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Midwest Wasteland

ride365

ride365

Member
Member
Hello from the bowels of NE Ohio! I'm new to the Concours although it's been an ongoing love affair ever since first test riding one 10+ years ago at Mid Ohio Vintage Days way back when they used to have demo rides. The first time I sat on it and started it up I wanted one. I started out in "sport touring" oddly enough with a Honda Pacific Coast that I traded a tandem bicycle for and proceeded to put 24k miles on in a couple of years complete with PC only rally's, etc. Strange crowd that tend to graduate to Gold Wings. A short stint on an ST1300 and then "graduated" to Adventure & Dirt bikes. A Vstrom I put 65k miles on and now an Africa Twin I'm up to 34k with. Figured I was going to kill myself w/ the dirt bikes (most dangerous thing I've ever done and I'm no stranger to dangerous sports). This past year bought a Honda Trail 125 and a 2017 Kawasaki Concours. The smallest and the most powerful bikes I've ever owned within a month of each other. The C14 is a '17 and had less than 4,800 miles on it when I bought it. How anyone can ride something like this so little is beyond me. I put a hundred miles on it riding my after dinner loop. Found an unused matching Corbin top box for it and had arranged its purchase before I even signed the papers. Had some health issues last year that I'm still working through so didn't ride as much as usual but still managed to put 5k miles on the Connie after my July purchase date. I've had a wrist reconstruction, cancer and a knee replacement this year within 364 days of each other (Adventure bikes, dumb luck or God's grace depending on how you look at it, and dirt bikes, in that order) so now I'm working on getting my leg to bend enough to comfortably be able to get back out and do some long days on this thing. I feel like I'm kind of in a dead zone and only have one sport touring friend right now after all the years of off road riding but am enjoying this bike more than any of them. Can't wait to see what the next 100k miles on it has to offer! Hope to meet some of you sooner than later. I'll keep my eye on the calendars. Hope you all have a great spring. 👊
 

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Welcome Brian, you've got some nice rides!
The thought of doing the TAT intrigued me, but...I've not done any dirt riding, and realized I don't bouce as well as I used to. Gave up on the idea. From your history, you probably think that was wise of me.
 
Jorge said:
Welcome Brian, you've got some nice rides!
The thought of doing the TAT intrigued me, but...I've not done any dirt riding, and realized I don't bouce as well as I used to. Gave up on the idea. From your history, you probably think that was wise of me.
Click to expand...
I'd love to do the TAT. I think anyone can do it. It's all about the pace. I've been riding and jumping my 600lb "dirt bike" in places it wasn't meant to be with someone of my skill level and I whiskey throttled my KTM 500 EXC into a tree which ultimately lead to the knee replacement. I've been skateboarding, snowboarding and riding bicycles off road all of my life so my knees were well on their way to being replaced anyways. I wouldn't give up on the TAT. Just get yourself a smaller dual sport and be realistic about your skill set and you'll be fine. It's a great way to see the country. Or start with a BDR or two. I have done the MABDE and the NEBDR two up with my wife on the back. Unfortunately she loves the dirt trips way more than the street ones. ;)
 
ride365 said:
I'd love to do the TAT. I think anyone can do it. It's all about the pace. I've been riding and jumping my 600lb "dirt bike" in places it wasn't meant to be with someone of my skill level and I whiskey throttled my KTM 500 EXC into a tree which ultimately lead to the knee replacement. I've been skateboarding, snowboarding and riding bicycles off road all of my life so my knees were well on their way to being replaced anyways. I wouldn't give up on the TAT. Just get yourself a smaller dual sport and be realistic about your skill set and you'll be fine. It's a great way to see the country. Or start with a BDR or two. I have done the MABDE and the NEBDR two up with my wife on the back. Unfortunately she loves the dirt trips way more than the street ones. ;)
Click to expand...
Care to decode this for the rest of us? 😉
 
Welcome aboard! There are some of us here that ride a variety of machines that include Enduros and Adventure bikes.

Keep an eye on the calendar and come to an event. And when you do, make yourself known as a newcomer so you can get a proper welcome.
 
worncog said:
Welcome aboard! There are some of us here that ride a variety of machines that include Enduros and Adventure bikes.

Keep an eye on the calendar and come to an event. And when you do, make yourself known as a newcomer so you can get a proper welcome.
Click to expand...
Will do. Thanks!
 
I will add that there are TAT and BDR riders among us. I am riding the AZBDR soon and the TAT is on the radar. And the CDR, and ...
 
ride365 said:
Hello from the bowels of NE Ohio! I'm new to the Concours although it's been an ongoing love affair ever since first test riding one 10+ years ago at Mid Ohio Vintage Days way back when they used to have demo rides. The first time I sat on it and started it up I wanted one. I started out in "sport touring" oddly enough with a Honda Pacific Coast that I traded a tandem bicycle for and proceeded to put 24k miles on in a couple of years complete with PC only rally's, etc. Strange crowd that tend to graduate to Gold Wings. A short stint on an ST1300 and then "graduated" to Adventure & Dirt bikes. A Vstrom I put 65k miles on and now an Africa Twin I'm up to 34k with. Figured I was going to kill myself w/ the dirt bikes (most dangerous thing I've ever done and I'm no stranger to dangerous sports). This past year bought a Honda Trail 125 and a 2017 Kawasaki Concours. The smallest and the most powerful bikes I've ever owned within a month of each other. The C14 is a '17 and had less than 4,800 miles on it when I bought it. How anyone can ride something like this so little is beyond me. I put a hundred miles on it riding my after dinner loop. Found an unused matching Corbin top box for it and had arranged its purchase before I even signed the papers. Had some health issues last year that I'm still working through so didn't ride as much as usual but still managed to put 5k miles on the Connie after my July purchase date. I've had a wrist reconstruction, cancer and a knee replacement this year within 364 days of each other (Adventure bikes, dumb luck or God's grace depending on how you look at it, and dirt bikes, in that order) so now I'm working on getting my leg to bend enough to comfortably be able to get back out and do some long days on this thing. I feel like I'm kind of in a dead zone and only have one sport touring friend right now after all the years of off road riding but am enjoying this bike more than any of them. Can't wait to see what the next 100k miles on it has to offer! Hope to meet some of you sooner than later. I'll keep my eye on the calendars. Hope you all have a great spring. 👊
Click to expand...
Welcome brian, if the knee doesn't make the bend well enough, there are peg lowering kits available. I went to a set after knee surgery myself. Rehab is good tho, push urself, you'll be happy you did..
 
Strawboss said:
Welcome to the madness. North Olmsted here, where in NE OH are you?
Click to expand...
Cuyahoga Falls. I've been up your way a bit. Think one of the Cycle Gear stores is there? I'm in the Cleveland area frequently but most of my rides take me south or east.
 
Last edited:
Konehead34 said:
Welcome brian, if the knee doesn't make the bend well enough, there are peg lowering kits available. I went to a set after knee surgery myself. Rehab is good tho, push urself, you'll be happy you did..
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was discharged from rehab after 4 weeks with 131 degrees. I can get it further now. It doesn't like to remain full bent for long period of times yet but it will get there. I was riding with a Murph's lowering foot peg for a bit. I got lucky and got Ronnie's very last set of highway pegs so installed them to give me a rest. I have the foot peg lowering plates but have yet to look into installing them very hard in conjunction with the highway pegs so I'm riding the stock peg height now. Knee is making daily progress. I can see how long term lowering the pegs might be nice though. I'm not a fan of the Murph's style of lowering pegs. I think I keep my feet too close to the bike and couldn't get used to the step at the pivot. Plus I couldn't get the brake lever adjusted low enough to be good.
 
ride365 said:
Thanks. I was discharged from rehab after 4 weeks with 131 degrees. I can get it further now. It doesn't like to remain full bent for long period of times yet but it will get there. I was riding with a Murph's lowering foot peg for a bit. I got lucky and got Ronnie's very last set of highway pegs so installed them to give me a rest. I have the foot peg lowering plates but have yet to look into installing them very hard in conjunction with the highway pegs so I'm riding the stock peg height now. Knee is making daily progress. I can see how long term lowering the pegs might be nice though. I'm not a fan of the Murph's style of lowering pegs. I think I keep my feet too close to the bike and couldn't get used to the step at the pivot. Plus I couldn't get the brake lever adjusted low enough to be good.
Click to expand...
A former member heated the rear brake lever and reshaped it to deal with the lower pegs on a C10. Someone makes lowered pegs for the 14 that move the brake lever with the pegs.
 
ride365 said:
Hello from the bowels of NE Ohio! I'm new to the Concours although it's been an ongoing love affair ever since first test riding one 10+ years ago at Mid Ohio Vintage Days way back when they used to have demo rides. The first time I sat on it and started it up I wanted one. I started out in "sport touring" oddly enough with a Honda Pacific Coast that I traded a tandem bicycle for and proceeded to put 24k miles on in a couple of years complete with PC only rally's, etc. Strange crowd that tend to graduate to Gold Wings. A short stint on an ST1300 and then "graduated" to Adventure & Dirt bikes. A Vstrom I put 65k miles on and now an Africa Twin I'm up to 34k with. Figured I was going to kill myself w/ the dirt bikes (most dangerous thing I've ever done and I'm no stranger to dangerous sports). This past year bought a Honda Trail 125 and a 2017 Kawasaki Concours. The smallest and the most powerful bikes I've ever owned within a month of each other. The C14 is a '17 and had less than 4,800 miles on it when I bought it. How anyone can ride something like this so little is beyond me. I put a hundred miles on it riding my after dinner loop. Found an unused matching Corbin top box for it and had arranged its purchase before I even signed the papers. Had some health issues last year that I'm still working through so didn't ride as much as usual but still managed to put 5k miles on the Connie after my July purchase date. I've had a wrist reconstruction, cancer and a knee replacement this year within 364 days of each other (Adventure bikes, dumb luck or God's grace depending on how you look at it, and dirt bikes, in that order) so now I'm working on getting my leg to bend enough to comfortably be able to get back out and do some long days on this thing. I feel like I'm kind of in a dead zone and only have one sport touring friend right now after all the years of off road riding but am enjoying this bike more than any of them. Can't wait to see what the next 100k miles on it has to offer! Hope to meet some of you sooner than later. I'll keep my eye on the calendars. Hope you all have a great spring. 👊
Click to expand...


Hey,
In case you missed it, we have a RTE (Ride To Eat) coming up July 6th.
Waldo Ohio, to have the worlds best fried baloney sandwich 😁
Straw Boss started it a couple years ago
Hope you can make it
Bob
 
ONOBob said:
Hey,
In case you missed it, we have a RTE (Ride To Eat) coming up July 6th.
Waldo Ohio, to have the worlds best fried baloney sandwich 😁
Straw Boss started it a couple years ago
Hope you can make it
Bob
Click to expand...
I will put that on the calendar and see what I can do. Seems Strawboss lives up near me so we are trying to connect. Thanks for the heads up! 👊
 
ride365 said:
Thanks. I was discharged from rehab after 4 weeks with 131 degrees. I can get it further now. It doesn't like to remain full bent for long period of times yet but it will get there. I was riding with a Murph's lowering foot peg for a bit. I got lucky and got Ronnie's very last set of highway pegs so installed them to give me a rest. I have the foot peg lowering plates but have yet to look into installing them very hard in conjunction with the highway pegs so I'm riding the stock peg height now. Knee is making daily progress. I can see how long term lowering the pegs might be nice though. I'm not a fan of the Murph's style of lowering pegs. I think I keep my feet too close to the bike and couldn't get used to the step at the pivot. Plus I couldn't get the brake lever adjusted low enough to be good.
Click to expand...
I bought the AST peg lowering kit, and it worked well for my tired 64yo knees. Didn't have to do anything to the brake lever as the whole assembly just moved down. I.did have to drill a large hole and do some dremel work on the shifter side, in order to route the shifting linkage. Bracket is aluminum so it isn't to difficult to do.
 
Konehead34 said:
I bought the AST peg lowering kit, and it worked well for my tired 64yo knees. Didn't have to do anything to the brake lever as the whole assembly just moved down. I.did have to drill a large hole and do some dremel work on the shifter side, in order to route the shifting linkage. Bracket is aluminum so it isn't to difficult to do.
Click to expand...

I have the AST kit as well, but had to Dremel out a hole in the muffler heat shield for clearance. Tried the Murph’s Kit bracket first since I had them on the C-10, but couldn’t get comfortable with them on the C-14.
 
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