2005 Kawasaki Concours 1000

[Deuce]

This is for sale near me. 20xxx miles and $1995. I will negotiate price. Anybody here have experience with these? I don't need it, but I like it. He lists it as a "Concours GTR1000", but from what I understand, the "R" was for the European market only. ZG1000 here. Speedometer is in MPH, so I don't think it's a European model brought over here. We have a lot of winter Texans here, and it looks like it has Michigan tags on it. I'd be willing to bet it spent most of its time down here, though.

[bobgroger]

Buy this one instead.... Killer deal at $599. Been up 11 days with no bites.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/d/red-kawasaki-concours-with/6416692622.html

[Steve]

Looks like a Corbin seat on it. If the seat is comfortable, get it.

Corbins are a love/hate seat. If it fits right, you will love it. If it doesn't, you will absolutely hate it.

The bike underneath the seat is the next to last year for that bike, so it's pretty well developed and all the bugs worked out.

It's basically a de-tuned Ninja 1000R with a shaft drive, so it has plenty of get-up-and-go, and received many accolades in the magazines, especially those devoted to longer rides. Think of it as Kawasaki's version of a GS1100ES, with saddlebags and a taller windscreen. Pretty much like gsscott's July, 2010 Bike of the Month.



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[RichDesmond]

I've had two, an '87 (like one in the other link posted) and a '94. The '94 was the first year of the second gen and is identical except for color to the one you're looking at. The upgrades for the second gen were very minor. Put a total of about 80k on them.
Good, solid, comfortable bikes. Very reliable, numerous 200k examples out there. Good power, handle well considering the weight and that it's basically a mid-80's design. The fairing has good protection, although the stock windshield has some buffeting issues. I put Rifle shields on both of mine and liked those. The first gen seat is pretty good, the second gen is awful, but since the one your looking at has the Corbin (which I used my second gen) that shouldn't be an issue. The shock isn't bad for solo use if you're not too heavy, the fork springs are way soft.
I sold the '94 to make way for a lighter sport touring bike, which after some time turned out to be the 650 V-Strom. It was mostly the weight that bugged me on the Concours, and to a lesser extent the heat the motor put out and the fact that it had a bit of a high frequency vibe at higher speeds. Nothing major, but the sum of them finally caused me to move on.
Let me know if you have any questions.

[Dogma]

Those who like them generally love them, I think. Some hate them. There are also a lot of folks who think they're "top heavy". You might need to readjust to it for parking lot maneuvers, but once you're rolling it handles beautifully. When I rode my brother's, I had more of a problem with the fairing confusing my balance (not used to seeing it) than anything to do with weight distribution. They have a devoted following at the Concourse Owner's Group.

It's the newest "sport tourer" I would consider (vs ST, FJR, C14). Nice big tank for covering distance, but the size of the fairing doesn't feel like a baby 'Wing. Naked conversion is possible, unlike the newer 1400s.

[GS1150Pilot]

I think the upgrades to the forks and brakes of the newer one (such as you are considering) make it a better bike.

[RichDesmond]

I think the upgrades to the forks and brakes of the newer one (such as you are considering) make it a better bike.

Having had both, I didn't find that the second gen "upgrades" in either area made any difference. Forks and brakes seemed to work about the same in spite being a nominally higher spec.
For me, the biggest functional upgrade on the second gen was the second trip meter.

[GS1150Pilot]

Interesting. A friend who ultimately ended up on an FJR had one of each generation and said he found braking and stability better on the later one. Good to know.

[Deuce]

The burgundy one posted above is out of the question. By the time I got it here, worked on it and put new tires on, I'd probably be over the $1800 I would offer the guy near me. Not ready for another "project" either.

Thanks to all for your responses and candid evaluations. It means a lot to me if I do buy it. I texted the guy last night, but have not heard from him. Damn! That thing looks naked with absolutely no graphics on it.

[Jedz123]

. Anybody here have experience with these?

Horribly top heavy and under powered for a liter.
It's the only bike I dumped in an emergency manuever after someone cut me off... Almost got smoked by a dump truck that was behind me. I just got gas and the bike was full... Exceptionally top heavy.
Couldn't sell it fast enough.
I avoid these bike like the plague.
The thing about old Concours 1000's is either you love them or hate them. I'm definitely in the later camp.
I personally can't recommend them.

[Cipher]

A friend has one and it can almost keep up with my K Bike Jedz did you get a lemon?
Bike is certainly not underpowered its essentially a 1986 modified 900 ninja engine. 1900 looks pricy my friend paid 2k cdn a few years back for a 2005 in pristine condition,

[Jedz123]

680lbs with 80-90whp... Liter bike... Those specs constitutes under powered in my book.
I sold it to it get some pocket Coin for my favorite liter bike: FZ1; 450lbs and 120whp....

I purchased the C-10 for cheap and got it to run very well. It was just a top heavy slug that I personally did not enjoy riding.

One of the few bikes I can get on and there is nothing confidence inspiring about riding it (to me). I dropped it bad and it was geometry, road condition and weight placement that took it down. I've done similar meanuvers on many bikes and they all were never close to their maximum potentials. Ive fallen several times... The C-10 is the only time Im confident the bike was at fault.

Just something about switching lanes in an emergency manuever and in the swerve the bike falls over you hit the ground and once stopped all you hear is the release of an airbrake and the idle of a huge diesel less than a foot from your head...

Left saddle bag took all the brunt... Crazy because these bikes are tanks. Bike ran fine after the fall.

I sold it and the guy that bought it loved it...

Each their own I suppose but I'm not a fan at all...

[Cipher]

You can never go back to black and white tv. You cant even go back to coarse matrix tube TVs in colour.

They are certainly heavy you can readily feel it when astride of my k bike and the 1000 I need no pressure from my upper body to stay upright just a bit of tension from the inner thigh whilst standing still. But hell the mags back in the day gave the zg1000 a huge approval vs the K 100 on price and performance so its just a relative thing.

[GS1150Pilot]

Wet weight on an FZ1 is north of 500 pounds. Wet weight of C10 is 650. 150 pounds is significant, but it ain't 230 pounds. That said, the C10 is a very practical bike, and a bargain for touring on something that can make twisties enjoyable. 11.7 quarter mile at 113 isn't exactly slow, either; the C14 weighs 680 wet and does the quarter in 11.1 at 125. Again, a significant difference, but not really if your focus is covering distance at speed.

[Jedz123]

I guess my accident left a very bad taste in my mouth for I have never had a bike fall over like that before. The bike is horribly top heavy with a full tank of gas.

I almost didn't buy my Concours 14 because of that bad experience. The C14 handles much better despite being a bigger bike.after weight reduction, bolt on and a reflash though... We are talking (close) to stock Hayabusa power to weight ratio.

Power really isn't the end all. My XR1200 is not fast at all. But it does handle world's better than a C-10.

As stated each their own. There really is no middle ground you either love it or hate. I truly hope if you buy it, you love it.

Best.