there is a lot of debate about this on the internet. Kind of weird there is argument on this since you can feel it in the ride, but the math works out as well.
 
mrinnocent said:
While adding preload does not increase the spring rate, it does in fact make the suspension (in which it acts) as a whole stiffer.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, well now you sound like Ted! Lol. I'm not here to set you straight or call you out on this. Actually I don't want to do that at all because that situation has gotten a lot better around here in recent months. Even Fred H has been coming around lately, and that's a good thing.

But if you want to discuss this, I'd like to also. It's a pet peeve of mine.
 
mrinnocent said:
Thanks everyone for all the great feedback! You're right that I should ride for a while before making changes, though I also think about times when I've done mods after a few years and wish I had just done them when I got the bike, since they cost the same either way. I also plan to rent a workspace so I can do a bunch of fluid changes, and since the cost for that is fixed, I'd like to do any mods at the same time. It's kind of a pain working on my bike where I live.

Re: kind of riding, about me, and why changes. I come from an adv touring riding style (60k miles since 2008), so I'm used to riding more upright. I also want something my wife can be comfortable on. I ended up on the C14 because I wanted something more stable than a V-Strom, something less boring than an R1200. At least that's the excuse -- really the C14 is massive yet quick in a way that's intoxicating. Anyway, I'm 5'11" 175 lbs. and have some neck issues that certain positions can exacerbate. Like maybe the more forward position of the C14. It seems sport riders find it comfortable, but coming from adv touring it's a big change.

Re: seat -- I'm open to suggestion here, though looking at prices I see I'm well outside the world of the $200 foam-and-cover swaps I'm used to.

Re: muffler -- it already has a Delkevic exhaust and maybe headers. Coming up an on-ramp it sounds like F1. I'm good here.

Re: events -- I'm in northern California and see no events this year nearby. There is one weekend coming up with events in both OR (>500 mi) and WA (even more), but I can't make those.
Click to expand...
Philip here, in San Leandro, with a recently purchased 2014 Concours after several Yamaha FJRs and Goldwings. Curious if you did the chip, felt it was worth it? Also, any insights on whether a Corbin seat is worth it? And looking for more day ride/go for a hike folks -- if interested. I have some back street friends who are just getting their skills down, but like Santa Cruz down 1, up to Jenner trips. Middle aged, have taken long camping trips, but enjoy nice day trips these days.
 
kzz1king said:
Radar detector and a flash
Click to expand...
forum.concours.org

adaptiv radar install

i used key switch on wiring from my hyper lite running lites. i had a switch for the lites. removed switch and tapped my the adaptiv wiring into it. adaptiv gives ya plenty of wire to job. all extra wiring was rolled up like a burrito and wrapped with high temp. insulation and wrapped again with...
forum.concours.org forum.concours.org
 
philiparca7656 said:
Philip here, in San Leandro, with a recently purchased 2014 Concours after several Yamaha FJRs and Goldwings. Curious if you did the chip, felt it was worth it? Also, any insights on whether a Corbin seat is worth it? And looking for more day ride/go for a hike folks -- if interested. I have some back street friends who are just getting their skills down, but like Santa Cruz down 1, up to Jenner trips. Middle aged, have taken long camping trips, but enjoy nice day trips these days.
Click to expand...
I'm curious how the C14 compares against the Goldwing and the FJR for you.
 
Scary Harry said:
Vista Cruise Throttle lock $25.
www.ebay.com

NEW Sound Off Recreational #MCVICY Vista Cruise Control/Throttle Lock | eBay

Have you ever noticed after a few miles of riding at a steady speed how much your hand and wrist fatigue?. Well, I have good news, you aren't alone. The folks at Sound Off Recreational Inc. have devised an affordable throttle holding device to help you deal with this issue.
www.ebay.com

Requires some minor modifications to make it work, but not hard to install.
Click to expand...
Harry, I went with this a few years back. Didn't want to get into the CC mess. It's a 2 minute install and good to go!
 
Congrats on the bike, the first thing I would do is replace every single fluid on her, front to back, top to bottom. Then before you go nuts farkling the bike, ride it a bit, let it tell you what it needs in the way of comfort. Once you have the comfort part down then you can go for the cool toys :) That's how I do it YMMV
 
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