Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 28, 2006 06:30 AM
Back from 14 test ride
Mechanical poetry...so beautiful. 
The bike I took out was brand new, as in 0 miles on it (red one).
The first 6 miles or so was really awkward for me due to the change in riding position from the 10...much more relaxed. Once I got used to it and assumed the armchair position I started to enjoy the ride more. 
Engine is very smooth in the lower revs...did not really have the opportunity to nail it; traffic, wind, and 'course my conscience preventing me, seeing as the bike has not properly been broken in yet. I did manage to get a gap and nail it once through 2 ndand 3rd gear, taking it up to about 11k I think - it does pull hard, but I have to be honest and tell you guys that in my opinion it does not seem to pull any harder than my 10 does...perhaps it will once its been broken in, but not "out of the box".
The 14 obviously produces a lot more torque than my 10; very nice around town and going uphill. The 14 engine also has that same "electric" element associated with than the 10's, but does not have the "frantic" acceleration of the 10. The 14 seems to pick up speed in a much more linear fashion. I'm sure that if you nail it off the line then its frantic all the way , but rolling on, the power pretty much just piles up without any afterburner effect.
Lean angle was one of my primary concerns; for road riding there seems to be no problem. Took it round a nasty hair pin both uphill and down hill (pretty steep one) and it seemed fine. That said, I think chances are pretty damn good that I'll end up scraping the pegs on the 14 before long (having gotten used to the amount of lean available on the 10).
In summary, the way I see it the 14 gives you a nice relaxed riding position and smooth ride, encouraging longer distance riding - but it still has the ability to hang with the litre bikes (ala F-16's) if the road allows it. Personally I would not go looking for trouble with a Gixxer on my 14 without some decent aftermarket pipes, a PC and a few miles on it...my ego may just get hurt. But...that said, trust me when I say the guy on the gixxer will hurt *a lot* more than you after a few 100 miles of riding; he'll be taking a lot more vibration and strain through his body than you would on the 14.
Anyway, just some of my first impressions; I have placed my order for a 14, I'm sold on the bike.
Still negotiating on whether I'm going to take a 06 or an 07 model (some decal changes and bam the price goes up by 10%!).
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Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
  
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shawnski
Pro
Posts: 1809
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posted October 28, 2006 06:39 AM
whose bike was that you test ride?
glad to see you like it.
my opinion i would get a 07 vs. 06 unless you get a hell of deal on 06.
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kawasaki_rick
Zone Head
Posts: 512
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posted October 28, 2006 06:55 AM
A 14 accelerates way harder than a 10. Put the bikes next 2 each other and see. It just seems like that it doesnt. I thought the same thing.
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 28, 2006 08:12 AM
shawnski - It was the dealership's 14. They were battling to get hold of a demo 14 for me over the last few weeks and this morning when I walked in there the owner offered that I take out one they had on the floor. This is the 5th bike I've bought from them in the last year so you could say I have a fairly good relationship with them.
kawasaki_rick -  I'm going to have to take your word for it...I rode the two back to back (drove to the dealership with my 10) and it was quite a rush for me to get on the 10 after the 14, the 10 felt faster to me, no doubt; but I'll believe you cause you've obviously tried it or seen it happen, and agreed that the 14's power delivery feels very linear...it could very well be accelerating a lot faster than I realized. You know what its like when you spend so little time on a new bike, too much information to process...and especially with the 14 you have a lot of hype and expectations floating around in the back of your mind with everything the press has said to what you've read in the forums etc.
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Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted October 28, 2006 08:17 AM
 Edited By: fish_antlers on 28 Oct 2006 09:18
you'll have no prob getting a knee down on the 14....
http://www.bikeland.org/board/viewthread.php?FID=27&TID=26338
Actually a little easier in some ways than the 10R....
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 28, 2006 08:21 AM
Wow fish! That is VERY impressive. Are those with the standard rear sets?
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Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted October 28, 2006 08:23 AM
14 is bone stock.
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 28, 2006 08:27 AM
Respect!
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Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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Phytrax
Zone Head
Posts: 526
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posted October 28, 2006 11:17 AM
Edited By: Phytrax on 28 Oct 2006 14:54
I've only scraped my pegs a few times, pretty solid as long as you don't drag them across the yellow line. Those painted lines are slick, at least they are around here. I even drug the pegs with my Corbin bags.
I had a lot of trouble handling my 14 on some switchbacks at first. The guy I was riding with was on a CBR1000 so we were SCREAMING down some 2 lanes mind you (not very smart, won't try it again). I think it was the soft suspension causing the bike to be unstable under hard conering. The back end seemed like it wanted to wobble if I tried to throw it around. Since then I've cranked up the preload on the front and back and the bike feels a lot more stable.
I had no problem pulling away from the CBR, especially if I kept my RPM's up. I think a big reason the 14 feels slower is the quiet, low vibration engine and softer suspension. For instance, when I'm on my KLR650, 95mph feels like about 160mph does on the 14.
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Concourse14- Corbin Seat, Candy Apple Red Paint, Area P Slip-On
RIP+ZX-14- Brock's Gen3, Heli Risers, Corbin Bags, Corbin Seat and Oval Backrest (Burgandy Snakeskin and black alligator), Muzzys Frame Sliders, flies out, 18t front sprocket, PC3, Puig Double Bubble, Pirelli Diablo Strada's
KX450F - kickstand
>>> MySpace --CLICK-- <<<
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GUNNER
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted October 28, 2006 12:19 PM
The CBRs I've seen on the dyno do well to pump out 135Hp. Sad very sad.. The 14 won't pull my 175Hp ZX10 like it does that Honda.
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Phytrax
Zone Head
Posts: 526
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posted October 28, 2006 01:09 PM
I kinda thought the new CBR's pulled very close to the Gxxrs. He had Yoshimura exhaust too, but i don't know what else.
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Concourse14- Corbin Seat, Candy Apple Red Paint, Area P Slip-On
RIP+ZX-14- Brock's Gen3, Heli Risers, Corbin Bags, Corbin Seat and Oval Backrest (Burgandy Snakeskin and black alligator), Muzzys Frame Sliders, flies out, 18t front sprocket, PC3, Puig Double Bubble, Pirelli Diablo Strada's
KX450F - kickstand
>>> MySpace --CLICK-- <<<
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
Posts: 13081
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posted October 28, 2006 01:16 PM
The red one will getcha every time 
Wait till you try one without flies
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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GUNNER
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted October 28, 2006 02:17 PM
Edited By: GUNNER on 28 Oct 2006 15:37
quote:
I kinda thought the new CBR's pulled very close to the Gxxrs. He had Yoshimura exhaust too, but i don't know what else.
Not even close from whay I've seen myself. They are a very good handleing bike and can be fast in the corners in the right hands. But when the road gets strait they show how much power they don't have. Granted Honda is very capable of building a powerful motor and in fact maybe more power than anyone. Just look at what they do world wide in any racing series they enter.. BUT for some reason unknown to most men they won't build a rocket class liter bike that's for sale to the public..
The Gixxer is a very fast SOB! I'll say that much and I hate the damn things 
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fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
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posted October 28, 2006 03:24 PM
" have to be honest and tell you guys that in my opinion it does not seem to pull any harder than my 10 does...perhaps it will once its been broken in"
It doesn't at the low end, until you pull the flies out...then it's all over for the 10...I have them both with flies removed on both...there's no comparison from idle all the way up...sad to day, the 14 runs circles around the 10...like you, I didn't use to think so and laughed when guys were saying that they took out gixxers in roll ons from 4k up (you really can't in stock trim), but as soon as you pull the flies, it's bye bye 10...
If however, you started at 6K instead of 3-4 on both (in stock trim), the 14 would walk the 10 easily...but not from lower RPM's, until you do the mod. It's night and day with the flies removed...
I'd love to see and CBR catch a Gixxer...only way I can think of is if you put a 350LB rider on the Gixxer and 130 LB rider on the CBR, or the Gixxer rider can't ride. The K5/6 is the fastest liter bike of the 4 Jap bikes...bar none. It runs 9's stock...CBR runs mid to high 10's at best (IMO).
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FYYFF!!!
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 28, 2006 11:56 PM
Wow, can't wait to feel the difference with the flies out then...it must be a missile!
Reflecting on yesterday's ride I wanted bounce a few questions off you guys:
- How do you find the vibration on the bike in the higher rev's? The bike felt silky smooth to me in town at lower rev's, but I recall vibration higher up the dial, even all the way through the mirrors...or perhaps it was my eye-balls! - Any thoughts on this from guys that frequently cruise at high speed?
- Stability at higher speeds? And under acceleration? As I drove along yesterday I really missed the comfort of a steering damper! I had a HyperPro RCA (excellent) on my 05 10, and I notice you get mounting brackets for those on the 14 now so I'd probably invest in one of them.
- Anyone here frequently take the bike out into the mountains (twisties)? We have pretty bad road surfaces out here (bumpy), anyone do similar riding with thoughts on stability in corners and changes that they made to the suspension?
Thanks guys.
____________
Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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ninja14
Pro
Posts: 1136
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posted October 29, 2006 12:07 AM
Ah .....the twisties.....most of what I ride is that.........
I can drag the pegs at will and have put the fairing down.............the 3rd time resulted in a lowside.....ouch.
With a few mods and even stock tires you can kick the shit outta anything in the twisties if you practice up and they don't.........and forget about the straights - toast 'em!
This bike performs WAY better than many imagined. I had a guy on a R1 follow me for about 10 miles in the canyons and when I asked why he did not pass (I know he rides well) he said it was just something to watch the big bike do what it can do ........impressed him.
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Phytrax
Zone Head
Posts: 526
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posted October 29, 2006 12:49 AM
Edited By: Phytrax on 29 Oct 2006 01:49
I'm not a terribly experienced rider but IMO the soft suspension of the 14 gobbles up bumpy roads very well and feels very stable compared to a Gixxer. However, if you try to throw the bike around too fast and hard it feels wobbly and unstable to me. Tightening up the preload helped that out a lot though, and it still feels better over bumps than the Gixxer. I think the vibration is very low all through the rpm range, comparing it to the Gixxer again. The Gixxer mirrors, for instance, are always very blurry due to vibration, but the 14's mirrors are seldom less than crystal clear.
High speed stability is fantastic from what I've seen so far. I've been up to 180 straight line and 130 or so in turns with no issues.
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Concourse14- Corbin Seat, Candy Apple Red Paint, Area P Slip-On
RIP+ZX-14- Brock's Gen3, Heli Risers, Corbin Bags, Corbin Seat and Oval Backrest (Burgandy Snakeskin and black alligator), Muzzys Frame Sliders, flies out, 18t front sprocket, PC3, Puig Double Bubble, Pirelli Diablo Strada's
KX450F - kickstand
>>> MySpace --CLICK-- <<<
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INTIMIDA2OR
Needs a life
RED rider!
Posts: 13081
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posted October 29, 2006 02:09 AM
quote:
Refl- Anyone here frequently take the bike out into the mountains (twisties)? We have pretty bad road surfaces out here (bumpy), anyone do similar riding with thoughts on stability in corners and changes that they made to the suspension?
Thanks guys.
Here's a video of me going through some twisties on my 14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klr9wsCR7HE
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14
*Lee*
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lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
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posted October 29, 2006 07:42 AM
pull the flies, add an exhaust w/pc(custom map), and install a 16t. You'll never regret it.
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Gary B
Expert Class
Posts: 167
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posted October 29, 2006 08:42 AM
I'd love to see and CBR catch a Gixxer...only way I can think of is if you put a 350LB rider on the Gixxer and 130 LB rider on the CBR, or the Gixxer rider can't ride. The K5/6 is the fastest liter bike of the 4 Jap bikes...bar none. It runs 9's stock...CBR runs mid to high 10's at best (IMO).
My 04 CBR RR with Ti-Force, PC3 and tuning with MR9 made 169 rwhp on two different dynos. I myself(about 250 in leathers)went 9.87 at 141mph and thats stock wheelbase. My buddy rode it and went 9.33 at 149mph at a Prostar event back in late 04. The "other" bikes may make a few more hp, but its a lot closer than you think!
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 29, 2006 08:59 AM
INTIMIDA2OR - Those aren't twisties! That's a straight road with a few kinks in it!  Looks like you had your grandma on the back as well...oh I could not bear to watch, what incredible speed!
Just messing with ya! Thanks for the link. What do you use to record with? Pity you cant see the dials.
Phytrax - The preload adjustment, was that in the front, back or both?
ninja14 - Drag the fairing? You have any proof of that obi-one?
____________
Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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14black
Expert Class
Posts: 280
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posted October 29, 2006 09:33 AM
quote:
pull the flies, add an exhaust w/pc(custom map), and install a 16t. You'll never regret it.
second that...you do those mods and your 10 will feel tame by camparison...
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 29, 2006 09:59 AM
Some more info please guys!
Something that's bugging me a little bit from the test ride is that I picked up a slight offset on the handlebar; as in it feels like the left side of the handlebar is like 2mm (0.08 inches) "forward"...i.e. the handlebars does not feel perfectly 90 degrees with the frame / body of the bike but slightly out...
Anybody here picked this up on their bikes?
____________
Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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Phytrax
Zone Head
Posts: 526
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posted October 29, 2006 12:44 PM
I don't think a 2mm difference would be perceptable Fasta. The difference in your left and right arm is probably more than 2mm. Seriously, I think it's fairly for someone's left and right leg to vary as much as 1/2 inch. I feel like one side of the steering wheel is closer to me in my truck but I think it's just body positioning. JMO.
I tightened up the preload in the front and the back. The back was kinda difficult. I used a long flathead screwdriver and hammered on it to turn the preload rings on the shock. I still need to adjust the dampening on the back. If i hit a really large bump now it will catapult me a couple inches off the seat. I tried to set the rear a little on the high side since I ride my wife on the back a lot. The front preload is maxxed out and still seems to dip a bit too much on braking (can't see with low beams while braking), but I need to hop back on my Gixxer for comparison. Also turned into a driveway with a farily steep curb at the base of it doing maybe 15 mph and I notice that the front forks bottomed out still. Probably need to turn up the compression dampening on the front some more.
____________
Concourse14- Corbin Seat, Candy Apple Red Paint, Area P Slip-On
RIP+ZX-14- Brock's Gen3, Heli Risers, Corbin Bags, Corbin Seat and Oval Backrest (Burgandy Snakeskin and black alligator), Muzzys Frame Sliders, flies out, 18t front sprocket, PC3, Puig Double Bubble, Pirelli Diablo Strada's
KX450F - kickstand
>>> MySpace --CLICK-- <<<
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Fasta
Expert Class
Posts: 114
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posted October 29, 2006 01:53 PM
Thanks for the info Phytrax.
The handlebar offset was perceptible to me, but I'm hearing you so I actually measured my arm lengths (with some help naturally)...and from wrist to shoulder both my arms are pretty much equal in length. There is however difference a 4 mm difference between the length of my left and right hand, measured palm to middle finger tips...but I recon this difference in hand size is unlikely to cause any sort of offset feel since logically its the shoulder to wrist distance that matters.
I'm pretty sensitive for handlebar offset because it's my main beef with the 06 10. Strangely, I also had the 06 gixxer and the steering felt perfectly "straight" to me on that bike, as did my 05 10...suggesting that this is most likely something on the newer bikes than with my arms.
I think however that I'd be able to sort this offset out if I used custom made risers...just really strange that no-one else have picked up on this?
____________
Currently:
2007 ZX-14 (stock)
2007 ZX-6 (stock)
Before:
2 x 2006 ZX10-R (stock)
2006 GSX-R1000 K6 (Yoshi + PC)
2005 ZX10-R (HyperPro damper)
2007 Versys (stock)
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