" Logo plate colors do not contain pearl or metalflake."

I don't know exactly how well the greens match, but here are some pics:

Look closely - There is a ZX14 in this pic:

Congrats on the new bike.

Found this...

Now THAT WAS a good decision brother !!

Congrats on the '15. Enjoy!

Congrats man! Great times lie ahead.

She is mine! Long ride home tomorrow but it will be worth it.

When I bought my 13, I did not care if it had ABS or not. I thought to myself that it was just something else that might help as I get older and maybe lose some reaction and / or reflex time. At this point, I am glad to have it as it seems to help in hauling the bike down from 150 mph runs. Bike is extremly stable as it drops those speeds. A few times I have got on the brakes hard trying to make the first turn out and realized how hard teh bike was stopping as the force applied itself against my bod.. I cannot say for sure what teh comparison would be but at this point , just glad to have it .

Vic, you may be right about the new riders, I mean REALLY new, that think about ABS the way you describe, but noone I ride with exhibits that mentality.

Chrly if what you're saying is true, what's the obsession with having ABS then? I realize it has some value, particularly rear wheel lock up and in the wet. But people have ridden safely on motorcycles in the wet for decades. So yes, with ABS you can "grab a handful" in the wet and not have to worry about your wheels locking up. However, once again "ABS will save me" mentality coming into play.

So let's look at all the ways ABS won't save someone. On a motorcycle, it's a much different situation than a car.
- Car turns in or out in front of you - Yes, ABS might prevent you from locking tires up but it's not going to stop you from becoming a hood ornament or decal. Otherwise, ABS does not help you be seen any more than non-ABS. ABS doesn't provide a magical 20 foot stopping distance at 30 mph.
- Gravel, sandy, oily, icy, or other slick surfaces other than water - Yes, ABS can help you stop more quickly in a straight line in the wet. However, in a maximum braking situation you hit an oil slick or pile of gravel you're basically on your own just like a non-ABS bike.
- Braking while at lean - ABS isn't designed to prevent loss of traction allowing for braking in turns any more than a non-ABS bike. Basically, ABS can't "save the day" when applying those mixed load situations where grip is at a premium. Now, scientist are hard at work on this issue and I predict someday ABS will be able to help with braking at lean. Basically, it will just disable braking! So we got that to look forward to. Stopping distance in dry, 120 ft. Stopping distance from dry 200 feet. Stopping distance at lean? 800 feet.
- It won't help being rear ended (once again being seen) which is a common type of accident.
- It won't help a rider that doesn't see road debris, which is a common type of accident.
- It won't help being side swiped (once again being seen) which is a common type of accident.
- It won't help tip overs or side stand failures which is a common type of incident.

On a motorcycle there's actually a very limited set of situations ABS really does any good. The vast majority of those few situations involve needing to save the rider from themselves. If someone's going to WWR, I see ABS as being valuable. For dry weather only riders, the opportunity for ABS to reduce accidents or severity is nil.

So what's the point of my diatribe? It's that for about 98% of accident situations ABS isn't going to do anything. Yet someone will be like "oh it's got to be ABS". So there is a prevalent mentality that "ABS will save me".

For me, DarkArcher was better off with a '15 from a BV standpoint moreso than what ABS adds. In fact, like I said initially, the 7 lb difference between the bikes is substantial when it comes to trying to shed that extra 7 lbs. You could spend 3 grand on titanium fasteners and save about half that replacing ever fastener on the bike.

"Car turns in or out in front of you - Yes, ABS might prevent you from locking tires up but it's not going to stop you from becoming a hood ornament or decal. Otherwise, ABS does not help you be seen any more than non-ABS."

In 1994 I encountered just such a scenario on a Mk1 Fireblade and ended up going over the bonnet of the car. The one thing that stands out in the memory of the accident is the sound of the locked front tyre squealing. The guy pulled out at the last minute, then stopped, leaving a small gap between the car and the kerb which I tried to aim for but with the front wheel locked, no chance. As with most RTA's, when you replay them in your head, they seem to take much longer than actually happens. We're talking maybe 1-2 seconds here. I'm convinced, that with ABS, I would have stood a much greater chance of steering the bike and hitting that gap. OK, lets hear it from the guys who'll say, "you should have pumped the lever" or "feathered the brake" etc..etc... Well I say that's fine in theory but in real road riding it's b****cks because, in a split second situation like that you grab the lever and you squeeze, it's instinct.
So, has the advent of ABS altered the way I ride? Of corse not.
ABS is designed to prevent brake lock up and hence retain some steering input in a straight line, nothing more.
All UK spec 14R's have ABS as standard so the question of paying an extra premium for it doesn't arise. Personally, I think the TC system is just as, if not more useful on a bike like the 14 but ABS is there and I accept it for what it is. Saying it's useless or pointless is...erm....pointless!
As far as the extra weight goes, 7lb is nothing really. It's not even unsprung weight, it's sat more or less centrally on the bike. JMO

ABS VS NON-ABS

In terms of acceleration rates, 20 lbs is worth a tench of a second. 7 lbs is 1/3 of that. For people that take off bodywork to save weight, 7 lbs is huge. For people that buy 3k worth of bolts to save 3 lbs 7 lbs is huge. For people that scour the bike for everything they can, and take off parts like metal brackets and use zip ties to save 3 grams 7 lbs is huge.

7 lbs on the bike is extremely difficult to lose. You can buy carbon fiber rims for $3500 or so to lose around 10 lbs. You can buy a titanium exhaust instead of stainless to save somewhere between -3-8 lbs at somewhere around over 100% the cost. My pipes cost like $900, Brock's full titanium is 1800 or so to save about 8 lbs.

7 lbs is a lot. Ask someone like Rook who weighs tires to save weight. Yes, unsprung weight is important but it's still only about 2:1 and there's still a point where weight as a whole comes into play.

Single sided exhaust, lithium battery, and rider weight are the cheapest ways to lighten load. After that anything extra starts to become very expensive.

DarkArcher, good video (I've seen it) and I agree for average riders wet weather riding aaverage riders (includes myself) ABS is beneficial. Myself, I don't ride in the wet on purpose. I've been caught a few times in the rain now. Rode with smooth inputs, no problems.

My points went straight over head though. What are the most common causes of motorcycle accidents and exactly which ones will ABS make a difference? 2% of the time. How many accidents occur from inability to stop in the wet in a straight line? There's your answer. How many people on the forums on or have ever known that had an accident in that situation? 0 out of probably 30 people. So once again, I'm not anti-ABS but it's not a reason to not buy a motorcycle.

I agree Vic, 7lbs is awesome for racers. And abs is a tool not a crutch. We all need to remember that. Im just a street rider and a sport tourer. I also live on a road that has a deer density of about 40 per sq mile by my estimate. Will abs stop me from hitting a deer... Probably not, but i might be going a little slower :)

I will take and keep my abs.Why is it some of you guys are bad mouthing something you don't have?You tube is full of people doing endos over the front from panic stops.Just seems like some are going to a lot of effort to convince others of something in their opinion is not needed.Just saying

No one's debating opinions. What's being presented is the limited opportunity for ABS to intervene in preventing an accident. What's the number one cause of multi-vehicle motorcycle accident? Not being seen. ABS doesn't do anything to help with this. The main thing it will do, when Mrs. OldBuickLady pulls out in front of you is allow you to get a good look at her face when she finally sees you about .5 second before you become her hood ornament or door decal. ABS will not save you if you hit some road debris because you don't see it. ABS won't save you if you misjudge turn speed and run off the road. ABS won't save you when your round your favorite corner and find a dump truck dropped a big pebble puddle right in the road. Under these circumstances, and more, ABS isn't going to do a thing for you. ABS will not prevent you from being rear ended. In fact, ABS might increase your odds of being rear ended because for the average motorcyclist they still stop quicker with ABS than without! That's facts, not opinions.

The fact is ABS is NOT equivalent on motorcycles as it is on cars. No one is saying don't buy an ABS bike. What some of us are saying is it's not a reason to not buy a bike. Yes, there are circumstances ABS has the opportunity to act on your behalf.

here's an ABS bike doing a stoppie. I can't believe it's ABS that's keeping the rider going over the bars. There doesn't seem to be any concenses whether or not ABS actually prevents stoppies. Actually, if you know what a stoppie is you'd know it has nothing to do with locking up the front tire.

I've got a buddy going way back. I would call him the, "Minister of Distorted Facts." His facts sort of somehow got turned around you hear this guy discuss it. These days I wind him up because he hasn't changed that sort of logical common sense. I say something like this; so you bought a new car. No I didn't. I though you said you bought a new car? I bought a chevy.

Same as like talking to Vic. So Vic, you going swimming today? No. I thought you were going swimming and exercise? I'm going to the pool. So Vic...

kind of like you may not hit your head so why wear a helmet type of thinking I suppose.

It takes a very special person to make this leap of logic. I mean retarded special, not intelligent. You have an accident, 9 out of 10 times you're head would minimally have an would cause soft tissue injury (scrape, cuts, bruises). My numbers could be wrong on this one. Maybe it's 80% of accidents.

Now, < 1 out of 10 times is the type of motorcycle accident you're likely to have going to be prevented by having ABS.

I wonder what kind of gear you wear? Probably all black. The same guy who tells me his ass would be sipping buttermilkk if his bike didn't have ABS wears all black gear. LOL what an idiot.

* Last updated by: VicThing on 3/13/2016 @ 8:30 PM *

Vic, a panic stop but the person saw you and you kept moving, you stayed upright. Oil from some hydraulic something coming up to the intersection and the light turns red. A bunch of gravel at a stop sign, construction trucks all over town were shovel ready. Caught in the rain and the oil comes up. Kid chases a ball out in the street. Little johnny pedals out of a parking lot driveway in front of you, does not know the laws or think he'll be hit, you'll stop for him, etc.

We have yet to be in some skidding up to some car turning in front of you. I've got a peter if you got the salt. Fucking [black] clothes do not make the man no matter the color. Oh but that cat fur color looks good on you though.

Yeah, who cares what color of gear you have when your soooooo concerned about safety you just HAVE TO HAVE ABS! But I get it. ABS will save you. Maybe you guys should use straight pipes too, that way people hear you!

Wear some high viz gear. People will see you more often. You'll feel less concerned about ABS.

What was initially a simple preference expressed by the OP seems to have turned into a bit of a cat fight about ABS v no ABS. He wanted an ABS equipped model and he's finally got one so he's happy. Great result.

So the main arguments against ABS are:

It doesn't make you more visible.
It dilutes your riding/braking skills.
It adds 7lb dead weight to the bike.

OK that's me done, I'm signing off from this thread. I've never heard such rubbish. JMO

What was initially a simple preference expressed by the OP seems to have turned into a bit of a cat fight about ABS.

No, it's not a catfight, it's just the kind of thing Vic does... Remember, it's his way or you are a piece of shit. Keep that in mind and his posts won't bother you. :)

No, it's not a catfight, it's just the kind of thing Vic does... Remember, it's his way or you are a piece of shit. Keep that in mind and his posts won't bother you. :)

And so if I'm not just like you then I'm a piece of shit? Great reasoning!

Have fun trashing this bike this summer. It's got ABS, maybe it will save you. I'd say sell it and give it to someone that can ride but you won't listen to good advice.

Vic, my dear, what is with a hi-viz-vest going to help with whom? Who goes back and forth to that touring street/dirt bike site? They wear hi-v and ask how many were tagged wearing a vest?

Am I to assume Vic is on a '013 w/out ABS? And isn't a cop on a bike with a short sleeve shirt, badge, lights, looks like a cop bike, oh I've never seen a cop on a cop bike and why is that bike now under the car? So much for ID me in hi-viz. Can't get any more hi-v than a cop on any wheel, right?

Where is there this precedence about having a headlight on and riders are still being taken out. So isn't that more like junk science because it didn't work? I need my "headlight on for the other guy?" That's what a cop told me when I loopholed the law and when you turn the key on the front light goes on. He was checkmated by my little accy rectangle bumper lights you see on off road trucks.

Do you actually think I'm going to safety up when my MO is all black so I'm not a target at night? I need a vest to brake better LOL

I don't why you guys are so critical of Vic.

Since I've been following his youboob channel "Vic Steers your life towards success n'at" my life has improved immeasurably.

- got rid of that clunky Cycle Hill tire changer and got a 30 gallon drum that used to contain some carcinogen.
- I'm the fastest guy in the parking lot.
- women no longer try to rob me of my precious bodily fluids.

It's almost Zen.

I can always count on you for a good laugh Hagrid.

You read the RSS and first thing you think of is hag. Then click and find out. Sure enough.