equi
Parking Attendant
Posts: 4
|
posted October 17, 2006 06:32 AM
from the other side of the Atlantic: ZZR1400 impressions
hello everybody.
I am writing from Greece, I have been browsing this forum for some months and I would like to share with you people my impressions on my ZZR 1400 (ZX 14 for you) after about 1.300 km I covered on the bike with the modifications I made (the bike runs with the 2ndary flies removed, Brock's StreetMeg exhaust and PC3 with relevant street map loaded).
first of all, to my opinion, the bike is UNACCEPTABLE in it's stock form in the sense that throttle response is minimal with the 2ndary flies on, which is something many people here noticed but I consider emphasis upon that point is never enough!!!
In a few words: 2ndary flies transform the ZX14 into a 600 cc bike with ZERO throttle response when operating at engine revs below 6 - 7 thousand, something which I have never before encountered in my motorcycle life and which I would not hesitate to describe as dangerous under certain real life traffic conditions where instant acceleration is required...
The bike comes to Greece equipped with Bridgestone's BT 14s so I have no handling comparisons to make yet regarding different tyre brands (tarmac is pretty slippery here), I would just like to mention once more that the bike is screaming full of happiness now that the ugly (and unbelievably heavy) stock exhausts have been removed. Leaning the bike from side to side is a piss of cake now and the weight loss is more than welcome from the brake system as well...
after the above mentioned mods the bike reveals its true potential, allowing the driver to control the ride and "select" the pace at which he will move (which was clearly NOT the case with the 2ndary flies in the injection system).
despite the different kind of pump fuels we use here in Europe, Brock's set up works fine, the bike is a joy to ride either at 2 or at 11.000 rpm but in order to supply you people with real hp figures I would have to dyno the bike at a local tuner, which is something I do not intend to do in the near future.
concluding I would like to thank Brock and his stuff once more for the time and effort they have invested in their product and for their excellent after sales customer care but I must at the same time disagree with his estimation that the "no 2ndary throttle bodies" configuration is not for all riders / ZX 14 owners.
After all the bike owners are fully grown adults who are -at least!- aware of the fact that they purchased a 1400 cc bike and they should all have a minimal riding experience under their pants. I also consider the stock ZX14's wheelbase more than sufficient to cope with the increased "kick" down low in the rev band, especially if we consider the wheelbase figures and the geometry characteristics of the modern supersport literbikes like the GSXRs and the R1s... (I can nevertheless fully understand the reasoning behind Brock's statement considering his position in the ZX 14 market).
warm regards to all you people,
wish you all many happy miles on your bikes...
  
|
fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
|
posted October 17, 2006 08:11 AM
welcome aboard!~
____________
What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
|
flyboy
Pro
Posts: 1536
|
posted October 17, 2006 09:28 AM
As a new member you are required to supply a nice photo of youself, your bike surrounded by lovely Greecian women and an interesting Greecian background to compliment the photo. And welcome.
|
TeamSpeed
Expert Class
Posts: 449
|
posted October 17, 2006 10:59 AM
 Edited By: TeamSpeed on 17 Oct 2006 12:00
Welcome and please keep posting. Definitely agree with the pics of Greece and scenery!
I don't necessarily agree with your statement that fully grown adults with some minimal experience are driving these machines. It just isn't so, at least here in the states. The only thing that keeps these out of the hands of most teenagers is the price. Once the used 14s are hitting the sales floors, teens will own them and may God show grace amidst their stupidity. The low end torgue of having no flies coupled with the testerone (or estrogen in some cases) of somebody under the 20-ish range is a recipe for death.
However I agree that flies should not be there for the general populace, however, I also believe that almost all the engineering of this bike was designed by Kaw knowing that 1) we would figure it all out and 2) it would be easy to defeat/upgrade.
|
Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
|
posted October 17, 2006 11:01 AM
+1
|
Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
|
posted October 17, 2006 11:05 AM
Brocks support alone was worth the price of the pipe.
My bike is smoother than stock, Gen 3, no flys. And it does fly.
What a ride.
|
Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
|
posted October 17, 2006 11:25 AM
Equi,
Maybe Kawi did right with mapping. Avoiding lawsuits/injuries, bad press, etc.
Bike is very radical w/noflys, pipe, you must agree?
And such a quik/easy, economy mod. 2+ hours for me and friend, and I'm a bad wrench.
Gotta thank big K for all that don't we?
You can't hardly call the bike underpowered anywhere even stock can you?
9sec bike...heavy...and at least very user friendly?
|
famous1
Expert Class
Posts: 402
|
posted October 17, 2006 01:05 PM
quote:
Equi,
Maybe Kawi did right with mapping. Avoiding lawsuits/injuries, bad press, etc.
Bike is very radical w/noflys, pipe, you must agree?
And such a quik/easy, economy mod. 2+ hours for me and friend, and I'm a bad wrench.
Gotta thank big K for all that don't we?
You can't hardly call the bike underpowered anywhere even stock can you?
9sec bike...heavy...and at least very user friendly?
+1........
|
smokinZX14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
|
posted October 17, 2006 01:41 PM
Welcome to the zx14 site , we have some great people here....Pull up a chair and have a seat..........Smokin...
____________
Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
|
equi
Parking Attendant
Posts: 4
|
posted October 17, 2006 04:10 PM
well, that's what I call a warm welcome!!!
thank you all guys
regarding the pics flyboy you don't really need them, just arrange a visit to Greece next summer, I am sure you will love it!
I completely agree with you teamspeed about teens, we have the same problem here in Greece, many young guys die every year...
considering how smooth the bike is after the modifications I wonder how come people complain about the bike's drivability mano2.
still, where you have many people I understand you get many different opinions...
take care all you people
|
Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
|
posted October 18, 2006 06:54 AM
I gotta wonder too Equi....maybe the maps vary with different locations, altitudes, etc.
Mine's even easier to shift than stock.
|
BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
|
posted October 20, 2006 05:12 AM
Welcome aboard Equi, from another 14 rider on the Eastern side of the ocean. (UK)
|
14black
Expert Class
Posts: 280
|
posted October 20, 2006 07:25 AM
quote: first of all, to my opinion, the bike is UNACCEPTABLE in it's stock form.
AMEN! While I understand what Kaw was thinking, I hate having to pull the flies and re-map and the whole shibang. I had to spend wayy too much extra dough to get the low-end that I want/need, and I still have to (sometime down the road) dyno this bitch to get it perfect...come on Kawasaki - give us the full-fledged ZX14 out of the crate! Or at least dyno the ZX with every single aftermarket pipe situation with the flies out and email the fucking maps to the owners! GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, I'm done with my rant...
|
equi
Parking Attendant
Posts: 4
|
posted October 20, 2006 12:53 PM
hi there BobC!
one more thing I forgot to mention people, is how much cooler the engine runs after the derestriction process(!).
we have a really hot summer here in Greece and my bike really welcomed the mods!!!
|
Bently
Needs a life
2012 14r In Blue and no Mods!
Posts: 5428
|
posted October 20, 2006 02:04 PM
Welcome aboard! I work part time a dealership and see people buying bikes all the time they have no right riding yet. We have had zx10's gsxr1000's get wrecked as low as 234 miles and a gsxr 600 get wrecked in 14 miles.
|
BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
|
posted October 20, 2006 11:51 PM
quote:
hi there BobC!
one more thing I forgot to mention people, is how much cooler the engine runs after the derestriction process(!).
we have a really hot summer here in Greece and my bike really welcomed the mods!!!
That's something I noticed too. The standard system runs super-hot for the catalytic converter to work and the cooling fan was forever cutting in when in traffic. ( I've still got a burn scar on my leg from the exhaust ). As soon as I fitted the TiForce system it ran cooler, even before re-mapping when I would have thought it would be running weaker and therefore hotter. Go figure?
____________
Candy Thunder Blue 2006 ZZR1400
Stock wheelbase
Max: 205.4 mph in 1.25 miles
2012 ZZR1400 in Golden Blazed Green
Brock CT Full System. etc
Max: 203.1 in 1 mile (so far)
|
Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
|
posted October 21, 2006 04:22 AM
I was afraid to be around people, esp kids the pipes stayed so hot. Stock pipes w/cats were a hazzard.
Now it's too cool even running. Great.
I'm sure the bike runs a little cooler too right?
|
equi
Parking Attendant
Posts: 4
|
posted October 23, 2006 12:50 PM
quote:
Welcome aboard! I work part time a dealership and see people buying bikes all the time they have no right riding yet. We have had zx10's gsxr1000's get wrecked as low as 234 miles and a gsxr 600 get wrecked in 14 miles.
ok, bently!
to be honest, I had completely forgotten that part of the motorcycling market when I stated that the bike is unacceptable with the 2ndary flies in place (it is!!!)!
but, unfortunately, all modern bikes (600cc and above) can do the job with a hot tempered teen rider on board, don't you agree?
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC