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Questions for the Connie guys


J_T
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I saw some of you ride the concours 14, my question is about the years.

I see lots of chatter about engine heat on the 08/09 models , as well as heavy steering . Both those were addressed in 2010-up ( says the internet) so I was wondering how bad it is or is it BS?

The newer models have lots of goodies- heated grips , traction control, linked ABS , but I can get a good mileage 08/09 for 4-6 k less.

Thanks in advance

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If you ride an HD, you are going to think the 08 & 09 heat "issue" is a joke. I had a VTX1800 when I got my concours, so it is not an issue for me. The 2010 and up do have some goodies the 08 & 09s don't have. I put Oxford heated grips on mine for $70 +/-.

From the info in your original post, it looks like you have been doing some research. The Concours Owners Group is a great resource. If serious, you can watch their Emporium for good deals on used bikes and farkles.

Hope this info helps.

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If you ride an HD, you are going to think the 08 & 09 heat "issue" is a joke. I had a VTX1800 when I got my concours, so it is not an issue for me. The 2010 and up do have some goodies the 08 & 09s don't have. I put Oxford heated grips on mine for $70 +/-.

From the info in your original post, it looks like you have been doing some research. The Concours Owners Group is a great resource. If serious, you can watch their Emporium for good deals on used bikes and farkles.

Hope this info helps.

Thanks mike ! Your right about the COG those guys know everything! Nice bunch too. Going to look at a 09 tomorrow in Toledo , 10k miles for $7999. Has heli risers, grips and high windshield already. I don't care much for linked brakes anyway. Traction control would be nice but I can get into this bike much cheaper. Does the bike need a shock ? Or is the stock set up good?

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Thanks mike ! Your right about the COG those guys know everything! Nice bunch too. Going to look at a 09 tomorrow in Toledo , 10k miles for $7999. Has heli risers, grips and high windshield already. I don't care much for linked brakes anyway. Traction control would be nice but I can get into this bike much cheaper. Does the bike need a shock ? Or is the stock set up good?

My bike's suspension is stock. Some people do upgrade their suspension, but the vast majority of my riding is commuting and touring. Coming from a few cruisers, the suspension is good with me.

One recommendation I would make is a Guhl reflash of the CPU. It should be a crime for putting in the secondary butterflies in that motor. The reflash really makes the power delivery crisp where it is needed and wanted the most (1000 to 6000 rpms). While you are at it, there are a number of inexpensive slip-on exhausts that are available. I got a Delkavic for around $150. It is significantly smaller and lighter than the potato launcher that Kawi put on it. With the quiet baffle insert installed, it is barely louder than the stock exhaust.

Good luck.

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My bike's suspension is stock. Some people do upgrade their suspension, but the vast majority of my riding is commuting and touring. Coming from a few cruisers, the suspension is good with me.

One recommendation I would make is a Guhl reflash of the CPU. It should be a crime for putting in the secondary butterflies in that motor. The reflash really makes the power delivery crisp where it is needed and wanted the most (1000 to 6000 rpms). While you are at it, there are a number of inexpensive slip-on exhausts that are available. I got a Delkavic for around $150. It is significantly smaller and lighter than the potato launcher that Kawi put on it. With the quiet baffle insert installed, it is barely louder than the stock exhaust.

Good luck.

Thanks mike. I have been reading a lot about the secondaries , and why they are not needed. I'm sure after I buy one I will be bugging you from time to time.

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The heat is a non issue for me, yes i notice it form time to time but its not like it roast you off the bike. i used to own a TL which a lot of people say stands for nuts Toasted Lightly and the connie is nowhere near as warm as the TL was. The heavy steering I did notice on my first test ride, but I also noticed it just disappears while rolling above parking lot speeds, pushing and backing is the only time i notice it now, you have to remember this is a 700lb bike. As far a suspention goes i think it is great for a bike of this size, only thing i have change since i have had it is the preload on the rear to compensate my fat ass, and while in NC and TN in September i was able to drag peg on several occasions. I do not like the idea of linked brakes so i like the older ones for being non linked. Heated grips are easy to add(mine has them), and i v heard a few say the traction control is a joke on the newer ones. I have a Area P slipon on mine and it sounds SWEET with out being overly loud. As far as removing the flies and remapping and all that crap i think is a huge waste of time and money, these bikes have more power than you would ever need and i can roll on in 6th gear from 30mph and she will never hicup and be as smooth as silk. If you pick one up and think you might need a windscreen i have 2 CeeBailys ones right now(a doomed touring and euro touring) that once i figure out which one i'm going to keep on i'll be selling the other one.

Edited by 2talltim
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The heat is a non issue for me, yes i notice it form time to time but its not like it roast you off the bike. i used to own a TL which a lot of people say stands for nuts Toasted Lightly and the connie is nowhere near as warm as the TL was. The heavy steering I did notice on my first test ride, but I also noticed it just disappears while rolling above parking lot speeds, pushing and backing is the only time i notice it now, you have to remember this is a 700lb bike. As far a suspention goes i think it is great for a bike of this size, only thing i have change since i have had it is the preload on the rear to compensate my fat ass, and while in NC and TN in September i was able to drag peg on several occasions. I do not like the idea of linked brakes so i like the older ones for being non linked. Heated grips are easy to add(mine has them), and i v heard a few say the traction control is a joke on the newer ones. I have a Area P slipon on mine and it sounds SWEET with out being overly loud. As far as removing the flies and remapping and all that crap i think is a huge waste of time and money, these bikes have more power than you would ever need and i can roll on in 6th gear from 30mph and she will never hicup and be as smooth as silk. If you pick one up and think you might need a windscreen i have 2 CeeBailys ones right now(a doomed touring and euro touring) that once i figure out which one i'm going to keep on i'll be selling the other one.

Very cool Tim , thanks for the info. I always ask about the suspension since I'm 6'1 245. Any bike I have had in the past needed an upgraded something in the legs dept. so I am glad to hear your a big guy with no issues.

What year TL ? I had a green 97 that was a hoot. When I bought my Sv in 03 it was not as wild as that TL it was a bit more civilized- I remember that rotary shock was a bit strange on the TL but the bike was so fun. It did run hot like you mentioned. Should have kept that thing !

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Very cool Tim , thanks for the info. I always ask about the suspension since I'm 6'1 245. Any bike I have had in the past needed an upgraded something in the legs dept. so I am glad to hear your a big guy with no issues.

What year TL ? I had a green 97 that was a hoot. When I bought my Sv in 03 it was not as wild as that TL it was a bit more civilized- I remember that rotary shock was a bit strange on the TL but the bike was so fun. It did run hot like you mentioned. Should have kept that thing !

I'm 6'4" 280 ish and its very fitting for me, mine has a Balwin sport saddle and im about to install a set of Advance Sport Touring forward pegs for the long hauls. I had a 97 TL a red one, one of the first ones off the production line still had the orginal unlimited ECU in it with a full yoshi system, i still miss that bike most people cant believe i sold it. 

 

Here is a few pics of my bike progression over the lat couple years...

 

post-13234-0-52831300-1392513480_thumb.j

 

post-13234-0-09835400-1392513484_thumb.j

 

post-13234-0-03350700-1392513488_thumb.j

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one more pic of the connie..i really like this one

 

attachicon.gifgap c14.jpg

Nice pics-

I too so regret selling my TL- son was born and I needed the dough!

My boss rides a FJR and swears by the angel GT's . Tires have come a long way! Harley tires still suck- hard as a rock but they last forever!

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Nice pics-

I too so regret selling my TL- son was born and I needed the dough!

My boss rides a FJR and swears by the angel GT's . Tires have come a long way! Harley tires still suck- hard as a rock but they last forever!

Yea i bought the V Strom and still had the TL, and my wife was still riding around on her old 1993 honda shadow and when i got a new bike she got the fever. So when she found the V Star 1100 she now has she fell in love with it and i don't believe in borrowing money for toys so i sold the TL to get her bike. Could not justify having 2 bikes at that time anyway, but now that i have the connie i dont miss it as much.

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Wife said I need to buy a seat , and I showed her the passenger peg drop kits so I have to get those too. I'm willing to bet with dropped pegs and a good seat she will like her 10-15 rides a year just as much as she did on the roadie . Not crazy about a tail trunk but I will need it for all her crap . She will miss the 500 watt stereo , and I will have to get use to ear buds again . Oh well

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Wife said I need to buy a seat , and I showed her the passenger peg drop kits so I have to get those too. I'm willing to bet with dropped pegs and a good seat she will like her 10-15 rides a year just as much as she did on the roadie . Not crazy about a tail trunk but I will need it for all her crap . She will miss the 500 watt stereo , and I will have to get use to ear buds again . Oh well

I wasnt a fan of the top box at first either but when i was out west last summer i couldn't imagine being with out it. I have the 39L kaw box with matching trim, but they make a 47L one too. Any bigger than the 39L I would replace the rear rack with a metal one, the stockers are plastic and known to break. I still have the plastic one on mine but i keep a eye open for cracking. The side cases will hold more than you think.

post-13234-0-73932600-1392518155_thumb.j

FYI a second one would fit in the lid if it wasnt too heavy...LOL

 

 

As far as tunes go look into the Sena SMH-10 Bluetooth i love mine, you can listen to tunes, use hands free on your phone and even patch in your GPS Nav, and have bike to bike communication.

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I wasnt a fan of the top box at first either but when i was out west last summer i couldn't imagine being with out it. I have the 39L kaw box with matching trim, but they make a 47L one too. Any bigger than the 39L I would replace the rear rack with a metal one, the stockers are plastic and known to break. I still have the plastic one on mine but i keep a eye open for cracking. The side cases will hold more than you think.

attachicon.gifconnie beer.jpg

FYI a second one would fit in the lid if it wasnt too heavy...LOL

 

 

As far as tunes go look into the Sena SMH-10 Bluetooth i love mine, you can listen to tunes, use hands free on your phone and even patch in your GPS Nav, and have bike to bike communication.

That is sweet! A man needs his necessities !

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If your wife rides with you on out of town trips, you may want to check out the Givi E55 trunk. It can hold 2 full face helmets. That leaves the 2 hard saddle bags for other stuff.

I have a Shark Audio 250w system that was put on by the previous owner. I only use it while riding around with my kids. Here is a link if interested:

Like Tim said, the Sena in helmet Bluetooth system is the way to go. I have it and can't recommend it highly enough. (Except for when you get work calls in rush hour traffic on the freeway. The phone will cut off the tunes until the call goes to voicemail)

Edited by Connie14
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For more online info and help head on over to www.zggtr.org the guys on the COG forums are great but the zggtr guys seems to be a younger croud and not as uptight about the little things. I've learned so much on there, i'm 2talltim on there as well.

Edited by 2talltim
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You should find you one and jump on the SoreButtapalooza to Mt. Rushmore trip, I'm trying to get the time off work and mike is going also.

 

http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/topic/103516-unofficial-or-sorebuttapalooza-to-mt-rushmore/

Sounds like fun but I see mt Rushmore every August! If you go that far keep going to glacier .

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If your wife rides with you on out of town trips, you may want to check out the Givi E55 trunk. It can hold 2 full face helmets. That leaves the 2 hard saddle bags for other stuff.

I have a Shark Audio 250w system that was put on by the previous owner. I only use it while riding around with my kids. Here is a link if interested:

Like Tim said, the Sena in helmet Bluetooth system is the way to go. I have it and can't recommend it highly enough. (Except for when you get work calls in rush hour traffic on the freeway. The phone will cut off the tunes until the call goes to voicemail)

Thanks mike , I did a bunch of reading late last night about Sena and agree with both of you.

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