2012 KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

Back Brake pedal locks up at times locking the rear brakes and seems to lock the left front brake. Have had back brakes replaced and front pads replaced. The issue happened within one week of purchasing the bike used from a Florida Dealership. When the brakes lock up, you are almost thrown from the bike. Front left pads wear to the metal while the right side is barely worn. Sometimes, the brake pedal just goes all the way down and I have nothing. This would probably KILL a rookie rider. I also ride a 2008 Honda Goldwing with 96,000 miles. I bought it new. Both have LINKED brakes. I have never had an issue with my Honda. This is definitely a SERIOUS issue on the Kawasaki. It has apx. 32,000 miles. This should be on the RECALL list for a replacement rod on the rear master cylinder. DEATH TRAP. I am an experienced rider with easily 250,000 miles driven. Please advise.

IN NOVEMBER 2013 I PURCHASED A NEW NON-CURRENT INVENTORY 2012 KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14 MOTORCYCLE. PRIOR TO RIDING IT THIS SPRING I INSTALLED A LARGER AFTERMARKET NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FOR INCREASED WIND PROTECTION. DURING MY FIRST RIDE I WAS SURPRISED AT THE AMOUNT THAT THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FLEXED IN WIND. WITHIN 20 MILES OF RIDING THE EXCESSIVE FLEXING RESULTED IN THE ORIGINAL KAWASAKI PLASTIC WINDSHIELD MOUNTS BREAKING. I PURCHASED ANOTHER SET OF KAWASAKI MOUNTS, THEY LASTED 35 MILES AND ALSO CRACKED. WHEN COMPARING THE THICKNESS OF THE OEM ORIGINAL KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD TO THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM AFTERMARKET WINDSHIELD I FOUND THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD TO BE .018 INCHES THINNER THAN THE ORIGINAL KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD. THE LARGER SURFACE AREA AND THINNER CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD COUPLED WITH THE REDUCED CLAMPING PRESSURE PROVIDED BY THE OEM KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD MOUNTS (DUE TO THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELDS THINNER CONSTRUCTION) APPEAR TO CAUSE EXCESSIVE FLEXING RESULTING IN WINDSHIELD MOUNT FAILURES. I AM FEARFUL THE MOUNTS COULD COMPLETELY FAIL CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO BECOME DISLODGED RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL CRASH. I HAVE SINCE REINSTALLED THE OEM KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD AND ANOTHER SET OF NEW PLASTIC MOUNTS AND HAVE RIDDEN THE BIKE 1500 MILES IN IT'S STOCK CONFIGURATION WITHOUT ISSUE OR SAFETY CONCERNS. I BELIEVE THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FOR THIS MODEL POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14, EQUIPPED WITH A NATIONAL CYCLE V STREAM WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO MOVE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BOLTS WERE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, USE OF THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL CAN CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED, SUDDEN GRAB OF THE BRAKES. THIS PROBLEM CAN BE DEMONSTRATED BY APPLYING THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL AFTER LIGHTLY APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER. BASED ON MANY DISCUSSION THREADS ON THE COG-ONLINE.ORG AND ZGGTR.ORG WEB FORUMS, THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE REPORTED FOR THE CONCOURSE MODEL MOTORCYCLES SINCE THEY BEGAN BEING DELIVERED WITH A LINKED BRAKING SYSTEM. THE RIDER DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISABLE THE LINKED BRAKING SYSTEM. IN A LIMITED TRACTION SITUATION, I BELIEVE THIS GRAB COULD BE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE RIDER TO CRASH. ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FORUMS, MANY RIDERS COMMENT THAT THEY HAVE STOPPED USING THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL TO CIRCUMVENT THE SITUATION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS ACTION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE USE OF THE FULL CAPABILITIES OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THEIR CONCOURS., AND FOR RIDERS WHO ALSO OWN MOTORCYCLES WITH NON-LINKED BRAKE SYSTEMS, IT IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOW TRAINED THEMSELVES TO NOT INTENTIONALLY APPLY ANY REAR BRAKE. OTHER POSTERS ON THE FORUMS HAVE REPLUMBED THEIR BRAKE SYSTEMS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THIS CONDITION, AND SEARCHED FOR A THIRD PARTY WHO CAN POTENTIALLY UPDATE APPLICABLE PROGRAMMING TO CORRECT THE CONDITION. I BELIEVE KAWASAKI NEEDS TO REPROGRAM THEIR LINKED BRAKING SYSTEM TO BETTER ALLOCATE BRAKING FORCE, THUS ELIMINATING THIS DANGEROUS GRAB, AND PROVIDE THE RIDER WITH THE ABILITY TO COMPLETELY DISABLE THE LINKED BRAKING FUNCTION. *TR