I got a good reminder of how the massive power of the 14 makes passing so much safer. Was returning from Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday, and there is a LONG stretch of 2-lane highway north of Green River. Plenty of passing needed to keep up a good pace. Running at 80mph, head down and a slight twist of the throttle and was at 120mph (like RIGHT NOW). Passed other vehicles in about a second. Less time spent in the oncoming traffic lane = safer passing. -bg

^^Totally. I ride a hundred miles of 2 lane north of Green Bay and lots of drivers doing 55.

I Vote NO

It would be line having a Ferrari and living in the country, with only dirt pot-hole roads to drive on.

Own that highway :)

* Last updated by: JDC on 9/11/2009 @ 8:14 PM *

I found the 14 does quite well at partial throttle and handling. I ride it to work mostly.

I'm a NO on this one.
The ZX14 is ridiculous overkill for a street motorcycle. The question asks if you are going to do the speed limil all the time, never exceeding the limit!! First of all it'e an extremely hypothetical question. I dare say no one who has ever driven anything has never exceeded the posted limit, even if by accident (not paying attention.)
A better question might be if you intend to obey the intent of the law..... But even then I'd have to say No.
Imagine never shifting out of 4th gear!
There are times and places to let her rip.
I'd say any LEO can look at a ZX14 rider and say, "there goes an outlaw!"

Buy something smaller and slower....if you don't explore the power envelope of the machine, you won't understand how it performs at low or high rpms or gears. When you are in a tight spot (you will be there someday) and need to drop down a couple of gears and romp on it... you better have explored how to max perform the bike or you will be in big trouble.

It's difficult to stay within the speed limit on this machine. So, Rook, toward the end of last year I got a ticket in Wisconsin that I fought and was reduced to a non-mover, defective speedometer I think they called it. Early this year I got one on the tollway going to work, 90 in a 55. That one was reduced to 25 over, $300 for fine and court costs and six months 'supervision'; if I dont get another ticket the charge is dropped. It stays on my record so the coppers can see it if I get pulled over again but it isn't a conviction so my insurance company won't know.

I've been behaving myself for the most part on the 'common roads'. City streets, parts of the highway system that get congested with rush hour traffic and the like. Generally, anywhere there is currently or could be at any time of day a lot of traffic I stay around the speed limit.

There are tons of nice country roads where only the locals go. It seems that the economic recovery money has led to resurfacing a lot of roads! I go out there and cut loose still! Some great roads in eastern Iowa too with no traffic and tons of visibility so the cops are obvious.

I commute on a busy highway and more than once I've used the awesome acceleration to avoid getting whacked.

To be honest though, if I intended to ride within the speed limit I probably would have bought a BMW GS or something like that. Certainly something that gets better gas mileage. I tend to like to think I'm being responsible by generally obeying the speed limit (Ok, I learned a lesson with the speeding tickets and am interested in keeping my driving priveleges)but it is very difficult to have enough self restraint to yank the throttle from a dead stop and lay off at 55MPH. I am envious of anyone with that much self control.

Just thinking back....
I've been riding bikes over 40 years. My second bike, Norton 750 Commando, Didn't even have rear view mirrors. Didn't matter who was behind me noone ever passed me. Fast as I could go everywhere I went.
Still go fast and rarely at or below speed limit. I consider the realspeed limit as 9MPH over what's posted. But I'm talking more than that. Century club every ride mo matter how brief. (It's not the destination, but getting there that's a kick in the butt!)
I've never received a speeding ticket on a motorcycle!!I've talked my way out of a couple and seen cops who never even tried. My only strategy is to hit the brakes really hard (no stoppies) and cut as much speed as I can whenever I see a cop. If I do get a ticket I hope it reads..."Septigenarian stopped for 90 MPH over limit." He was released and returned to the Sanitarium

Oh my! I hope the cop(s) in the cruiser saw that blow up yellow boat on top of the car. That fool moved into the fast lane in front of me. I figured, that thing is going to come off and I will not be collected. I go around the car, back in the fast lane... Done!

Now, I am moving at a good clip. I try to stay to the right or wherever there is that big free space; no cars around, keep pace. That boat is hauling now with the boat half creased coming for me or keeping the pace? No, that car is so close on my ass, they my have other plans?

I am now boxed in until I see a gap. I pass the Suburban in front of me. When I came around with the winker to go back in the fast lane again, My speed on the accel is you know WOT a few seconds will do. Who was watching this from afar? Uncle Local gonna be looking for me. Local my loco if he only know the story how I clear cars. They do not need to follow me for WOT reason is not for long.

With the sicko loco's with their dingle berries and their phones in the ear... I ride hard and fast, not socialize on the road, my way dear ho waves!

Sharkey wrote:

My only strategy is to hit the brakes really hard (no stoppies) and cut as much speed as I can whenever I see a cop.

Simple and direct is the only way to go in a spur of the moment decision. I'm sure that's what I would have done as a young driver. As I grew older, I started to just cut the throttle. I was afraid braking would make it too obvious that I was aware of the fact that I was speeding. Slowing down as fast as you can might just save you from the radar if the operator is not too good at it. Also, just slowing down a little bit might give the impression that you don't mind brazenly speeding past the cop. I think they might take that personally and be a lot more likely to take off after you.

I agree...don't want to insult the cops integrity. But I think radar would be hard to interpret with the numbers changing in a blur. 90 > 60 in 2 seconds. Hard to decide what speed to quote on the ticket. I can't say it's the best strategy, but I can say that I've always been a very lucky person. And the more I practice the luckier I get.

Heres a good example of passing power..lmfao and you know weve all done it just some of us more than others

* Last updated by: bgordon on 9/15/2009 @ 12:17 PM *

ZOWIE! Do it all the time but prolly not on a 2 laner with a car coming at me. With the power we have, that rider might have slowed down until he saw the oncoming car clear the one up ahead. You know, the 14 can pick up that kind of speed in a very short space.

Did you notice he had those cute Kawasaki tire valve stem caps on??

* Last updated by: Sharkey on 9/15/2009 @ 3:56 PM *

sharkey is that what that green flash was on the wheels...lol

does anyone besides me look at the driver when you do a flyby like that? love seeing them jump out of thier skins...lol

Geez, I'm barely keeping up with the smack talk around here.

Harsh flashback humor regarding the guys that have invested more in mods alone
than what the KBB value of the 08 zx14 with slip ons is...

Dont let any one tell you whats right or wrong ,just know your limits and ride with your heart,common sense will tell you when you can let it go,I'll be 57 this month,the war departments going thru mentaL pause,so 2 to 300 kph is like an orgasmn to me

In human nature being passionate means abandoning common sence. They can't truly coexist.
The ZX14 is a passionate bike. It's the closest to an Italian bike (in emotion) as the Japanese have come. Every little mod I make brings me joy. If I had to worry about how much I can get for my bike if I sell it, I would loose my passion. Life's too short to live without passion.
I don't go out for a ride with the intention of being wreckless. But somehow I always end up going to tripple digits or trying to drag my knee. I just can't control myself.

In human nature being passionate means abandoning common sence. They can't truly coexist.

Man, you said that perfectly.

Mistaking common sense for something else, maybe.

Its like the diffence between a Ranger or Seal team doing a room entry versus a couple punks robbing a store.

Not sure passion has anything to do with it. I know a lot of MSF Rider Coaches who are passionate about safety and preventing injuries and loss of life amongst riders. I know a lot of riders who show good common sense about when to obey the speed limit and when not to.

Blaming the fact we get a rush out of a triple digit pass of three or four cars and as we come to the crest of the hill and have to sit up and flair our legs to air brake for the downhill curve on passion or a lack of common sense is kind of dumbing it down far too much.

You can be just as dead with or without passion if you are lacking common sense. Passion plus common sense just means you get to feel the rush another day, if luck holds for you.

Sheez-this bike ROCKS!!!Nobody HAS to break speed laws.Cruising at 75,80,90-feels good.That's why I ride.IT FEELS GOOD!The ability to totally annihilate EVERY vehicle out there is just a "plus".I'm 55,almost 56.This is the most comfortable,reliable,powerful motorcycle I've ever owned(and has been the most fun).This is gonna sound vain,BUT.............everytime I look at my reflection in the storefront windows-it just looks RIGHT.This baby fits me perfect and looks AWESOME-like a fighter jet gettin ready to roll.LOVE my Plasma Blue Bird!!!I plan to keep on ridin,leanin,blastin through the sweepers and canyons till God only knows when.Unknown places-yeah,I'm prudent.Roads I know well-yeah,I unleash sometimes.ALL my tickets have been at 15 to 25 over.Okay-I'm lucky so far as well-Had I been radared at any of those tickets FIVE MINUTES EARLIER-well,let's just say,I'd be walkin!Geez-I TRY to behave,but...........my God,she's a 14!Kawasaki said"Go Americans-keep on doin our R &D for us-we'll keep you happy,you keep us happy!!"It's all good....Now,back to reality-I try not to speed.I consider myself a safe,considerate motorcycle rider.I'm thinkin about how my riding behavior might affect others around me.I'm respectful of the cages.When I pass,I do it sanely and safely.But oh how I love lightin the candle when the road is clear and the way is safe!!!You know the feeling-all of us do-like when ya had yer first HARLEY.My Ninja is light years away from that Harley I owned.I LOVE MY Classic-and she IS a Classic-one of a kind baby!!!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 9/17/2009 @ 9:42 PM *

I was reading "common sense" as not spending $900 on an exhaust system when the bike already comes with a very good one or not taking the car when it's 30 degrees outside or not spending an hour every few days washing the bike or cutting back on groceries that week so you can buy some synthetic oil or yes, even breaking the speedlimit 3 times over now and then when it looks like you will survive.

Maybe common sense does enter into the picture. Hell, yes it does. If you only knew how many hours i spent - days if you add it all up - thinking about which exhaust system to buy. Yeah, I really believe we think pretty hard about our nonsense.

I think what Sharkey said was so powerful because it sounded like it was being spoken to all of the people who never rode a motorcycle. It was spoken with their perspective in mind. We know how they feel because we live in their world too. They don't get any of this.

Passion. I think some people live a whole life without ever experiencing it. Sometimes I think they are lucky because then they don't HAVE to follow their passion. I dunno.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/17/2009 @ 10:35 PM *

hahaha, AMEN!!!!!

The feeling i get for riding bikes is something most people here don't call common sense. *Why would you drive a bike?* Is a question i normally just smile at and leave it be since those people just don't undestand.

Can you ride a ZX14 or ANY sportsbike 600cc ++ and obey the laws, ofcourse. Would i? Would you? Nah. I think most of us ARE aware those speeding limits are here to keep the accidents to a minimum. But hey, if u have a long road ahead of you, and there's no cars around. God, just blast the damn thing. u'll feel satisfied and smile and think : DAAMN!!

Atleast, this is what i even get with 600cc's. I guess im easily satisfied with Acceleration. But i guess since i'am here, i want more, more, more ..

Far be if from me to say don't run the big Ninja up in the stratosphere.

I'm the guy who got beside an F40 Ferrari on the 280 Southbound about 3 miles north of San Jose CA on a fine Sunday morning and matched him all the way to a bit over 200 mph riding my highly modified ZX-11.

Once in a while I let clarity cut through the bullshit and realize it is a good thing not so much as a large pebble was in my path over the 2 miles before I got it slowed down to 50 and found myself lane splitting under braking.

If you've been there, you know what I am talking about. And I have thrown a bike away in the Santa Cruz mountains west of San Jose, too, on an uphill 100 degree turn at 60 mph too.

Both are cases where passion overcame common sense, the only difference is the luck was with me for the former event and not so much for the latter.

Young and old riders alike often tend to forget its not often YOU that kills YOU, its something you cannot control, like Granny in her Lincoln Continental coming out a lane just past a blind curve.

Where common sense comes in is if you do what MSF says, and adjust your speed and mental focus to the hazard that MAY be past that blind curve.

If you decide not to slow down, and t-bone Granny, well, grats on your passion, sorry about your lack of common sense.

* Last updated by: privateer on 9/18/2009 @ 4:29 AM *