I tried to post this earlier, but somehow it didn't get on there. To my Nighthawk friends: This past June, I made a pretty significant motorcycle move. Although I really loved my ’83 650, I had reached the point where I wanted a larger bike. My wife had become more comfortable riding with me and we wanted to be able to take some longer trips. I did as much research for the new bike as I did for the Nighthawk and wanted one as much like the NH as possible. So, I finally found a very reasonable priced’91 Kawasaki Concours with low mileage and in great mechanical shape. I have now sold the NH and the fellow who bought it is already on the chat room. I wanted to write a thank you note to all of you. You have always entertained me, occasionally frustrated me, and sometimes you were extremely helpful. For this I thank you. You are a great group and I promise to look in from time to time. I also wanted to share with you why I chose the Concours. Although the ’83 was the only NH that I owned, some comparisons are inevitable. The Concours is larger. It has 997 cc’s and weight almost 600 pounds. When it was new, it was rated at 90 horsepower. In its power range, it has all that. The engine sounds much like the NH’s although the carburetor “whistle” is louder. My dog began recognizing the sound almost immediately. The Concours has a six speed transmission. It almost feels identical to the NH. The Concours has those horrible low handlebars. They are “clip” type and I was able to purchase an aftermarket conversion to regular bars. Mine now has high bars. I put high bars on my NH and it changed everything. I only had to change the front brake line on the Concours but on the NH I had to change both the brake and the clutch lines as well as extend the wiring. I rode the Concours for a 400 mile trip before changing the bars and had a stiff neck and headache for a week afterward. The Concours seat is better than the stock NH seat. Following the advice of folks on the chat room, I had added extra foam to the NH and also used a small black bathroom rug. This helped a lot, but the Concours is simply wider and more comfortable. The NH is lighter and easier to maneuver in an out of traffic. I was jockeying the Concours around my sloped driveway and it got away from me and I laid it down. I had to have my neighbor help me right it. This wouldn’t have happened with the NH. The NH is quieter. Maybe it is the fairing, but engine noises, wind noises, etc. are much more so on the Concours. In one of the pouches I found a new pair of ear plugs. They are needed. The Concours cruises at 70 with little effort, but I need to downshift to first to get up the hill to my house. With the NH, I could easily start out in second gear. Not with the Concours. At 70, the NH felt like it was really working. I expect it has a lot to do with gearing. Both bikes have shaft drive, dual front disc brakes, hydraulic clutches, four into two exhaust, and overhead cams. The Concours has a single rear disc brake. The Concours has really great hard saddlebags that are easy to remove and act as suitcases. I had inexpensive leather bags on the NH and they weren’t really waterproof. The NH would tell me what gear I am in, and the Concours does not. I prefer this with the NH. However, the Concours will start in any gear with the clutch engaged. This is great if a person stalls at an intersection. I put a highway bar on the NH with front pegs. This was really great on longer rides. The Concours has the same “curled leg” riding position as the NH (and the Gold Wing) and I have put front pegs on it. But, I find that I don’t use them as much as the NH. I think that it has to do with the seat and the height of the bike. So far, I have put over 2000 miles on the Concours and believe that I made the right choice—after the modifications. I loved the NH and would still have it if it were a little bigger. It is the perfect city bike. The Concours is a bit big for city riding but much better on the open road. Most of all, it is not a V twin. Whenever a V twin lopes by, I want to get out my wrenches and tune it up. I don’t do that with the NH or the Concours. So, again I thank you. You are a terrific group of enthusiasts and I will miss you. Paul can pull me off the list serve. I am listed with two addresses [email protected] and [email protected]. Good luck with your riding, Wayne in Bellingham, WA
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