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JamminJere · 06-30-2007, 06:14 AM

08CC14,

Don't be discouraged... check out part of this thread from a senior COG member in CA.

Posted - 06/28/2007 : 13:58:06
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Okay, I just got back from the "spy mission".

I found the official Kawasaki Press Demonstration site and it was NOT where I was led to believe it was.

Here's the story:

I split from work about 10:30 feigning a dentist appointment and hit the freeway towards Santa Rosa Avenue and Northbay Motorsports. I get there and NUTHIN'. I walk in, nobody's there out of the ordinary. I snag the sales manager and grill him. He's clueless. He surmises it could be in some hotel because Kawasaki has done this before. He's not hiding anything but knows less than I do about this thing.

I walk out pretty dejected thinking I'm on a wild goose chase here. Then I think, there's probably only two likely hotels that this could be at. One is the Flamingo, Santa Rosa's most famous hotel. But that is way up on the northeast side of town, no easy way to get there from where I am. The next place is the brand new Hyatt hotel and convention center.

I'm in luck since the Hyatt is right along the freeway on my way back to work. I hit the freeway north and traffic slows me down giving me time to look down at the Hyatt as I pass it. Sure enough, there is a big Kawasaki semi-truck there with a big awning, flags, etc.

I jump off the freeway and backtrack to the hotel parking lot and these are the pictures of what I found.

There are indeed 15 C-14 Concours here strictly for press dmeonstrations. The only people at the semi were a factory rep and a mechanic. The rep was real nice, told me what he could about everything.

I told him I was a scout from the Concours owners group, and could I be seen as a free lance reporter for the organization and thusly a member of the press that would possibly allow me to take a test ride? A very polite but emphatic NO followed. I didn't press the issure any further.

Here's what I did learn. Production C-14's began to roll into US warehouses this past Tuesday, the 26th. They are going out countrywide, not specific to any locality. They are on a maximum effort to get as many to dealers as they can the quickest that they can. No numbers, dates or places just generalities.

This press demo is for the press only, no public participation at all. There were 9 Concours out on various evaluation rides at the time I was talking to this guy. Yesterday was a large group ride on a prescribed course (this is where I saw them all southbound on 101). This week has been a variety of special events, planned group rides and individual rides.

He said only 9 were out right now since the writers are facing deadlines and many of them are back in their hotel rooms feverishly writing up reports. He said we should see them in print soon since the deadlines are looming right now. He could not tell me which publications are being represented even though I asked him in several different ways. I would be almost certain that all the big boys are here but I have no information to substantiate that.

I related to him that there were many frustrated potential C-14 buyers that are tapping their feet waiting for Kawasaki to come through on this bike and some have jumped ship to other sport tourers out of frustration. He was aware of this (as well as being very well aware of COG and the forum) but could offer no further information than that. He would not give me his name or business card since he hinted that our conversation should be considered somewhat "off the record". I did tell him exactly what I was going to report to the COG forum and asked him if he was okay with it and he said no problem.

But I could tell he wasn't telling me anything that hadn't at least been told to the press as official announcements.

We had a very, very good and cordial conversation, a few yucks and a good dialog. I didn't want to overstay my welcome so I took a few pictures and buzzed off.

So I went from bust to boom in about ten minutes.

If there are any questions I can try to answer, fire away, I'm sure I forgot something. And, oh yeah, my tooth feels better too.

JMHO

Dan

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Bergmen Engineering, Inc. Web Site
Pictures of ZGRX 1200 Concours Project
*Ukiah, Collie-For-Knee-Ya (it's not the end of the world but you can see it from here).
*2003 Concours "Shinpai-nai"
*COG #5478
*AMA #922577

They are out on the trucks to get initial orders to all dealers before allowing large orders.. So if you're dealer is snoozing... find one thats wide awake!

See you on the road,

Jerry