Finally!

So we finally had a nice day today, and I took full advantage of it. I got a new riding jacket that has not one, but TWO removable liners. The first is an insulated layer, on top of that is a waterproof windbreaker layer, followed by the jacket itself. The jacket is made of heavy-duty mesh and fabric, with armor in the shoulders, elbows and back. In order to test it out, I had to take my new bike out for a spin. I had been looking for a new bike for a long time, until I found a deal on a 2008 Kawasaki Concours 14 on Craigslist about a month ago. Today is the first time I've been able to ride it.

First off, a bit of background information on the bike. The Kawasaki Concours was introduced in 1986 as a 1000cc sport-touring bike, and didn't change much over the years - until 2008, that is. The new model is based on Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-14 - a monstrous, fire-breathing sport bike that few mortal men can wield. The engine has been re-tuned to produce a wider power-band, the wheelbase has been lengthened and the Ninja's chain drive has been changed to a shaft drive. A wider fairing and saddle-bags were added, and the handlebars and foot pegs have been moved around to create a more upright seating position.

It has a 1400cc liquid-cooled inline 4, six-speed transmission and a crazy-looking four-link rear swing-arm. It also has the Ninja's twin front disc brakes and ram-air intake system. Two things the Concours has that the Ninja does not are variable intake valve timing and a "slipper" clutch that is supposed to help smooth out aggressive downshifts.

So far I am very impressed with the bike. Handling is spot-on for a sport-touring bike. Turn-in is a bit heavy, but it holds a line very well and feels very stable. The brakes are very impressive - twin 300mm discs up front, each with its own 4-piston caliper, and a single smaller disc on the rear wheel with a 2-piston caliper. The riding position is very comfortable, and the fairing does a good job of deflecting the wind around the rider. All this, good as it may be, is overshadowed by the engine. A lot of top-end horsepower has been lost in comparison to the Ninja ZX-14, but the increase in mid-range power makes up for it. The torque curve is so broad, the power delivery so smooth, that the sensation of acceleration is like being fired from a slingshot.

Summer can't come soon enough...