Ok, I thought I could ride until I got a ZX14. Now I find every time I go to get on the freeway and go super sonic, that I have, well, trouble holding on. I just can't come up with a technique that will allow me to shift up through the gears quickly, while holding on for dear life at the same time....I flex this and that and slide up, squeeze knees.....I can do it sometimes but only with extreme concentration and body flexion. But I still feel as though there is some technique that should be obvious but is still escaping me.

You guys must have some insight as how to ride a bike meant for the spawn of Satan himself. Actually, it is meant for the guy that bends over Satan.

Lets hear some techniques.

Joel

* Last updated by: ExWifesChewToy on 8/15/2018 @ 7:05 AM *

When you wake up in the morning, step into 3 sizes smaller of your underwear size. The balls to the wall syndrome is now addressed as in; day ain't going anywhere.
Move to the fridge, open the door and from the container, gulp down a few ounces of "I can do it" juice. This helps joint movement stretch for the levers and grips.
Start from the left side to mount the bike. Once seated and the bike is upright, begin the mantra, "Da fuck did I buy?' 'Da fuck did I buy?' 'the fastest production bike going!'

Now, get going.

I like Hub's suggestions.
But you can also try putting a LOT of pressure through your footpegs. Get some Stomp
Grips for the tank. Other than that, tuck like a monkey and hang on.

Mad

"Da fuck did I buy?' 'Da fuck did I buy?' 'the fastest production bike going!'

This quote alone was worth my thread.....so man up or trade it for a scooter....fucking right I'll man up!

Joel

Hub your post made me laugh harder than i have all week...thanks

anyone else care to share a technique or wisdom?

tuck like a monkey and hang on.

got it...do you guys use shorty levers? I thought it might let you hang on to the left grip with a few fingers and pull clutch lever with 2. I like the stock levers as they are already adjustable and heavy duty.

Joel

If I was REALLY trying to squeeze every fraction of a section out of accelerating I wouldn't even use the clutch for upshifts, the transmission is designed to handle this and it only takes a bit of practice to perfect. In short, get on the throttle, preload the shifter by applying a light amount of force to shift up, quickly back off the throttle and shift up (foot is already there and ready to go) then get back on the throttle, rinse and repeat for additional gears.

If its a matter of feeling like you are about to slide off the bike, look around for an aftermarket seat (check ebay/kijiji/craigslist as they are expensive and great deals can be found for those who look). I'm using a Sargent seat and really like it, more comfy than stock (could still be better IMO) but I no longer feel like I'm going to slide off the bike when accelerating hard.

http://www.sargentcycle.com/

All kidding aside:
1. Move as far forward in the seat as possible.
2. Begin to tuck the head down so the upper body naturally falls with the head. This is 'static practice' in nature so you have this unthinking tuck ready to go. Yesterday I used this for traffic. Up ahead I saw a lot of cars about to move in my lane, but looking way up to see the gap in front of me now, I nailed it and tucked for the wind as well. You know how fast this thing can windup so any drag in those tiny seconds gets you to that safety zone, i.e., away from a forming wolf-pack, or the pack itself. Between packs is a metal free zone.
3. The arms are going to have a natural position so you really think of the head tuck only, let the arms land where they may, let the legs position themselves without thinking about it. The faster the head tuck, the quicker the body has to move on its own... naturally.
a. Elbows out to the side like wings: Here is the more 'shift stable' position: because of the leverage keeping the bars steady, and in no upsetting way as to cause a wobble either. Meaning, on the Lift/WOT transitional movement.
b. Elbows down and tucked at the rib cage: Here is where there is less leverage to counter with. Besides having the body weighed ahead of center; this helps the wobble from starting. Where if the body were more upright, this makes the front end dance easier, faster. The bike is going to lighten the front end up anyway as is so be ready.
4. Shift Stability with and hand movements are twofold. Bar pushing and pulling is the wobble inducer. So you have the body forward helping with the partial inducement [being the first part]. This next part has the hand movements at a minimal. With that I mean, the right elbow is not facing north when you lift off the throttle.
a. The left hand has full grip. It never reaches for the clutch lever after leaving from a full stop. If you want to save second gear, then use the clutch. From there on it's lift and shift only.
b. By eliminating the arm movement at the left hand, you have less bar input to induce the wob. Also, you have full hand grip around the bar.
c. If you never up-shifted without the clutch you leave your left grip vulnerable from the forward force you're trying to hold on to. The slower the bike moves, the more you have to figure out engine-to-wheel-to-shift it clunklessly. Up means: lift and load in the slow roll. Down means: blip and tap. The tap has to match the blip, meaning the shift lags the blip to the point you do no jerk the bike or clunk it hard, because here you're out of sync.
d. The leg grasp is more for aero than for gripping. The natural [non thinking] tuck is to have the legs naturally settle where they rest. The shift has to be comfortable, because that's where the mis-shifts occur. Leg comfortably resting, not gripping, helps with the leverage. Relying on the ankle as leverage may slow the action down at the up shift. The shift is solid, especially to 4th.

What's missing?

* Last updated by: Hub on 8/15/2018 @ 9:14 AM *

Night brought up something about footpeg grip. Let's look at it like this. With the bar grab of both hands, tuck your knees against the bike and stand up via knees. Nice try. With feet firmly placed, stand up on the pegs. Now sit down. That's your [natural] foot grip, and was without thinking to get you to that body static. See how the knee squeeze is more for aero? Make sense?

Night brought up something about foot loading the shift lever first. You do not want to load the lever and heat the shift fork touch points. As mentioned, I believe motorcycle transmissions evolved from old school F1 cars first. The hand is quicker than the eye sort of foot movements too. This is all about that lever being left alone until that split second is needed. And dropping your foot away so it reengages the next shift.

The thing is, 2nd has a longer throw because N takes up that gap. There's your common generic mis-shift on most bikes. The other gears have shorter throws so it is easy to catch those, sans 4th. Without looking in the book, I also believe the gear ratio is ever so slight that the engagement is out of sync from 3rd entering 4th. Add the lever pull, the shift up, I've miss that gear with this bike and with every other 14 I've owned no matter the combination change, meaning, with or without shift lever load.

Another time saver timing the shift is to have zero throttle play or most of it taken up. The sequence is:
PULL CLOSED Cable Adjuster ~ This is the first to have the slack taken up. So the movements are to hide the threads at the cable adjusters. This has the most slack for both cables. Take up all the slack at the throttle close cable adjuster [first]. Swing the front end lock to lock and watch the throttle cable move. With all the slack out and where the adjuster begins to take up all the slack, stop. That's more of removing most of the static slack but not begin to tighten the cable like a guitar string. Lock it with the thumb-wheel. Don't bark down on it, just make it snug or it's tool time unlocking those with pliers.
PULL OPEN Cable Adjuster ~ Take up the same slack on the throttle open cable adjuster. With index and thumb, feel the throttle move where there is zero kind of slack removed. That's all. Again, swap the front end lock to lock and watch the throttle open... IF Any! Loosen till no movement. If none, lock this cable adjuster up, you're done with the cables. Less instant-on-instant-off movement to gap thru.

It's all about timing.

I think he's ready for the H2...jus sayin...

You should "always" ride with the lightest grip on the bars that you can,
"never" grab on to the bars, "ever!"

Stomp grips are a good suggestion and are a must.

Always ride with your "core".

Most people ride to far back, sometimes even up against the back rest
of the seat. Push forward, balls on the tank, hold on with knees and
ride with your core. Really hard starts, belly flat on tank too.

If this isn't a sticky I should be....One great suggestion after the other. I went out for a two hour ride and practiced clutch-less shifting up and later down. It was surprisingly quicker and smoother than with a clutch with no signs of the bike not liking it. I was worried about going into a tank slapper with most of my fingers off the left handle while using the clutch. I had tried clutch-less shifting on my last bike but hated it. This bike shifts so quick that I had to learn to do my blip much faster than before. I don't have it down yet but will in a few weeks at the rate I ride.

Thanks....you guys may have saved me from the concrete.....as I was barely hanging on with extreme acceleration before.

Joel

I was worried about going into a tank slapper with most of my fingers off the left handle while using the clutch

Never grab the bars. Lightest grip possible, at all times.

If the bike wants to shake it's head, let it, "don't" try to stop it.

In a true tank slapper about the best thing you could do is
to just let go of the bars.

It's the rider that usually gets in the way of the bike.

* Last updated by: piken on 8/15/2018 @ 1:03 PM *

Or if you just want a last chance stopper:

Or:

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 8/15/2018 @ 1:10 PM *

Or if you just want a last chance stopper:

That is a cool first picture....bet its not cheap.

I actually love my seat....very comfy. Plus when I am on the highway I like to put my butt way back and lay on the tank to get under the wind. Problem is I like my feet back to and i have more than once burned the bottom of my shoes a little resting them on the exhaust.

I think clutch less shifting was the thing I was looking for. You guys came through again.

thanks
Joel

I need a steering stabilizer but don't know how my risers will affect it.

I doubt you'll find a damper mount that fits with the risers.I couldn't find one.

I like to put my butt way back and lay on the tank to get under the wind. Problem is I like my feet back to and i have more than once burned the bottom of my shoes a little resting them on the exhaust.

I don't think I can get a decent tuck any other way. My upper body is too long to sit close to the tank. My ass actually goes up a little onto the seat cowl when I tuck as low as possible.

The shoe burn is a problem. It won't be as bad with an aftermarket exhaust. They do make a heat shield that hose clamps on the pipe. I think the 6" would be the way to go.

https://www.bikebandit.com/aftermarket-parts/motorcycle-engine-and-exhaust/exhaust-accessories/biker-s-choice-universal-heat-shields/p/46828?b=3264248&CRTP=psc&gclid=CjwKCAjwns_bBRBCEiwA7AVGHobZbNPIOF8RNEvHZf6q4Q71-6zX5cW0VuSeWnHQ4SkxjprwdNgjkhoCu6gQAvD_BwE

I just got used to not putting my heels down so far.

Rearsets in the highest position probably help too. It's only maybe 3/8" higher. I barely notice the change in height. Vortex or Sato. I have both, Vortex looks better for a large bike. The stock footrest assy is lighter than rearsets.

Regarding shorty levers, I don't find them any better than OEM. Pazzo shorties are 2 oz lighter than OEM. I guess I like the eel when I have my fingers poised on the Pazzos better but really, it makes very little difference whe it comes to using the levers. A lot of drag racers like a long clutch lever for more sensitivity in launching.

Congrats on the speed shifting. I will have to try it.

I wouldn't even use the clutch for upshifts, the transmission is designed to handle this and it only takes a bit of practice to perfect.

I have heard not to clutch-less downshift buy the bike does it almost as well. No harsh sound or stammer. If the bike didn't like it wouldn't there be some indication that it is bad?

so in short can I downshift without the clutch from 6-3 and then clutch the rest? I figures clutching second up and down was a given.

Hub mentioned not to pre-load the lever due to wear, so I stopped doing it and it shifts fine that way too a bit more to think about when going super-sonic but I think I can get the hang of that too.

Joel

* Last updated by: ExWifesChewToy on 8/16/2018 @ 12:47 PM *

I doubt you'll find a damper mount that fits with the risers.I couldn't find one.

I found one that will work....check out this link and blow up the picture of the zx-14 that it is installed on. It has risers too.

Joel

https://www.revzilla.com/product/scotts-performance-steering-dampers-kawasaki-zx-14r-2006-2015

rook mentioned not to preload the lever due to wear, so I stopped doing it and it shifts fine that way too a bit more to think about when going super-sonic but I think I can get the hang of that too.

I have been told that and I try not to do it too hard but after disassembling the shift mechanism, I don't see how it would wear anything other than the roller bearing the shift shaft turns in and maybe the claw and pins on the shift arm and shift cam. I don't think it's a big deal if you're not doing it constantly while you ride. As far as gears, They are either engaged or they aren't so no excess wear there.

I found one that will work....check out this link and blow up the picture of the zx-14 that it is installed on. It has risers too.

Just go to your local Upholstery Shop and have them modify your stock seat like Cliff Randall's Bike.
And you could add his idea for the quick shifter.
https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/blogs/2013-kawasaki-ninja-zx-14r-me-my-bike

1. Engineers didn't think the world's fastest needed a damper.
2. There is no gov recall of the bike being unstable at speed (any speed).
3. There is no factory recall to install a damper.
4. How fast a decade went and then some, still, no added damper for the model line.
5. Thousands of ton runs and you don't hear bikes skidding down the road caused by wobble stories.
6. Takes testicles to run without... Join the engineer's club.

(FINALLY I got to use that damn smilie! HAHA) I'm with Hub. I'm not gonna tell you NOT to get a damper, but in my opinion if you feel like you need one there's probably something else that needs attention ... worn out and/or unbalanced tire(s), bent frame or forks maybe, something loose ... anything that can cause excess vibration, looseness or crooked tracking.

I've had quite a few sport bikes, have ridden very very fast, and never had a damper and never wished I had one either. But I've also always kept my bikes in very good to great condition.

Just my 2 centz.

worn out and/or unbalanced tire(s)

You did say you had a lot of wear on one side of the front?

A constant shimmy in he front wheel isn't unheard of and it usually ends up being worn or cupped tires.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/16/2018 @ 5:40 PM *

and never had a damper and never wished I had one either

Well it is hard for me to wish for one when I have never ridden a bike with one. I do ride like a psycho frequently and like to pop wheelies, so I figured it would help me keep the wheel straighter. I do agree that the bike is very stable without it for normal riding and even a fair amount of hooligan riding.

Joel

I have noticed the steering whips back on track when I ride without my damper. I've never had it do more than snap back on track though. My damper is just a backup which is all it ever is. People still can have tank slappers with dampers. I've heard of them breaking and seen videos where they fail. It can still happen.