smokinZX14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
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posted July 12, 2012 09:20 PM
Just a old bike story , i hope you enjoy .. :)
1978 to 1979 I worked for a Honda dealership in a small town in Texas ..I worked in the shop repairing bikes and my job included pulling the new bikes out of the crate and getting them ready for the show room floor ..We had just got a truck load of new bikes from Honda , The truck had dropped them off in the front of the dealership because the alley to the back of the shop was to small for an 18 wheelier to fit .. We didn't have a fork lift like a lot of shops have , so I used a ATC 90 and a strap to drag them back to the shops rear door ..That was kind of fun making that ATC 90 grunt to drag those crates around ..After all the bikes were in the shop the owner told me what bike to get ready .. The first bike was a Silver 1979 CBX , Holy Cow ! That was one bad assed looking bike ! I just had to have it , so asked asked my boss if I could buy it and he said sure it's ours if you want it .. That was the only 1979 CBX he had ordered and he told me he thought he was going to get stuck with it anyway .. He felt it would not sell in this little one horse town anyway .. What he did to me next was crappy , he told me to put together the other bikes first and then after work i could put together my new CBX .. Damn it !! That was the longest day of my life ...5:00 rolls around very slowly and i get to work uncrating the CBX ..That must have been the fastest make ready on a bike i have ever done ..I was the only one left at the shop when i fired up the Big Six , I rolled it outside turn off the lights and locked the doors .. I didn't even have a paper tag on the bike when I drove off . I hit the rode in front of the shop and did a rolling burn out leaving a cloud of white smoke for a city block .I made a right turn and headed for home . That right turn took me right by the Police Dept and in grand style I lite up the tire and about half way to banging second gear the bike came up in a wheely right in front of the Police Station .. There were a few cops standing in the front doorway of the building with their eyes glued on me as i left trail of rubber and white smoke .. Nobody came after me , no need to because they all knew who i was and where i lived and worked .. After about 100 tickets racing my 1968 GTX the cops knew me very very well .. On my way home i got to thinking why the hell am I going home , so i stopped and filled up the bike with fuel and headed out to our local drag spot .. It was Friday night and i knew there would be somebody out there racing .. Meet up with two friends that had piped and jetted 1979 GS1000s .. I had one also setting at my house that was piped and Jetted .. I raced both of them over and over that night as well as a bunch of cars .. I didn't lose one race that night and i can still hear the whale of that Big Six in my head .. The CBX only got faster with some Jetting and a Chrome Winning six into one pipe ..I still had the bike when the new GS1100 came out and all my friends went down and got new GS1100s and they wasted no time coming after me .. I was still out in front but it didn't last long once they got pipes and rejetted their bikes .. Close races but I could not beat them all the time like before .. The bike seemed to be losing some power , so i took it to work and ran a compression check and I had one hole that was way down on PSI .. I pulled the head and found i had bent a valve ... So i when home very unhappy but not as unhappy as i would be the next day .. I got to work to find the Police chaining the door shut on the building .. Damn it !! whats up i asked , they would not tell me anything .. I asked to get my bike and tools and they said no !! Almost three weeks pass before they let me get my bike and tools out of the shop .. The CBX had been knocked over and half the parts were missing .. A lot of my good tools where MIA also ..I took what was left of my CBX down to my friend that owned the zook dealership in town and traded it in for a new GS1100 ..Never saw the CBX after that , someone in Dallas came down and hauled the bike off .. I still to this day miss that bike even if the GS1100 was faster it just didn't have the Big Six sound that i loved so much .. After moving to FL in 1981 I had 3 more CBXs , one turbo and one with a big bore and cams and one completely stock in boxes in my spare bedroom , I added a GS1100 swing arm for some more wheel base to the one with the big bore and cams and ran the best of 10.20 at BMP , the same track i race at today .. Before the Honda Dealership here in Clearwater FL sold to a new owner i got like 10 CBX sport bar kits .. I think i paid like 50 bucks each for them , the last kit i had sold on Ebay for over 2000 bucks .. He had two 1981 CBXs in the crates that i could have got new for 1500 bucks each but i passed on them .. He also had a 750 Auto in the crate for 700 bucks and i didn't take that one either .. I wish now i had not passed one any of them .. 33 years later someone brings up a CBX for sale and still perk up and ask how much you want for it ..lol...
Next Story i'll tell you about the 3 GS1100 I had while still in Texas that people still talk about to this day . ..
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Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
  
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smokinstorm
Zone Head
Old Drag Racer
Posts: 504
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posted July 12, 2012 09:39 PM
Some of the best stories are just of random events in our lives. Thanks for sharing.
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2009 Monster Edition ZX14
It's all stock I swear. Well...almost.
2005 Turbo Busa
2001 GSXR 1000
Looking for a 1985 GS1150E
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blue07
Expert Class
Posts: 485
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posted July 12, 2012 09:56 PM
Very cool...no stories like that here..but having the zx12,then the zx14,and now the zx14R....I feel VERY fortunate that I went with Kawasaki...great machines.....I NEVER had ONE SINGLE mechanical issue with ANY of my bikes...not one.No leaks...nuthin.Just great performance and reliability.Great story Smokin!Thanks.
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LeoVinceZX14
Expert Class
Thankfully...its paid for...
Posts: 386
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posted July 13, 2012 12:51 AM
Good story....
Smokin:
Good story. Can't match the story line, but we are agreed of the special sound of a CBX, especially with a good pipe on it. Reminds me of how I got introduced to bikes also in the 70's by a KZ650 with a Kerker pipe, no baffle and lots of great memories. Those were the days.
Well done,
Leo
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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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Bad in Black
Expert Class
Posts: 348
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posted July 13, 2012 01:50 AM
Thanks for sharing Lee, I love hearing old bike stories, reminds me of the good times I have had over the years on bikes. My first bike ride ever was a push start on a bultaco 2-stroke 250 of my uncles that had literally sat in an open barn for years. Me and my brother and sister pushed that old bike (missing kickstarter) and it actually started, and we ran what was left in the tank out. Amazed me, even as a kid lol. Learning to ride that bike on the go was the most thrilling moment of my life, and started me on a long road of owning many, many bikes.....buying and selling alot, and owning 6-7 machines at a time sometimes. I think I became a bit of a hoarder lol.
I loved my kawis most tho, which is why I'm here. My favs were always my 2-stroke streetbikes.......I LOVED the sound and smell of a 2-stroke, not to mention the power delivery. I had all the 2-strokes that the manufacturers made, but my favs were the kawi 500 and 750 triples. Still miss them to this day. The suzuki triples were slow compared to the kawis, but they took a better beating  And the RD's and RZ's rocked as well for little bikes  I started out the yammies with an RD125 twin......sweet little ride.
I have so many good memories from all my machines....makes me want to head out now and jump on a bike and make some more 
Thanks for the trip down memory lane Lee
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Creepy847
Novice Class
Posts: 31
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posted July 13, 2012 02:34 AM
Cool Story Lee. Im one of those guys that ran down and bought the GS1100E. I always loved the CBX and was able to ride 1 only once. We have 2 of them at the shop that Gordon owns and he wont part with either of them. One has just been rebuilt and semi restored and the other is in a crate...
Thanks for sharing..
Creeps.
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Obba
Expert Class
Posts: 455
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posted July 13, 2012 03:15 AM
In England, Salford, i'll never forget seeing a CBX wheelie down the road... That huge 6 cylinder metal engine flying through the air...
Thanks for the memory.
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shawnski
Pro
Posts: 1809
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posted July 13, 2012 03:20 AM
Hey lee.. this is ZX14 forum not Honda or Suzuki... Ok... LOL...j/k
Great story.. thanks for sharing... I had one of those cbxs.. still bad ass... 
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Obba
Expert Class
Posts: 455
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posted July 13, 2012 03:23 AM
Smokin, feeling rich? Ebay 160838006176
43kms not 43,700kms. That's about 27 miles on the clock.
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shawnski
Pro
Posts: 1809
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posted July 13, 2012 03:43 AM
 Edited By: shawnski on 13 Jul 2012 11:44
My biggest excitement was 1985 when they officially came out with full fairing sport bikes.. 1985 ninja 600 red and black.. when I bought it I was just like a kid again.. the attention I got from that bike was just overwhelming ...I know it was not fast but then who cared it was a sport bike full fairing like race bikes.. after that was the 1987 ZX750 ninja..
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Shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted July 13, 2012 03:52 AM
Edited By: Shane661 on 13 Jul 2012 11:55
quote:
My biggest excitement was 1985 when they officially came out with full fairing sport bikes.. 1985 ninja 600 red and black.. when I bought it I was just like a kid again.. the attention I got from that bike was just overwhelming ...I know it was not fast but then who cared it was a sport bike full fairing like race bikes.. after that was the 1987 ZX750 ninja..
I had the blue, red and whilte 1986 600 Ninja, and a couple years later I got the 1987 750 Ninja in red and whilte. My dad had the 1985 600 in silver and black before that, and then also a 900 Ninja. All great bikes and probably why I still ride these Kaws today.
Great story Lee, I'm sure you have plenty more where that came from!
Shane
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted July 13, 2012 03:52 AM
what happen to(at) the dealership with the chained doors..
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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vailes3705
Expert Class
Gettin Better
Posts: 235
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posted July 13, 2012 04:16 AM
quote:
what happen to(at) the dealership with the chained doors..
+1...Why did the dealer ship get closed down.
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2011 ZX14
Best 1/8 mile to date:
5.90 @ 121
1.46 60ft
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cas15
Expert Class
Posts: 331
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posted July 13, 2012 04:56 AM
Great story
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Bad in Black
Expert Class
Posts: 348
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posted July 13, 2012 05:02 AM
quote:
quote:
My biggest excitement was 1985 when they officially came out with full fairing sport bikes.. 1985 ninja 600 red and black.. when I bought it I was just like a kid again.. the attention I got from that bike was just overwhelming ...I know it was not fast but then who cared it was a sport bike full fairing like race bikes.. after that was the 1987 ZX750 ninja..
I had the blue, red and whilte 1986 600 Ninja, and a couple years later I got the 1987 750 Ninja in red and whilte. My dad had the 1985 600 in silver and black before that, and then also a 900 Ninja. All great bikes and probably why I still ride these Kaws today.
Great story Lee, I'm sure you have plenty more where that came from!
Shane
I had the 86 Ninja 1000R...fastest, most powerful production bike for that year. Very fun bike.....and still a classic looker I think which was then passed slightly by the Honda Hurricane 1000 in 87, and title grabbed back by the zx10 in 88-90, then to be solidly clutched by one of my all-time favs the zx11 for almost a decade till the Blackbird barely topped it................and then of course came THE BUSA  Scourge of everything green for the longest of times it seemed 
Kawi's dominated in the power and speed departments for most of my early riding years......made a big enough impression that its my fav brand, and with bikes like the 14R coming out will prolly always be
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boostphreak
Expert Class
Posts: 168
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posted July 13, 2012 05:56 AM
what DID happen to make them close the doors? We have a big six at our local bike nites. chrome header, extended arm, some kind of late model forks, Pretty cool bike, I will get a pic of it for ya.
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02zx12rbob
Expert Class
Posts: 496
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posted July 13, 2012 07:27 AM
Good stuff !
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DocsNinja
Novice Class
Backs and Bikes is what I do..
Posts: 70
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posted July 13, 2012 09:04 AM
Edited By: DocsNinja on 13 Jul 2012 17:06
The dealer closing was because the owner didn't pay a single bill to Honda or anyone else for that matter for over a year ... He sold me that 1979 CBX for 1800 OTD ...My guess the money went right from my bank loan to his pocket ..He owned another dealership in North Dallas and they locked the doors on it the same day ..
Sorry i',m logged in at work under Docs name ... Smokin....
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Docs Cycleworx home of Dr. Ryan Scarsella and SmokinZX14.
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FlatoutBu
Pro
Posts: 1054
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posted July 13, 2012 12:35 PM
I love hearing storys like this. I grew up in the 80's with mostly KZ's. I spent most of my child hood trying not too trip over wheelie bars at the track...
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06 Blue 14
9.008 at 153mph @ 195 suited
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kawasakijockey
Pro
Posts: 1876
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posted July 13, 2012 02:29 PM
[
I had the 86 Ninja 1000R...fastest, most powerful production bike for that year. Very fun bike.....and still a classic looker I think which was then passed slightly by the Honda Hurricane 1000 in 87, and title grabbed back by the zx10 in 88-90, then to be solidly clutched by one of my all-time favs the zx11 for almost a decade till the Blackbird barely topped it................and then of course came THE BUSA Scourge of everything green for the longest of times it seemed
Kawi's dominated in the power and speed departments for most of my early riding years......made a big enough impression that its my fav brand, and with bikes like the 14R coming out will prolly always be
I dont think the Ninja was back on top until the ZX11. The Yamaha FZR1000 kicked ass for a couple years there..
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Get on the shortbus boys 'cause its time to get schooled.
2007 ZX-14
1.38 60ft
9.03 @ 149mph
8.95 @153 small shot n2o
8.68 @160mph 5lbs boost
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WARBIRD
Needs a job
Posts: 2739
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posted July 13, 2012 03:09 PM
Great stories about great bikes.........we are all showing our age here........ kawasakijockey........in 1986 my 86 GSXR 1100 would have wrung your 1000 ninja's neck as well as the 1000 huricane............
Lee I also had a new 79 CBX in red with 6/1 Winning Performance pipe.
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I'd Rather Be Roadracing.
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FalldownPhil
Novice Class
CURMUDGEON
Posts: 99
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posted July 13, 2012 04:52 PM
Lee,
Thank you for the great story. I too had a new, silver, '79 CBX. The only other bike in my life that thrilled me like my first ride on that CBX is my '12 ZX14R. I currently own 8 CBX's including two turbo's and a Moto Martin CBX. Thank you again for the memories.
Best,
Phil
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2012 ZX14R SE Super Pickle Cycle
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Lucky14
Pro
Posts: 1439
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posted July 13, 2012 05:35 PM
quote:
.........we are all showing our age here............
Nice story, Smokin.
Here's a mini-story from waaaay back. A friend of mine let me ride his 650 Triumph down the street. Of course, I had to wring it's neck to see what it had and got up to speed, then let off in time to stop at the stop sign at the end of this street that I had gone down plenty of times. Problem is - I blew through the stop sign, went down someone's gravel driveway, and managed to stop in an open separate old wood garage without blowing through the back of it like in the movies. Good thing it was a long driveway!
What happened was that It took my brain a second or 2 to remember that the rear brake lever was on the left side and the shift lever was on the right. Before someone says I should have used just the front brake - uh, no - not in gravel and on the "old" bikes, it took BOTH drum brakes to get stopped.
I don't think I ever told my buddy what happened on that short ride.................
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You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted July 14, 2012 06:13 AM
quote:
The dealer closing was because the owner didn't pay a single bill to Honda or anyone else for that matter for over a year ... He sold me that 1979 CBX for 1800 OTD ...My guess the money went right from my bank loan to his pocket ..He owned another dealership in North Dallas and they locked the doors on it the same day ..
Sorry i',m logged in at work under Docs name ... Smokin....
well if he' been to big to fail like GM ..he'd HAD RECORD PROFITS AND A GOVERNMENT LOAN to go with what he kept..
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted July 14, 2012 06:16 AM
Edited By: 1badzx12r on 14 Jul 2012 14:19
quote:
kawasakijockey........in 1986 my 86 GSXR 1100 would have wrung your 1000 ninja's neck as well as the 1000 huricane............
i heard that talk too.. but i saw a vmax stomp a mud hole in every gsxr1100 it raced .. then after he broke 2nd gear in the vmax and traded it... he trashed them even worst with his fjr1200 .. 
even the old GPZ900 killed a few gsxr1100's
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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