I finally took some pics. Grainy b/c I messed up camera setup :) There's a reason for my forum name..

For the ladies lol

By itself

Makes me want to spake someone

HIDs = best upgrade ever

* Last updated by: AlexTheNewb on 7/8/2009 @ 8:43 PM *

Looking good there. Great job with the HID's

very nice! i have the same helmet. absolutely shocked at how perfect the colors match.

lookin sharp alex! keep the painted end up!

It's too late, Reeves, it was crashed 3 days ago lol, see my story in our Cops & Crashes section. Here's a pic

* Last updated by: bgordon on 7/14/2009 @ 12:16 PM *

i was assuming this is your first bike, and if it is now you know why people shouldn't start at the top bike ladder. twins are the best for newbs! i hate that happened. i guess your trip is postponed now. insurance gonna do you right?

My first was Kawi Z750s. It wasn't the bike's fault, really, I was handling it carefully and had no problems keeping my wrist off the throttle from the day I bought it. It was the style of the ride - going too fast on a road I didn't know. The guys ahead of me were going much faster on 750cc and 1000cc bikes; problem is, I didn't see them slow down for this turn since they went out of my sight. They knew there's a second turn behind first one; I didn't. I'm actually lucky for being on the 14 that day - its brakes slowed me down a lot over very short distance; Z750s brakes wouldn't do half as good even considering the reduced weight and there was no way I was going to make that turn even on the lighter 750. Nor was I going at a speed characteristic to the 14 - it was a mere 60-70mph, something I'd certainly do on Z750s anyway.

But I definitely agree, 14 is no bike for first-timers. Had I gotten the 14 before Z750s, I'd be dead by now, I'm sure. -=)

But yeah, I'm definitely a newb no matter what :P

* Last updated by: AlexTheNewb on 7/14/2009 @ 1:58 PM *

find you a used full exhaust on bikeland. that's going to save you a ton of weight. i was in your shoes a couple months ago on a group ride. i was riding with a r6, gixxer 750, and a sv650. i was on the big ass 14 cause the wife wanted to ride that day. just her added weight and her tensing up on the back makes for a tough ride. anyway, we're in the middle of the pack going about 60 mph, and everybody's slowing down for a particular curve and we didn't. we went off into the oncoming lane, i saw gravel on the side of the road, i leaned as much as i could to the right and gassed it wide open. somehow, even with my wife sitting straight up on the back, we made it through the curve. she was hitting and pinching me the for the next 10 miles or so. i didn't realize her right foot came off the rear peg. we had a couple other "oh shit" moments on that ride but that was the one that stood out the most. literally inches from going into the gravel and into the trees by the road. glad you're okay though and have fun putting the bike back together.

Where did you get the flushmount turn signal things?

They are Backdraft LED signals by Rumble Concept.

I got them discounted from another forum member here, masszx (and glad I did b/c they are most definitely not worth the full price). Fit is alright, looks are not bad (a bit too shiny for the matte-black 08 SE, would look much better on a full-black ZX), but it's just cheap plastic with cheap LEDs and they don't even come with a connector for the wires... For $60-75 they are fine if you can find them for that, but $260 is a huge-huge rip-off imho.

Get her up and running again- doesn't look too bad.
Again, maybe throw in a third oem color fairings if tight on $$$... cheap on eBay or the many forums.
Same with the gas tank- never buy a new oem! It's probably easy to find a glossy black... K6 or K7.
The Honk Kong plastics are not bad either- check on Bikeland... someone just instaled a set.

Heal up fast

I know you dude. Good looking right side muffler you have there.

Hah yeah, gts, good old pre-crash days...

Alex, may I suggest some leathers?

Alex are you still going to have to relocate and sell your bike or are things starting to brighten up some?