2007 Kawasaki Concours 14

Civil Warrior

Kawasaki could write the book about playing the tease. For most of 2007, they coyly titillated the motorcycling world with hearsay about their long-anticipated replacement for the venerable Concours. Rumored release dates, tantalizing photos, and thinly veiled specs fluttered by, and each tidbit hinted at a machine that would share the DNA of the mind-numbingly fast ZX14. With all of the winking and nudging that was going on, Team Green obviously had something up its sleeve.

Over the last few years, the mercury in the sport-touring arena has been rising. Yamaha's much-improved FJR1300 and BMW's K1200GT came stomping in to set the genre afire with superbike levels of horsepower and torque. Kawasaki, on the other hand, seemed content to tend their coals – but for 2008, that all changes. In today's showrooms, yesteryear's technology will only go so far, and the folks at Team Green have stepped up to the plate, big time. Their old warhorse Concours, often said to have been Methuselah's daily ride, has been put out to pasture in favor of a completely redesigned tour-bred stallion, the Concours 14.

For any touring enthusiast who has ridden the mighty ZX14, it's all too evident that the velvety smooth sixteen-valve, 1352cc mill would make the perfect traveling companion. Sure, at 6000 rpm and higher, you'll feel like you've just been fired from a howitzer; but if used responsibly, this engine also rewards serenely, with a real-world roadworthiness rarely associated with a supersport model. ...

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