ZX14 test ride

[daddysbike]

I talked with the service manager at the shop I go to and he told me he just got a blue '07 ZX14 as a demo and said I can ride it if I want. Looks like I'm up for a fun ride!! Can't wait!!
He currently rides a ZX10 among others and said the ZX14 is one heck of a ride with power everywhere.


Steve

[FJRmgm]

you won't like it cause it's a Kawasaki..

Lucky bastage..

[Squareman357]

Coming off the VFR, I'll be interested in your take on the ZX-14.  Post up when you get done riding...

[Paul B]

My buddy has one with a Muzzy, PC... It is an awesome bike. Huge power, but really controlable. No front wheel loft, just goes real fast. Handles awesome, great brakes, comfortable enough for 500 mile days...  I really considered getting one. Really impresive.

Paul B

[CoolWhip]

The motor is absolutely buttery smooth and possibly the smoothest inline-4 to date.  Just remember to take the stock 14 out of the “fly restrictor zone“ .  The fun-factor really grows over 6K.    The restrictors can easily be removed if you wish .  Enjoy the ride!    

[keeptryn]

I sat on one about a week ago and was surprised as it seemed to fit me okay.  6'4", 36" inseam.  Also, I thought the riding posture would be more aggressive than it was.

[Farked Up]

Let's see .. the ZX14 for $11.6K .. or the 1098 for $15k?

I'll take the white one with the red flames!!!  

[Squareman357]

ACK!  You actually like that paint scheme?  Wow...well to each his own for sure.  Maybe I'm just not so flamboyant.  I like the more laid back solid color jobs.

[matkal]

My buddy has one with a Muzzy, PC... It is an awesome bike. Huge power, but really controlable. No front wheel loft, just goes real fast. Handles awesome, great brakes, comfortable enough for 500 mile days...  I really considered getting one. Really impresive.

Paul B

No front wheel loft???? I took one for a ride and had a hard time keeping it down.
Maybe when compaired to other high-power, but shorter wheelbase bikes?

[Squareman357]

No front wheel loft???? I took one for a ride and had a hard time keeping it down.
Maybe when compaired to other high-power, but shorter wheelbase bikes?

You can get it to loft when you feel like it, or when nailing it and banging the gears, but if you snatch the throttle and shift smoothly you'll just accelerate in rapid fashion...don't ask me how I know...

[blakebird]

No front wheel loft???? I took one for a ride and had a hard time keeping it down.

yeah...and everyone's a hero on the internet.

It's a long and low bike, anything that long isn't going to go way up in the air easily. Mine will keep the front wheel in a couple of inches of air under very hard acceleration in the lower gears, but I would hardly call it "hard to keep down". It does get your full attention.

Incredible bike though, once you get past the hp hype, it's really just very good at everything it was designed for. Mine accumulated just shy of 14k miles in the first 4.5 months, then winter slowed down the amount of miles I could do.

[Squareman357]

Incredible bike though, once you get past the hp hype, it's really just very good at everything it was designed for. Mine accumulated just shy of 14k miles in the first 4.5 months, then winter slowed down the amount of miles I could do.

Same here.  About 11K in the first 4 months and it's a great "do it all" kind of bike.  I love mine.  Looking forward to doing 20K in '07.

[matkal]

yeah...and everyone's a hero on the internet.

It's a long and low bike, anything that long isn't going to go way up in the air easily. Mine will keep the front wheel in a couple of inches of air under very hard acceleration in the lower gears, but I would hardly call it "hard to keep down". It does get your full attention.

Incredible bike though, once you get past the hp hype, it's really just very good at everything it was designed for. Mine accumulated just shy of 14k miles in the first 4.5 months, then winter slowed down the amount of miles I could do.

  I wasn't bragging. Quite the opposite I think. Rolling(kind of quickly, but not cracking) on the throttle in second at fairly low RPM,
revs and speed coming up, then, very unexpectedly, the front wheel came up (more than a couple inches)pretty quickly. If not hard to keep down, how would you describe it? It wasn't my bike and I didn't really want to wheelie it. Not in the first couple hundred yards anyway

[JoBu]

I talked with the service manager at the shop I go to and he told me he just got a blue '07 ZX14 as a demo and said I can ride it if I want. Looks like I'm up for a fun ride!! Can't wait!!
He currently rides a ZX10 among others and said the ZX14 is one heck of a ride with power everywhere.


Steve

Hey Steve,

Have you had a chance to ride it yet?  Curious as to what your impressions will be.  I simply loved it when I went on a demo ride last Feb.  Have fun!!  

Cheers,

Joe

[atadaskew]

Let's see .. the ZX14 for $11.6K .. or the 1098 for $15k?

I'll take the white one with the red flames!!!  

Wow, that one looks like something Mr. Staypuft would ride in West Hollywood...
Black one, however, is toight.

[UFO]

 



The pure black one does look very nice tho.

[Ian]

Unfortunately for the styling of the 14, I haven't seen a bike yet that isn't good looking in black.  

I could still own one, who cares what it looks like when you are on it.  But it got smacked by the ugly stick once or twice(in certain color schemes).  

[happybusa]

Black is the fastest color.

Pure,simple.
 

[Shimmer]

I am really fond of the styling. I am seriously thinking of trading my FJR on one of these. I saw one in the flesh the other day and it was stunning. Anyone traded an FJR on one of these? I would love to here comments on the difference in power and smoothness.

[UFO]

I'm considering moving from my FJR back to something more sporty, with supersonic capability...yet the ability to still tour.

The K1200S and ZX14 are in the running.  The K12S is nice, but I shy away from the price every time I add on all the juicy bits.  

[todao]

Well I bought an 06 blue three days ago and I'm in heaven.  

It's is smooth as hell, the gearbox is very slick; it's rock steady and very comfortable.  (I am coming from a CBR1000RR).  I can see doing high mileage once the good weather rolls around.  I big, beautiful bike and I haven't been this much in love in quite a while.  I think this bike will do just about everything well.  Even the twisties.  It's no RR but it handles very very well.  And unlike the RR, i can leave town for a couple weeks on it and still be able to walk when I get back.

[Avigar]

Are there any known heat issues with the ZX14, kinda' like the old FJR and ST1300?

[RedCBRRider]

I am really fond of the styling. I am seriously thinking of trading my FJR on one of these. I saw one in the flesh the other day and it was stunning. Anyone traded an FJR on one of these? I would love to here comments on the difference in power and smoothness.

Send a PM to CoolWhip.  He's had both.

[Nitro]

GOT A CHANCE TO RIDE ONE LAST FALL...HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!   AWesome machine., will be a #$%# on tires tho till one gets over the  urge to give her every  straightaway!    front end is light same as any hi powered bike..I never  do a hard run on any  new bike without being up over the tank... I got me a big suprise once  a few yrs back on a bandit and won't do that again...

..It wasjust as comfy as my vfr only a bit more go... to me it will be a perfect touring machine, I have no interest in the concours version whatsoever as a tanker in my eyes..this is the one!!
I hope everyone gets a chance to try this bike out, like it or not, it  is a experience...


I want one,

[Paul B]

No front wheel loft???? I took one for a ride and had a hard time keeping it down.
Maybe when compaired to other high-power, but shorter wheelbase bikes?

I was compairing it to the true sportbikes. I have owned an R1, Gsxr1000, GSXR750, CBR900RR, ZX-7... and compaired to those bikes where your constantly working on either keeping the front wheel down, or up when in stunt mode, it wasnt a problem with the ZX-14. I have also owned a Busa and found the front wheel it lofts toward the sky easier then the 14. Obviously anything with that kind of Hp can wheelie anytime you want, but for the Hp it has, it is really civilized for daily riding and sport touring. It is really a great bike, and though I like doing LD riding, I have not ruled out getting a 14. Kaw really did a great job with it and the power over 6500 rpm is addicting.

Paul B

[shah269]

OK all the power aside and the ability to go so fast as to arrive long before you left.
How is it in the corners? Any good?

[Squareman357]

OK all the power aside and the ability to go so fast as to arrive long before you left.
How is it in the corners? Any good?

A liter race rep she ain't, but for such a big bike she handles adroitly in the curvy stuff.  If you can ride, you won't be far behind the rest of the people on the smaller bikes and you'll more than make up the difference in the fast sweepers and straight stuff.  She's a GT, so don't expect race rep handling, but she'll outhandle just about all the rest of the big bore bikes in the twisties, large sport-tourers and other GT bikes alike.