zx14mike
Zone Head
Posts: 891
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posted March 08, 2008 08:49 PM
Not trying to hijack the thread or anything here, but anyone remember the old Kawasaki Eliminator that was a drag bike designed to compete with the original VMAX...........i loved the old 900 Eliminator, if Kawasaki came out with a 1400 Eliminator drag bike with a 220-230 horse 1400cc engine and long wheelbase with chain drive for drag racing i'd probably pony up and buy one as a second bike to compliment the ZX 14.
  
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Bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted March 08, 2008 09:16 PM
Maybe kawi will come out with a zrx1400? that would be awesome too. I think that the day of the muscle bike is coming back. Especially with the street fighter craze going on. Now if only yamaha would put that same Otodama 1800 v4 into a warrior as well  that would definitly be a cool bar hopper. I had the chance to ride a friends b-king when i was in jacksonville for 2 weeks in the first of feb. It was a fun bike to ride, and had Gobs of power but the thing looks like a transformer had an affair with a busa and then the busa had an abortion towards the end of the 2nd tri-mester.
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Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119
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Flame On
Needs a life
Fuel Air & Spark
Posts: 17104
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posted March 08, 2008 09:28 PM
Vmax was great in its day . But I think shaft drive, weight and no areodynamics will kill a lot of power . It will also need at least a 6 gallon tank for any kind of range.
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77 RD 400
80 GS1000 GT
06 ZX14
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ninja14
Pro
Posts: 1136
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posted March 08, 2008 10:49 PM
Max was never meant to really do anything other than slap the shit outta other bike that dared to drag :-) When I am out w/ the cruisers they love seeing it light up the tire or wheelie on the 1-2 shift...........not "normal" cruiser activities :-)
I will totally consider the new version.....
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2006 Turbo ZX-14.
2005 V-max 20th Anniv.
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spyder636
Novice Class
Posts: 44
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posted March 09, 2008 10:01 AM
This was my 1997 V-Max with the kerker full system.
06 ZX14
Flies out
PCIII
Brocks Exhaust
Lowered and Strapped
Stretched and Geared (SOON)
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qwick
Expert Class
Posts: 413
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posted March 09, 2008 02:14 PM
Mike, I too remember the ZL900 Eliminator. It was the Quickest production motorcycle from zero to 50mph in 1985. I'll never forget one of the advertisements from Kawasaki back then... "0 to 50 mph in 2.16 seconds, this bike will slap you back in your seat faster than your first grade teacher ever did". LOL
Cycle World did an article on it in February 1985 saying, "Think of it as a Ninja in Drag". But due to the Eliminators smaller cc engine, Mr. Max with its 1198cc engine made short order of the ZL900 long before reaching 100mph.
I've also had hopes that Kawi would come out with some type of ZL1400 naked Drag Bike to give competition to Zukes new B-King and Yamaha's soon to be released remake of the Vmax.
In 1985 the Eliminator weighed 574lbs with a full tank of gas and had a wheelbase of 63 inches. Can you imagine a remake of this drag bike using all of todays modern technologies, including a light weight frame, chain drive and 1352cc (or bigger) engine? Say... 525lbs wet, a 64" wheelbase and pushing 220hp to the rear tire from the factory. Bone stock, out the box comparison... nothing could touch it!!!
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted March 09, 2008 02:52 PM
why is a Vmax thread in the R1 forum? I'm afraid if i delete it, it'll delete the mirror in the ZX14 forum.
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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zx14mike
Zone Head
Posts: 891
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posted March 09, 2008 03:04 PM
You know it Quick, i remember that advertisement and i remember riding the Eliminator.........if Kawasaki did what you said and made a jet black 1400cc drag bike with chain drive and a 64 inch wheelbase, weighing less than 525 and putting out at least 225 rear wheel horsepower.................I know there would be a market for it......i would buy one if they did.
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qwick
Expert Class
Posts: 413
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posted March 09, 2008 03:42 PM
 Edited By: qwick on 9 Mar 2008 16:47
Mike, It's funny... I was looking to buy a 85 Eliminator back in 2005. All were either wrecked or ragged. Then someone told me that Yamaha still produced the Vmax and had released the 2005 Anniversary Edition. One look and I had to have one of the old 80's muscle bikes! And if it wasn't for my wife trading in her 05 Vmax in the spring of 2006 for her red 14, we'd probably still be a Vmax couple. BUT, after a few "take her key & ride her bike" while she was at work and it was time for me to jump ship to Kawi also. The Vmax was nice and I really enjoyed the sudden burst of Maximum Velocity when the VBoost would kick in. But we all know how smooth the 14 is and how effortlessly it puts the power to the pavement. There's only one motorcycle that I would consider selling my 14 for... but Kawi hasn't built it...yet. Can someone say 2009 ZL1500 Eliminator??? Oh yeah!!!!!
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zx14mike
Zone Head
Posts: 891
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posted March 09, 2008 07:03 PM
Quick, i was looking for a 900 Eliminator as well around 2000 and they were also wrecked or ragged and wanted too much money............i went back to school for a few years and finally around 2004 decided to get another bike, i was actually looking to pick up a used Vmax or Rocket 3 around 2004 when i ended up buying an 2004 ZX12.......then the ZX 14 came along........again i have to agree if Kawi buily a black ZL 1500 or even a ZL 1400 with crazy power they'd suck some more money out of me.
the muscle bikes appeal to me alot more than a ZX 10 as a second bike..........course if i had money to burn thats not saying a ZX 10 wouldnt be fun as a 3rd bike.
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qwick
Expert Class
Posts: 413
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posted March 09, 2008 07:20 PM
I'm sure we'll see something from them over the next few years. The 1400cc platform has many possibilities... they already adapted it to the touring line. I see some type of upgrade to the Z1000 or a new type of naked bike or super power cruiser. The engine is just too versatile to waste. Reminds me a lot of what Ford did with their 4.6 & 5.4 liter engines for cars and trucks.
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kountry Kawboy
Expert Class
Posts: 106
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posted March 09, 2008 08:02 PM
Big "K" are you hearing this!? We want naked muscle! And we want it now!!!!!!
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'84 Honda V65 Magna
'87 Kawasaki 1000R
'96 Kawasaki ZX-11
Salivating for a ZX-14
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kountry Kawboy
Expert Class
Posts: 106
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posted March 09, 2008 08:06 PM
And oh yeah, would you give it it's own line of aftermarket accessories and go-fast parts with the big K emblem for us loyalists. That's all for now (smile). Thanks.
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'84 Honda V65 Magna
'87 Kawasaki 1000R
'96 Kawasaki ZX-11
Salivating for a ZX-14
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Bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted March 09, 2008 08:31 PM
Dear santa,
I think that i've been a pretty good guy this year. All i ask for is a turbo for my zx14 and a new street fighter to show up in kawasaki's line up. Oh yeah, and have yamaha hurry up and release the vmax too. If you can do that, i promise to stay away from the foreign strip clubs, and buy something other than alcoholic drinks on my next deployment *with fingers crossed*. Thank you very very much.
Chad
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Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119
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ninja14
Pro
Posts: 1136
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posted March 09, 2008 08:59 PM
Bring on the ZRX 1400
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2006 Turbo ZX-14.
2005 V-max 20th Anniv.
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