2006:
After 7 years without bike I decided to ride again. When mother tea ran their Busa Beater campaign I headed off to the dealer show to sit on the new model. A few days later I went to the dealer and laid down my deposit. That short time away from the bike scene transitioned from carbs to fuel injection. Once I comprehended what was no longer easy to tune (fuel & spark) I began to dissect the new technology.

The bike began its transformation into a rolling test mule. Fuel movements would show on the AFR meter. Injector bodies would go thru different tuning stages. Different tuning tool types (pc/dobeck) would be applied. Air cleaners would be installed on top of the OEM's system. Wires would run all over the bike as each component would be added to study FI. A wire harness too close to the throttle body linkage would lock open with the harness being too close to the bell crank.

Needless to say that homemade wire harness found its way to jamming the throttle open. When I looked down at the speedo needle it read 93 mph. Within seconds the bike lofted in the air, slid me off the back and I momentary blacked out. I woke up sliding and felt that familiar burn of the skin. I watched the sparks flying off the bike as it ground thru the engine case. The bike was rendered a total.

2008:
Once I received the check from the insurance company, a dip into my savings, I bought another 14 and continued my research. This time I moved the handmade harness away from the throttle body. Again, I didn't lean my lesson and experimented with the break-in mentality and proceeded to hammer a new engine in the mode of 'ride it like you stole it,' and thus lived with an oil burner. This lasted a few years until the next generation came out. I then traded the bike in with 38,000 trouble free miles, sans the oil loss.

2013:
This time I followed book break-in and it never burned a drop. Each bike turned into the same morphing mule to study the bike so as to school myself learning FI. I figured I'd end my riding career with this bike. I found owning more than one bike and switching off kind of bored me. I was stepping down on power and no matter how well the other bike handled (aprilla) I missed that low end torque and instant performance the 14 would accomplish.

In theory, there is the idea that if you steer into the direction the vehicle was just at you could avoid a collision. In practice, that is another story. The problem is it happens so fast, there is no time to react. So when you can walk away from the accident and the bike can't, you then look for a new bike and begin to venture out looking for a new replacement.

So off to the dealerships to check out something new. Should I chance to another italian brand even though the ape had its own computer glitches, or choose a 1000cc size and detune 400cc's worth of power off the bike. Naaaaa...

2017:
I looked at the duc, yammie, suzzie just to get a feel for something different. Did I want a twin with no guts, or a 1000cc you had to windup before the power came on? Did I want to pay more for less torque? I then came to my senses and ordered a soon to be leftover. I worked with a few dealers before so I started to return to my roots. Once inventory trickles down to so many months, the factory does not re-tool-up to continue supplying an older production. The new model (2018) is now priority and whatever is left at the warehouse(s), that's all she wrote. Come to find out there are no more standards and only SE's are left.

Today I signed papers for the SE. There was no way I could pay more and come up short with less bike. So I am again with my 4th 14 so as to stay up with Grn and whoever else is on their 4th model. No extra shop manual to buy. No shim kit change to use, no tire sizes to change out, no extra rims to buy, and no envy I'm sitting on something slower.

Will the bike look the mule? WATT do you think?

Congrats on the new bike!

Congrats on the new ride. I sold my 2012 ZX14R that had close to 20,000 miles on it in 2015. Had to get back in it, thus bought a new 2017 ZX14R ABS SE last month. As was the case with the '12, this baby is the best bike I have ever ridden. Just passed 1,100 miles and counting.

* Last updated by: CCzx14r on 7/28/2017 @ 6:16 AM *

Congrats, Hub.

Will the bike look the mule? WATT do you think?

Congrats Hub!

Come on...it's about time. Are you going to go your whole life without a turbo?? Do it DO IT DO IT!

HA HA. See below for something to look forward to.
zx14 turbo build

* Last updated by: yannih on 7/28/2017 @ 9:05 AM *

Congrats Sir!!
I'm on my second ZX14.

Congrats Sir!!
I'm on my second ZX14.

HA HA. See below for something to look forward to.

I'd do it but as he points out, be ready to spend 10k. I think I could swing that because for me, this would be a 5 year project.

Thanks everyone. I'd have to say it's one quality ride. No Rook, my whole stripping down of the bike is less weight without spending a dime. Last thing I want is more weight adding a turbo.

Congrats on the new bike.

Grats Hubster! What a long strange trip it's been eh? zx-14's are magnificent motorcycles... they do so much extremely well they are absolutely tough to beat. For me about the only thing I'd ask for is it to be lighter, but most of that weights in the power plant so I think it's a fair trade.

Cheers...post some pics when you can!

WOW...Hubster.I'm happy for ya!Had NO idea you had those 'fun times' trying to survive in that California traffic!Geez.Scarey stuff,throttle locking open.Front end lofting out of control.Well...with the money you've spent over time on your 14's,you COULD have grabbed an H2.Yeah yeah,I know...it's a 14 forum.I think you'd fit just right on the H2.Plus they have lots of riser options out now...and bunches of other stuff.Hey,she's YOUR bike...do what ya want,as Rook says.

BTW...you COULD snag a new H2(2015 or something)for a few grand more than yer 14.Say,20K tops.That's pushin it though.

Sorry guys...just had to toss that in there...whole different level of bike...no offense.Ya'll know I still love my 14R.
But yeah...HUB...pics!Lots of pics AND some new vids of yer beast.Awesome bike for sure.If I ever get my license back,maybe I could shoot down there and visit...I'd bring my Beastie of course,so's you could get a ride on her;)

Like what ya said about the factory breakin.Yep...Kawasaki don't lie."Oil Burner"...yep.That can definitely happen with a balls out macho breakin.I'm too nice.I don't wanna hurt my baby's motor none.13K on me H2(about 6 months time),20 something on my 14(in about 3 yrs time).My poor 14 is a bit sad.Gotta wait another year to get back in the saddle.Fkn bummer.That's what happens when ya stop carin about things.You ride safe man....again...happy for ya!;)

...I second that,and third,and fourth...and...SOLD!!!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 7/28/2017 @ 7:10 PM *

I thought I could live without a 14. Wasted a lot of time and money figuring that out.

It is amazing how many times I've been told "My [not a zx-14] is the best bike I've ever ridden and the most fun bike I've ever ridden". Only to have a few of the people end up riding a 14 to say that indeed it is better and it is funner!

This hasn't always been the case I can think of one instance where someone was looking for a bike and test rode a hole slew of bikes including a zx14 (also Aprilia, couple Ducs, etc.). But they ended up buying a 90s Harley... so LOL not sure the playing field was equal.

Grn fair point about H2. It is one bike that does meet the power requirements someone riding a 14 is ussed to, not quite as much torque but in numbers (stock vs. stock) they are basically equals in the 1/4. For me the H2 would've been more appealing if it was really competitive with the ZX-10R in terms of weight and handling. I've always liked full faired bikes too, and 14R's bodywork is nearly a work of art in those terms. TBH if I were looking at literbikes I would probably be more apt to go with a zx-10 than H2 simply because H2 and 14 have so much in common.

Yeah,the H2 isn't a purebred track bike.ZX 10 is much better suited for that.But she's a wild roadbike.

I went shopping for a few days. Sat on a duc monster, R1, and a busa. I was stretching for the bars with the busa. I sat on the R1 (nice and light) but found the price was more than the 14, plus this one was the low end of the model line. The duc was more the last resort because of the horror stories. I know someone got caught in the rain with a multistrada and is still not running with factory help, parts swapped out, etc.

Then came the vibration story, sans the busa. It wasn't hard to return to the top dog. No mirror buzz, no lack of power propelling my fat ass. If mother tea comes out with a replacement that beats the 14, guess what? Out of the 3 rounds so far, I lost my shirt with a trade-in. The others were insured so all I did was balance the rest by dipping into savings. I don't have the wallet for the H2. Besides, that's more like buying 2 bikes... and it's neutered.

Once you hit 7 grand on the tach (in 2nd or 3rd I forget), the front end comes up, your dick gets hard, you know you're on the right bike... for me that is.

congrats on the new bike, im on my third. i like the story.

"and it's neutered"...LOL...they're ALL neutered!You could always use yer new baby for part of the purchase price?Uncorking the H2 is very easy.

Let me ask ya a question here...non-related.Have you EVER experienced an engine temp drop during or after break-in?Of course,anyone here can reply.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 7/29/2017 @ 2:02 PM *

whats the fuel range on an h2?

Right now..at 13K miles,with a flashed ECU and opened up piping,I'm getting between 35-45 MPG(at times,up to 50mpg).Now that doesn't mean that it's always like that.12-20 mpg when I get with it.Average mileage with 4.5 or so gallons...about 120,maybe a bit shy of that depending.But if I cruise at say,65...I can consistently get 45-50 mpg.In 6th.I know that doesn't equate to 140 miles a tank..virtually impossible with all the different throttle changes while riding.But she can be squeezed fairly well.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 7/29/2017 @ 3:03 PM *

Last year there was a trackday where bmw showed up along with ktm. I rode the upright bmw with the same engine
family as the ss but of course it was detuned. It sort of handled the same as my old GS. Nice, but no oomph. I wrangled a short pit test with the super duke. The duke was a thumping tree stump puller and any slight handful would loft the front end. My kind of torquey bike. Segway to a ride to the rock store and here was a duke pulling in. I drilled the new rider on the bike and first thing I said was, 'any problems so far?' He mentions the base gaskets leaking. Maybe just that bike, but still.

Now we all know the only blem on the 14 was a tip over switch being loose. That was it for the 14's lifespan for two different engine families. The 14 was bullet proof right out of the gate. Can't say that for the duke, the fz9, the multistrada.

Then a little research on line looking for utube reports on new owner impressions. The R1 had shitty mileage compared to the bigger bore, heavier 14. The yammie triple is plagued with recalls, blown up clutch baskets if abused. You do not hear about 14 baskets taking a shit when dragged raced.

I'd watch the front ends wiggle with their helmet cams. These would be the triple being the worse; the ss would wallow some; the R1 not so much. And you know the 14 sits on a rail no matter the speed. If I were to have a second bike, my choice would be the super duke or the ape. The twin cylinder ape I had was an amazing bike>> handling wise. I'm sure the 4 cylinder would have the same handling characteristics as the twin (see bmw) and simply transition over to the same rake and trail degrees.

The 14 spoiled me at all points. Probably my 2-bike choice (if the 14 did not exist) would be the duke and/or ape... and cross my fingers.

* Last updated by: Hub on 7/29/2017 @ 8:05 PM *

The bmw test ride

Yamaha's always seemed to have problems with clutch baskets. Back in the 90s my buddie's FZR600's clutch basket broke. Througout the years "yamaha" and "broken clutch basket" seem to be common phraseology.

I wonder which break-in method will be employed?

Hub says.."2013:
This time I followed book break-in and it never burned a drop".I'd imagine this will be his MO.Can't go wrong there.With a few smooth short throttle-ups thrown in.