Just wanted to say hello. I'm in research mode and this is obviously the place.

I've owned in order a Kawasaki 100cc G10, Suzuki 250cc dual purpose, Honda CB750F, Kawasaki GPZ750, and Honda VFR800. The last was well back and at 54 years old I have the itch. After much serious contemplation I've decided it will be the new ZX-14R. My purchase will be this summer when another loan gets paid off but the decision is firm. I'm primarily here to be a sponge.

I'd say I'll likely be a warm milk owner compared to most here. I want the ZX for commuting but primarily for sport touring. I like the idea of power but mostly because I'll want to travel quickly and dispatch 4 wheeled road bricks in an instant. I also REALLY like the idea of the motor not being taxed and therefore extremely reliable. I already know mine will have a Scott Oiler and bar risers. I'll be sponging all info on things to enhance the bikes sport tourin prowess.

I'll likely not post unless I have a question but thought it only proper to say hello. Thanks in advance.

Bill Cockrell

G'day BuyGame1957 If my 2010 ZX14 Wasn't my best bike ( 49 years old LOL) I would be jealous of yer new ZX14r !but good fer ya new Bro I recond ya gunna luv that new ZX14r for sure

Welcome BuyGame1957! Glad to have you here! I think that you will have fun with the new 14R - There are several members on the forum that are already going to make the jump to the new 14R and I will follow suit sometime early next year myself!!! I am looking forwards to ride reports on the new bird from some of those guys that will have em' in Nov-Dec timeframe!!! I am sure that you will be happey with it! And I'm with Bean - this is the best bike that I have owned so far!!!

Welcome to the forum and as for info on the 2012 ZX14R we will post it as we get it!

I'd say I'll likely be a warm milk owner compared to most here.

I want the ZX for commuting but primarily for sport touring.

I like the idea of power but mostly because I'll want to travel quickly and dispatch 4 wheeled road bricks in an instant.

I also REALLY like the idea of the motor not being taxed and therefore extremely reliable.

I already know mine will have a Scott Oiler and bar risers. I'll be sponging all info on things to enhance the bikes sport tourin prowess.

I'll likely not post unless I have a question but thought it only proper to say hello. Thanks in advance.

Bill Cockrell

2 points times 4 points times after time, some joke of a bike job comes along and go fling? Fling is straight out. The air or liquid kind of tulips over the wall it just hit. Goes around the outside. It does not walk back to the back side of the other 2 points... Get it? This is a full on, grease it like you see it for the first time you pick the bike up. Or, go to the dealer now, look at the new chains and it is not chain spray but thicky, sticky, yicky grease.

* Last updated by: Hub on 10/28/2011 @ 8:09 PM *

Thanks a bunch. Hub I'm going to display my massive powers of deduction and say you don't like the Scott Oiler. LMAO. I'n plain english I'd like to hea why. I had one on my VFR 800 and didn't have to do more than wipe the chain down for 15K miles at which point I did the first (small) adjuxtment. It sounded like you were saying the viscosity might be to light????

No, I'm saying any weight will fly past a straight stream of air. In other words, there is a dead spot of air that forms. That is like saying, stick your palm out of the window. If you could light a match behind the back of your hand, the flame would flicker, not blow out. That says, not so much lube on side 2.

I'm sure there is no problem with the oiler. I'm sure I can place that unit anyplace without a bolt, a zip, or a drilled hole somewhere. My point is, say you aim the one nozzle to the plates and lube the o-ring. The second nozzle aims for the rollers. Where is the 3rd nozzle for the other o-ring side of the chain?

With grease, your hand pressure surrounds all the plates, all the o-rings and forces grease into the rollers, not spray over it or at the plate side. Shooting the rollers head on is not going to go into the rollers where that cushion is needed.

I'm looking at my drink in a cup. If I made the cup horizontal, stuck a nozzle over the what is now a roller in the chain, shot the lube, I would see gravity or centrifugal force drop straight down or shoot straight out, miss the bottom of the cup. Did you visualize that action? Are you going to say if you used a thicker liquid, it would 360 back there on the straight down drop?

Grease and the pressure squeeze? I think when push comes to shoving out a nozzle tip... Tip my hat, you do your think. I'll watch and explain to myself I will pass thanks. Pass the back side of that roller cup is enough of a roll on the floor laughing I use that shit idea. No offense to Scott for not following the physics. If I can make it look macro, then it should do it in the micro. > The incredible shrinking man? Remember that movie? No matter how you look at it, he could still hold his wee-wee with two fists full and there was plenty remaining each time he shrunk.

* Last updated by: Hub on 10/29/2011 @ 7:46 AM *

You're gonna love your big ninja.BTW... I don't know anything about your Scottoiler...but getting down there and cleaning/oiling the chain on regular intervals is to me a good way to check everything out back there at the same time.Kind of a hassle...sometimes...but when I start my next ride after doing that stuff,I feel confident knowing all is well.Lots of torque going on during a ride.Stuff happens.

I used to ..'clean my chain' but only once in a great while.Hardley ever for the first couple of seasons.Just wiped it down and lubed it.I found out that a regular cleaning with kerosine and then a good Chain wax REALLY made my drivetrain a lot smoother.I was kind of amazed really.You wouldn't think it made that much difference,as long as it 'looked' clean.But it actually did ride smoother after cleaning and lubing.Regular deal with me now.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/29/2011 @ 2:39 PM *

Thanks for taking the time folks. I hear you loud and clear. It sounds like I bought into hype when I purchased and installed the oiler on my VFR. Now that I think about it I did spemd an inordinant amount of time down there cleaning the up the lube that got slung off when I could have used much less effort in doing just as you guys said. Sheesh.

I'm a new member,too, and I relate to your post about the Scott Oiler. I just bought an '07 ZX14 Special Edition with 4500 miles on it. It basically stayed in a garage for all this time, with little use. The Chain was all rusty--very tight. The first thing I did was purchase and install a center stand. It was $173 and only took a couple of hours to install. But frankly, since I use the bike for sport touring, as I have all my high miles, ex-machines (ZX-900, ZX-11, ZZR-1200), the bike must have a center stand. Now I can adjust and oil the chain back to life very easily--and where ever I go.
Now for the Scott Oiler, I installed a larger touring model Scott on my ZZR-1200--and absolutely loved it (I was apprehensive about it at first, too). In fact, next spring, when I can get the bike out again for the season (it lives at 7,200 ft.level with lots of snow), the Scott Oiler will be one of my first purchases. If you want a bike that never needs chain adjustment and the chain always looks and behaves like it is brand new, this is the accessory you need. It is especially great for trips when you have luggage all over the place and you have to oil & adjust the chain everyday. With the Scott, you just ride and you never need to adjust or oil anything. It is like having a drive shaft without the weight and bulk of one.
I understand that the large touring model will not fit the ZX14, however. The new model uses an electronic dispenser instead of the vacuum type, so that sounds like a step up. So, if I can give you any advice--get a center stand and a Scott oiler. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. I mean, if you only want the bike for going on short rides up the canyons or curvy backroads and then down to the bar, you probably don't need either one of these items (well, you at least need a garage stand). But if are like I think you are, and you like your machine to take you on fast trips in the range of 200-600 miles a day, camping or hoteling, whatever, and you need to get to that chain for oiling and adjustment--get a bloody center stand and an oiler!
As for my new ZX14--I fell in love immediately! I've wanted one for years, but held off until I could get the right used one for a very low price ($5500). So, I could not pass on it. But my ZZR was so darn top heavy, it was a pain to push it around--especially when loaded down. It was a great bike, though, and I sold it with 22,000 miles. I'm really looking forward to the new machine--it's faster for sure, but it really feels much more stable, with no wobbles, shakes, or shimmies that I would experience at high speeds with the ZZR. So good luck to us both of us on our new bikes!

I too have a non-adjusting chain, well lubed, 23K miles on it and yet to move the chain back for excessive wear. However, this was done with moderate squeezing using grease and applying by hand. A technique used with years of masterbating oneself. No female techniques apply. Won't work. Not the same.

23K...that's good mileage for a chain on a 14.Probably has a lot more...the way your takin care of it.Be interesting to see just how many miles one of these chains will go with proper service.I was getting three rear sprockets to every one chain replacement.One front sprocket to every three rears.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/30/2011 @ 1:49 PM *

23k - that's damn good mileage Hub! I only hope I can get mine to go that long. It's only at 3400 miles now, so if I can adopt some of your good habits maybe... just maybe... we will see.

The grease technique sounds good when you have your own garage, but what do you do when you are on the road? It's got to be a pretty messy business. Still, 23K on a one chain is pretty terrific, so you are definitely on to something, which I will remember. I hadn't considered just greasing the thing. Yet, I put 22K miles on the original ZZR1200 chain after installing the oiler at about 8K miles. All you do is fill the little reservoir now and then and there is no worries after that. I notice that the new electronic model is in the $300 range, so you have to wonder if the money is worth it. I think it is, but then I just like the hassle free servicing that it offers. I wont ever go back to the spray oil technique--too thick and sticky. Cheers.

I got 26,000 miles out of my stock chain. I would sometimes go well over 1,000 miles between cleaning, and I never had to adjust the chain for stretch. I'm at just under 31,000 miles now and still on the stock sprockets and they look great.

Sorry, I'm just one of the stupid ones, but I am always trying to learn. So...what is your technique? What kind of bike and riding that doesn't cause the chain to stretch, show wear, or need adjustment in 26K miles? Thanks for any help here.

It showed wear, that's why I replaced it. It just didn't stretch. The previous owner didn't take the best care of it so some of the links were sticking. I just kept it clean and lubed whenever I could, I tried to clean it every 3-400 miles, although sometimes it was well over 1000 miles before it was taken care of.

Here are some pics of my girl.

This is the first weekend that I fully get to enjoy my girl. I must say I have finally found a motorcycle that takes my mind off the stresses of work and life.

Took her out this morning but it was a bit to cold to go for an extended period of time still enjoyed the ride.

Its funny how people say don't get a zx14 because of the stereotype that some people have with the bike. Now that I have onbe those same people trying to get a hayabusa

Can't see why anyone would be interested in the Busa right now (not the current one anyway), I'd just wait for the next Gen Busa - they (Suzi) have to be working on a new and improved Busa to compete with not only the 14R, but all of the new liter bike upstarts boasting similar power/performance! But to each his own!

Nice bike BTW!!!!