Just as expected, Kawasaki now offers the 2013 14r in ABS.....normal plain Jane bike is $14,999.00 the ABS model is $15,999. This is insanity....when the C-14 came out in 2008 you had a choice..the ABS model was only $300.00 more than the standard unit..a fair price, but this is absolutely crazy pricing.......

What do you guys think about that?

Ninja

I think the few guys whining about no abs in the U.S. better go buy one and stop whining about the cost, 600, 1000, and 14 have abs, watch how many of these will sit on the showroom floor. My opinion Kawasaki should offer a 14r base model, no abs, no traction control.

wee

ABS should be an option for only 300.00 as it has been over the last 6 years...not 1,000.00!!

This is a marketing ploy...The C-14 was offered in 2008 with or without ABS...and only a 300.00 upgrade which was very reasonable for this very important safety accessory and should come standard ....NOT be an option..we need all the safety equipment we can get from Kawasaki on any high performance bike.

I don't see what the problem is...go out and buy a $300 Concours ABS and install it on the 14...presto! If you're handy, you'll make it work. Or just use the zx10 abs system on your 14, bound to be a few of those relatively cheap. Personally, not a big fan of ABS, but hey, whatever floats your boat. This will keep the noobs and non-tinkerers paying premium and weed them out.

* Last updated by: runr2940 on 9/13/2012 @ 6:20 PM *

This bikes comes with 80% of what's needed for ABS, $1000 seems over priced to me.

What I find appalling is the MSRP, $15k & $16k, wow. A US dollar used to buy 125 Yens, now it only fetches 80 Yens. And the trend continues to be devalued dollar.

They can keep it!

I know i wont be going abs for that price..

Kawasaki is pricing this bike out of the hands of the average customer who wants this great sport bike......every year it increases in pricing......pretty soon you can buy a Goldwing for these prices...just think the ABS option of 1000.00 is a rip off, when a couple of years ago....300.00 was the cost of this option on similar bikes they make...

The 2012 Concours 14 has ABS whether you want it or not. We can't even turn it off.

Our front and rear brakes are linked too, under control of ABS. We can reduce the amount by turning K-ACT off, but it works great in the rain and I had a couple really torrential rains to test it in. Frankly, with K-ACT off, the rear brake is used automatically just about the amount I would use it anyway, since I learned early in my riding career that light rear and heavy front stop faster than just heavy front.

Also, if I drag the rear brake, lightly, like just before the apex of a turn, its not enough to activate the front brake, which is just fine.

If I stomp on the rear brake pedal, I get front brake too. With K-ACT off I have to really stomp on it to get front brake.

I think they've got it down to science for what is essentially a touring bike that handles very well.

Traction Control is on all the time, too, we can't change it or turn it off.

when a couple of years ago....300.00 was the cost of this option on similar bikes they make...

Alot has changes in the last two years. I'm thinking of the de-valued dollar against the yen in the current context. Dollar does not buy what it used to...

My opinion on this is that the value of ABS is directly proportional to the experience of the Operator, experiences gleaned from situations that placed them at the limits of their abilities under harsh conditions.

Such as Privateer's experiences. He may not be happy about the way Kaw has implemented the ABS system on his cycle (and I re-read the post above a couple times, and its not clear to me. Mebbe he likes it OK, mebbe not...), but I get the distinct impression that he is glad he's got ABS. Especially those situations where it gives him additional margin for recovery from errors (others, or his. Hey, I make mistakes all the time..).

My point is, I would be glad to have it, too (tho not implemented as it is on the C14. I have not yet heard or read the details, and the devil is in them...). I would be glad to have the additional margin for error recovery when I will (eventually) find myself in those situations.

OK, but at what price, right? A penny? Of course! A million bucks?, of course not! So, somewhere between the extremes is a cost I'm willing to pay for the insurance against my future mistakes (I'm placing this in the context of strictly road work, not track. You track guys have a completely different (OK, related then) pro / con argument, in my opinion).

The price of one hospital stay?....

How about the price of one side of fairing replacements (plus one side's worth of little bits that sure add up quick)?...

Makes sense in that context, you think?

I'm teaching my wife to ride over the last few months. (Hey, dont laugh! I get tremendous nookie for the effort expended :)

The drill this week? Emergency braking on pavement, and the need to stay "in the game" all the way through the manouver (in turns, and straight braking, dont give up). You think I want her to have an edge, a machine that has maximum braking capability even if she does not yet perform an expert application of controls? You bet I do! Well, same goes for me, on my chosen equipment. I'll buy every edge I can afford to keep me out of the hospital... No, I have no interest in transferring to a car, and you know that's not what I mean.

I do train for maximum braking effect. I scrub those old tires to learn something about my abilities. But when I'm panicked and making my *desperate* last chance stand, I want the best gear too.

Simple as that...

I'm glad you at least have a choice.I won't be buying ABS.After a near crash a month ago I don't need it.I have soft tires and I jammed on the breaks to avoid a rear end collision.The back wheel came off about a foot and the bike was very controalable.No need for ABS in my book.It's a shame how the price went up for ugly paint colors.Will be looking for a leftover 2012 black one.Can't get over that black green finned color.
Craig

I think ABS is a must on a bike this powerful. I thought mine had it when I was looking at, didn't realize that was the KTRC system. ABS will save your ass on slick roads, gravel stuff like that. I live in Florida, it's been raining a lot and I'm very glad my Victory has ABS it's come in handy more than I want to think about.

Anyone can stop like a hero in the dry, do that in the wet. A tad to much front brake (and you never know what a tad to much is till it's to late) and your ass sliding across the pavement.

Remember guys, if you want ABS which everyone should, you can deal the price down. They just jack it $1000 knowing the dealer will drop it to %500. It is the single most important safety item on the bike. I have been saved three times in 4 years with it on my BKing. It is phenominal, remember it does NOTHING until your tires slip, totally different than traction control. You can use all your non-ABS skill as long as you don't slide a tire and it will not interfere. Many people lose sight of this fact. Anyway, If Suzuki doens't do something quick, I might have a new 14R in my garage!

"I'm glad you at least have a choice.I won't be buying ABS.After a near crash a month ago I don't need it.I have soft tires and I jammed on the breaks to avoid a rear end collision.The back wheel came off about a foot and the bike was very controalable.No need for ABS in my book.It's a shame how the price went up for ugly paint colors.Will be looking for a leftover 2012 black one.Can't get over that black green finned color"

Craig

I'm guessing it was dry and on a decent road surface when you had your 'near' crash.
Brake like that on a wet day or on a surface with even a hint of any loose sand or gravel on the road and you are going down....period.
OK so when it's wet you can ride accordingly leaving longer braking distances, less lean, smoother on the controls etc, but in an emergency stop situation instinct will take over and you're gonna grab that brake and kiss your ass goodbye. At least with ABS you have a fighting chance.

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 9/18/2012 @ 12:00 PM *

I never ride in the wet.Damn straight it was dry on a terrible asphault road.I used to ride in the rain when I lived in the Seattle area.Done with the rain.If I get caught in it I'll be carefull.But got caught in it 2 times in 3 years.
Craig

I would agree with pegscraper. (and all who favor ABS) No matter how good of a rider u are, there will be times where you will have no control over a scenario. And I believe if My 12 had ABS, I would have a extra grand in my pocket to spend on mods rather than replacing right hand plastics (thankfully, confirmed by my dealer its all cosmetic damage)

I was in the torrential downpour on my second day coming home from Arkansas (COG National Rally). It rained so hard tractor-trailers were pulling to the shoulder and off off-ramps when they could actually see one.

At one point, I had to slow a lot because I came up on a truck slowing way down looking for the exit ..... he finally found it, but I had to brake hard because counter-steering in the storm was a recipe for a 200 yard long low side event.

My ABS chirped to life, and I had K-ACT enabled, so she used both front and rear brakes in concert under direction of ABS to let me slow down without slippage.

It was damned impressive, the way the technology just read the situation perfectly, and said, go for it, dude, grab those brakes as hard as you want, I won't let you slide.

She slowed from 35 or so to 1st gear crawl in 50 yards without so much as a wiggle, despite water running off the roadbed in inch deep sheets. And despite really slow reaction time because it was like looking through a frosted glass window so it took a second to register in my mind ... "TRUCK!"

It was damned impressive, the way the technology just read the situation perfectly...

Yeah, I want this tech...

There's something else came to mind diring Privateer's discussion: Reaction time.

My wife and I were reviewing reaction time details recently. I had learned something from the Advanced MSF course that I'd "put out to pasture" in my head, and this discussion brought it back to memory again...

My wife had been walking her dog in our (very rural) neighborhood. They were attacked by a neighbor's young pit bull dog. The pit bull charged them about 50 yards...

The point here is that there was a couple seconds where her brain responded with "This is not happening to me...". After *that*, then she engaged and her and her dog fought it off successfully.

This happens to me more than I like, and for longer than I like. There's this moment of "WTF??..." that last too long, and then I'm in the game. I work hard to keep these reaction times down, but I know that, for me, they're there.

*Anything* that cuts my reaction errors and allows me to recover, they're worth their weight...

My bike still in the garage with any chance of rain.Fuck your ABS.
Craig

I would also not pay that for ABS and and even more content, now, that I got the 2012 model. Rainy, wet roads find my bike dry and taking it easy on the kickstand in the garage. But, to each his own.

But I wouldn't have picked the KTRAC and powermodes either, had I had a choice, but.........

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 9/18/2012 @ 7:19 PM *

My bike still in the garage with any chance of rain.F*** your ABS.

Craig:

I have a son about your age. I dont know why, but I do care about what happens to you. Makes no sense, rght? You dont know me from Adam, I get it. But there it is. I have one more tidbit that I ask you to consider:

The roads are not slick just when they're wet, there's other reasons they get slippery...

Bob

@Audioboyz:

Craig: I have a son about your age.

Craig:

I just realised, while reading a different thread, that I thought you're a 17 year old fellow. That other thread exploded in animosity. I'm writing to tell you I meant no harm from the above comment.

The rest of it still applies, tho. May your days be filled with smooth pain free riding. ... and if they're not, take some advil fer cryin out loud :0

Best Regards,
Bob

^^^^ LMAO!!!

Good thing you threw that last post in there Meb!

I've ridden with Craig and if you have kids his/my age... and you still ride?

Lol... either you were poppin' cherries when you were 12 years old or you've aged extremely well!

I enjoyed that thoroughly!

Yuh, well.... Can I admit to both without bringing the house down? <grin>

Thanks for the light hearted reply.

Considering taking the plunge on a 13 with ABS.... Have abused the shit out of my bike testing a ton of shit, if I can upgrade for a reasonable amount of $$$$ why not. I have been riding sportbikes for 25 years literally, even though I don't feel like I NEED abs.... I wouldn't mind having it. Pipe, PCV, ECU flash and no more performance mods for me this time around on new bike.