The 2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS is a high-speed touring duo with unquestionable supersport DNA. They’ve got everything you need to go far – and have tons of fun doing it. Kawasaki’s been a force to be reckoned with in the sport touring category for a quarter of a century now. The legendary first-generation Concours™ debuted in early 1986 to a flabbergasted buying public and press corps, neither of which had experienced performance and long-distance functionality blended so successfully in a single motorcycle.
After debuting in 2008 to high marks from owners and magazine editors alike, the Kawasaki Concours 14 underwent significant improvement last year in the areas of comfort, convenience and safety, a move that solidified its position atop the sport touring heap. New bodywork not only looked better, it increased comfort by routing more heat away from the rider and passenger. Additionally, a taller, electrically adjustable windscreen created a calmer cockpit experience with help from ducts above the instrument panel, which balanced pressure areas outside and inside the screen. Standard handgrip heaters upped the comfort quotient even more.
Today, that sort of performance/function alchemy continues in the 2011 Concours 14 ABS, a sport-oriented tourer that can pile on the highway miles with the best world-class touring rigs yet still negotiate the twists and turns of America’s backroads in fine, Ninja-inspired tradition.
Updated electronics were also part of the recent Concours 14 upgrades. Not only was the bike’s K-ACT (Kawasaki Advanced Coactive-braking Technology) braking system upgraded to offer two modes of linked, anti-lock braking and higher overall performance, but a high-tech traction control system (KTRC: Kawasaki Traction Control) was added. KTRC not only reduces wheelspin on slick surfaces, offering riders more confidence-inspiring feedback, but it can be easily switched off at the rider’s discretion.
The heart of the Concours sport-touring package remains as before – an amazing and thoroughly modern 1,352cc DOHC inline-four sourced from the legendary ZX™-14 sportbike. The Concours 14 engine generates excellent low- and mid-range power, all followed by a top-end rush that would turn most open-class sportbikes green with envy. A big part of its tremendously wide power delivery is due to its variable valve timing (VVT) system, which automatically alters camshaft profiles according to rpm to boost low-end and mid-range power without sacrificing top end. Advanced fuel injection, ram-air induction and decades of experience building the world’s most potent motorcycle engines add up to a simply amazing powerplant, one that makes the Concours 14 ABS forces to be reckoned with in the performance sport-touring segment – just as the original Concours was 25 years ago.
The Concours 14’s chassis is very much up to the challenge of controlling this prodigious powerplant. Its unique monocoque frame provides massive stiffness along with excellent handling characteristics and a high degree of rider feedback. Cradling the engine from the top, the frame’s compact structure keeps the bike narrow where it needs to be and allows optimum packaging of the bike’s vital systems. The Tetra-Lever shaft drive, which routes all that power to the rear wheel, uses a four-link design to offset the lifting and squatting tendencies of lesser shaft drive systems when the throttle is opened and closed, all of which results in true sportbike handling. Plus, the Tetra-Lever system is almost completely maintenance free. No mystery, then, why the Concours 14’s powertrain has earned critical acclaim around the world for its silky smooth power delivery.
That amazingly solid foundation is augmented by a carefully sculpted and highly comfortable saddle and all the creature comforts you’d expect from a top-shelf sport-tourer, including a pair of beautifully integrated, capacious and waterproof saddlebags.
After debuting in 2008 to high marks from owners and magazine editors alike, the Kawasaki Concours 14 underwent significant improvement last year in the areas of comfort, convenience and safety, a move that solidified its position atop the sport touring heap. New bodywork not only looked better, it increased comfort by routing more heat away from the rider and passenger. Additionally, a taller, electrically adjustable windscreen created a calmer cockpit experience with help from ducts above the instrument panel, which balanced pressure areas outside and inside the screen. Standard handgrip heaters upped the comfort quotient even more.
Today, that sort of performance/function alchemy continues in the 2011 Concours 14 ABS, a sport-oriented tourer that can pile on the highway miles with the best world-class touring rigs yet still negotiate the twists and turns of America’s backroads in fine, Ninja-inspired tradition.
Updated electronics were also part of the recent Concours 14 upgrades. Not only was the bike’s K-ACT (Kawasaki Advanced Coactive-braking Technology) braking system upgraded to offer two modes of linked, anti-lock braking and higher overall performance, but a high-tech traction control system (KTRC: Kawasaki Traction Control) was added. KTRC not only reduces wheelspin on slick surfaces, offering riders more confidence-inspiring feedback, but it can be easily switched off at the rider’s discretion.
The heart of the Concours sport-touring package remains as before – an amazing and thoroughly modern 1,352cc DOHC inline-four sourced from the legendary ZX™-14 sportbike. The Concours 14 engine generates excellent low- and mid-range power, all followed by a top-end rush that would turn most open-class sportbikes green with envy. A big part of its tremendously wide power delivery is due to its variable valve timing (VVT) system, which automatically alters camshaft profiles according to rpm to boost low-end and mid-range power without sacrificing top end. Advanced fuel injection, ram-air induction and decades of experience building the world’s most potent motorcycle engines add up to a simply amazing powerplant, one that makes the Concours 14 ABS forces to be reckoned with in the performance sport-touring segment – just as the original Concours was 25 years ago.
The Concours 14’s chassis is very much up to the challenge of controlling this prodigious powerplant. Its unique monocoque frame provides massive stiffness along with excellent handling characteristics and a high degree of rider feedback. Cradling the engine from the top, the frame’s compact structure keeps the bike narrow where it needs to be and allows optimum packaging of the bike’s vital systems. The Tetra-Lever shaft drive, which routes all that power to the rear wheel, uses a four-link design to offset the lifting and squatting tendencies of lesser shaft drive systems when the throttle is opened and closed, all of which results in true sportbike handling. Plus, the Tetra-Lever system is almost completely maintenance free. No mystery, then, why the Concours 14’s powertrain has earned critical acclaim around the world for its silky smooth power delivery.
That amazingly solid foundation is augmented by a carefully sculpted and highly comfortable saddle and all the creature comforts you’d expect from a top-shelf sport-tourer, including a pair of beautifully integrated, capacious and waterproof saddlebags.
2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS - USA Specifications
MSRP: $15,599 USD
Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four with VVT
Displacement: 1,352cc
Bore x stroke: 84.0 x 61.0mm
Maximum torque: 102.0 lb-ft @ 6,200 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.7:1
Fuel injection: Digital Fuel Injection w/ 40mm throttle bodies
Ignition: TCBI with Digital Advance
Transmission: Six-speed
Final drive: Tetra-Lever shaft drive
Rake / trail: 26.1 degrees / 4.4 in.
Front tire: 120/70 ZR-17
Rear tire: 190/50 ZR-17
Front suspension / wheel travel: 43mm inverted, telescopic fork with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload / 4.4 in.
Rear suspension / wheel travel: Tetra-Lever with stepless rebound damping adjustment and remote spring preload adjuster / 5.4 in.
Front brakes: Dual floating 310mm petal discs with four-piston calipers (optional ABS)
Rear brake: Single 270mm petal disc (optional ABS)
Fuel capacity: 5.8 gal.
Seat height: 32.1 in.
Wheelbase: 59.8 in.
Overall length: 87.8 in.
Overall height windscreen lowered / raised: 50.8 in. / 57.7 in.
Overall width: 39.4 in.
Curb weight: Concours 14 ABS: 688.0 lbs.
Color: Atomic Silver / Flat Super Black
Warranty: 36 Months
2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS - Canada Specifications
MSRP: $20,199 CDN
ENGINE
Type Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke In-Line Four
Displacement 1,352 cc
Bore and Stroke 84.0 x 61.0 mm
Compression Ratio 10.7 :1
Valve System DOHC, 16 valves with variable valve timing
Fuel System Fuel injection: ø40 mm x 4
Ignition Digital
Starting Electric
Lubrication Forced lubrication, wet sump
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission 6-speed, return
Final drive Shaft
Primary Reduction Ratio 1.556 (84/54)
Gear Ratios: 1st 3.333 (50/15)
2nd 2.412 (41/17)
3rd 1.900 (38/20)
4th 1.545 (34/22)
5th 1.292 (31/24)
6th 1.074 (29/27)
Final Reduction Ratio 2.036 (14/22 x 32/10)
Clutch Wet multi-disc, manual
FRAME
Type Monocoque, pressed-aluminium
Wheel Travel: Front 113 mm
Wheel Travel: Rear 136 mm
Tires: Front 120/70ZR17M/C (58W)
Tires: Rear 190/50ZR17M/C (73W)
Caster (Rake) 26.1°
Trail 112 mm
Steering angle (left/right) 31° / 31°
SUSPENSION
Front: Type 43 mm inverted fork with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload
Rear: Type Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with gas-charged shock, Tetra-Lever
Rebound damping Stepless
Spring preload Fully adjustable
BRAKES
Front Type Dual semi-floating 310 mm petal discs
Front Calipers Dual radial-mount, opposed 4-piston, 4-pad
Rear Type Single 270 mm petal disc
Rear Caliper Opposed 2-piston
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length 2,230 mm
Overall width (without saddlebags) 790 mm
Overall height / High position 1,345 mm / 1,465 mm
Wheelbase 1,520 mm
Ground clearance 125 mm
Seat Height 815 mm
Curb mass (without saddlebags) 304 kg
Fuel Capacity 22 L
Fuel Consumption 6.6 L/100 km (43 MPG)
PERFORMANCE
Maximum Power 115 kW {156 PS} / 8,800 rpm
Maximum power with Ram Air 118.4 kW {161 PS} / 8,800 rpm
Maximum Torque 139 N·m {14.1 kgƒ·m} / 6,200 rpm
DETAILS
MSRP* $20,199
Colour Ebony / Flat Super Black, Atomic Silver / Flat Super Black
Warranty 36 months
ADDITIONAL COST OPTIONS
Good Times Protection Plan 12 or 24 months (Kawasaki GTPP coverage begins after the standard limited warranty expires)
* The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price does not include freight, pre-delivery inspection or applicable taxes. The final price is at the discretion of the dealer. Prices and Specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
The specifications mentioned here apply to and have been achieved by production models under standard operating conditions. We intend only to give a fair description of the vehicle and its performance capabilities but these specifications may not apply to every machine supplied for sale. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. reserves the right to alter specifications without prior notice. Equipment illustrated and specifications may vary to meet individual markets. Available colours may vary by market.
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