ZZR14 vid.

MickLC · Post by **MickLC** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:56 pm

Gosling1 wrote: thankyou Captain Sensible

ps - you doing the long way home this week ?

hehehe

as long as it isn't raining

I-K · Post by **I-K** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:29 pm

Mick C wrote:
Gosling1 wrote:so where does that leave the ZX9-R, ZX10-R and ZX12-R ?? The Yanks may have changed 1 year model designation for the ZX6, but that still leaves a whole lot of other models that use the 'R' designation in both countries, not 'R'-less as stated..........
They're called Ninja's

But seriously, it's pretty simple. They have ZX6R, ZX10R, ZX12R, ZX12, ZX14, ZX6...we have ZX6R, ZX10R, ZX12R, ZZR1200, ZZR1400, ZZR600

....or something like that anyway

Close, but on the right track. Until the ZZ-R1200 came along and spoiled the pattern, the Americans knew sporty Kwakas as ZX-R's and sports-toury Kwakas as ZX's... with the exception of the ZXR750, which was the ZX7 over there.

It's all a rich tapestry...

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:36 pm

I-K wrote: Close, but on the right track. Until the ZZ-R1200 came along and spoiled the pattern, the Americans knew sporty Kwakas as ZX-R's and sports-toury Kwakas as ZX's... with the exception of the ZXR750, which was the ZX7 over there.

It's all a rich tapestry...

Aaah, now that makes sense.......and more fully explains (to me at least), why the ZZR1400 has a *dual* personality, depending upon the market.........

BTW, if *anyone* out there does google searches for older kawasaki's, use the US designation of 'KZ', as well as the normal aussie 'Z'.....you will find heaps more parts this way.....

Post by **icebreaker** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:13 pm

What appears to be a new site for ZX14's being advertised on the motogp website..

http://www.zx14.net/

thought some people might be interested.

Dan

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:55 pm

Yes, we have had some not-so-pleasurable feedback on another aussie zx12r forum, directly from the CEO of the new ZZR1400 site in the US - seems it costs US$15 p.a to join this US site

, and they are limiting membership to only 50 or so people (don't know how this will work), but, wait for it..........

here is a direct quote from the CEO himself.....

"......we see that you are a member of another forum, our system is set up to keep certain types of people out, and it seems to be working very well....."

fcuk you Mr CEO Wanker.

Talk about an elitist group of holier-than-thou cockwarts, and the damn thing won't even be seen until the middle of next year

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 6:38 pm

errr its the whole I have a big bore fastest thing on earth come and check out the size of my gun mentality from the states, otherwise you would just go to 12r.org.

Was having a look last night through a few sites and my sixr is looking more and more like a trackday toy and i was thinking a reasonable sort of tourer would be ok as i have done some of this and i have to go to phillip island as reguler as my licence will permit.

And you can do 2 up even if you do have a bit of a fat arse.

might be a few trades around when the 1400 beastie arives.

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:08 pm

12r.org is a fantastic site, and they didn't need to 'keep out certain types of people', WTF is that all about ?

They just added it to the list of Kwakka bikes that the site has become famous for.....

there may well be a few good trades, but I don't think the zx12 would be a good bet if you regularly take a pillion........the pillions I have taken all comment about being 'above' the rider, almost to the point of being a bit unsure as to their safety

grab a ZZR1200

for those long-hauls........I imagine that there will be a handful of those traded up to the new ZZR1400

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:48 pm

Mate the comments I hear from people that have been pillions on 12rs is "i get on the back of the bike and it is like faaaark".

Yeh may be a handful and the reviews i read mentioned they are licence burners but in this state i think they will hassle anything on two wheels anyway.

Will have to investigate just trying to get away from a powerband over 10000rpm for the road and having to do the motogp tuck to keep up with trafic on the long roads.

You would miss the six along the way mind you its horses for courses.

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:02 pm

beryl wrote:Mate the comments I hear from people that have been pillions on 12rs is "i get on the back of the bike and it is like faaaark".

.......bwahahahahahaah that is exactly what one of my mates said - he has not owned a bike for a couple of years (but we did find him a '77 z1000A1 2 weeks ago

), and he basically shat his fruit

, it was so funny, his legs were actually wobbly when he got off the back

I laughed my bags off.

beryl wrote: You would miss the six along the way mind you its horses for courses.

indeed - once you have had a > 1 litre road burner for a while, you will look back and wonder how you ever did those long trips on the 600 in the first place

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:05 pm

Nah actually i ment you would hit something like the oxley or the run up mt hotham and miss the lighter bike, i actually wished i was on my old 250 on the run up mt hotham would have made real light work of it.

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:11 pm

Gotcha - yes, there is definitely something to be said for a smaller bike in the twisty stuff.......have not done Mt Hotham yet, but from all reports its a good fang

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:36 pm

well if you go from the mt beauty end its rather tight the whole way up and your rather glad to see the end of it, so something quicker steering /light and flicky with a good spread of gears to 130 kph is ideal rather than getting sore wrists but its still a great ride as is the road down to omeo.

If there still a little bit of snow left over even better.

Now if your going for a ride down thunderbolts way you would have to love the 12r.

I-K · Post by **I-K** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:28 pm

Gosling1 wrote:...have not done Mt Hotham yet, but from all reports its a good fang

...and does it ever make you work for it... it just keeps dropping... and dropping... and dropping... and just when you think it can't drop any further, it drops some more.

If you're prone to arm-pump on downhill sections, stick it in first at the top and let it rev out.

We *really* should think about organising a weekend ride out that way.

Drop down to Orbost via the Bonang, across to Bairnsdale, up the GAR to Omeo on the Saturday, then over Hotham, up to Tallangata, Granya Gap, Khancoban, Thredbo, Cooma, home on Sunday.

The Wiktorians can meet us in Omeo.

Bikerboy Bernie · Post by **Bikerboy Bernie** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:43 pm

Well, being a ZZR1200 owner myself (x2), can I say a few things:

I think we'll find that whilst most of my fellow owners are tempted to try the ZX14 (aka "Kawabusa"), I don't think many of them are going to trade up because the 1200 is a seriously good all-rounder of a motorbike.

Up until the BMW1200s, it was the fastest and most powerful SPORTS-tourer there was (and only slightly slower than the BM). I put SPORTS in capitals because it has a sports chassis and you can easily see this is a major focus when you actually sit on one and ride it hard. The fact that it redlines after 11 500 revs tells you this thing is meant to go fast. Most of the other sports-tourers have an upright position ... the ZZR has a significant forward riding lean ... halfway between a full on sports bike and a sport-tourer like an FJR1300.

And yes, it's true ... the US put ZX with just about every Kwaka they can put their hands on, even when it has different alpha-numerics in other countries.

Even the CBR1000 doesn't go beyond a 11.5 rev line. Yet incredibly it is still quite comfortable for rider and pillion over vast distances, as I've discovered.

The ZX-14 was never going to be a surprise to some of us because it seems as if the ZZR1200 wants to be ZX12R but with more comfort, and the ZX12R wants to be ZZR1200 but with more pace. Hence the fusion of the 2 into this new beast, and the exiting of the 2 from the market.

Yeah, yeah I know I'm biased but it truly is as one bike mag has called it "the sport-bike for the over 40's". Now I'm not 40 but I sure will be still on this ride when I get there.

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:03 am

My previous bike was a 2003 ZZR1200 and I can say it is a fantastic bike for long hauls, up to 450km's a tank of fuel, comfortable, pillion friendly, lower seat height than a 12R and the bike is a confidence inspiring thing to toss through the twisties. It has a smooth gear box and plenty of power, not quite a 12R but not far behind it in that regard. It lacks a little in the suspension and brakes in comparrison to the 12R possibly due to the extra weight of 30kg I think, the fairings give plenty of protection, the lights are great, the seating position is more upright with plenty of leg room to the pegs and you sit more in the bike than ontop of it. I wish I could have kept mine, sometimes on long hauls I think about that bike when numbum sets in and the seat grows teeth