perspective time!

http://image.sportrider.com/f/featur...da-vfr1200.jpg

http://www.click-cars.co.uk/5906/ima...r_id_113_1.jpg

kawi wins

Naw thats just a bad FJR Picture, here is a better one

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/cro...a-5_460x0w.jpg

and you forgot the connie

http://cmgonline.com/images/stories/...4_ride2_bg.jpg

Really though with only what I've read here to compare the four bikes, and based soley on styling my list would be:

Ninja
FJR
Connie
Shamu

Based on overall package, and this is without having ridden shamu or the ninja

FJR
Connie
ninja
Shamu

Really though, I thought that the concourse 14 was a competitor to those bikes? I don't really see a niche for a liter bike in the sport touring category. Yes a big sport tourer is nccessary in the lineup, but the concourse really fills that gap. What part of the market will it really fill?Maybe it's me but I just dont see where it fits into the larger puzzle

Damn that thing looks great

For people who want a bit more tour than the Z can offer, but want more sport than a.Concours or FJR, is my guess.


Not having ridden the new ninja yet, but just going by what they have said, it's very close in performance to the Z1000. A friend of mine has an FJR and he demo'd a Z1000 at bike week and said there is no comparison performance-wise between the two. The Z is just a superior bike. However, as a sport tourer, it did need some improvement. The ninja has those improvements. More wind protection, more comfortable egos, a bigger tank and is more passenger friendly.

My friend with the FJR is replacing it with the new ninja as soon as they are available.

The deal as I see it? Sport bikes have become soooooo track focused and performance based that alot of bikers dont want to live with their narrow focus but are at the same time put off by the weight and numb handling of the sport tourer bikes. These folks want an exciting, versatile ride off the showroom, not buying a GSXF1250 and having to mod it to suit. It is a niche for sure but one the Kawi will likely rule as the other manus have let that area slide.

Its like they wanted a modern interpretation of the old GPZ series.
I immediately thought about my old GPz900r after seeing the specs on this.

That's a better pic? Still looks dated and ugly. I didn't really forget the connie I consider that to be another tier of sport tourers. I notice you didn't bring up the st1300 or sprint gt

So is this a supersport or a 1000 standard aka 650r's big bro?

It's closer to the GPz. The 650r is kind of a budget full fairing bike, this looks top shelf. Way more practical and highway suitable than the ZX10.

I guess, I just dont see a big market for it without taking away from connie or zx10 sales. I do think it will sell well, just don't see how it will sell without impacting other kawi sales, especially the way the market has been (it is starting to show improvement now though)