AI Damage2009 Kawasaki Concours 14: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 86% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 14% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (86% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Additionally no abs warning light illuminates. System has been checked by qualified technician, states all systems are good and the abs motor is defective.
Abs pump failure with no warning light. Rear brake lever froze up and does not depress making the rear brakes unusable
Rear brake locks and will not take any input to the pedal intermittently. Able to free it up or it does it by itself after a few minutes not riding it. Abs light is never illuminated front brake not affected can happen after five minutes of riding or upwards of an half hour 45 minutes.
And then smell like smoke. And all in a sudden. There was white or light bluish color. Covering all over me. This came out of the engine. And also my pipe. And the motorcycle had seized. When I had stop at the stop light. To make a left turn to go home. I had to start the motorcycle up again.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Concours 14 has 6 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (29%), smoke, burning smell, fire (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.