I think some of my subtle humor was overlooked. As we all know "FAST" is very subjective.
I take a handfull of meds every day (doctors orders) and most of them have a warning on the label...caution may make you drowsy, do not operate heavy machinery... so since my ZX11 was heavier than the ZX14 I sold it and bought a 14.
So you see I do take those warnings seriously.

* Last updated by: Sharkey on 10/7/2009 @ 10:52 AM *

Yep do drugs to make you feel like the bike isn't that fast then do more drugs that make you feel fast while you are sitting still.

I drive a forklift for a living.

Wow, that was the longest thread I ever read about a full exhaust, and custom map, now bike is the way it was meant to be. I thought everyone who bought this bike did this?

Wow, that was the longest thread I ever read about a full exhaust, and custom map, now bike is the way it was meant to be. I thought everyone who bought this bike did this?

That... but without the full exhaust.

Still plenty of folks with no interest in modding their bikes around here though.
I think Sharkey is scaring them with his Superbike fairytails

I've gotten to the point with my modded busa, where I run out of road way before I really get to stretch its legs like I want. And I haven't got my boosted 14 finished up yet.....but I imagine I'll REALLY have to pick my spots to have fun with it lol. I can see how it would be hard to use all the power of a really fast bike on the street tho...but I've always been a big fan of excess...must be the Roman in me

I've always been a big fan of excess...must be the Roman in me

Te he...Mass has got those light weight bad ass rims +++++ and Bad has got that turbo going in and I'm willing to bet almost every one that owns a zx-14 is thinking about MORE. Adrenaline Junkie..... just as Sharkey described. Every 1 or 2 HP gain leaves you wanting MORE. When your bike is working right, it's just a nice feeling. Cheers

To continue my rant... I dont understand how some will spend 10K plus on the bike, $500 to $1500 on exhaust, $250 plus on PC, plus extras (powder coating, exhaust wrap, TRE's, etc..) but then complain about not having the right map for it to run right and screwing around with bad maps get frustarted, call every manufacturer and online tuner bad names? Spend the extra $300 for the dyno time to get a custom map and now you will know your bike is running at its peak performance without risk of damage. Plus this is the only way you will know what the true performance gains are before and after.

Now if you purchased brocks, fuel moto, or from other companines that provide maps maybe the dyno time is not as important and you can get a good running map from them but if you didnt its dyno time! Personally, I dont like Brocks exhaust and I dont trust maps that were created for general use like fuel moto and PC maps. They will work and be safe but you wont get optimal performance out of them.

* Last updated by: hoopie on 10/8/2009 @ 7:00 AM *

I've always been a big fan of excess

I love to toy and dabble with the performance of the 14 but if it weren't for these damned forums, I would still be exploring the potentials of the stock bike on the street for easily another 3 years even after riding it for 2. More power is the reason we all went with the 14 though. It's hard to resist MORE!!! I think what a lot of us need is to get our bikes on a track/dragstrip to really know what we have stock. That would not change the compulsion to mod though, would it?

Hoopie, I see your point. I simply wanted to change the exhaust because it was not attractive or expressive of sound. That's what the long entry is all about. The Irony of a simple act. Not everyone knows of the difficulty of getting a good map which is what led me to make all the modifications. I have worked on my own motorcycles since my first bike. Some of them didn't even run until I worked on them. If you're a mechanical person like me working on bikes is very entertaining. Like Romans said, every 1 or2 HP gain makes you want more. I like this forum because of the numerous participants who also enjoy working on their bikes. We share knowledge and excitment.
I didn't mean to scare anyone about the bike being too powerful, but lets face it...it is! (Even stock) But when people hear that, a large number of them gravitate to it because it's fun to scare yourself. We're into the challenge. But I would never allow someone else to ride my bike. It would be too easy to loose control.
I worked on the Ski Patrol for 10 years and I picked up a lot og guys, who weren't good skiers, from expert slopes. If you didn't have to buy a bike in order to ride one you'd probably see a lot of guys being picked up off the roads. Everyone likes to think they can handle it. (Whatever it is.)

So anyway...Hi, my name is Sharkey and I'm addicted to wrenches and adrenaline rushes.

Google 1098R Bayliss Replica

I've read about that bike. Awesome. Any idea where I could rent one? LOL

Hmm.. Can a bike have to much power?

I'd say no.. Personally. 240 rwhp is not enough for me right now.

But i guess if i had a stock bike with exhaust and and aftermarket airfilter... And a custom-over-the-phone tune... I'd have a different opinion.

Oh wait.. I don't even have an air filter! DOH!

slow sez

And a custom-over-the-phone tune

Wait...jeez, I just checked and I forgot to put the air filter back in!! That might explain it all.

I'm certainly not in your class, slow, but you know, fun is where you find it.

OH i know. You aren't the only one with a subtle sense of humor.

I read many threads like this one on the gixxer forums...

"...traded my 600 for a 750 and the new bike is so much faster...
...although my 600 with the slip on was faster than the same year 1000..."

Got offered some overtime so I ordered a PC5 from Fuel Moto. I got to tell the wife "I know your birthday is in a 11 more days but look what I bought me".
It is always easier to kiss her ass to make her happy after I get what I want.

With a stable like yours you must kiss her ass a lot! LOL

I'm satisfied with my baby now.TOO MUCH? Yes,I could see having too much for sane riding that is.I've run off all the guys I know who have Busas.They just stopped calling after a ride or two with me.Go figure?Guess that says one of two things-either I'm dangerous to go riding with,or they wish to live a bit longer?(I mean,you know,I never put a gun to their heads and said'you must keep up')Oh well-I'd rather ride alone anyway-stop where I want.Go as fast as I want,when I want.It's true though-I ride quite fast in the curves and such.Probably too fast.I just can't ride my baby at freeway speeds for very long-sorry.As long as nobody crosses the double yellow into MY lane,everything will be just fine.The roads here are just TOO good to waste all day riding at 70.I'll be 57 this month-those other guys-maybe 30's.Shouldn't it be the other way around(am I missing something here?).

* Last updated by: blue07 on 10/9/2009 @ 3:11 PM *

Hay blue, just wait till you're 63. Everything slows down except the motorcycle.
I simply don't have anyone around who rides sportbikes. The area is abundant with old guys on Harleys. We don't have much in common.
My problem has been the inability to use all the bike has to offer. I don't want to take this bike to a track cause I like the way it looks without scratches. The roads around here have great curves but there's a limit when you're on a skinny little road. There's no wide to apex to wide turns. Too close to the fog line there's gravel and too close to the (mostly) double yellow you have the encroachers coming the other way. You can have your tires on the right side of the center line but your head can be on the other side of the line. So cornering skil is maintaining a continuous line right down the middle of the lane! The 14 is capable of so much more.

Got offered some overtime so I ordered a PC5 from Fuel Moto. I got to tell the wife "I know your birthday is in a 11 more days but look what I bought me".
It is always easier to kiss her ass to make her happy after I get what I want.

It's easier to beg for forgiveness, then it is to ask for permission. Soooo lets buy it, and beg. lol

* Last updated by: Romans on 10/9/2009 @ 5:35 PM *

Ya Sharkey-good point.Grass Valley-not sure where that is.I used to live in Southern California.Riverside area,Orange County close.Rode the Ortegas a few times when I had a Harley.Hit Big Bear also.So much more open,big sweepers here-and some twisty two lane as well.I tend to be more careful on the two laners-especially if I've not been on em before.I mean,I'm careful everywhere I ride.I would say that I'm VERY defensive when I'm riding.But there are places here where 100+ mph is "safe" if you could say that.As I'm owning this bike now since early 07-I've gone through several mindsets.Probably had an Angel or two helping me along.I've pushed the limits at times-that's for sure.I've been real fortunate.I'm going through another change with my bike again.Now with the improved performance and all,it feels quite different than before.And lately it seems that I'm not so dead set on seeing how fast I can cut through the canyons and such.I adjusted my suspension up and it's really improved the overall feeling again.When I'm riding now-it's more like "personal'best'".It is about becoming more "at one" with my bike.The mapping and suspension settings really have transformed my bike into something a lot more enjoyable-if not more "challenging".She certainly is shifting smoother and running smoother-and gobs of torque.

I don't think that it is a question of having too much power as it is a question of too little brains. High HP + Low IQ = disaster every time. You can have all the hp at the rear wheel that can be had...doesn't matter. It is all under the control of your right wrist.

Nail on the head, red!
A motorcycle can't have too much power, but a rider can have too much poor judgement no matter how talented.
Owning a motorcycle is kind of like having a baby. Anyone can do it no matter how stupid they are. The test for a motorcycle lisence in California is a joke.

Blue, I'm about to adjust my suspension, on this bike, for the first time. When you say you adjusted your suspension up does that mean you made it "stiffer?" How much?

How much you weigh Sharkey?I'm 175,180. Preload-3 lines showing.Rebound-10 clicks.Compression-7 clicks.Rear rebound-1 and 1/2 turns out.Compression,2 turns out(from fully closed on all valves)(front and rear)."stiffer" is kind of misleading.The front won't dive barely at all-which is good.The rebound is set to work more effectively-as is the compression.Allows the forks to travel back to they're starting positions much easier-with a full extension(starting point).

Right. That's why I put stiffer in quotation marks. It's more like "set for a heavier person."
I weigh 170# @ 5' 10'... The factory supposedly has it set for 150#. The dealer's Service Manager told me it was good to 175#. But I think he just didn't want to work on it. They have so many customers that they just aren't enthusiastic about doing anything. Must be lack of competition because they aren't very good at what they do.
Well, I'm really getting off topic now. Didn't mean to change this into a suspension thread. So I might try your settings. I do let my wife come along sometimes. I need to try a couple different settings to find what I like. Seeing things in contrast tends to create perspective. Or to put it in a fortune cookie...You don't truly appreciate "good" until you know what "bad" is.