RunningFree
Expert Class
Posts: 107
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posted May 16, 2006 05:01 PM
 Edited By: RunningFree on 16 May 2006 18:02
My 14 is telepathic
Well, now that I'm back (was in Moncton, NB), here are my thoughts after too few (dammit) kms put on the 14:
Please note that my previous bike was a 2002 VFR800 w/ABS. Unlike many of you, I have no prior experience on a hyper bike nor on a race track. I do have over 42000km - in 3 years - of touring in my back pocket, which include many trips up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway and Deal's Gap. Hence, my perspective and observations will probably seem to be coming from left field for the pure blooded, outright performance oriented individuals in this forum. Be forwarned!
... Oh! and FBA: Thanks for caring man. I'll pm you soon.
I'll jump straight to the conclusion: This bike is truly my childhood dream come true! I know that that sentence, and most of what you're about to read is very cliché, even Disney-esque, but it's the simple truth...
From as long ago as I can remember, I've wanted a motorised 2 wheeler. My first introduction to a motorcycle was when Denis Perron was thrown from his bike (brand and model unknown) after hitting O'neil Fortin's pickup - who had cut him off turning into his yard - and went crashing headfirst, without a helmet, onto the sidewalk. The bike was now half the length it originally was and O'neil's pickup was now facing in the right direction in the lane. Thankfully O'neil was drunk so he didn't feel a thing, not even shock. He slept through the sight of Denis' grey matter and blood all over his lawn (that's were Denis' body came rolling to a stop), his wife's screams, and after a while the ambulance and police. Don't quite remember what O'neil had suffered, if anything, but he recovered just fine. Denis, on the other hand, made his wife a widow...
I was 4 or 5 at the time. That day I was at my grandmother's place, just playing outside, about two houses down the street from O'neil's place. After the crash, I was quickly taken away from any sight of the gory scene. Although I suppose it was to protect me from any trauma, what I remember most is the not the crash or the silence that immediately followed or the wife's and neighbors' yelling and screaming and crying, but rather my grandmother's disgust at the whole event, and her telling my sister that motorcycles were dangerous and crazy... I was hooked!
Well that event made it impossible for me to get what I most dearly wanted some 8 years later: a Honda PA50 moped. It seemed that all my friends had one except me (I know, cliché again). After asking, imploring, pleading, pledging and begging, there was no question that my mother would never get me one of those crazy things! "Your friends can go and kill themselves if they want to but, I'll never, NEVER, buy you a motorcycle, or moped, or whatever else that has two wheels and a motor. And anyways, I don't have the money to buy you that." The money part was sadly true.
Not long after we moved from our dismal little town to the city. New town, new friends. And it just so happens that two of these have dirt bikes... Mom? "NO, No, NO and NO!" But mom... Well of course, we went riding anyway. I didn't have mine but, one of these two friends had quite rich parents, so he didn't mind lending his to me from time to time. I was careful with it. Only dropped it once around the old copper mines outside of town. It dropped 50 feet... Two new forks and a new wheel and tire later, we were back out there. But me no ride bike again for long time...
Anybody remember Top Gun? Who the hell doesn't? But who cared about the girl in the movie (Okay, so I would of liked a great deal to take "care" of her but, that's beside the point)? What mattered was the GPZ900R - and I suppose Tom Cruise - flying down the runway road at breakneck speed, trying to beat the jet taking off.. Now that's an emotional moment! That bike, and the imagerie, really stuck with me. From then on, I was sold to the Ninja, hook, line, and sinker. What brand was that? Oh, Kawasaki eh? Where can I get one? Yeah right, you're still in high school you idiot... No money, no candy. Don't even have a drivers license yet... Oh, fuck, how long do I have to wait...
Fast forward to 2001. After college poverty, a low paying job, a roller coaster ride of relationships, a shitty car, poor wages, a child, poor wages, a divorce, poor wages, child alimony, average wages, a condo, better wages, a new car, good wages, and motorcycle training courses, I finally got my first bike. It was about fucking time!!! There were a lot of bikes to chose from out there. I wanted to ride and travel far. I didn't want a cruiser. Didn't want a full fledged sport bike either: insurance costs were prohibitive and also, I couldn't imagine doing 700 to 1000km a day on one of those 600cc grasshoppers. Hmmm... Maybe a liter bike? The beauty of having life experience and having a relatively disciplined ego was what indicated that I wasn't ready just yet for a liter bike either. But God oh God is that ZX12R Heaven sent or what... So what bike for sport touring? ST1300? FJR1300? ZZR-1200? Too heavy and bulky... Kawi Concours? You've got to be fucking kidding... FZ1? FZ6? V-Strom? To upright and hated the looks.
Enter the VFR. Good looks but not a Ducati, good performance but far from a 12R, good handling but not an R1, comfortable but not a GoldWing, many aftermarket parts and luggage systems available. A compromise until I felt I had enough experience to move on to my dream - a ZX12R - or so I thought. It turns out, at every yearly motorcycle show, I looked at the 12R and drooled... What a bike! But when I sat on it, it was a different story... Unfortunately, the position was to extreme for the touring part in "sport-touring", and I didn't want to spoil the looks with handlebar risers or other mods. Not only that but luggage supports were harder to come by. What a disappointment. My dream vanished...
Then, early last year, I tried a Hayabusa on for size. Having sat on one at the motorcycle show, I knew it was comfortable. Also, my research indicated that there were a lot of aftermarket touring accessories available. I liked the looks of it, but no more than that. Like the VFR, I was not in love with this machine. Still, the promise of power, performance and good touring capabilities led me to convincing myself that THIS was the machine for me... Well, as I said, I tested one: Power was simply delicious - it makes a VFR feel like a scooter, handling was superbly precise and confidence inspiring, but the vibes... After one half hour, I HAD to bring it back to the dealer. My right hand was in REM sleep and my feet felt like they had been connected to a 25kV line for a little too long. Another disappointment. Well fuck it, what I really wanted was a Ninja anyway. But none suited my needs... Until NOW!
I've been unpatiently waiting for, longing for, drooling over the newest Ninja - the ZX14 - for SEVEN MONTHS NOW !!! I LOVE the looks of this bike: it commands respect just sitting there, immobile. The press material and manufacturer propaganda suggested, considering both the 12R and ZZR-1200 were disontinued, that this bike would offer the best of both the performance world and touring world. I was rubbing my hands together in joy and anticipation. And then: "It came to me, my Own, my Love, my Prrrecious"!
I immediately felt at home on this bike. It has the same wheel base as my VFR (2mm longer...); it's dry weight is 4kg LOWER than the VFR(ABS); the seating position is nearly identical also: reach to the handle bars and body inclination are the same, footpegs are a bit higher though; seat is as, if not more, comfortable. The overall finished product is superior to the VFR: be it the sturdiness of the subframe, the design and look of the handle bars, the slick, informative and efficient cockpit, brighter headlights, fully ajustable suspension (front and rear), etc., this bike is quite simply a statement of quality.
And where the Busa failed, the ZX14 shines. After an hour of riding, I have no numbness to complain about. With the secondary balancing shaft, Kawi have delivered on their promise of a silky smooth, well mannered engine. Coupled with an equally smooth, yielding and precise transmission, this is one sweet ride. Yes, I've noticed that below 5k RPM the bike doesn't snap to; and I'm all the better for it! It's mainly because of this behavior that my transition from the VFR to the ZX14 has been easier than anticipated. Braking capacity on this bike makes the VFR's braking seem on par with that of a car. And as far as handling goes, well, as I stated in the title of this post, the 14 seems telepathic. Just think of where you want to go and the 14 starts turning before you even start looking! What a delight. Unfortunately, with the weather we've been having of late, I haven't gotten the chance to get the bike properly broken in - only about 450km.
I have noticed a few things in the short riding period. First, any speed above 140kph requires you to lean into the windscreen or face an intense neck twisting workout. As others have stated, a higher windscreen is needed for touring purposes. Second, the BT014s handle magnificiently and stick like crazy; I had BT020s on the VFR, what a difference. Third, I've heard a lot of people complaining about low beam lighting. Mine does seem a little low also. But high beam seems a little high. And from what I've read in the owners manual, ajdusting vertical position of the headlight modifies BOTH high and low beam positionning simultaneously. I won't touch a thing for now. And finally, 0 to 260kph doesn't take very long...
That said, aside from the windscreen, the only other mod to the 14 forseeable for me is the addition of the centerstand. I know: what about lean angle? Well, I'll sacrifice a little of that to save from walking my bike up and down the boulevard to lube the chain. When far away from home, a centerstand is a gift. Maybe some bling later on, no hurry.
Well boys and girls, that's it for now. I'm not gonna be doin' any ridin' any time soon it would seem: FBA has somehow pissed off Mother Nature and she's pissin' all she's got in and around Montreal!
Have a great season y'all.
____________
2006 ZX14 Black
2005 SV1000S Red
2002 VFR800A Red(sold)
The best part of repentance is the sinning
  
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted May 16, 2006 05:09 PM
nice! 
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
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posted May 16, 2006 05:18 PM
Well RF...we knew last week this rain was comin...glad you managed to get your new ride and are enjoying it! Let's hook up when the sky clears up!
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FYYFF!!!
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VPN
Zone Head
Posts: 718
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posted May 16, 2006 11:05 PM
That's close to my story
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zx61114
Expert Class
Posts: 327
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posted May 17, 2006 01:40 PM
RF Nice write up. I also have a 2002 VFR and agree with your write up. I'm liking the power of the ZX anywhere, anytime. The VFR does a little better in the wind, rear brake departments. Oh yea the SSS is also going to be missed, but all is forgotten when I twist the throttle. The ZX handles better than the VFR so it will be more fun at Deals Gap (I'm planning a trip next weekend).
Rob
VFR 83,635 miles
ZX-14 1,928 miles
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swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted May 17, 2006 04:51 PM
Great post! Thanks for your thoughts.
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