Kawasaki ZX14..Who haz one??

I've rode a C-14 too. Really like to own a new black on black one, but just for a cross country ride.

The blue ZX 2012 is very nice!

I know everyone has told me that, but order to learn something is to just attempt to do it. I will let you all know just how it goes.

I have already taken the Motorcycle Safety Course and have had no trouble. However we learned on simple Honda 250 Rebel motorcycles. I am sure that I am ready for this bike. I will continue to post on this site to let you all know how I am doing with it.

Well, good luck is all I can say. This is a lot of bike for anyone. I've had mine since 2007. I'm still careful getting on the throttle, and you have to really watch your speed everywhere. It is unbelievably smooth at 160+mph. When a rebel is maxed out wide open in high gear the ninja is still trying to lift the front wheel in first. One finger on a brake lever is enough to lock the front wheel. Under hard braking the rear wheel gets light, and if you can't control a rear wheel locking up at speed you will wreck this bike. The weight of your foot is enough to lock the rear when you're hard on the front.

All of those reasons are why I love this bike, but they're also why it's a terrible motorcycle for anyone that doesn't have 20,000+ miles of experience IMO.

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It's a scary bike, amazing but scary. Not just the way too much power thing, but it's the smoothness that worries me..it likes to live at 150 kms plus and it gets there with no effort. It's a license eater for sure.
Like others have said, go easy it's a world away from the rebel you used in class.
On a good note you could probably ride it at street legal highway speeds using only the first two gears, just like in class.

Really watch yourself over 7k rpms....actually I suggest you keep it under 5k rpms, at least for a little while.
Good luck and pay attention...eyes up and look where you want to go because you're gonna get there pretty quick.

Why did you choose the ZX-14 is what I wanna know... Was it you and your buddies in a dick swinging contest? I hope not, it won't end well.

No not at all? I had checked many bikes before I settled on the ZX14R. I know that everyone would say that it is a foolish idea. In order to learn to do something you either have to get to it gradually by gaining experience or you can just get to it right away. I chose the get to it right away instead of building experience.

I can explain it this way. When I wanted to get into engineering school to study electrical engineering, I was told that I did not have the aptitude for such a difficult major. In the course of my studies I was put on academic probation and eventually dropped from the university because of low grades. I never gave up and I eventually graduated not with only a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, but with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. I will tackle the ZX14R with the same determination I had my education. I will ride the ZX14R and I will let you all know about it.

:huh Uh, OK.

Wow, cool story bro.

I got a mathematics minor...

Wow, the nanny patrol is out in full force. It sounds like you have a mature approach and you'll be fine. Good luck and enjoy, it's quite a docile machine if you treat it easy.

Unfortunately you will never learn what riding is truly about and will miss the essence of the experience. Go find a 50 cc scooter and ride the tits off it for a year and then graduate to a 125. Work your way up and you may find you'll never want a ZX14 but will be in love with riding which is a different thing altogether.

If you kill yourself on the ZX that's your business and I could care less. It's just a shame that you don't seem to understand what riding is about.

I get what you are saying JNRobert. It is the enjoyment of really learning how to ride and getting everything out of a bike. We all remember that bike or two starting out where you find yourself at apex torn between wanting to wring its neck just a little bit more while having the suspension and your skills maxed out. The thrill of the chase. Woodshedding and learning. Every time I think about adding a bike, it isn't to replace the connie. It's to get something lighter, smaller, with a motor I can fully use. Test rode a used zzr600 yesterday... what a rush. Honestly, I don't think many riders at all can get that from a zx14 on the street other than just blasting the straight aways. I know I can't.

Sammistad, enjoy the bike. Learn to ride. It won't bite back if you cruise in lower rpms. When you add a second bike to the stable, think of something like a ninja 650, sv, or something like that. Then you'll see another side to riding most experience on the way up. There is no substitute for power, and equally no substitute for getting everything out of a smaller motor. Riding a slow bike fast yada yada.

Just don't do anything stupid like get a ticket for going 130mph in a straight. No skill in that. Hell of a rush though ...

Thanks a lot. The ZX14R has two different riding modes. I will ride it in low mode until I have enough experience to ride it in high mode.

It just so happened that I did have a 50CC motor scooter (2009 Honda Metropolitan) that I had drove around for about two years until I sold it to a coworker for $400.00 this pass May. I already know how to ride in traffics and safely I might add. I feel that I am ready for the ZX14R since I will ride it on low mode.

A 50cc scooter is what, 4hp? A zx-14 on low is maybe 150 or so?

They should feel exactly the same.

*note- I made up the horsepower numbers. Doubt I'm very far off though.

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more pics, less whining.

Don't think I posted this yet.

Edit- deleted photo. Remember why I didn't post it earlier.

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Agreed. Here she is with a full titanium Akra installed.







It weighs about 8 pounds and sounds delicious.

Yep, I went w/the Ti Brock's SMEG. Excellence. It's even fairly fast...

Just sayin Hi.



Bike is raised back up a bit from those pics. Emblems are gone. ASV levers are on. The reflectors in the tail light and blinkers are now black.

I love my 2012 ZX-14R !