How much are everyone's fork tubes slid up over the top of the top clamp? Mine are at 1 3/8" The stock bars are 1 3/4" at the deepest point of the base plate, so mine would be 3/8" below that if I had stock bars.

The manual says to go to suspension, but I must have had a seen your moment and nothing about initial position. Unless someone with better scanning techniques, check/assemble my way is one way of setting up the front end:

1. Look at the fork taper at the bottom pincher area. There is an old clamping 'shadow' of the original position being there.
2. There is your adjust window is that taper up to that square or more square machined leg you want the one clamp to be.
3. You pinch that guy down, leave the upper pinch bolts alone, but snug fit for the next inspection.
4. There should be no steering bearing noise. There should be a lock to lock of the steering without bind.
5. Slide the other fork up and tighten the lower pinch bolts for now.
6. Unsnug the upper pinch bolts on the first fork. Torque the center nut. Did you see how you lowered the upper crown?
a. The upper crown has to float so it moves down with the final torque.
b. Back to snugging both upper pinch bolts, this is the final; no bind lock to lock; no knock forward and back.
7. Torque the one fork's upper and lower pinch bolts.
8. Install the front axle. You have no clue where static is, nor how close you are all even with the other fork.
9. This is where you float the one fork is X.
10 Y says, move the loose fork up and down, until there is no bind moving the axle in-or-out of both receiver holes. Tighten other fork to spec. You are squared and ready for the wheel.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/26/2011 @ 4:09 PM *

Initial setting according to the manual is .85" above the top clamp to the top of the tube. Mine has already been raised to 1.475" A friend has his set at 2" and has scraped the fairing around tight turns. I have asked this question on 3 different forums and have gotten an interesting mix of useless information, but either nobody knows where theirs are set or they don't want anyone else to know, because I haven't gotten one straight answer.

Look at the bottom fork clamp surface. How much is there to play with? That is your answer. Fall out of the taper, the pinch is clamping a cone... Is the exaggerated taper.

Position #2:
Where the two bolts are in the middle of the handlebar clamp? That lowest point of the bar, raise the spring cap's split up 1/16" above the lowest point of that handlebar housing. How much non-taper is showing? Guess what? YOu have that much to play with within that lower straight clamping area

Make sense?

Still doesn't answer my question. Where are yours? I have been setting fork heights for optimum ever since forks heights could be set. Thanks for the tutorial, but that's not what I want to know. I just asked what everyone is running on the ZX-14, which is relatively new to me. There appears to be a couple of inches below the cap before the leg tapers out to a larger diameter, so at the extreme, you could get almost 3 inches above the clamp before the outward tape stops you.

... you could get almost 3 inches above the clamp before the outward tape stops you.

From the fork bottom, do not count the dust boot, but the start of the leg; measure up approx. 6.5 inches. Note the end of the taper, the beginning of the flat. If you show a 1/16" gap at the bottom, you know the top pinch is covered. You know if you lose that flat line, you entered the taper in or out of that 1/16" gap. Make more sense?

You may have looked at the wrong end? YOu are sort of stuck there on the lower it more end. How well did this answer the Q?

That Q said; I went out to measure how low my leg is to see my flat extend below my lower triple tree measures 1/16"; this is where I can begin to see my flat exposed. I know my upper is going to clamp the flat, then the taper begins above my lower tree's top clamp area.

It seems your buddy scraped because he redesigned the flats into the taper. If he was in engineering class, I'd...

I'd WOT? 3 cornball websites and now you know your toot told you flat out, right?

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/26/2011 @ 9:07 PM *

I get the feeling that if my question were "What beer is everyone drinking?" your answering post would read like GPS directions to a tavern 100 miles away where the road is closed without the GPS being aware of it. When you get to the dead end, the GPS would keep insisting you keep going down the same road even after numerous recalculations.

I'm curious as to the distance above the top clamp everyone has set their fork legs. Don't know how to make it any simpler than that.

The ZX-14 Ninja Forum is a gathering place for Kawasaki ZX-14 enthusiasts, where they can find answers to technical questions about the ZX-14 and share their ...

Someone from google came in here, looked around, this is the quote you do a search for 'zx14 forums.' Then scroll down to the next forum you probably went to, and I know I was booted off that monolopee is I pissed on that place tell me how to tech the answers.

Here is my gun. Shoot me if I didn't lap those other three clownsites and nail your answer in the generic.

Here, let me do it for you.

Wait for a geee haaaa video... I don't know how simpler this is going to be, but here we go.

Nothing personal. Strictly for entertainment meant any other way is in the gernericgeeeeeeHA.

http://youtu.be/2P4J2cFgVGQ

When you lighten a bike, you shave ounces off places. The idea is to lighten the front end, so the taper captures both the aesthetics and function.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/26/2011 @ 10:24 PM *

That's where mine were set.From the factory.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/27/2011 @ 1:28 AM *

This is called, 'assume the position' in the generic I have no book, I looked and asked 3 websites whathefuk? Close the book. This is a design problem out of spec. We don't need to explain book but the savvy way. You got GAS'dagain so assume the position. Find some pizza or some donuts.

YOu love being shown the tart tray of goodies, don't you, Grn? I get your goat you step in the wrong arena bring page isnot how we answershitsniffy! YOu sure you're not from one of dem dare websites? Oh, and now you come along? I got dis.

I think the OP got his answer. Get that book out of my face, Grn. Show me another way. Oh look! Where did these come from?

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/27/2011 @ 2:47 AM *

I have been setting fork heights for optimum ever since forks heights could be set.

The question is so answered, just like a tre can be answered. You are stuck in la-la-land thinking you can retro-slip a straight fork(?) up and down a tree? These are zippered forks. They corduroy pants up that tapered wall. There is your hourglass fork.

Yes, I have to GPS your way out of your own dead end. My Pee knows where to go look, turn your ass around. I like look for pit crews and you just failed the test. Grn is like my old lady. She throws the map (you the fsm) at me, she gets us lost, takes it out on me I turn the map upside down, oh look? Reverse engineeringets you out of your trap you put yourself in, and 3 other websites! LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Grn? One, I heard a sarcastic remark. There went the salvo. YOU have no idea once you slap, I LAP!

Grn... One, you have to read the OP and what he describes. He said they are lowering the forks and bottoming out the bike. You come in here, say the book is wrong. I said, see the ring? That says; "Dis Is ASS Low as you can go, make HA sure you see this ring Geeeeeee HA Ha ding-ding!

I don't care what you think, Grn. This is high tech without book. This is how-to do it in the generic. Without me giving one sentence answers. That is where you come in. Bring your book. Go for it. That is one way to set the bike up. This is just as much a measure as if sag does not work in your camp a mm or two?

The OP may not know how I answer around here. In detail. In the generic. NO RAKE AND TRAIL trying to bottom out a heavy bike. I want a yes or no. Have I shown the minimum depth to know you are in the X to Y and the height is at the minimum so you do not bottom out the design, yes or no?

Give me that methshit is entertain my ass is all I'm doing on this end. You are being wound up, Grn. And you said you'd get my goat is I am now the perp, you made me the victim in dis?

I do not get upset over a fork height... G wizzzzzzz G! Relax!

I'll keep you up all night don't start the LAPS.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/27/2011 @ 3:33 AM *

I can tell you both there's no way I'll take anything to heart and I appreciate the bumps that keep discussion open. The forks on my '71 Norton have tapers at the very top of the tubes that's an interference fit with similar tapers in the top clamp. When you tighten the crown nut, it pulls the tapers together and there's NO adjustability, it just is what it is. Almost every bike I've had since then has had a modicum of fork height adjustability in that the tubes would slide up past the top of the top clamp. Vincents, with their ability to go from two-wheel to sidecar geometry were considered infinitely adjustable (infinitely maladjustable). The fact that the 14 has a measure of upper fork tube that maintains a certain diameter for a certain distance before tapering larger tells me the .85 figure in the book is a starting point, not a carved-in-stone setting. Like a ride-height adjustment on a rear monoshock, fork height adjustability enables the tinkerers to change things to suit. Something tells me that other than the slammers, many folks haven't even considered raising the tubes to quicken the steering.

Again, I more lapped those 3 websites [not you]. I read something long ago and nothing has changed. Frustrating, I know. Think, times 48 other trophy sites giving you the vague tech. You are more frustrated about that situation like me. Too bad you didn't get your answer with all those bobble heads doing strange things to their bikes. It's not me coming up with vague ideas that do not ring in the absolute. I'm book savvy if I want my answer. Not a trophy website, especially when I have to open the book and explain it their way in the same vague. Right down to the bitter end or I never get there. The place remains vague. And now you know, no offense.

The norton/tri/bsa, had that design at one time. Then came fork 'tube' pinch on the slide down if you wanted. Slide up, you are out of the top crown. We are now, fork 'leg' pinch. Imagine we upside down the cone; being that taper. I lower my pinch over half my square machined part, and half over the taper coned part, with less surface contact mind you. I now come down off a wheelie. That is 50% contact on the cone side and what percentage of lock is that taper? Is it going to zipper right out of the pinchers? Are we stuck moving the forks on the 14? Yes.

... many folks haven't even considered raising the tubes to quicken the steering.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/27/2011 @ 10:37 AM *

Yep...I did just that."raised the tubes"(meaning...lowered the frame).For quicker steering.One inch.front and back.I felt the one inch length was too much.Some guys go 5 mm...I know...it's not much.But these frontends with their factory steering head angles and such can actually be easily overdone when trying different fork heigths.I put mine back to stock the same day.Some guys keep the rear at the factory position,and lower the frontend some.That seems to be something that gives a quickness to the steering as well.You can try some different settings for yourself and see what suits you personally.Maybe the 5MM would be a really good place to start experimenting.A little bit can make a big difference.

Adjustments to the preload and all are gonna also play into the fork/suspension action.It can be quite complicated.Adjusting and riding and repeating.I started by changing my preload,compression and rebound adjustments at stock height first..over a period of time.One mode at a time.Rode...felt what that did...and so on.Lowering the forks caused most of those previous adjustments to become useless.I basically had to try and start all over,with the new geometry of the lowered frontend.It was a real disappointment for me anyway.I ended up having to crank all the preload in that I could...along with some strange rebound and compression settings.It never did really help get rid of the dynamics that appeared with lowering.Maybe(probably) an expert could have worked it out for me.But I didn't feel the 'trade off' in cornering ability was worth the being able to get my feet closer to the ground.And that's mainly why I started doing the drop in the first place.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/28/2011 @ 2:17 AM *

Grn, Yes or no, you are going against book. Book says; this is the number, there is no other number. Moving fork up the trees is like running a go-kart track with super quick steering like a shopping cart wheel. Leaving the front end along, you can yell, "I was doing a hundred an thirdie in the banking! Come get me!"

You already found out in a day that was way too quick a wobbly inducing trick. It became a shopping cart wheel, that will high side the noodle package. So, you mess with the wobble induced setting? Its neutral steering. It comes right back. Now it hunts to come back from wobbling. Think of that shopping cart wheel whipping back and forth.

The fine line is for race track. This steering is joe average overall steering at its best... Streetly speaking that is. See, you can plow the front end now. Drop the forks, you lose that luxury. It's now a lot quicker and you are too late sense wise to catch it back.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/28/2011 @ 7:05 AM *

"Grn, Yes or no, you are going against book".I guess so...and those guys installing front straps and dropping their bikes...they're going against the book as well....Apparently no one told em..."Hey...you!You can't do that!"I looked in the manual...I couldn't find a darn thing related to lowering links or frontend modifications?Those guys at the drags...they're in mucho trouble now....doing that to their bikes without permission from Kawi.And how about those pesky Flies....there's no mention of getting those out in that manual either...shame on you all who've removed those without proper consent!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/28/2011 @ 12:38 PM *

If the number in the book was carved in stone, there would be no way to deviate from it. The factory engineers (and the product-liability lawyers right behind them) would have made it so there was no other possibility. Just like the preload and damping settings they come off the showroom floor with, it's a starting point.

* Last updated by: Danno on 12/28/2011 @ 12:38 PM *