tater
Expert Class
Shakin off the Haters
Posts: 212
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posted December 10, 2007 06:56 AM
just take your time to get to know the mighty 14. This bike is the real deal, But what ever choice you make good luck .
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ZX-14 06
Flies out
-1 front, +2 rear
2 Bros carbon fiber pipes
Tiger tail
Carbon fiber windscreen
64inch wheel base
lowering links
RC components wheels
  
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 10, 2007 12:53 PM
 Edited By: Sticks_n_Stones on 10 Dec 2007 12:54
6'5" 300+ here. There arent many sport bikes that fit us, true. But there are other choices. The Bandit 1250 is one good one. Torquey as hell in the mid range, guys on "true" sport bikes normally wont egg you on to race, yet once you learn it you can take them out on a twisty road. No pressure to go fast besides the pure pleasure of it. BUT on the 14? Every bike will want to race you. You will be tempted to show off its speed to every friend you have- and if you do, you WILL regret it.
One more obvious but unstated comment: Do you have any idea of exactly how blazingly, eye watering, tunnel vision inducing, body sliding off the seat as your weight is taken up by your fingers on the grips fast ANY big bore sport bike is?????? Do yourself a huge favor and beg a ride on a 14. Have the dealer send a salesman out with you on the back if nothing else. Have him gun it to redline with you on the back. You must make him understand that you need to know just how quick it is, so no part throttle BS.
I once worked on a farm and was driving a pickup on the edge of a flooded drainage canal (50 ft deep, 100 wide, 20 mph current) and the levee road gave way. Went into the water and straight to the bottom. No one within miles of me. During a HUGE storm at night. As I swam up to the surface I felt the exact same way I felt the first time I opened up a 160 hp GS 1150 on a residential back street and couldnt 'untwist' my wrist until somewhere WAY north of 100mph. The kind of shock it takes hours or days to fully appreciate. You must be honest with yourself and realize what you are getting into, because these bigbores are deadly serious business. Restraint is always required, but you have to be able to handle all that power, too. If not, there are sporty options that actually tend to be ALOT of fun. My best riding experiences were on a 250 Ninja. Everything after that was so damn fast that it took more and more out of the fun out of going 'fast'.
Just: take the test ride then ponder what you really want. The ride will most likely scare the crap outta you. It should, and would to any normal person under your circumstances. You simply cannot compare it to any other mode of speed. Good Luck!!
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
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posted December 11, 2007 12:42 AM
"Restraint is always required,..."
well said.
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LeoVinceZX14
Expert Class
Thankfully...its paid for...
Posts: 386
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posted December 11, 2007 12:42 PM
Edited By: LeoVinceZX14 on 11 Dec 2007 13:01
One more pass at it for you man...
Go Hogs Go:
Slept on it and thought back to when I was first learning to ride. Think of it this way; you have two major issues to decide as I see it here in considering a 14 or some lesser bike:
1. Find a bike that fits your size so it will be reasonably comfortable to ride and enjoy.
2. Choose a bike that allows you to "learn how to ride" without overwhelming your lack of experience so you can gain confidence as your skills build up.
Lots of us have ridden for years and been done in by gravel, anti-freeze or the car driver who makes solid eye contact and..then pulls out.etc. My personal favorite is learning how to use the front brake properly to stop. More than anything else it will save you or.....claim you. The lack of experience you have at this point on a bike is what all this comes down to.
The more you ride, you gain mastery over the controls, and how the bike responds in a given situation and most importantly....what you should or should not do without panic screwing it up. At first you have to think about every little step and develop that "sense" for the dangers unique to motorcycling. We all just want you to survive while your learning the "critical" survival skills you need to ride safely.Take it all in and whatever you choose, good luck bro.
Ride safe....
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'12 14R SE
PC V
Custom map
BMC filter
Leo Vince 4-2-1 w/ carbon can
Sato frame sliders
Supersprox 42T
Cox radiator guard
DID 530 X-ring chain.
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted December 11, 2007 12:51 PM
Edited By: dubious on 11 Dec 2007 12:51
Who is fucking with my avitar?
I noticed many others all fucked up too!
WTF?
LOL, hey I hope the admunsters are doing that, or they have issues with the puter! 
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natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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LeoVinceZX14
Expert Class
Thankfully...its paid for...
Posts: 386
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posted December 11, 2007 01:03 PM
Avatar...
Dubious:
Sorry bro. Not my doing.
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'12 14R SE
PC V
Custom map
BMC filter
Leo Vince 4-2-1 w/ carbon can
Sato frame sliders
Supersprox 42T
Cox radiator guard
DID 530 X-ring chain.
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted December 11, 2007 01:06 PM
LOL
No, I didn't think your 1 of the ad munsters! LOL 
Serious, some posts I have none, others I have everyone's! LOL
But never not my own anymore...
ewww ....sounds like the plot of bad porn! LOL
____________
natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 11, 2007 02:18 PM
Thats because you have been incorporated into the collective now Dubious. All your toys belong to us now!
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
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posted December 11, 2007 10:24 PM
This is funny, why you guys got my "Red 14-eyed squid"?
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rudebwoy
Expert Class
Posts: 136
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posted December 11, 2007 10:47 PM
Edited By: rudebwoy on 11 Dec 2007 22:58
quote:
You will be OK if you dont screw up. Screw up, and you get over your head very, very, very, rapidly. Bike is hefty, powerful, and cool. Do what logic and others suggest about sportbike engine size... we dont like people such as yourself becoming a statistic. Get a daytona 675 or a 600cc before.... itll be a much better beginner bike.
I wouldn't suggest a Daytona 675 over the zx-14...strangely enough. The zx-14 is way more forgiving IMO dynamically than the D675. The D675 is agile as hell, has very aggressive geometry and ergos and "insists" that you obey ergonomic rules if you wish to steer the bike correctly, in fact I find that all the modern middleweights 'insist' on the pilot using his total body to assist in steering the bike, much of the riding techniques and skill required on the repli-racers (to employ them well and comfortably) are skills not acquired or honed by the new rider, the 14 is way more relaxed, comfortable, stable and planted. It's bugaboo being that if you get stupid with your right hand you can/will die really-really fast. Keep the revs low, always short shift (the 14 doesn't feel the difference anyhow).
That being said, nobody should be getting the fastest (or second...whatever...heh) mass produced motorcycle in all creation as a first bike....oh lordy!
I'll give you that your height will lend itself to limiting some of your choices but have you looked at any naked bikes? I've always though that the Suzuki SV650 was a superb first bike that few outgrow or get bored of. The new Bandit? What about the B-King kept in 'B'-mode for a while.
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'05 Triumph Speed Triple
'06 Triumph Daytona 675
'07 Kawasaki ZX-14
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BlackMagic14
Needs a job
Posts: 2058
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posted December 11, 2007 11:33 PM
I am personally gonna pimp slap the next person that reccomends a 600 cc bike for a guy that is 250 pounds and over 6 feet tall!!! Get the 14 you are old enough and mature enough to handle it Just use the maturity you have gained in life to make wise choices and be carefull!!! Dont they shoot razorback fans in TEXAS!!! I am from Arkansas and a DIE HARD hogs fan never miss a home game!!! welcome to the board
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 12, 2007 06:57 AM
Yeah pimpslap me then. I dare you.  A SV650S is a good starter bike, and yes, even at my 315 pounds and 6'5" I still had a ball riding my friends on a twisty road. But the fact remains: no matter how 'comfortable' or 'easy to ride' the 14 is, its still a hefty bike with enough power to TKO any new rider when those rpms rise. Learn to ride on a nimble bike that accepts mid corner corrections with ease, that is nothing but a thought to flick into and out of a emergency maneuvers, and whose light weight encourages riders to throw it around like the great toy it is.
You do have a good point about the newer repli-racers, though. They are ALL aggressive as hell and too much of a handful for most beginners.
I do get what you "buy the 14" guys are saying. And if you all want him to be another Poser on a 14 with the skill level of your average cruiser rider, keep it up. Or do you want him to be well rounded, able to slam the bike over to its pegs right-to-left when that car makes a left turn in front of him? Or any other myriad of things you really can only learn on smaller bikes.
Every single guy I've met whose riding experience was only on big bores get's his ass handed to him on twisty roads because they don't know there bikes real limits. Remember, we are talking on the road, not the 1/4 mile. If he was going to buy it to race, I would be singing a very different tune.
What are his odds of being wreck free by the 1 year mark in Waco Texas? Im betting on a 14 or liter bike less than 50%. On a SV650S or even SV1000 75%. On a naked 'standard' bike maybe as high as 90%. (and those odds are so high only because he is my age and size. Smaller/younger take off at least 1/3rd.)
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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BlackMagic14
Needs a job
Posts: 2058
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posted December 12, 2007 10:34 AM
SLAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I weigh 280 pounds and I can barely get an sv650 to move while I am sitting on it LOL... The 14 is an extremely easy bike to ride and is far easier to ride then a 800 pound cruiser as long as he realizes what he is getting into then he should be ok. I wouldnt recommend a guy his size trying to ride a smaller bike it is just not comfortable!!! I have come to the point of dreading to get on my ZX10's because the way my back and wrist feel when I get off.
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 12, 2007 10:46 AM
My TL1000R is the same way, wrist and kneck aches. Old age is hitting us I guess. Damn, that wasnt supposed to happen until our 50's I thought! 36 yrs old and going downhill already lol. BUT a SV650, 1000, Bandit 1250, etc. is a different story. Actually, the SV1000 feels really similar to me to the 14, and the bandit a close second, but seat is a bit higher.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted December 12, 2007 10:48 AM
quote:
I'm XXL, 32 when I started riding. First bike was a 2003 ZX12. Smaller bikes were just not for me. Actually, the busa and the 12 were the only bikes I even considered. I took all the safety courses, did a LOT of reading in forums and online, and I had talked to a lot of people about bikes & asked a lot of questions. Invest in quality safety gear, it will save your skin/life.
I asked like you did and got a lot of similar answers. I decided to go ahead and buy it. Its all in your maturity and common sense. If you let your ego dig you a hole, you'll possibly be buried in it. With that said, buy it. Practice what you learned in those classes in empty parking lots. Associate with a group of riders that you trust...or ride alone. Do a track day and maybe hit the local drags. Talk to people like us that have had these powerful machines....there is a wealth of knowledge on this site and others.
Best of luck, just remember, cars are out to kill you and a good helmet/leathers/gloves/boots are better than a condom.
This is the best advice you are going to get, man. I am a big guy myself and I want something that can haul my fat ass around, and if you get a small bike to learn on then you will quickly get bored and realize you wasted your cash. My 12 was my very first bike and I was scared crapless at first when I bought it brand new in 2003. It just looked so.... well, monstrous. They delivered it to my house and I admired it for hours with full intention of taking the motorcycle course first before trying a ride but I bought the bike a couple weeks before the scheduled class and I grew impatient. I decided to give it a quick run around the block and was surprised at how UNSCARY it was. Smooth pick-up, comfortable, like driving a new Cadillac. By the time I got to my first class I was well versed in my big bawla so those little bikes were nothing to me but bicycles with gocart engines on them. Just be safe. You sound like a mature, educated individual, and there are always going to be dangers in riding, but I think you should buck-down and get that 14!
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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busajack5
Expert Class
Rocket lll
Posts: 173
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posted December 12, 2007 11:06 AM
 --Sorry to hear you don't like crusers because this is the perfect large bike for large people.Tons of torque at low RPM.And as much fun to ride as a 14.The 14 is a rush at 160 MPH and the Rocket is a rush at 20 MPH.Get both TE HE.
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Jack
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 12, 2007 11:13 AM
damn that does look like something my big ass could fit there Jack! lol What do they cost?
Shit that sticker price is gonna hurt...
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
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posted December 12, 2007 12:31 PM
quote:
Every single guy I've met whose riding experience was only on big bores get's his ass handed to him on twisty roads because they don't know there bikes real limits.
Knowing your bikes limits is very important, but I'd say the twisy road theory has a whole lot more to do with 'my' personal limits. Personal limits and common sense will cover a lot of bases.
The rest is all experience. I sure the hell wanted to spend my money on a bike I could be comfortable on, be sexy(the bike), and I gave a damn about being a poser. Not to mention, the depreciation on bikes in general, i wasn't interested in losing my ass a year later on a trade in. Poser is the idiot who buys the bike as a trophy, not the guy that buys a bike to actually learn how to ride. If I were in the same boat today, I'd be buying a new 14 since they don't make the 12 anymore.
Me and this 'Hogs' just got a late start on the sportbike scene...but I'm (and hopefully Hogs) slowly catching up, not with my throttle hand and the big bore either. I ask questions, I attended track days (even when I didn't have leathers that fit), I've read every article I can find, bought the books, and practice racing at the dragstrips with advice from some of the fellas I've met and trust. I've also learned a lot from reading in these internet forums---even the older archived threads.
No one, regardless of how many years they've been riding, can keep that car from turning across you. But with a positive attitude of staying alive, it will come. The skills will come if you maintain that same attitude and wear your gear...and be smart about it.
BTW, I still can't lean my bike over as far as I'd like, but I'm still learning.
As far as a cruiser for a first bike??? Fook that. Shitty breaks, underpowered, overwight, and Chrome?? No thanks. That is not what drew me to this sport/hobby.
Bottom line, I love riding, I ride what I want. I've weighed the risks and chose my bike accordingly....would I recommend it for everyone for a first bike? Hell no, but there are exceptions.
sorry so long winded......
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 12, 2007 12:56 PM
anyone else notice that the guy who started this thread, 'go hogs go', hasnt responded as most likely will never return to read this shit we post?? Damn, I hate wasting my time. Wish we could just post this and make it a sticky, since this is the third time in 4 or 5 months this exact same type question has been asked here.
I'm done wasting my time.
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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the_other_big_mike
Expert Class
Posts: 152
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posted December 12, 2007 01:29 PM
If he does return, get a 14 and show some self control while you learn to ride it....
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2005 ZX12R...
Akrapovic Full Race System, PC3, BMC Race Filters, Puig Windscreen, Helibars, Pro Grips, Clear Alternatives LED Integrated Tailight, Gilles Rearsets, Extreme Graphics Hugger, Engine Ice, Dino Hinge, Muzzy Block Off Plates..
2007 ZX14....
Puig DB windscreen, Heli Bar risers, Pro Grip gel's, Competition Werks fender eliminator....More to come of course..
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted December 12, 2007 02:27 PM
here we go again...
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted December 12, 2007 03:06 PM
quote:
anyone else notice that the guy who started this thread, 'go hogs go', hasnt responded as most likely will never return to read this shit we post?? Damn, I hate wasting my time. Wish we could just post this and make it a sticky, since this is the third time in 4 or 5 months this exact same type question has been asked here.
I'm done wasting my time.
+1
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted December 12, 2007 03:47 PM
Edited By: NinjaNick on 12 Dec 2007 15:58
quote:
quote:
anyone else notice that the guy who started this thread, 'go hogs go', hasnt responded as most likely will never return to read this shit we post?? Damn, I hate wasting my time. Wish we could just post this and make it a sticky, since this is the third time in 4 or 5 months this exact same type question has been asked here.
I'm done wasting my time.
+1
+2
He must not be too worried about it since he doesn't care to even check back.
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the_other_big_mike
Expert Class
Posts: 152
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posted December 12, 2007 04:41 PM
Maybe I can sell him a tricked out 12R instead..... 
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2005 ZX12R...
Akrapovic Full Race System, PC3, BMC Race Filters, Puig Windscreen, Helibars, Pro Grips, Clear Alternatives LED Integrated Tailight, Gilles Rearsets, Extreme Graphics Hugger, Engine Ice, Dino Hinge, Muzzy Block Off Plates..
2007 ZX14....
Puig DB windscreen, Heli Bar risers, Pro Grip gel's, Competition Werks fender eliminator....More to come of course..
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted December 12, 2007 07:52 PM
maybe he already wiped out the big beast
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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