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Correct..there isn't.

The bike doesn't meet Euro 4 emissions requirements

Much the same as I had heard from a couple of dealers as I was shopping round. It seems that in future your Kawasaki will be one of three sub-brands; Ninja, Z or Versys.

The GTR is being "rolled through" 2017 which I am guessing means shifting any existing stock, the process is probably speeded up by the dealers pre-registering and offering deals like the one I picked up on.

Is it gone for good? Well they have managed to make the ZZR1400 compliant to the latest emissions standards and I would have thought that there was enough in common with the two engines and fuelling systems to be able to achieve the same with the GTR. Perhaps the problem is with the exhaust / catalyst. If so maybe there could be a twin pipe system fitted to the GTR which is the one thing I would really like - more for cosmetic reasons than any other.

It was emissions standards that killed off one of my other bikes, the Suzuki GSX1400. Owing to the Euro * regulation name there was a bit of EU bashing that went on in the GSX forum, but it was not Brussels but the USA standards that were too challenging and did for it in the end. In spite of what some people think I'm afraid that even outside the EU we will still be affected by the regulations in the world's biggest market places.

I rest my case 

Excellent! I can't believe you took the trouble to find that

Isn't the World Wide Web a wonderful thing? I could have just sat at home and watched the video a few times and saved myself twenty quid in fuel – but no, on reflection I'd rather have had the run on the bike.

There's a whole world out there for me to explore; where next? Scunthorpe, Coventry, Luton? As long as there are some decent A roads leading on, I'm happy.

Just to prove I do go to some more (slightly) exotic places have a look at these if you have time:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/albums/72157649641434957

The first big trip on the GTR is already in planning.

Thanks gents,

I'll spend a bit more time getting to know her before splashing cash, as you all say a couple of tweaks at most if really necessary. For now I have ordered a second cradle and power cable for my Garmin Zumo and that will do it for this month. (oh, perhaps another permanent lead for my trickle charger).

Always raining in Wales? Not true, 27/09/15 was OK and I seem to remember there was a day in 2013 as well.

And why would anyone want to go to Runcorn? Well, setting aside the fact that it has a promenade, there I days that I am just happy to ride until the moment it is time to turn around -wherever it may be. Sometimes those days can be as good as aiming for a particular place. It's not the destination, it's the journey that counts

Here's another quick picture after I washed her off and the sun finally hit her and another one showing her with her stable-mates.

As I had hoped, yesterday turned out to be my first chance to get a proper run out on my new GTR, so I thought I would share with you my first impressions.

Big isn't it?

First job when I opened the garage door was to remount the top case which I had had to take off to allow the garage door to shut when I first brought it home. Although taking it off was easy enough I could not get it to re-engage until the wife came out of the kitchen and applied a bit of downward pressure from the inside of the case whilst I operated the button on the catch. Perhaps it is the newness of it all, but if it requires a pit crew following me round to put it on I will be looking to avoid taking it off regularly.

The weather forecast suggested that there would be rain over Wales and to the East of England so it was a choice between north and south. In the end I decided I would have a run up to the Raven Café at Prees Heath near Whitchurch. Out from home toward Bridgnorth I had a play with the screen height to try and find the optimum position and once the onrushing air was pushed above my visor I was a little surprised that there was a bit more wind noise around me than I expected. A glance down at the speedo showed that the problem was that I was doing 70 and not 50 as I had imagined; the bike was definitely more smooth and sprightly that I had given it credit for.

Brignorth led to Telford, then Newport and on to the A41 and north Shropshire. These out of season rides can be among the best as there are not too many Sunday Drivers clogging up the roads, there are some nice clear stretches ahead of you and even keeping the revs below 5K whilst running the bike in there is loads of power to hand for some overtaking. With bright sunshine throughout I reached the Raven Café and contemplated my next move over a cup of tea.

There seemed to be loads of A49 ahead of me and I did not want to turn home yet, I was enjoying myself too much. I pointed the front wheel toward Warrington (at least, I think I did; not ever having had a bike with a fairing in front of me before I am still not used to the cockpit staying ahead of me and the front tyre doing mysterious things on its own, never the less it seemed to go where I expected it to at traffic islands).

Toward Warrington I began to see signs for Runcorn. I had never been to Runcorn and it seemed perfectly sensible to go and have a look – I still did not want to go home. Heading in to the town I saw a sign for the Promenade; that sounded too good to miss so down I went to the banks of the banks of the Mersey and took in the sight of the bridge from below. Having got through the customary cigarette I thought that now was probably the time for a souvenir photo of the bike with the bridge behind it. I have a LowPro rucksack that is designed to carry my DSLR camera, alternative lens and accessories and I am used to being encumbered with this on my back whilst riding, it was great just to be able to pluck it out of the top case of the GTR. There was blue sky to the east of me and blue sky to the west but overhead was cloud, I lit up again and waited for the sun to strike the bridge and bike – it never happened. In the end I took a quick snap and got back on the bike. There was a bridge up there that was begging to be ridden over, even if it was in the wrong direction for home and it looked like it was threatening a shower at the very least ....

The other side of the bridge is a major civil engineering site with underpasses and flyovers under construction to link with a new bridge across the Mersey. There are also lots of incomprehensible signs that can hopelessly confuse the novice GTR rider and I spent fifteen minutes or so circling the various earthworks and unintentionally viewing them from various different directions. Time was now no longer on my side, as usual I had got carried away with riding for no other reason than the pleasure of it and I decided that this desolate landscape around Widnes would have to go down as the climax to my trip and I turned the bike southwards and back over Runcorn Bridge.

Picking up my route back southwards my backside began to comment on the chaise lounge that Kawasaki have fitted to the GTR as a seat. It' OK, but perhaps not quite as comfortable as my Suzuki GSX1400 or the old Z1300. It is certainly better than the Z1000 though, my nether regions would have been screaming by now. Perhaps I am being a little unfair as I had by now done about 120 miles without many significant breaks.

Inevitably the dry day that the BBC had promised me petered out and there were one or two showers on the remainder of the ride back. Another tinker with the screen height showed that I could keep the wet stuff off me completely but at the expense of the top edge of the screen cutting across my vision. It is a bit like I would imagine wearing bifocal glasses would be, a little disconcerting but something that I will no doubt get used to and certainly better than being cold and wet.

Speaking of cold; as befits an early March day when the sun is going down I was beginning to feel it. The heated grips came into their own now and I was grateful for this new little luxury. The last 20 miles or so began to show slightly in my back. The riding position on the GTR seems a little more forward than my other bikes but I don't want to be unfair to it; I had been riding for several hours and I think the last one or two I had tensed up a little knowing I was on an unfamiliar bike on damp roads. Equally it was the first ride of this distance since last autumn and I also have to consider the fact my constituent body parts seem to work less well each year I get older.

Having said to my best beloved at around 10:30 in the morning that I was "going out for a couple of hours to put a few miles on the bike" I sneaked home under cover of darkness at about 18:00 and put my new charger to bed. I got The Look from the wife, but I don't think she was really surprised, having been married for over thirty years she is used to me disappearing on a bike from her life for indeterminate periods.

A hot bath and some proper clothes saw me right; I'd had a really good day with the bike and I'm looking forward to more to come. The thing is going to need a damned good clean today though.........

Interesting stuff. Being new to the bike I was wondering what to expect on economy and range (although if it was really a big issue I would have checked it out before buying the bike!)

I think I got 51.5mpg on my one and only ride so far which was largely motorway with a bit of East London congestion thrown in. That was keeping the revs under 5k for running in and I expect economy will improve as the engine loosens up a bit.

I used to be able to count on 160-180 out of a tank full when two-up touring on the GSX1400, do you think the GTR will match or better it?

Good to hear and glad you are enjoying it.

I picked mine up three weeks ago and apart from a boring motorway run from the dealer in London up to the Midlands I have not had chance to have a "proper" ride yet.

Tomorrow is looking reasonable though so I bet you and I will both beheading out to our respective favourite local loops 

Today I took a day of work and finally made the journey from the West Midlands down to east London to pick up my new baby.

First impressions are good although it was just a 160 mile motorway grind, and a good chunk of that was in the dark. February is not a good time to collect a new bike but it wasn't too bad and those heated grips came in for a bit of use.

I'm really looking forward to an afternoon on proper roads sometime soon.

Photo here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/32844937766/in/photostream/

Pete.

Hello from a fellow Newbie........

welcome to the forum  Pete, just to repeat there aren't any daft questions, so dont be afraid to ask, there is a wealth of experience and knowledge available on here so your bound to get help and an answer,  its almost certain that you'll also enjoy  plenty good banter too

What colour bike did you get ?  Maybe post some pictures when it arrives

I know what you mean about the exhaust on one side only, it is possible to change this system for a twin pipe Muzzy set up, however its a fairly costly conversion

Anyway  good luck with the bike and maybe you will be able to attend our annual meet in North Yorkshire this summer, details of which are in the ride out section          

Cheers OC,

It is the metallic slate blue that is heading my way although the dealer has advised that they are short of the colour matched panel for the top box and it will have to follow on.

Thanks for the tip on the Muzzy, I was not aware of a dual pipe after-market option; I'll take a look and if it looks good I will see about selling one of my kidneys or something.

Hi Rynglieder and welcome to the madhouse I mean forum .
There are no idiot questions on here but they may be answered by an idiot   

Enjoy the bike and forum Pete.
I am also in Stourbridge so when work/ weather  permits we can meet up .

Yes, looks like we could be from the same part of Stourbridge as well - I'm certainly up for a meet up and run out at some point, hopefully I will get the GTR under me within a week or so but a family holiday in the Alps is going to wipe out the next couple of weekends. I suspect that by the time I have run it in it could be March!

Pete.
Z1300s are awesome. I put 105k miles on my z1300/6 DFI.
Do ya still have it? I sold mine and still regret it.
The GTR is as smooth as the big Z and way more powerful.
Enjoy!

Yes, I've still got the old hippo, here she is on a little run we did out to Pershore last autumn: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/29588185323/in/album-72157673674286692/

(Sorry about the external link, I have not worked out how to upload photos on here yet!)

I don't know if it is of any use, but Croatia was my 2016 summer trip on my GSX1400.

Trip report on GSX1400.org is here: http://www.gsx1400.org/gsx1400_board/index.php?/topic/57966-2016-tour-to-croatia/
Or if you just want to look at the pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/albums/72157669417481055

Enjoy the journey.

Pete.

Hi trophyrider.

I did this on my GSX1400 in 2014 (Trip report):
If you just want the pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/albums/72157644528349038

I hope it is of help, if you need any detail drop me a message.

Enjoy your trip and stay safe.

Pete

(Edit; link to trip report deleted as the old GSX1400.org forum went down and was never revived by the moderators as they seem to have lost interest).

I'm totally new here and have not even taken delivery of my GTR yet (next week or two  ) but would be up for this sort of thing if you can get another date together.

Stay safe.

Pete.

Hello to all....

I've just watched the money disappear from my bank account in the direction of a dealer for the purchase of a new but pre-registered 2016 Grand Tourer, so I thought I had better gatecrash your forum as there will doubtless be many idiot questions to ask of you.

The bike is not actually in my hands yet, hopefully I will be able to pick it up over the next week or two but it was important to get the money out of our joint account before wifey spent it all on cushions again.

In 1983 I purchased a brand new Z1300A5, I was told "you may as well have the best one you can get as it will be the last new bike you ever have". She was right for 20 years – with the kids then grown up and the mortgage under control I wanted something newer and purchased a Suzuki GSX1400 as in 2003 it looked the best Old School bike around. There have been no regrets with the big Zook; it has now taken me through no less than 14 European countries in recent years. In 2009 I was starting to take the odd run out with a group of friends on their little Plastic Bullets and I fancied something a bit more agile so I bought a Z1000. The Zed is a great little bike but very uncomfortable on the backside after anything over 80 miles.

Most of the big mileage I do these days is touring and I have been eying up the GTR for some time. Decent fixed luggage and a fairing will be most welcome although the fact that it only has an exhaust pipe on one side has been off-putting – I know, it's a personal thing.......

I suppose that I should confess that I have never quite grasped the concept of Part Exchange and I still have all the above bikes in the garage. This is what will hold up the collection of my new steed, a grand chucking out session is currently underway in a desperate attempt to find some space for her.

Looking forward to the first ride and if there are any Midland riders who are happy to run at a sensible pace it would be good to hook up.

Stay safe.

Pete.