Author Topic: Kawasaki ZX 1400 (Read 8757 times)

Mongo · « **on:** April 20, 2006, 10:00:57 PM »

Well guys the ZX 14 finally hit the dealerships on the left coast and I'm happy to say I got ride it! My buddy Bob got the call this morning from the local dealership and he could not get off work fast enough to go pick it up!

I went over after work and after about an hour of BS ing he finally handed me the keys and his helmet! Every thing they said in the magazines is true I can't wait to get out this weekend and leg it on some good open roads or take a quick trip up the canyon!

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2006, 11:15:44 PM »

Sweet!

I'm hoping the rumor/photoshop in Cycle World is based on fact. I'd love to have one with taller bars, bags and shaft drive... I think that'd bump the FJR from the top of my wish list.

ant_129 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2006, 11:24:27 PM »

Do I see heresy on the Bandit Forum? Shouldn't this be posted on some Kawi forum?

JK

Glad you had fun riding

Red01 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2006, 11:43:38 PM »

A Suzuki will suit me fine, too... If Hammamatsu would kick out a bike with a Busa lump, full fairing with good looks, better ergos, bags and a shaft.

No rumors of anything like that though, so my lust has to wander to other camps.

Mongo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2006, 09:35:47 AM »

Quote from: "Red01"

Sweet! I'm hoping the rumor/photoshop in Cycle World is based on fact. I'd love to have one with taller bars, bags and shaft drive... I think that'd bump the FJR from the top of my wish list.

I can see it now the ZX 14 Concours!

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2006, 09:35:58 AM »

Another wildlife enraging monstrosity!

mike · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2006, 10:27:22 AM »

Awesome! give us a good updte after your ride... I've been waiting on someone to get one.

Here's some ZX14 links guys:

Nice Drag Video:
http://www.scootplace.net/temp/ZX14-9_17_at_152.mpg

Press:
http://www.superstreetbike.com/releases/pr_zx14/

Review Article (11 page pdf):
http://www.bikeland.org/misc/articles/sincityreview.pdf

Red01 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2006, 11:57:58 AM »

In case you haven't seen it, the rumored Kawi GTR:

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2006, 12:34:56 PM »

Quote from: "Red01"

In case you haven't seen it, the rumored Kawi GTR:

Yeah, but I can tell by looking that is gonna be a whole order of magnitude more expensive than the Concours! Will it be worth it, for the money?

Red01 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2006, 12:42:45 PM »

More than the Connie? Sure! I'm guessing it'll be in the price range of the Honda ST & Yamajammer FJR.

Remember, if you can remeber that far back, when the Connie made its debut and was a cutting edge piece of Sport-Touring equipment. It wasn't the inexpensive option it is today. That's only come about because it's tooling costs were paid for long ago.

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2006, 12:58:20 PM »

Well, I'm all for advancement, though the prices on Wings, St1300, FJR-AE, and other makes does rather offend me!

I hope this clean, lean, classy machine stays around...

They just should bump it to a 1200, like the Bandit.

Red01 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2006, 01:05:33 PM »

I wanted one real bad - about 20 years ago. While I think they're a great bike, they're getting pretty dated now. The Connie is lacking in many areas compared to more modern examples, and slumping sales is showing most folks are willing to pay more to get those extras - or go buy a clean used one and save even more jing.

tacoman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2006, 02:18:01 PM »

The Connie is like the KLR 650, it continued to sell and had a good following. I'm sure new sales are slumping and the Connie did need several mods (usual: jetting, fork work, shock, exhaust) to get up to snuff. With tighter emissions I imagine you'll see most carbed bikes gone in the next few years.

fritobandito · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2006, 02:46:59 PM »

I owned a 1987 Connie a few years back. It was comfortable to ride with the Corbin seat, and had great wind protection with my Rifle aftermarket shield, but the extreme weight of the beast coupled with the rediculously low gas mileage made it unworthy of keeping, er, at least in my book. I would go through all of my 7.5 gallons of gas faster than my bud would go through his 6 gallons on his 1995 GPZ. How stupid is that. You would have thought by now that Kawasaki would have scrapped that ZG1000 engine for the 1100 that was on the GPZ. Go figure. And don't get me started on engine vibration. Whole other issue, at least on the 1987. Maybe they corrected it - I don't know. I wouldn't even consider another one. But hey, that's just my stinky opinion.

Mongo · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2006, 09:13:11 PM »

Quote from: "Red01"

In case you haven't seen it, the rumored Kawi GTR:

I guess I missed that one, I've got say I really like it I'm not a big fan of riding that far over the tank with the current configuration!