I knew the title may attract attention. So, is their actually anyone out there who hasn't been totally blown away by this bike? I dare say, anyone who has been unipressed by their ZX14? I mean I have logged about 2000km on my new 08 so far, and every single time I take her out for a ride she impresses me more than the ride before. Maybe Jerry Maguire had it right when he mumbled "you complete me" ( yeh, I know.....a forced movie viewing with the wife......)
Anyways, I've added the risers, put some grip puppies over the grips to make them a little bigger, and have soft luggage on order. This bike just never ever fails to put a smile on my face, regardless of the speed i'm travelling at, or where i'm heading. She seems just as suited to a leisurely Sunday afternoon cruise to get ice cream and she does trying to suck my eyeballs out of their sockets whenI roll on the happy twister thing on the right bar.

She is also very much the sleeper, which I like. She doesn't really grab the attention that the old cruiser got, or that the fancy-dancy litrebikes seem to draw in. She just sits there in her parking spot while we sip on a Timmies coffee and eat a cookie knowing full well what she is capable of.

And the brakes! Holy shite, now that I'm venturing into somewhat higher speeds I am beginning to have a newfound respect for what motorcycle brakes are capable off. The difference between stopping this 14, as compared to my old 800 pound gorilla/cruiser is like night and day.

Is their anything that she does not do well? I have yet to find out.

Happy trails.

* Last updated by: trikebubble on 5/4/2009 @ 4:59 PM *

I switched from a highly modded 05 zx10 to my 07 zx14
and if I have to be totally honest here- the stock 14 felt sluggish
and heavy and for the first few days had me worried.
Once I started getting rid off all the excess fat and pulled
the flies out and such things were making more sense and the bike
was much faster and fun to ride.

But again- the first impressions of my 07 were not that great.
I missed my 10 for a few months for sure...
everything but the brakes on the zx10 that is!
I was just spoiled a little having a killer liter bike before the switch.

I admit to being underwhelmed.

When you have ridden as long as I have (40+ years) and had all the fast Kawasaki motorcycles since the Mach III triple set the stage for all that has come in sportbikes since, its more an incremental change than one that would really blow me away.

I was running 150mph passes in 1975 with a bored / stroked Z1, and frankly, my ZX-14 isn't all that much faster 34 years later.

I ran my ZX-11 at nearly 200 mph on highway 280 north of San Jose CA for a good 30 seconds and the ZX14 isn't going to top that.

But still, the ZX14 is a much better motorcycle than all the ones I had before it. Too bad its not as comfortable as my ZX11 was, though.

I'm going to keep it, if the economy doesn't interfere.

Just like privateer, I wasn't blown away simply because I've had many fast bikes (telling my age here) but I still have to say after some basic mods and suspension tweaks I was impressed. I am very happy with the 14 and if I let this one go it will only be replaced by another one. Around here I've only seen 3 other 14's and a friend of mine owns 1 of those so when we stop and take a breather at the top of the mountain they get looked over pretty good and plenty of questions and compliments.

I do have to say it is the smoothest power producer I have ever owned and because of that the speeds sneak up on you pretty quick and you don't even realize it. The local LEO pulled me over the other day, I was just tooling around taking in the scenery. Once stopped he asked if I knew how fast I was going. I told him no I wasn't paying attention, he said he clocked me at 95 and had been trying to catch up with me for a couple of miles or so (pretty curvy and tight country road).

* Last updated by: heathun on 5/4/2009 @ 6:43 PM *

I was and continue to be totally blown away by the 14.

I had a Triumph 650cc TT Special in the late 60's. It was the hottest thing on 2 wheels back then. It was raced (not by me) at the TT races at Ascot Park in Gardena (CA). I guess that was before the first Japanese bikes even existed (or maybe they were just arriving). But sport bikes didn't exist back then.

Then I stopped riding for about 35 years. Got the 14 last Father's Day and couldn't believe that a motorcycle that fast could be legally sold. Times sure have changed... -bg

* Last updated by: bgordon on 5/4/2009 @ 6:49 PM *

Anyone who has any reason to think this bike is not crazy fast just wack the throttle wide open in 1st or 2nd gear and see what happens.(not recommended for new owners)

I have owned my 14 for almost 2 years and at 8000 miles it seems to run stronger every time it goes out!!

* Last updated by: doug on 5/4/2009 @ 8:32 PM *

Looks like I am not the only one that was not impressed with low end of the 14. I thought that may have been one of my biggest mistake purchases of my life. The 20 mph 1st gear roll on was a joke and my 1100 ZRX had more than it did.
Change to an early catless header, Scorpion right side slip on, TRE 008 and and adjustable advancer set at 4 degrees then it became a totally different bike. It may not do stand up wheelies like the 1100 but it went from unimpressed to where did this 85 mph 1st gear come from.
I am kinda scared of it now because just like a Busa it is smooth and before you know it you are at a buk fity with no slow down in site.
It is a 2008

I was impressed from day 1. My last bike was a 1984 900 Ninja. No low or real mid power but I enjoyed it. I hadn't ridden in about 20 years.One reason I took a chance on this bike was because of the claims of manageable power. After I got it I heard complaints of no low end.The manageable power and no low end worked out fine for me.I love this bike.I bought this 06 new in summer of 07. Added a PClll but didn"t remove flies until last fall and LOVE IT MORE. The bike works for me.

I have a stage III ZRX 1200R and honestly I haven't been all that impressed with the raw power of the ZX-14, YET. However, I have been quietly building a monster in a basement all winter and one of these days I will get a chance to ride it the way it should have been from the factory... (ie: full exhaust, PC-III, flies out, -1 front sprocket, LSL...)

In stock form, the ZX-14 is ultra smooth - perhaps too much so. There is no savage yank on the bars anywhere, honestly. Whack the throttle on my ZRX in 3rd while passing a vehicle and you better have your poop in a group.

I am awaiting the release of the Kraken quite eagerly!

hey guys well i relate mine to water skiing twist hard and fast it stands in 1st 3 gears power alone and pulls arms out of socket feeling like when u get pulled up skiing by a boat is pure sex they are .

I was seriously impressed! Although I bought mine with the flies out and a pcIII, that and my last bike was 8 years ago and it was a 2000 R6. Huge step up in power and stability. It did feel alittle heavy, at first. Then I put some bt016's on there to replace the bald(in the center) bt014's and that feeling went away!

I have an 08 was unimpressed with the fuel economy, got off an FJR. The 14 is a great sports tourer, its just a little short of a good thing with fuel range

The bike has the "wow" factor everytime you ride, and thats important Ya gota wana ride the thing.

Maybe range of colours as well ?

ethin14

* Last updated by: ethin14 on 5/5/2009 @ 3:06 AM *

masszx14,

I also had the zx10 2004 before switching to the 14. The 10 was my most exciting motorcycling experiene and I still miss it nearly 2 years later.
How do you feel about it now?

Maybe some of ya'll that ain't that impressed just gotta bad one, 4th gear on mine the other day at a buck twenty with a handful of throttle and the front end is coming off the ground.....jeez what do you folks want? If you're having low end problems, the fixes were out on that about 3 years ago. This bike rocks, it will smoke my literbike!

Kruz

I was unimpressed with the power when I first got mine. I was also unimpressed with the weight of the bike and turn in effort going into corners. I think better tires will fix this. The heat of the engine sucked also hopefully reduced by the full exhaust. I am coming from My 418lb R1. In fact if I do a HP to weight comparison my R1 is better than the zx14 stock. I got it not because it is fast but because of the comfort of the bike compared to the liter bikes. I was willing to sacrifice some performance for comfort. The gas milage isnt great either compared to the R1. Hopefully my mods now put it closer to what I am looking for though. I can see if your coming from any cruiser bike or sport touring you may be blown away but coming from a new liter bike I dont think anyone will be blown away with the power. In fact is the liter bikes will pull harder over 100mph than the zx14 will.

Maybe I'm just too easy to please. I really couldn't care less if my bike will out-accelerate another ride. it's not whay I purchased it. What keeps getting me going is the fact that she is so docile and well mannered when you want her to be, so smooth and co-operative that she almost lulls you into a sense of well-being..........but is more than capable of reaching up, grabbing you by the short hairs, and pulling you willingliy into the next time zone with a simple flick of the wrist.
I bought her to travel on, to put down some serious miles every now and then, to make runs up and down the various mountain passes and snake along side the winding rivers here, and to take leisurely afternoon or weekend jaunts to wherever the dart lands on the map. I know that their are other bikes out there better suited to complete one of these tasks, but for me...this bike really stands out as a master of being able to take me everywhere, satisfy all my needs...and do it with a huge shit-eating grin.

I wasn't immediately impressed by the big Ninja. My previous bike was a zx9r with stroker that was putting down 170bhp. Turned out, all I had to do was pull the flies to turn the 14 into the beast I expected it to be from the get go. My '06 was just too mellow down low for my taste. Apparently the '08-'09 don't have the same issue. I have a '05 zx10r, same mods as the zx14, also. Though the 10 is a beast in it's own right, I miss the monsterous torque of the zx14 when I ride it. I have a couple small gripes about the 14, but it is undoubtedly the baddest thing out there $12k or less. Coulda bought 2 or three zx14's for the $$$ I had to put into my zx9r to get it to perform almost as well as the big Ninja does straight from the factory.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 5/5/2009 @ 9:44 AM *

Here's my take on the 14 versus literbike thing now that I have gotten use to riding both. ZX-14 is way more comfortable, ZX-14 has tons more torque, literbike goes good when you spin it up, ZX-14 goes good ANY TIME. I can't ride both bikes at the same time obviously so subjectively the 14 FEELS a lot faster to me, it just jerks your arms straight when you hammer on it. Low speed turn in, the 14 feels every bit as good as my literbike since I changed to Dunlop Qualifiers. The 14 never fails to surprise me with it's low speed agility for a big bike. High speed stability in turns, ZX-14 is rock solid, literbike a bit darty. Suspension, ZX-14 is plush by comparison never feels out of control though, literbike stiffer over the bumps, tighter feeling. Power to weight ratios are identical at 3 lbs per rear wheel HP each if you just compare bikes alone. Add rider though, in my case 220 lbs, and the advantage shifts strongly to the ZX-14. In fact the heavier the rider the more this becomes a factor, do the math. This is one reason why you see a lot more big guys riding 14s then literbikes or 600s and probably why my CBR just doesn't have the same wild feel that my 14 has when you hammer on it, my weight is affecting it's acceleration. Also if you compare torque to weight ratios with me on board they're not even close. 14 stomps all over the CBR in this category and is probably why the 14 feels stronger, kind of like the Ducati thing. Wind protection, advantage 14. Looks, subjective but this ones a toss up, I likes 'em both just fine. Ergonomics, this category goes to the 14 as well, feels like a Cadillac by comparison and my wrists never bother me on the 14. CBR, major wrist pain every time I let off the throttle. Build quality about equal, they're both top drawer. Ease of maintenance goes to the 14, you don't have to remove half the fairings to change the oil filter. Brakes, 14's are better, engine smoothness again 14 is better. I'm not dissin the CBR, it's a great bike , it's just for the kind of riding I do every day, I haven't found any place where it beats the 14 hands down yet except in side to side transitions and moving it in and out of the garage. On the roads I ride, I cannot beat the 14 on the CBR 1000. On a race track this might be a totally different scenario but how often do I get out there? To be honest my 14 is heavily modded and is a beast, the CBR is still virtually stock. After mods on the CBR this may all change.

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 5/7/2009 @ 7:25 AM *

The 14 is an impressive bike if you use it for its intended purpose. Why anyone would buy a heavy bike with soft suspension and then compare it to a liter bike which may be 100 pounds lighter has shorter wheelbase and "race like suspension" is beyond me. That’s like saying a 50 pound sledge hammer sucks for driving in finishing nails. The zx14 is a great street bike. If someone finds another bike that is capable of running in the nines in stock trim , smashes into a 186mph limiter with ease has brakes that rival any liter bike, smoother than most touring bikes and capable of long trips two up yet still handles well enough to keep up with anything on the street please let me know so I can pick one up tonight. Many bikes handle better, some are quicker, smoother, and some have better brakes… hell a few are even faster. However I can't think of any bike that has all of those things in combination like the ZX14. When someone makes a bike that does I’ll be the first in line to pick one up. Please no one bring up the resale value. LOL

The 14 is an impressive bike if you use it for its intended purpose. Why anyone would buy a heavy bike with soft suspension and then compare it to a liter bike which may be 100 pounds lighter has shorter wheelbase and "race like suspension" is beyond me. That’s like saying a 50 pound sledge hammer sucks for driving in finishing nails. The zx14 is a great street bike. If someone finds another bike that is capable of running in the nines in stock trim , smashes into a 186mph limiter with ease has brakes that rival any liter bike, smoother than most touring bikes and capable of long trips two up yet still handles well enough to keep up with anything on the street please let me know so I can pick one up tonight. Many bikes handle better, some are quicker, smoother, and some have better brakes… hell a few are even faster. However I can't think of any bike that has all of those things in combination like the ZX14. When someone makes a bike that does I’ll be the first in line to pick one up. Please no one bring up the resale value. LOL

You said it well- there are liter bikes that are faster even in a straight line...the 0-180 runs.
I've had a few hours on the 09 R1 and I can assure you it will give it to any stock zx14 with ease!
The 08-09 zx10 is a nasty fast bike and again- the zx14 wouldn't have the edge in roll ons.
The 07-08 gsx-r 1000 is proven to outrun the 14 in the magazine tests numerous times.

Sorry Kruz, but your CBR is not really close to the rest of the liter gang.
I'd be shocked if it had much on the zx14 with your set up.
I've also read the many posts of people switching from slip ons to a power making full
system and they swear that the bike is faster!

With all said and done- there's no other bike I'd rather own but my 07 zx14.
Just investing in it... well it never ends.
Currently awaiting my BST rear wheel and time seemed to stop.

Masszx14 wrote:

Sorry Kruz, but your CBR is not really close to the rest of the liter gang.
I'd be shocked if it had much on the zx14 with your set up.

On a track I would have to disagree, the '07 CBR handily spanked the other three liter bikes in Road Racing World's 2007 Literbike comparison, setting fastest overall lap time, fastest average lap time and 2 out of three test riders personal best lap times at Willow Springs Raceway. Proofs in the pudding. That was with AMA pro road racers Jeremy Toye, Chris Ulrich and Ed Sorbo twisting the throttles. That's the main reason I wanted one. It out torqued all but the GSXR and was only down by a couple of ponies at the very top compared to the others. The dyno charts show the CBR ahead of the pack in horsepower until you pass 11,500 rpm, which is about as fast as I'm going to spin on the street. That being said, it is not the dragracer of the bunch, all three of the others spun higher rpms with top end oriented powerbands and turned in quicker quarter mile times. In reality these four bikes are so close you could blindfold yourself and pick a winner and it might surprise you that some of the older liter bikes could still give the new ones a run for their money on any given day. Over the past few years the literbikes have gained weight, peak torque has stayed about the same and the horsepower increases have come only by increasing rev limits. That kind of power is accessible only by the very best pro racers on a fast track. Maybe I have a very fast 14, a very slow literbike or both but I'm just reporting what I've seen with my bikes and that is for everyday riding I'd rather be on the 14.

Kruz

My brother has a tricked out limited edition Ducati 1098. Its insanely quick and agile. Its a race bike - all you would ever need for the twisties anywhere. Most dream of owning such a machine...Yet it is a bike he is going to get rid off he tells me.
Guess what bike he is impressed more by ??
Ya..my ZX14. Why ?? Kuz it is smooth,comfortable,lethal fast, better than most riders need in the corners and you still can pull 10-12 hour runs on it and not be a cripple at the end ..(as I have proved many many times on my 14.)
The Ducatii and all race bike wannabees are like airhead drop dead georgeous blondes you would never marry.
The 14 is a stunning all rounder..one you can develope a loooooooooooooong term exciting relationship with in all kinds of situations.
Case in point ..
I rode my 14 straight from the dealer on the coast where I live, up the winding roads east over the Cascades. What a blast that was ..Then I carried on through the lumbering, cooking hot roadways of the interior plateau; clinbed on up the zig zaggibg pathways through the Rockies, and headed south down the long roads to the deserts of the south west where the air was running 110 - 115F. I rang the 14s neck on a very barren and empty highway 50, then ran rings around packs of lumbering Hardleys and other cruiser/sports touring types all through the exciting twists and turns of those sweet roads west through Northern California.
Then I turned north and went plunking up the surf crashing coast road home.
After all that I was sad to see my home come into view. I wanted to keep riding and riding and riding.
Now thats impressive- that's a bike

worth having.

* Last updated by: painterdude on 5/5/2009 @ 3:17 PM *

I have had plenty of bikes in my past years.
I like the 14 because of many reasons.
Before I ever jumped on it I liked the lines and the looks.
Once I got on it I was sold. It is comfortable for 6 to 8 hour touring.
It is capable of getting you out of trouble quickly, but on the flip side can get you into it as well.
It eats up miles with relative ease. There are a couple of my past bikes I miss, but I would still ride the 14 more even if I did still own them. It is just an overall fun ride. If I wanted to be a pretzel when I rode a 600 mile day, i would have bought a liter bike.

Lots of good stuff here.Ya-my last ride was a beloved zx12-2004 model.Just loved that bike.Then came the 14-2007.I said"I want that bike".Loved the looks in the mags-had a pic of the Diablo Black 07 as my screensaver.Had NO idea how it would feel,ride or perform.I ordered one.When they brought it over to my house,and unloaded it from the closed trailer-I KNEW I had made the RIGHT decision.One ride-even just looking at it close up-well,I was stoked!Best bike ever for me.Very Happy with mine.I wasn't unimpressed at all but realized(from being on the early (now gone)forum), that removing the flies was the way to go,and a PCIII.The rest is history as they say!!!LOVE my bike-16/42 gearing recharged my enjoyment.I will most likely die owning this as my last bike.I can't imagine ever riding anything else.Hope I can go on into my 70's,80's and 90's riding my "bluebird".(I'm 56 now-and every ride is "new" again.It's very cool)Stay safe all-ENJOY yer time machines!!!I've got near 20,000 miles now-all great and trouble free!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 5/5/2009 @ 10:24 PM *

A lot of liter bike talk and ZRX thinking because a bike can wheelie easier its faster you know seat of the pants feel. Read around these bikes aren't faster or as fast at all. They might feel faster like I said but the drags tell the real story. A liter bike is faster from 100 on up big deal how often is that a factor you gotta get to 100 first. This bike was designed not to wheelie easy though it does while rocketing forward. It is as said a great machine.