Ok. I know I am probably gonna get flamed for this but I really wanted opinions from some owners. So I have ridden dirt bikes for years and am an aved downhill mountain biker. I bought a honda superhawk as my first streetbike and owned it for almost a year. I sold it recently to get a literbike. I test rode a few. I used to ride with some buddies with 600 sportbikes. Recently I have found some new friends with cruisers that I would like to ride with but there is no way I could ride distances on a literbike. I have ridden some 600s and was not impressed. I am a very cautious rider that does not push my limits. The literbikes ive ridden were intimidating but not over welming. I sat on a 14 and was amazed how comfortable it was. Am I making a dumb choice going with the 14. I know its a lot of power but if I take it slow for a while is it a pretty docile bike? Thanks.

I'mah scared shit of them is little liter bikes an this 14 leaves them in the dust is cluster times another bike inside like 350cc's more. And it'slow comfortable I know the 600 is making me shithe pants butt say don't shove that hot cattle prob up the wah zooooo I'm ready and bent over let me have it!

Huh?

lol what hub said

+2...

Somebody mind translating?

Hey Pwshadow,
Hub's our resident Guru, it's takes awhile to decipher his lingo. The ZX14 is an awesome machine, yes it is really really really rediculously powerful, but if you exercise a bit of right wrist restraint it can be riden within the realms of sanity quite comfortably.

Oh and that's not a translation, he's basically taking the piss.

* Last updated by: Brenny on 5/9/2011 @ 9:23 AM *

Well I am pretty set on getting one. I am extremely conservative when it comes to riding. I think the 14 is one of the best looking bikes on the road. If i get one it will be in the next few weeks and will never be ridden without helmet, jacket, gloves, and armored pants. Thats how I rode my superhawk. Never left the driveway unless I was suited up. I will try my best to not become a statistic.

It's called a throttle hand. I hand you a bike, it either runs all day long like a moped or screams out the mouth is you and guys like you scream too fast where guys like mean scream for a faster bike not something you can ride now.

I'm done with this bike. It's big, smooth, you are going to lose you open thathottle and now need a baby bottle you have it up for sale is needs a crib with the nipple ripple = You ain't ready

When that bike first came out, I took it to the rockstore since I stopped [riding] for a number of years. A young guy I thought would envy a fast bike told me he would not own that kind of bike. It was too much for him and he knew it.

If you do not crave that speed, want more, bought bike specifically for that purpose = You ain't ready you question yourshelf life. Whomever had that video of that 14 fly 300 yards or feet who cares, this thing is so fast, I looked down just to look down at speed and was so out of control, I see why guys crash looking down not up ahead where it's smoother.

"A man has got toe know his limitations you back peddler

* Last updated by: Hub on 5/9/2011 @ 9:35 AM *

So the kid at the rock store didn't like your bike? And I will be ok if I dont look down?

Best 12 grand I have ever spent! Smooth as silk, but also capable of light-speed at the flick of your right wrist! Bullet proof tranny and like you said, comfortable and can be made even moreso with a few mods. A wise investment for sure.

Pwshadow wrote:

So the kid at the rock store didn't like your bike? And I will be ok if I dont look down?

Don't feel bad, nobody understand much Hub says. The ones that act like they do are just swaggering in print. Though I would appreciate anyone that really does understand doing a full English-as-a-second-language translation that is true to the original post, word for word and sentence for sentence.

Hub probably knows a lot, but it doesn't do us much good most of the time. :)

The ZX14 can be quite docile, if you let it. In the MSF Experienced Rider / TC course, mine was docile enough to get through the figure eight and only go a foot outside the left line. One of the Japanese cone riders (autocross for motorcycles) in the video on Utube that has gone virile, could do it and stay well inside the lines. I'm too old, too beat up, to twist around to counter steer good enough to do it anymore.

Or, she can eat mountain roads for lunch. She won't flick like a literbike, but if you set up your entrances right, and trail brake, you can get her around and leave C14s and the like in the dust. And the C14 is no slouch.

Any bike in the ZX10R class will still leave you for lost in the twisties, that is just a fact of life. But if you want to put big miles down in a day, and want to be able to sail through 100 degree sweepers 30mph over the speed limit many times over doing it, she will stand you in good stead.

The ZX10R will kill you for driving beyond your capabilities. The ZX14 will kill you for looking at her wrong. Keep that in mind.

I would translate what Hub said word-for-word, Privy, but I don't happen to have a dildo and a stuffed animal ATM.

A kid maybe in his early 30's. It's not that he didn't like the bike, he showed the up most respect for its stature. He knew as well as he could ride, this was not a bike he could take on with confidence.

Looking down while riding was just that. A reflection as to how fast you see yourself moving, then break that concentration [looking not where you are going] because things happen fast you want to go FAST. It's not like you can jump on this thing and all of a sudden you are used to the speed change.

You have to sneak up on the power or if you are not looking way out ahead, guess WOT? You're already dare!!! Glad I looked up when I did. I sure won't do that again.

I got what youre saying. I will take it slow.

Edge wrote:

would translate what Hub said word-for-word, Privy, but I don't happen to have a dildo and a stuffed animal ATM.

That is probably a very good thing....

This is the best forum ever!

Hub is saying that your experience and abilities are a bit short on for this bike, he's trying to keep you alive.
The other guys are saying , if you can control the throttle you will be a lot safer when you ride, the bike dose everything well, all types and styles of riding. you will love it.
The problem is you can't tell over the net if someone has the ability to learn on the job ,after you've bought it. you look down at speed to see how fast your going instead of looking forward at what is happening in front of you is a common mistake of an inexperienced rider, nobody wants to see you get hurt.

You said { I am a very cautious rider that does not push my limits] if you stick to that you will give your self the best chance to learn as much as possible as soon as possible.

Great choice of bike and forum Pwshadow you'll love the bike

Cheers

Well thank you for all of the advice. Hub thanks for looking out for me. I'm going to start looking around and I will be sure to post some pictures if I get it.

The thinking around here is that if you have to ask "Should I get a 14", then some of us err on the side of spooking away a newbie so not to cause injury or kill themselves. There was a thread about two years ago when someone asked your question and there were so many responses all over the spectrum from you'll kill yourself to just take it easy with the throttle. Can the 14 be ridden by a newbie; yes keeping the rpm under 6k but understanding that once above that ur world will become chaotic as the bike moves to warp speed....I had ridden other bikes before (not mine) but more importantly I knew who I was as a rider so I took it easy with the 14 first ride season; not riding overly confident just because I soon learned to handle the massive acceleration. I knew at 6'4 235lbs there was no other sport bike except the Busa that fit and would give me the power to weight I needed to not have to trade up after two months....Bottom line, no one knows you but you so asking members may still not give you the answer.

* Last updated by: Shogun1 on 5/9/2011 @ 4:46 PM *

shadow,

I've never ridden a bike that felt like a moped. I can put someone on this bike that has zero experience and they will collect their thoughts they know no other ride so right there would spook them as this thing takes off; robustly.

How is that for two extremes is this bike. There was a 17 year old who owns one or has a family ride. He is older now and who knows if he's sitting back reading or dead we don't know?

Another was a 30 year old with a head on his shoulders and he might be lingering around too, I don't know? They could have sold their bike thinking it is too much bike. Again, I have no clue but this bike does what you want or dies WOT you want. It's all that person behind the trigger how safe this piece is.

I never regretted one second of my purchase. I came home blitzing the freeway trying to keep my distance from someone that thought he had a lead foot. And that was just a few hours ago I wanted to keep that sucker coming and war him out.

Wear was I?

* Last updated by: Hub on 5/9/2011 @ 9:50 PM *

I would translate what Hub said word-for-word, Privy, but I don't happen to have a dildo and a stuffed animal ATM.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[quote]I would translate what Hub said word-for-word, Privy, but I don't happen to have a dildo and a stuffed animal ATM.

Edge... So funny I spit sweet tea all over the screen!

As to owning this bike. Well, I can only speak for myself. At 42 and still above ground, I have a fair grasp of my limits and/or capabilities. As Shogun said I bought it because it fit and it delivered the power I need to get around. At 6'5" and 245, I look like a cartoon on a litre bike. I bought mine after a 20 year break from riding. The motions and instincts are still there, but I was essentially a new rider. Take it SLOW and watch the right hand! Don't let it go off like Thing and get you into trouble. The leap from reality to light speed occurs at 5 -6K. North of that, reality is mearly a whisp of memory bent and twisted like a combination of Escher and Dali. Be sure to have miles of open road ahead 'cause you'll cover them in the time it takes to blink!

And don't get down on contrary advice. These good folks are just trying to help you continue your existence. Only you know if you're capable. If you buy it, you'll never regret it. If you don't buy it (for the right reasons) you'll never regret that either!

Sorry for the long-winded post.

* Last updated by: Ogre on 5/10/2011 @ 1:23 AM *

Pwshadow,

The Prof is here just read around and you too will see but it dose not look like someone needs to twist your arm to see what you already now know!

Now go get one and to the family and the "The best ZX-14 forum on the planet!"