I have posted a couple of questions here, but not much else. I had been kicking around the idea of getting another street bike, and it has finally come to be. I figure I should make the introduction official!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I pick up a new green 2013 w/ABS tomorrow evening.

Here are the other bikes I've had:

2005 SV650 (I really miss that bike):

2005 ZX-10R:

2006 ZX-10R:

My current ride is a 2011 Husqvarna TE630 (kind of an outdated photo, but you get the idea):

I'm keeping the TE630. This will be the first time I have owned more than one bike at a time. Garage space is going to be tight!

Good choice...you're gonna have mass quantities of fun with yer new rocket .

My first color choice was white, but there wasn't one to be found around here.

Green isn't a compromise at all; I love the green and actually thought about listing that as my first color preference when I started calling around.

I think there were some mixups with the Kawasaki factory shipment deals.I wanted a White ABS as well...at first...they said No Go with ABS...even though their website clearly showed a White model with ABS.Opted for my Green baby instead.Glad I got er.The Green really shows off the styling and it's much easier to keep clean looking and all.Plus the silver SE wheels...very nice compliment to a Green bike IMO.

Yer gonna love yer new bike;)Congrats again!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 4/29/2013 @ 1:52 PM *

Don't worry, you'll have plenty of garage space when you start parking your cars outside.

Mad

That's the plan. :)

I kind of have my mods all planned out, but I have to do them a little at a time to keep the wife happy.

Highest priority:

Pit-Bull Stands (shouldn't have sold my old set!)
Swingarm Spools (R&G or Pit-Bull)
Frame/Axle Sliders (thinking R&G, but open to suggestions)
RAM Mount for my GPS (just need the ball, it's about $15 for the stem mount)
Tankslapper Total Protection Kit (I like to keep my street bikes pristine, but I'm kind of dreading putting this kit on)

I want to gear it up for some touring, so I will eventually fit up the SW Motech racks & Givi cases. I'm not a big fan of lowering the stock cans and making brackets to clear the bags, so I want to just bite the bullet and get a Brock's CT system. I'm on the fence about the single vs. dual.

Thankfully, I still have a good assortment of street riding gear available.

Welcome!
I like to keep my bikes pristine too. I like ur past rides. You will like the 14 best of them all..
I think everyone married is in the same boat - slow mods to keep the wife at bay... lol. The good thing is most women are oblivious to bikes and can't spot new mods on the bike.
he he...

I'm the household money manager. My wife honestly has no idea where we stand financially. I keep the bills paid and I tell her whether or not we have the money to do something. All I ask of her is that she uses whatever money source I tell her to use and that she gives me her receipts.

It's not really a control thing; it is just simpler if one person does it.

Anyway, bike expenses have always been a heated topic with us. She's always worrying about it, asking how much things cost, etc. When, in reality, we have very little debt, excellent credit, and all of our bills are paid on time.

I said to her, "How about this time you just trust that I won't run up the credit card buying stuff and not worry about how much things cost?"

She agreed!

So, this should be a pretty argument free endeavor. It's not a green light to go crazy, though.

There's a big thunderstorm coming tonight. Hope I can get the bike home before it hits!

I have to be more inventive with my money, and how i siphon it out without her knowing...
I've come up with some good ones over the years. Most recently is I am getting a raise starting May 1 and that $$ is going into a seperate account which will become my mod money.
Good luck avoiding the rain.

* Last updated by: zx14beast on 4/30/2013 @ 8:25 AM *

Got it home just in time for 3-4 days of rain and snow.

At the dealer:

In my garage:

This forum has a funny way of chopping photos.

Welcome J! Nice color choice, man that looks good.

Beautiful colour. Awesome bike man!
Enjoy the riding and happy modding.

First round of "mods" are on order. Not really mods, more like necessities, IMO.

Tankslapper total protection kit

Pit-Bull rear stand & spools (Man, I shouldn't have sold my old set! I lost my a** selling them, and now I have to buy them all over again!)

I decided against sliders. I bought GAP insurance, and my regular insurance is only $250 deductible. With the way the sliders mount on these bikes, I thought the risk of frame/engine mount damage was greater than the off chance that I dump it in the driveway.

Next on the list:

Fender eliminator (probably a DIY job)

Pit-Bull front stand

Pyramid hugger (I don't do many cosmetic-only mods to my bikes, but I want to keep the crud off of the rear end)

SW Motech top rack & Givi top case

I have read countless opinions on engine break-in.

The manual says keep it below 4000 RPM for the first 500 miles. That seems pretty ridiculous; the engine is kind of a dog down that low. To me, it feels like it would do more harm than good.

The dealer mechanic (old guy that has been doing this a while, not some kid) that prepped the bike told me not to run it that low or it'll just carbon up. He said run it up to 8-9K now & again, vary the RPMs and just go ride it.

I ran it up to 7K or so on the way home from the dealer a couple of times, but kept it under 5-6 most of the time.

I plan on using dino oil (Rotella) for the first 1000 miles and changing it frequently. I typically do my first oil change at around 100 miles.

Once I hit 1000 miles, I'll switch to Amsoil.

It has been 2-3 years since I have ridden a bike with more than 60 HP. So, when they suggested I ride it home in low power mode and with TSC on 3, I just went with it. I wasn't going to be getting on it anyway.

25 miles on the odometer, and here comes 3 days of stormy weather.

* Last updated by: jtemple on 5/1/2013 @ 8:24 AM *

Yeah, that weather sucks - spend time with the garage door open sitting on lawnchair staring at the bike - throw a nice coat of wax on it. I don't mind doing that at all - Pride of Ownership baby!
It's calling for sweet weather here in Toronto mind you - We have a small group ride planned for Saturday - Should be great!

I live close to Omaha, Nebraska, by the way.

You can hit 70+ easily in 5th and 6th on this bike and not go over 4-5K.Just sayin.And congrats again!

Omaha, that's about 3.5hr ride from where I live.

There was a puddle of oil under my bike when I came home from work today. I haven't ridden it since I took it home from the dealer. Looks like it might be coming from the countershaft seal.

WTF?? that's not good

Might not be that bad. That seal is an easy replacement. I haven't checked the chain tension yet (the dealer was supposed to set that when they set it up). Sometimes a chain that's too tight will cause that.

The dealer offered to deliver the bike to my house when I bought it, free of charge (due to the weather). Maybe I can get them to come pick it up and fix it, then deliver it back to my house.

The chain tension is fine. So that's not what caused it.

Dealer wants me to bring it back in, but the weather probably won't clear up enough to do that until Monday.

Did you check the filter mating surface under there?Any oil dripping?How about the drain plug...maybe they somehow didn't install the crush washer?It happens.And it WILL leak.If you're getting oil at the filter interface,you may be able to tighten it a bit...it could have backed out just a smidgen...or wasn't tightened quite enough...enough to cause what you're having?I'd be under there with a flashlight checking the whole engine out....probably something VERY simple.Possibly the oil rail at the front there?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 5/2/2013 @ 12:07 PM *