[tdrcomm]

Well you can't knock the success of the 'busa. You just can't. When I bought my 'busa back in '99, you hardly saw them. Now, you can't go five minutes without seeing one. After 10 years of production, there are so many on the road, that you have to do something creative to differentiate.

I do like the fact that there aren't as many 14s on the road. I went five months after I bought mine before I saw another on the road. -Though I see them a lot more frequently now...

Nero, you never said you had a '99. White and Gold?

[squiggy]

Huh, I thought it was steel....

I was making reference that it has the frame down the center, over the engine, where it would be potentially more difficult and time consuming for valve adjustments. I don't have practical knowledge of this, however.

With the Kat's and others perimeter frame, valves are more readily accessible.

[bubba]

The ZX-14 even comes with a george foreman grill on each side.

[Nero]

Nero, you never said you had a '99. White and Gold?

Black, like yours, bruddah!

[The CyberPoet]

Yada, yada, yada, whine, whine, whine. Ask CP? What, do I look like an XTC dealer? If you want to know what a whitecl0ver is, ask the guy who uses it as his screen-name.

While the Kat is old school and way down on power, you *may* actually be able to ride at close to the Kat's maximum capabilities on a regular basis. There's no way you are ever apt to ride at the ZX's maximum capabilities, especially in the real world (vs. to on the track).

Most of the rudimentary differences between the Kat & the ZX-14 have pretty much already been covered.

Frames - there is a single over-the-engine beam on the ZX, the Kat gets an 4-corners treatment with a frame around the outside top of the engine and a subframe around the outside bottom. The placement of the beam over-engine on the ZX gives a weight & handling benefit, but you better keep the stock toolkit if you ever want to change a spark plug.

Engine - Imagine giving a 14 year old boy a bottle of viagra -- it's overkill in country as puritanical in nature as the USA... but it's fun until the cops arrive.
On the other hand, all of the technology that goes into the ZX engine means there are far more subsystems that have the potential for going bad as the bike ages by comparison, and the price-tag for maintenance in year 6 & later will be quite high comparatively speaking, as you start having to address things like water pumps, coolant hoses, potentially radiator failures, etc. I'll also be surprised to see them regularly hit 100k miles and/or a decade on the road...

Cost to Operate - The ZX's cost-per-mile is way up there by comparison (in the same sense that a Kat is generally more expensive to run that a Ninja 250 or Ninja 500). All that torque means tires & chains get eaten faster by comparison; the frame placement means most will hand the dealer the bike for valve adjustments; the insurance cost is up significantly for most riders (and if it isn't at the outset, it will be when the cops ticket you a couple times for making their radars' read TILT).

Now, all that said, I think it's a gorgeous bike and it's on my short list...

Totally Unrelated Fun Fact of the Day:
Ducati's 1098R, when you pass 186 MPH, the speedo simply shows two dashes instead of the actual speed.


Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

______________________
CyberPoet's KR Specials
SuzukiStratosphere.com - 6 Cylinders, wet dreams...
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

[allblackkat]

that's cuz the speedo is taken from the regular 1098, which doesn't even come close to topping out at 186.... Maybe 170....

j/k I don't know why it would do such a thing...

[Nero]

Yada, yada, yada, whine, whine, whine. Ask CP? What, do I look like an XTC dealer? If you want to know what a whitecl0ver is, ask the guy who uses it as his screen-name.

While the Kat is old school and way down on power, you *may* actually be able to ride at close to the Kat's maximum capabilities on a regular basis. There's no way you are ever apt to ride at the ZX's maximum capabilities, especially in the real world (vs. to on the track).

Most of the rudimentary differences between the Kat & the ZX-14 have pretty much already been covered.

Frames - there is a single over-the-engine beam on the ZX, the Kat gets an 4-corners treatment with a frame around the outside top of the engine and a subframe around the outside bottom. The placement of the beam over-engine on the ZX gives a weight & handling benefit, but you better keep the stock toolkit if you ever want to change a spark plug.

Engine - Imagine giving a 14 year old boy a bottle of viagra -- it's overkill in country as puritanical in nature as the USA... but it's fun until the cops arrive.
On the other hand, all of the technology that goes into the ZX engine means there are far more subsystems that have the potential for going bad as the bike ages by comparison, and the price-tag for maintenance in year 6 & later will be quite high comparatively speaking, as you start having to address things like water pumps, coolant hoses, potentially radiator failures, etc. I'll also be surprised to see them regularly hit 100k miles and/or a decade on the road...

Cost to Operate - The ZX's cost-per-mile is way up there by comparison (in the same sense that a Kat is generally more expensive to run that a Ninja 250 or Ninja 500). All that torque means tires & chains get eaten faster by comparison; the frame placement means most will hand the dealer the bike for valve adjustments; the insurance cost is up significantly for most riders (and if it isn't at the outset, it will be when the cops ticket you a couple times for making their radars' read TILT).

Now, all that said, I think it's a gorgeous bike and it's on my short list...

Totally Unrelated Fun Fact of the Day:
Ducati's 1098R, when you pass 186 MPH, the speedo simply shows two dashes instead of the actual speed.


Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

______________________
CyberPoet's KR Specials
SuzukiStratosphere.com - 6 Cylinders, wet dreams...
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

The '14 can break down a few times and I'll still have for fun on that bike in 1 year than I will on a Kat in 10 years. Now, I love Mustangs (I've owned five of them), but I'd give my left nut and a year in a Mustang to drive a Bugatti Veyron for a day. Some things are worth the added expense and any headaches (to me). I love Kats. I really do, but when you go trying to compare a 750cc 'sport-tourer' with 20-year old technology to a new 1352cc supersport with today's technology, you're going to get a mismatch. Trying to compare by touting the Kat's ability to last a while is like trying to say "Well, I'd rather own a Honda Civic than a Dodge Viper because it's better on Gas, the tires last longer...yada, yada, yada..."

-Not that you did that, Marc. I know you're just trying get everyone to look at the flip-side of the coin.

If you're looking for two-wheel transportation that can be a little fun, get a Kat. They're bulletproof and great for a lot of things. -But if you're looking for the closest thing to an orgasm on two wheels, get a '14, 'busa or the like.

[squiggy]

Engine - Imagine giving a 14 year old boy a bottle of viagra -- it's overkill in country as puritanical in nature as the USA... but it's fun until the cops arrive.

Which is way I'm leaning towards at least a 1000 and top out around 1200. Light weight with good power raiting.

Heck, for $5000 you can get this ZX12 that's been dynoed at 185 hp and 105 torque at the rear wheel.

Plus it's looks better.

[Katpilot36]

If you can afford the insurance, buy it. Great bike

[Nero]

Which is way I'm leaning towards at least a 1000 and top out around 1200. Light weight with good power raiting.

Heck, for $5000 you can get this ZX12 that's been dynoed at 185 hp and 105 torque at the rear wheel.

Plus it's looks better.

It looks like a Connie...But whatever you like. It's your dollar (Well, $5G).

Side note:

Personally, I don't give a f*** how many times people say how they think the '14 or the 'busa is 'ugly'. If you want a vanilla bike that looks like all the rest, go get one. People come on here bitching about how no one takes design risks, then when someone does, they gripe about how 'ugly' it is. -Little wonder why you have to look at a badge on many bikes, just to tell what make and model it its...

[The CyberPoet]

Now, all that said, I think it's a gorgeous bike and it's on my short list...

The '14 can break down a few times and I'll still have for fun on that bike in 1 year than I will on a Kat in 10 years.

: did they get yours back to you with the new frame yet?

-Not that you did that, Marc. I know you're just trying get everyone to look at the flip-side of the coin.

I'm just trying to point out realistic expectations. It's a marvelous feeling to have that acceleration push you to light-speed in a heartbeat, but one that comes at a price, and a price that I'm not sure I'd recommend to a fairly newish rider with under a year under his belt (which I think is the case with our original poster, GSXF), esp. living in NYC & riding in the immediate vicinity...

There's an ideal or best bike for almost any situation, and the Kat is merely an UJM whose sole ideal is as an rain-or-shine commuter in general until you modify it for another purpose. GSXF [the KR member] would probably be best served by an urban combat bike, some super-moto or trailee conversion that can readily eat pot holes, sidewalks, handle taxi-sideswipes, and still put a huge grin on the face in under a mile.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

______________________
CyberPoet's KR Specials
SuzukiStratosphere.com - 6 Cylinders, wet dreams...
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

[Nero]

: did they get yours back to you with the new frame yet?

Long story. -They had it for two weeks. It sat at the dealership. Then the dealership called me up to come get it. The so-called cracks? Gone. The stress cracks noticed by the mechanic on the original inspection were small scratches from my scorpion alarm install (or the power commander). -In other words, there was nothing wrong...

I got to ride a Connie for a couple weeks and I got a couple of freebies, so I'm not complaining. We went over it one more time and she's golden.

I'm just trying to point out realistic expectations. It's a marvelous feeling to have that acceleration push you to light-speed in a heartbeat, but one that comes at a price, and a price that I'm not sure I'd recommend to a fairly newish rider with under a year under his belt (which I think is the case with our original poster, GSXF), esp. living in NYC & riding in the immediate vicinity...

I agree, Marc. I would never recommend a ZX-14 to a fairly new rider. In fact, I'd say that the next step up is a Honda/Gixxer 1K -and only after 4-5 years on a 600-750. I've been riding liter bikes for 23 years and super-liter bikes (over 1200ccs) for 12. The power is amazing but dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

[GSXF]

fairly newish rider with under a year under his belt (which I think is the case with our original poster, GSXF), esp. living in NYC & riding in the immediate vicinity...

I agree with you CP, as good as a driver in NYC's crazy traffic for over 20 years, I still only have less than a year's riding experience. Yes, I really wanted the ZX14, not really for the power but more the fact that the bike's shape and layout is exactly the kind of motorcycle I wanted since I was 16! I wish it's a 1000 instead but then it's a 1400 monster..

I actually call my insurance company and they quoted me $1100 a year for just liability... I am currently paying $600 for the Kat... $1100 is a bit too high, but is still manageable for me. But it's the "power" issuse that is holding me back.

I also just sold my Kat today, so I will be actively debating my next "lover", so many choices. I also wonder is the 2009 Honda VFR going to be a new model?

But one day, just one day I will still get the ZX14

You mentioned that the ZX14 does breaks down??? Is that true??? The reason I am thinking of the ZX14 is that it seems like a good touring platform but I don't want it to break down on me in middle of nowhere....

[IndyGunner]

Side note:

Personally, I don't give a f*** how many times people say how they think the '14 or the 'busa is 'ugly'. If you want a vanilla bike that looks like all the rest, go get one. People come on here bitching about how no one takes design risks, then when someone does, they gripe about how 'ugly' it is. -Little wonder why you have to look at a badge on many bikes, just to tell what make and model it its...

+100000000 man. I love inovative companys like ktm's new 1190cc vtwin sportbike design and everyone says its ugly, i think its friggin sweet, and it beats a ducati with a price tag of like 13k instead of 25 for the 1098

[GSXF]

The KTM RC8 is a great looking bike, too bad it's not for touring set up...