Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
posted September 25, 2005 03:18 AM
Edited By: worm~hole on 25 Sep 2005 04:24
...c'mon, Kawasaki!!!!... After reading the specs of the ZX-14, these are my humble opinions
1) Why STILL no digital speedo/analog tach? You'd think that for a street bike, the digital speedo is the best method for data aquisition/comprehension. It could possibly spare the rider the grief of a speeding ticket because he/she doesn't have to squint to decifer his/her indicated speed.
2) Who thinks of these bodywork designs? I guess a quasi-tear-drop shape is mostly efficient aerodynamically, but who wants to be seen riding a tear-drop shape on the street? Look at the Duc 916 or MV F1000. Or Kawasaki's own ZX-10. Or Yamaha's R1. Beautiful shapes. Beautiful to look at. Beautiful to be seen riding on. In the end, the majority of buyers/riders want awesome and achingly beautiful asthetics.
3) Always offer a black colored bodywork option. Black is baaaaad. Makes riders feel badASSmotherfucker....even if they're not. Black ALWAYS sells.
4) Give up absolute top-speed bragging rights and its proven shapes for beautiful slower shapes that are mostly ridden on the streets. No one except the fringe land-speed lunatics (and I mean that in an endearing way for you speed freaks ) are willing to ride an fugly-ugly bike on the street. These ARE street bikes, right?
5) How difficult would it be to make the foot controls and handlebars adjustable to suit a variety of riders? A few holes here, a few holes there, presto chango, decent ergos for you and me.
6) Never forget the "face" or shape of a bike. The face and shape is everything. Its the first thing most of us look at....and remember.
7) Kawasaki...change out your focus group next time design or redesign a bike. Ask the enthusiasts at bikeland.org for input, for instance. Its sorta obvious that most of us think you've lost your asthetic focus with the ZX-14. The power is good (as it usually is with a Kawasaki), but the asthetics are killin' most of us. There's no 'mean, green, fighting machine' look with this bike. It looks fat and disturbed.
8) I can't draw worth a shit to make the bike look better, but I can tell you what appeals to me.
____________ “We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
posted September 25, 2005 05:44 AM
The ZX-12 was out-sold by the ugly ass Busa because of speed.
There is ( imo) no better looking bike than the 04-05 ZX-10r but the other
manufacturers with thier underseat exhaust and analog tachs have faired
better? What is Kawa to do? Stay loyal to it's constituency, or loyal to it's
company profits?
I am a Kawasaki fan and am pleased in the company's direction.
It's attention to detail, fit and finish and all out, sheer performance!
I believe that the 06' ZX-10r and ZX-14 have the chance to go down in
history as two of the all time greats in motorcycling history.
If they don't live up to my expectations this coming year, I will be totally
disappointed.
____________ ''The angle of my dangle is inversely proportional to the heat of my meat''Will Ferrell
posted September 25, 2005 05:59 AM
These are my thoughts exactly. This bike will sell out fast regardless of what some think . Overall it's a MONSTER and will be widely accepted as such. There will surely be other models in the future with this motor ,like a nakid bike maybe? I could ride it 'till something prettier comes along. I don't think it's ugly at all , but then again, I have a V-Strom that looks wicked to me.lol.
posted September 25, 2005 07:02 PM
Actually a needle type speedometer is more easily interpreted by the brain than a digital speedo. Simply seeing the position of the needle relays a fairly accurate sense of speed to the rider....
posted September 26, 2005 10:10 AM
Hey Wormy, the kawasaki web site is showing a black ZX-14 on it.
____________
Dan
04 ZX10r (Track only)
08 Concours14
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posted September 25, 2005 03:18 AM
Edited By: 
) are willing to ride an fugly-ugly bike on the street. These ARE street bikes, right?
posted September 27, 2005 02:20 PM
