cc737
Novice Class
Posts: 51
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posted April 19, 2010 03:58 AM
from a 12 to a 14
quick story...see what you guys think???
having owned an 01 12 for 6 yrs I've been hanging out on the 12 side of things and mostly just lurking around the 14 stuff - listening and learning. I've been looking at getting a 14 for around a year and would only sell my bike for a 14.
... my 12 was set up nicely for drag racing (wet 50 shot plus all the other goodies) and I was trying to sell with the intent of buying a 14. I was already convinced I would probably be looking for an 06 because of the market price. I saw a 14 on Ebay in early Dec, but the price was almost 10K. Its an 08 SE with 5K on the clock set up nicely as well - Macintosh alumi-pro arm, PC3 USB, ignition module, hub, speedo healer, MSD shift light, dynajet quick shifter, dry 50 shot, BCM filters, cut pan, cams degreed, catalyst drag seat, hyper-pro damper, brocks street meg, brocks links, brocks radial lowering strap brackets, ceramic bearings, billet adjustable kickstand, brocks clutch springs, CIA front and rear stands, and more. Anyway, I wanted it, but the price was out of my range so I just kept watching it. He relisted it a bunch of times (each time lowering the price)with no success and I was also having trouble selling mine too. When his dropped to $7500 I got a hold of the guy and said I would put $1000 down on it if he would wait until I sold mine...he actually said yes. So as the months went by trying to sell mine we kept in contact and I wired him another $1000 and then last month he said just to get the deal done he'd take a payment of $4500 and call it close enough. I sold mine that week for $4500 and ended up getting the bike for $6500 total...not bad huh??? I payed $250 on U-ship to have it delivered from Ill. to upstate NY which was another good deal considering the mileage my ram gets while towing. As soon as I got it I tore into it to do a few things of my own. I geared it 16/47 after reading all the gearing posts...I'm 6'5" @ 250 lb. My 12 was geared 16/50.
I finally got to take it down the road yesterday....I couldn't really get after it with a brand new Shinko 200 U-soft on it, but I get the picture. Now I know why you guys are always talking about the smoothness of the bike. It's like a cadillac compared to the 12. The trans. is 100% improved over the 12 in terms of shifting. The 12 was always notchy feeling. The bike is so smooth that you don't even notice your speed unless you look at the speedo. Its an awesome ride and can't wait to really get to know the bike.
  
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68gts2
Zone Head
hobbies ( Beating you !!! )
Posts: 927
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posted April 19, 2010 04:22 AM
I ended up here in a little different way,but it had to do with a 12 too. I was looking at 14's secretly since they came out in 06 while riding a 2000 katana 750. I saw an add for a 12 that was nice,and was gonna settle for it. The 12 was there,but sold when I arived. Test rode the 14 a few days later. Been here ever since,and loving the 14 and this forum.
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Chromed-out,in the dirt 08SE with all the good stuff!!!
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blackbullet76
Pro
Posts: 1134
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posted April 19, 2010 06:14 AM
 Edited By: blackbullet76 on 19 Apr 2010 15:19
Very cool story! I came across the 14 in a slightly different way. I had my 01 ZX-6R for about 3 years and was wanting an upgrade. Went to look at an 06 ZX-10 (new at the time). That was the bike I wanted until I sat on it. It felt uncomfortable, to much of a racebike feel. I'm 6'1. They had a red 14 right beside it. I sat on it and fell in love! The ergo's were perfect and the controls felt laid out alot like my 6R. I had to ride it before I dropped $11,500 on it. It took some finessing, but they finally rolled it out and slapped a dealer tag on it. Stayed gone for about 15 minutes and the smile on my face gave me away when I got back. My friend that went with me knew I liked it. I was going around curves so smoothly, it felt so perfect. I looked down once and it showed 80 on the speedo comin out of a curve. Man I loved the bike!. I asked them to find me a black one. They called me the following week and they found a brand new 07 model that just came in at another dealership. I told them I'd take it. I looked up pics of the 07 compared to the 06 and I liked the paint and layout of the emblems better. After a couple days, I rolled up to the dealer on my 6R and got off, knowing I'd never see my baby again, but when I walked in and saw that black beauty sitting the with the "Sold" sign on it, I was ok :-) That was a fun ride home, got some waves from some fellow kawi riders as I rolled by on this new terror machine. Needless to say, I was grinning from ear to ear! I love my 14 still and I think you'll be hooked now too!
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2007 ZX-14 black
Brocks s-meg exhaust
PCIII w/track map
BMC race filter
Flies removed
16 tooth front sprocket
Speedohealer
APE cam chain tensioner
Vortex rearsets
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted April 19, 2010 07:07 AM
congrats, the 14 is the best all round speed freak, longe range misslie I have ever owned.
Its not the tightest corner carver, but it does everything so well, I can't complain.
Comfy, torquey, fast, big fuel range, handles good. Its soooo much more comfy than a liter creeper.
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natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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Hellmutt
Needs a job
Posts: 2013
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posted April 19, 2010 07:17 AM
Good stories........My 14 is only the 2nd sportbike I've ever owned since dirt was my first love -- but I'd always enjoyed watching roadracing on tv with my Dad, but we were into motocross at our states local tracks and we had a blast back when I was young, fit, and still had the "win or die" mentality........so, I'd always had quite a few dirtmachines and even a couple cruisers before I bought my '97 Yamaha "pre-R1" YZF1000R.......it was bike of the year in '97, and I'd wanted one ever since I'd layed eyes -- I finally had a financial break to get it back in '01. Spent the first season on it at Mid Ohio raceway getting it dialed in and learning techniques while earning my ametuer class licenses and upgrading the bike as I went -- got alot of awesome deals at the track from other racers ( like a full Ohlins suspension for less than $2k!! ). That was an awesome bike for a bigger guy ( I was 6ft 205 - now more 280ish  mmm food ), and it wasn't really any smaller than the Busa's at that time. Ultimately I made the mistake of "tracking it out" too much and before I knew it, race plastics were on and all the lights were gone along with the mirrors and tag because I was considering racing the following season with it, so I couldn't even streetride at all the last year I had it -- but I was too busy getting healthy anyway and cut 70lbs that spring/summer. Then later that same year I lost my Dad to cancer so never did pursue it any further........still pulled a couple few track days every year but finally sold it in '09. Three weeks after selling the Yam, I bought the 14 from a roadracer that had already done some good mods to it, and even used it in some races -- I gotta say that even though I've got a hundred pounds on him, he had this bike setup almost perfect.........bit more rear spring tension, adjusted a couple clicks here and there, and WOW! it feels ALOT like the old YZF did -- but only if I'd dropped a full-time 50 shot in it! ZX14 power......there is nothing better
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British flying couch with endtables and an orange thumper
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1badvespa1400cc
Zone Head
power junkie
Posts: 691
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posted April 19, 2010 07:58 AM
Traded my 12 for a 14 then 3 year's later bought my old one back(lol) now I have both!!!!!
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Just another foeteen!!!!!
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Shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted April 19, 2010 03:40 PM
I also have both. My 12R has a built 1287. Very different bikes, both excellent! 
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