quote:

---

cntrhubzx-14



Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 76


PostPosted: Mon May 15, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject: Fairing-less ZX-14 Reply with quote
This bike to me is no more than buying a utility knife. I don't use this bike for sport, but for (as I'm slowly finding out) a surprisingly mild physical exercise machine, and specifically used for errands. That's it.
I have to be careful about weight. You'd think nothing about picking up a watermelon and placing it in a shopping cart. I don't have that luxury anymore.
That's why the drop in weight on the 14. I won't hi-jk LLSurfer's "List your firsts" thread by answering some of your questions. Let me do it here, and explain how beautiful the layer is on the 14.
I never rode this bike. I started removing as much as possible first thing. Every piece removed was either a plastic piece or a small bracket/hanger... that's it!
The layer (complete fairing components) was simply removed. The beauty of this bike is simplicity. It took no more than 4 hand tools to remove all these parts!

What you might contemplate thinking about doing for yourselves is how well you want to preserve your panel finishes when it comes time to have a major (as in - valve adj.) service done to the bike?... catch your breath.

Quite a bit of fairing will be removed trying to gain access to the valve cover, and other (sync) components. How careful the service dept. is with your ride is always vulnerable to cleanup scratches - bumping up against - accidentally dropping and/or something dropping onto - being around harsh liquids in the shop environment, and the list goes on. The point being your confidence that someone will care as much about your bike as you. Here is where you could take a few hand tools and present the service dept. with a stripped down 14 ready for servicing. Maybe you could work a more reasonable bill having the panels removed? I know the valve cover will be one PITA come time to set valve clearances. If I were on the retail end where I'd have to pay... I'd fear seeing the flat rate time to set the valves on this puppy!

First tech that does a service on this bike (hopefully not yours) will not be a happy camper. How well, or how fast your panels go back together won't really matter at this point. They (the tech) are going to lose their shirt on this (major service) big time. There is a large rubber heat mat/blanket covering the engine. Gaining access to the valve cover will be a challenge. Let me put it that way; Patients will be taxed.

Help your bill, help your tech, help keep the scratches off the panels....learn to remove them. Better YOU drop the parts, and scratch things up. If you're careful, nothing will happen.

Sears, Snap-On, or any other type mechanics truck "tooling" around town can set you up. All you need is a 1/4" drive ratchet, a few 1/4" extensions, 2- 1/4" drive size 4 and 5mm hex head tips, and an 8 and 10mm 1/4'' drive socket. That's all you need to remove the panels. Present the bike (panel-less) to the mechanic this way. Hopefully, the rest to look forward to (maj serv) won't be as bad for the tech, or your wallet.

Back to the ugly ducking... I'm building a "Utility" bike for specific needs. The bike does not resemble a crashed out streetfighter. I never threw the bike away. Did I ever have a 3,200 to 4K stumble? I don't know? I lit the bike off air cleaner-less, and haven't felt it at all?... the stumble is now up at 7,000. More testing is needed. I may have to start from scratch.

---