I guess I certainly fall into the category of "ruining" a great motorcycle. I posted a pic of my 09 Monster Edition 14 on another forum and had someone said it looked like a hillclimber and even posted a pic of a hillclimb bike with the rear wheel several feet behind the rest of the motorcycle. Mine isn't that bad but I really do like it out at 70+" wheelbase. I want a sidewinder too to "ruin" it even more. That's the look I like but it's also very functional for what I like to do with the bike. When I ride it I do not take corners like I'm Johnny Roadracer. I'm too old for that. It rides really nice in a straight line that long though and that's what I do. When we go to the track with it and Sam and Dave try to extract maximum performance out of the bike, it's sure nice having enough wheelbase to go WOT before 3rd gear. Here again, just defending my position on what I did to "ruin" my great motorcycle and why I did it. BTW, the NA 14 is the shortest of the three bikes I have. Go figure????

* Last updated by: smokinstorm on 8/13/2012 @ 7:46 PM *

you missed the point. We're not talking about drag racer mods made for drag racing. Don't get me wrong stock wheel base still looks better in my opinion but performance comes before looks in my book. If you can get both at the same time it's a win win. The thing that I find "ugly" is the extended, slammed and strapped machines that never get strip action. Many times I would be in the street and hear a mean exhaust then turn around to see a poser driving 20mph in his honda civic!
Also a couple of inches on the wheelbase looks good. A couple of members here got it right but some definitely over did it but that's just an opinion! If I were in the custom culture I would just get something with less performance (like a Harley) and mod the crap out of it. My idea of modding is to come up with something original while retaining the identity of the bike.

* Last updated by: dragking on 8/13/2012 @ 8:12 PM *

I might have missed the point. Sorry. But my point is that I like the drag racer mods because of the way the bike LOOKS and performs with them. I don't drag race my bikes. I just ride them around. My two partners in crime are the ones that do the drag racing as I'm just too big to effectively drag race. I still like the drag race "look" and I can go WOT on the street like that when I choose to without having to worry about the front end lifting and ruining my little acceleration party. I'll modify any bike I get with the drag racer mods even if it's not one we're going to drag race. It's the look I like. Am I a strange bird??? Maybe. It's just who I am and what I like to do with bikes I guess. Maybe it's the area I'm in too. You hardly ever see a stock wheelbase bike that isn't a Harley Davidson around here. Even 600's go 6" over. 1000's go over much more than that. At 70" my NA 14 is long but doesn't look all that out of place riding around on the street. I've heard California is different but don't know that for sure since I've never been there. Hope I'm not offending anyone posting my opinion like this.

Am I a strange bird???

Not at all in my book, do what looks good to you and you enjoy the ride!

Hope I'm not offending anyone posting my opinion like this.

Believe me, you are not alone. Your opinion is the same as a lot of guys I know from the good old days. Nothing wrong with adding racing mods for looks. Who knows, maybe someday you'll change your mind and the bike will be ready to race at the dragstrip.

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

Grn, you have to promise to never speak such words again. Almost had me.

There might be better handling bikes but how much better compared how versatile the 14 is overall? I've dome everything I can to mod my 08 for sport riding but it still is a great bike for touring and commuting. I would not trade for a liter bike or 600. Love to own a smaller bike some day but I know it will not cover all my needs like the 14 does.

my laptop speakers kinda suck, but I know what a rod bearing sounds like...and I dont hear anything that obviously resembles a rod bearing in that vid. maybe ill put on my headphones... buy gotta say seems like every post is zx14 bashing by that guy...
its obviously new and still under warrantee... go take it to kawasaki to fix it/check it and/or sell it. Im sure there are other bikes out there for you.

as for the crazy 300 rear tires and such... i agree. I think some of it reminds me of seeing 24" rims on a old muscle car...i dont get it and never will. I can see a dedicated track/drag bike with an extended swingarm but most is for the "bling", and it would take away from the cornering/handling on the street. I believe form should follow function. Just as I bet a car on 24's sitting 3 foot off the ground would handle like ass in a true emergency situation I think an extended bike with a 300 series heavy ass chromed wheel and the said geometry will on fact suffer when it comes to cornering/handling/evasive driving etc...you know those things you gotta do if you value your life when a minivan full of kids with the soccer mom bs'in away on her cell phone pulls out in front of you.
But to each their own! thats the beauty of the internet!

* Last updated by: markaria on 8/13/2012 @ 9:33 PM *

Hope I'm not offending anyone posting my opinion like this.

Not at all. I actually love to disagree as long as everybody remain civil!

It comes down to a personality thing (I don't drag race and I like when the bike wheelies) and like you pointed out the environment: we have a lot of good roads here and a beautiful Formula 1 track is opening in Austin.

Nothing wrong with fat tire bikes some guys just like to turn there super bikes into cruisers and show stoppers.Me I do not have the money and rather dip my ride at every turn possible. And to you guys complaining about the way the 14 handles go buy a 600. I dip my 14 with no problems and enjoy every ride I take.

"Grn, you have to promise to never speak such words again. Almost had me"....okay my Brother....for you I won't.I'll PM'em instead...fair enough?....LMAO!!!!!

Maybe start it off with..."HEY,DOUCHE...pull yer head outta yer azz...dump yer bike or stfu!!!!".

I'm still in WTF mode.

But seriously, the engine doesn't sound good to me. I've been listening to engines for 40+ years on bikes, more on cars, so maybe I'm going deaf (ok, so that already happened, maybe more so?) or something and not hearing it right.

My 2008 ZX14, despite having an aggressive map and a dynojet ignition module with an agressive ignition map, sounded a lot better than that.

But maybe the 2012 ZX14 sounds like that normally. As has been pointed out, I don't own one so no way I could know.

I don't think it's really possible to accurately diagnose an engine's health by watching a cell phone video....I am getting that was perhaps GRN14's point. I was quite annoyed with him at first lol. How dare they talk bad about the 14??? Such an awesome, versatile bike!

* Last updated by: Bjames111 on 8/14/2012 @ 8:51 PM *

Privateer said..."But seriously, the engine doesn't sound good to me""But maybe the 2012 ZX14 sounds like that normally"....what engine?...you mean on the vid I posted?That friggin engine is killer.It was a joke...that's all....that motor is runnin perfect....that was the whole point...to see who would say.."yeah,what a pile"......and some bit.That motor sounds NO different than the one(s) posted up previously where everyone was sayin.."oh yeah man....somethin's wrong there'....

@Bjames111....it was all a scam....all of it.I love my bike....best one I've ever owned!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 8/15/2012 @ 12:32 AM *

Personally, I don't think the 14 handles well outta the box. Needs a few mods. Tires and suspension. I don't think it's possible to make a stock 14 handle great. It handles ok for a tour machine or straight line dragbike but aggressive riding in corners needs improvement. Luckily there are some very good aftermarket options. Not cheap but everything is relative. Consider what you paid for an easy 190mph, torque that far exceeds all litrebikes at thousands rpm's less and bullitproof mechanicals. It's a bit brutish. It's not a fancy, exotic, fussy, delicate machine. It's tough and masculine. It's like a 70's muscle car. Those guys painter flames, installed traction bars, Mickey thomson's tires, skinny front tires, etc etc. But with the right mods, can be very fast on roadcoursen

I hear ya.I had a 68 GTX with a 440.370 Hp 500 ft pounds of torque.Would go 160 mph on the highway stock.6MPG tuned.Toss it in a turn and oh hell I'm going to die.Drum brakes,no handling but push the go pedal and back in the seat you go.I owned a 1975 Kaw 900 at the same time,great times.Only car that could touch me was this primer grey 1970 Hemi Challenger.Passed me at 160,I freaked.Saw him back on the base at McChord AF base at Tacoma Wa.Told me he was going 170.Opened the hood to reveal the 426 Hemi with 2 four barrels on a crossram manifold.Huge headers going through the fenders and a racing cam.He said it got 2MPG and I believed him looking at that engine.Always wanted a Hemi.I raced a newer Hemi charger last night with my Mustang GT and I took him on the topend.Guess I won't be getting one of them.
Craig

Heh, my other car is an SUV. With the 14, I just can't do the sport car thing. Had a Mustang GT, which I know was a great car. But getting off the 14 and it felt like I was driving a party barge. So at least driving my 4Runner I EXPECT it to feel like driving a boat...

Ahh, yet another debate between the knee dragger and the custom boys. Haters rejoice, lol. No disrespect but its not as if we are professional racers shooting to win a trophy so why place your judgement of folks who decide to slam, stretch and bling out there bikes? We are who we are and will do what we want to do. I have a lowered 14 and have always loved the look of a slammed bike. I do intend on getting a 240 rear wheel and giving it the minimum stretch (4" I believe). My reasoning behind it is because I simply think the 190 rear wheel is just to small and does not proportionately look right with the 14's wider rear end. I've owned a harley and I will never go back to it so to say, "why not get a cruiser" is off the mark as well because the they don't have the same power as what the 14 offers. I've done my fair share of cornering (owed two gsxr 750's and a gsxr 1000) when I first started riding and just realize that I just want to chill and enjoy my bike because I witnessed enough accidents on scenic back roads when guy or gal on the 600 wants to play motogp and wrecks his/her bike. As you all know bike parts aren't cheap so why risk it all? I will say this, while you are sitting crying because you dumped your bike through a blind corner, Imma be chillin' with my fresh ride. Jokes aside, do I think the super stretched bikes look silly, a little, but I still respect the rider and the ride for what it is and would be more inclined to talk to them versus the Nicky Hayden look-a-like trying to prove he is better than me. I guess I will never understand why you guys feel to need to call us out or "rant" about what we like and what we do. You don't see us posting, "man look at that wack ass stock bike..."

The battle continues...

* Last updated by: gfunko on 8/28/2012 @ 9:29 AM *

I say...do what ya want with your ride....it's all good.I like what ya said about the 'blind corner' deal and all.Yup....sad but true.I say....slam her if ya want...shit...this bike is so all around modable...why not?Plenty of power...yet built nice enough for long haul cruising as well....it's all cool.Not to mention...she LOOKS badazz!Like no other I'll say that!I love my bike.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 8/28/2012 @ 12:44 PM *

I am lowering my Connie because she is high at the seat (common problem) and I have too much invested in her to be on tippy toes in whack-job parking lots and such.

Of course, in November if the VA actually does finally replace my bum knees, I'll be an inch taller, all of it in the inseam. That will help.

Now I know she won't handle as good after being lowered. Her parking lot manners will not be so good. I will just have to adapt and be glad I can flat foot at stops.

Don't care what anyone does to their bike. I used to be a purist and part of that is why I still don't accept the R designation on the ZX14 and never will unless it shows up at least in an AMA sanctions road racing class for whales.

But I just don't care anymore about how people mod ..... as long as they let me mod the way I want, I figure I should let them do what they want.

Pull up beside me in a lowered, big fat rear tired, stretched, pretend-dragbike, at a light, and I'll laugh silently at you for being an idiot. But its your right if you want to do it.

Sort of like helmets in a No-Helmet-Law State .... if you don't want to wear one, be my guest.

So my Connie will be lowered as of this coming Friday. But she will NEVER get a big fat rear tire because I can barely afford the tires she uses now.

* Last updated by: privateer on 8/28/2012 @ 1:42 PM *

Mod away, do what you like, it's your bike...have fun!

I still don't accept the R designation on the ZX14 unless it shows up at least in an AMA sanctions road racing class for whales

Lol, that was funny, lol

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

?

Wow, is there any way to 'report' spammers on this forum? Can posts be flagged or something?

Indeed. Follow these three simple steps:

1) announce you are from western Pa.

2) make everyone aware you either own or lust after a blue 14R.

3) place a dark-colored beastie in your avatar.

Viola! Now everyone will know that wherever you post there is spam. I see you have already complied with all three!

Congrats! ;)

Wow, that was A good read. I must have missed it back in 2012 lol.