Uh-oh..... New Kawa Super Sport-tourer!

[opt8low]

GM for 44 years and counting!

I'm sorry :lol:

Dana

 

[itsari]

.... a knack for busting the 3rd rod due to oil starvation, tranny general fragility, poor front suspension

Hmmm...kinda makes the 'ole tick seem rather insignificant now, doesn't it?

Well, that's it then...we all need to trade in our Feejers for the new ZX14; then we get to read (ad nauseam) 'Hi, I'm a new member and really like the looks of the new ZX-14, but I'm really worried about what I hear about connecting rods on the previous model breaking; when is Kawasaki going to do something about it?........ :dribble:

Well, it's not /that/ bad, really. Remember, we're talking of 1980's technology, as the ZX-11 power plant derives from the Ninja 1000 (or ZX-10) introduced, iirc, in 1985. The ZX-10 also suffered from the same problems, and, to an extent, the ZRX which basically inherited ZX-11's engine. The rod faillure was sure to happen if you spent half of your time with the front wheel 5ft in the air, and the other half 1000rpm past the redline, under normal use it would probably affect 1 in 5 or 6 machines (same as the feejer's tick, some have it, some don't). The oilpan was redesigned in later years, I believe, to overcome the problem. Mr. Turbo (and others, undoubtedly) offers an an oil bypass mod which is very popular among the ZX-11 crowd.

I have mine since March 2003, bought it used of course, from a "poseur" squid -- it had ~800km (~500mi) on the clock. As it turned out, daddy had bought it as a b'day present in 2001 (last year of production), he used it to go sit outside the café picking up girls and meeting his mates. When I took it off of his hands he had went on to "bigger flights", as he so aptly put it -- a Busa. It was absolutely pristine, never had fallen, didn't even have a single scratch. It now has a bit over 45.000km (~28.000mi) and the only mechanical problem I had was a broken water pump.

Newer Kawasaki's however, seem to like to eat cams, but then again that's nothing new -- the Z1300 was also notorious for that, back in the early 80's.

All bikes will have its Achille's heel, in one way or another, I suppose. Even Honda's! Ask the Blackbird crowd what they think of their R/R (hint: some are using the r/r off a R1 as a replacement ).

Ah, well, I feel like I've highjacked the thread, sorry about that. Please don't hold my Kawasakiness against me, though. And remember, in my stable Yammis outnumber Kawis in a 2:1 ratio!

 

[outrace]

If bike size and bike styling are an indicator of a guy's opinion of his "member", then this thing says "Mine is so big and ugly, nobody will let me get near them."

Torque like my FJR, horsepower like my R1, wheelbase, weight, and handling like my F150, looks like Spiderman customized an old BMW Isetta.

No thanks, but I know they'll be popular with guys who do drag.

 

[Woodstock]

Friends don't let friends drive Chevys.

 

[panthercity]

If bike size and bike styling are an indicator of a guy's opinion of his "member", then this thing says "Mine is so big and ugly, nobody will let me get near them."
Torque like my FJR, horsepower like my R1, wheelbase, weight, and handling like my F150...

You spring for the H-D model?

No thanks, but I know they'll be popular with guys who do drag. 

You tread a fine line...

 

[outrace]

If bike size and bike styling are an indicator of a guy's opinion of his "member", then this thing says "Mine is so big and ugly, nobody will let me get near them."
Torque like my FJR, horsepower like my R1, wheelbase, weight, and handling like my F150...

You spring for the H-D model?

No thanks, but I know they'll be popular with guys who do drag.  

You tread a fine line...

1) No, I never got into halloween orange and black. Those trucks should come with a lifetime supply of candy corn.

2) "A fine line" is the fast way around the track.

 

[FredE]

I never fail to be amused by internet "experts" who can dissect, denigrate and dismiss new offerings without ever having had the benefit of even SEEING one in the flesh..........let alone sitting on it, or - My Heavens! - actually RIDING one. Some talent, that is...........all the major companies could save a fortune in wasted R&D by just consulting these know-it-alls in advance.

:rant: OK, OK............I'll crawl back under my rock now.

 

[outrace]

I never fail to be amused by internet "experts" who can dissect, denigrate and dismiss new offerings without ever having had the benefit of even SEEING one in the flesh..........let alone sitting on it, or - My Heavens! - actually RIDING one. Some talent, that is...........all the major companies could save a fortune in wasted R&D by just consulting these know-it-alls in advance.

:rant: OK, OK............I'll crawl back under my rock now.

Yes, they could. I'll be happy to offer my services for a mere $100,000 per year. I'm fully qualified because I know there's a market for the Kawapiggy in three vertical market segments.

1) The bling, dropped, doing drag group. I expect to see at least one with an extended swingarm (chain drive), polished PM aluminum wheels, and a 2" drop within 30 days of the machine's release. Normal trip length <50 miles.

2) The point-and-shoot bulletbike group. Guys who will never see a racetrack and think racing is all about throttle. Normal trip length <200 miles.

3) The Europe with a passenger group.. Very relaxed Autobahn cruising at 200 klicks, two-up.

Make no mistake. Kawasaki knows this will be where the Megasaki will sell, and the segment is larger than the FJR market, so they're not being stupid by creating this monster.

But there's one market where the thing won't sell...... my garage. It's UGLY, long wheelbased, badly faired, chain driven, and probably impossible to insure. It's like taking the worst features of my R1 and my FJR and throwing them together to give me a worst possible bike for the types of riding I do.

If I want a 1000 mile day, I take my FJR. Why would I take my R1 or the Kawapiggy?

If I want to carve apexes, I take the R1. Why would I take the FJR or the Kawapiggy?

If I want everyone to stare at me at the Burger Barn on Friday nite, I'll go commando and leave my zipper down.

 

[Warpdrv]

you couldn't pay me any amount of $$ to ride a kow..

Not to offend, just Never liked a KAW.. Yamaha for life... !!!

 

[Geezer]

Yamaha for life... !!!

OK, I did have a flexible flyer H1 back in the '70s and enjoyed the power and the price but hated the handling. Haven't bought a Kawasaki since. But I don't suffer from brand loyalty and I will consider any brand that offers the bike that best suits my needs when I am shopping. Better to wait and see what the bike actually does once it gets out on the road for a while. That's probably why it took me until 2005 to buy my FJR.

 

[BrunDog]

Oh shit...

ABS, 190 rear tire, 1352 cc, promised large tank, dash looks sweet...

We'll fix the ergos if they are broken. And add an oiler to the chain and this is a non-issue.

Gonna make things interesting and will certainly polarize people on which is the right ST bike.

-BD

 

[FJRZON]

Well, there's the rub... given the track record of Kawasaki over the years (and even Honda the last 4-5 years), I would be less than honest if I was to say procuring this machine in its first year would be risk-free.
The prudent customer would probably be wise to wait a year to see what problems, if any, this platform might develop. Most knowledgeable folks fully recall the pitted cams and sundry other issues the first year ZX-12 bikes had.... it wouldn't be surprising if this one develops some anomalies as well.

Still, it's an awfully interesting development from Kawasaki; at least they are stepping up in the super-sport-touring arena, unlike those staid coporate clowns at Honda...

Thanks for the feedback Warchild & the others. I have now come down from my giddy candy-store-high. You have confirmed my thoughts as to be a “prudent customer”. It is always best to try and wait out first year production-runs. That being said…I called my Kawi dealer today and they *think* the ZX-14R will possibly arrive this fall. This will at least give me a chance to see it in the flesh and maybe I can wring my right hand on the throttle and perform an exorcism on the beast. LOL. WC, I agree with you on Honda. Although they are on the sidelines…they just might join the party fashionable late (being how conservative they are). I really don’t know why Honda is being so reluctant from updating the XX. We have the BMW K1200S, ZX-14R/ZZR1400 and *possibly* a ‘06/‘07 Busa update w/abs as an option to further “soften” or integrate the Busa into the ST world. I really think ‘06 & ‘07 will be the start of a new era for the better of the GT/ST motorcycle world.

If I want everyone to stare at me at the Burger Barn on Friday nite, I'll go commando and leave my zipper down.

Outrace, of course not taking you seriously...I just about fell off my chair laughing my ass off! That is truly some funny shit. Thanks for the humor.

:bb2:

 

[Centerline]

"Flexible Flyer" Yes reminds me of my ol' H2 way back in 1973. The fastest M/C on the planet, next the legendary Z1, the next speed king. Now the ZZR1400, the soon to be king, I suppose. Thinks tho my reflexes and advancing age could not keep up with the 1400.

 

[Windjammer]

I rode Kawis for many years and had really good luck with them. I left them for failing to properly update the Connie. This new Busa killer they have makes no positive impression on me at all. Fugly IMO, and I'm basically with Outrace as far as its application to the market. Use it for LD riding? I guess anything can work if you spend enough on farkles, but why bother when so many other bikes are more easily adaptable to LD riding? As for me, if you gave me one for free I'd sell it to buy something else.

 

[SkooterG]

Gonna make things interesting and will certainly polarize people on which is the right ST bike.
-BD

Naaaaaah.

Almost all will not see the ZZR1400 as a sport-touring contender. Just as almost all don't consider XXs or Hayabusas or even the current ZZR1200 as true sport tourers. Sure, if you are part of a relatively small minority, you can farkle and sport tour on them, but I would not call them mainstream for sport-touring.

After all, how many of the above were in this year's Iron Butt Rally?

 

[scooter cruzer]

I rode Kawis for many years and had really good luck with them. I left them for failing to properly update the Connie.

A big Kaw fan and consider the FJR the bike the Connie should have become.

This new Busa killer they have makes no positive impression on me at all. Fugly IMO, and I'm basically with Outrace as far as its application to the market. Use it for LD riding? I guess anything can work if you spend enough on farkles, but why bother when so many other bikes are more easily adaptable to LD riding? As for me, if you gave me one for free I'd sell it to buy something else.

Love the bike and would love to have one in the garage. But SWMBO said no way to a third bike until she gets her vette.

Scooter