your bike in it's stock form? If Not, why mod it for more power? Discuss..

I did bit of modifications. Not for more power. Day to Day use, there is no way I need more power. My mods are for a better look (slip on and black windscreen), lighter weight (slip on) and ease of us (center stand)

The same reason you went with a 14R instead of anything else. More power is simply more fun to ride. The faster you're moving in a straight line,the more power you can use without getting into trouble. Tell me you couldn't use 100 more horsepower going wide open from say, 90-100. I know I could,in fact I'm always wishing it had more in that type of riding.

No, I can't. But give me a mile of straight road and I can ride any bike to it's limits.

Also, modding is fun. It's fascinating and it makes the bike feel different even if you don't use every bit of the performance.

...I guess it gets to the point when you might not even outride the bike in a straight line when you go to boost but even then, the potential to scare the crap out of yourself is most enticing!

ninja191 great question. I respect people that like to rail it. That's what they want to do, fine by me. I think it's very unfortunate the amount of people that look at the 14R and think "big motor drag bike". Yes, it has a big motor, yes it's not an optimal weight bike for handling curves and turns. But it is built to handle well, and being a little less than optimal for handling is part of the fun. This bike can boogie woogie through the curves, sure if things get tight a 250 can keep up maybe even pull away. But that's even the case sometimes for the 600/1000 "lightweights". On the street, it's not always about being the fastest. This will get you killed. It's about pushing your limits and having fun and pulling into the garage at the end of the ride.

Rough guess 90% of street riders have no ability at all to fully utilize the handling and performance potential of their 600/1000 super sports. Most of us can't fully utilize the handling of a 14. Most of us can't fully utilize the handling abilities of a moped (prepares to be lambasted). The great majority of riders greatly over estimate their abilities. And the sad thing is, most of you reading this right now are thinking "Vic's right...but I am". No...no you're not.

So why do people go for more motor? I don't know. Every time I see some bike (not just 14s...seen all types) lowered with a 10" extension the riders always doing like 5 under the speed limit. Reminds me of a cocky rooster strutting around. Other than youtube videos, I rarely see any of the people having fun riding. IMO if 1/4 miles are your thing, extensions, lowering, more power make sense, as long as every mod is being utilized to it's near maximum potential. Because if the rider can't use it, it's just bullshit.

not yet, getting there, i like the lazy use of powersometimes, im 6'2, ridden sports bikes across countries, it gets painful, you have to work harder on the 14, changing line mid corner is not so easy as on a sports,pick yer lines and hit that apex, be decisive, lot more weight throwing it left to right, brakes have more to deal with, you got to be on your toes to keep up with the sports bikes, but a well ridden sports bike will always smoke the 14 in twisties, if you dont agree, you are delusional, riding 2 up is much more comfortable than on a sports bike, last weekend managed to keep 3 sports bikes behind me, while i was the only one with a passenger, but if they were more capable pilots, for sure i would have been smelling fumes

* Last updated by: motero on 3/26/2015 @ 5:16 AM *

The 14R is different things to different riders. Wether you buy it purely for it's straight line performance, comfort, looks or whatever reason it's purely personal choice. Compromise it most certainly is but show me a road bike that isn't. After 30+ year on pure sports bikes I wanted (needed) more comfort. Along came the Gen2 14 which fitted the bill perfectly. Padded sofa level comfort (compared to a 1198, R1 etc) and, for it's size, more than capable scratching potential. Really not that bothered wether it does a 9, 10 or 11 standing quarter although I have to admit that the grunt of the motor is a huge grin factor. If I was interested purely in numbers I'd get a S1000RR or the new R1 certainly. I've outridden guys on 600's through the twisties and been passed by guys on big touring bikes. So much depends on individual rider ability. IMO there are very few riders who can honestly take any road bike to it's limit and many who claim they can. Personally, I wouldn't call pinning the throttle in top on a 2 mile straight 'taking it to the limit'. There's little skill in that but if it floats your boat than why not. Each to his/her own of course. JMO

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 3/26/2015 @ 11:32 AM *

I bought mine for it's drag potential. Plain and simple. I went low 9.90s in off the showroom floor condition the same weekend I bought it. That's on par with the industry elites so... yes.. I rode it to it's limits and then started to mod the suspension and powerplant to progress beyond that stock limitation.

your bike in it's stock form? If Not, why mod it for more power? Discuss.

Great Question. I will lay it all out from my point of view where I am today. Truth.

I bought my first 14 after suffering a badly broken Leg in a workplace accident. The YZ450 was shelved and my dirtbike days were over. Sad Times. From here The Big Kawi was the Bike to own. So it began.

In no short order found out the 14 was big slow and heavy lacked any kind of what could be called out of the hole balls. Made no sense. Dirt bike hit the gas shit happens. ZX14 Nothing. I was crushed. Those of you who owned a 2006/07 know exactly what I'm talking about. Mods began to bring the beast out to the forefront.

After the sleeping giant was brought to life I found taping the limiter running through the gears became a regular occurrence. Started to get boring. From here stupidity took over. Stoppies, Donuts(inside my small 1 1/2 car garage no less)wheelies became all the joy. And of course things started breaking. Brake rotors were piling up. Tires were a monthly replacement I had reached the limit of what would feed the Adrenaline Junkie that lives deep within. I knew I had to Stop treating the zx14 as a big dirt bike. So what to do ?

From here Boost and stretched became my thing. "You know More Power Captain" It worked. Respect for the bike was earned. I know without a doubt in my mind this bike is just waiting to eat the rider. Stop paying attention and she will. You can Bank on it ! Load the turbo and boost hits like a hammer. Tire can't hold and the drift begins. Pick a direction quickly because now you're in it.

Good News. I no longer tap the limiter on a regular basis. I do Not bend up rotors doing stoppies. Haven't done a Donut for a while. Tires are still a monthly replacement but that is to be expected. I would like to think Age and wisdom came rolling in. Not the hoodlum I once was. If everyone is riding civilized so will I. But,,,,, I can be encouraged.

Vic I like this one.

So why do people go for more motor? I don't know. Every time I see some bike (not just 14s...seen all types) lowered with a 10" extension the riders always doing like 5 under the speed limit. Reminds me of a cocky rooster strutting around.

LMAO, ya I could see why you think that. But maybe, the guy riding that bike still really loves the power. And Maybe the rider has been in one to many high speed police chases for refusing to stop. And maybe, being dragged out of his house and beat up while being forced to watch his bike dangle from the back of a toe truck has lost it's appeal. And Maybe, his family can't take it anymore. Hard thing for kids to watch. That is just one possibility that quickly comes to mind. Could be many other reasons for others. Just thinking out loud.

Now "can you out ride" IMO, Of course not. That covers a lot of ground. I always felt some area's I was strong in others piss poor. Average rider at best. Laws being what they are today, only place to practice is the track. Cornering and straight line practice on this big Bike I'm sure could help us all.

Let me just say I love This bike more now than I did the day it came out. Fun is what it's about for me, always was Nothing More. Trying to "out ride" the bike has never crossed my mind.

That about sums it up. I am really looking forward to the responses members give. We all have different points of view. This thread could get interesting. I answered the question the best I could. C'Mon guys, let's hear it.

I don't think it's possible to outride any of the new generation of sport bike on the road unless you have a real death wish. What I love about the 14 is setting a nice fast pace, and just leaving it in one gear and railing through corners and twisting the tube and rocketing to the next one. No shifter dance required. When I was racing I tried to get everything I could out of the bike and since I raced a small bike, I almost could. But I know there are plenty of riders who could take my bike and make me lok slow on it, so I'm still the restricting factor of the combination.
But, even though I KNOW I am the weak link in this combo, I STILL want to flash the old girl. Why the hell not?
To me, there is no such thing as "too much power."

Mad

Awesome responses here...all of em.Leaves me kinda speechless really...what could I add to this?Think I'll just sit this one out and reflect on ALL you guys excellent explanations.I know of no other forum that has the kinds of people on it that this one does.This is MOST EXCELLENT!

If they made a ZX-20R, I'd buy that, and mod the hell out of it too.

* Last updated by: Nastynotch on 3/26/2015 @ 11:45 AM *

i can out ride it in some situations, it wont change direction fast enough for me,flicking it from left right in tight fast corners, it wont change line easily enough when the corner is getting tighter and tighter and the road surface is not great, i find it doesnt like being upset, its given me a few oh fuck! moments in this sense, but in fairness, thats me trying to do things thats its not designed for, so i should not be complaining, it gets out of shape on bumpy stuff, but thats down to our shit roads, as it certainly out performs lots of other bikes in other areas, but overall, no i cant outride its power, most , a lot of it is unuseable on the roads i ride, but you can never have too much power, better to have it than be looking for it ; )

no, and because I can.

That was the short answer, now the truth behind it is that its human nature to get more than you need, hell maybe its genetics from the "Hunter/Gather" period of mans past... you know get it while you can and store it up for winter (see what I did there ;) )

Do "we" need a 4x4 truck in florida or a 55" UHD 4k curved TV (hate those things by the way)...

At the end of the day I do it so I can say my dicks bigger than yours! LOL

* Last updated by: omega2k on 3/26/2015 @ 2:15 PM *

Honest answer.... No I cannot

Luv the answers guys. I got my 14 and now my 14R because I need a more comfy "sport"bike. After an hour or two on my Gen2 ZX10R my back and knees are barking. I ain't no flexible 20 yr old any more. LOL. I asked the question because I have always seen some people mod bikes and cars because it was "the in thing to do" and not even be able to utilize said Mods.

Every time I ride hard, its a reflection, a time to look deep and say 'is it still there?'. I have seen the apex, and my answer is Yes, I can. I believe 100% that I can ride anything to its limit. I have zero room for doubt. I push too hard too often, to think anything less. Absolute confidence. That's just my perspective. I am in a unique spot because I make my living with the ride. I love it as much as I ever have. And I love looking the dragon in the eye.

Good answer Seb. If you lose complete confidence in yourself, then it's time to get off the bike. Others might call that cocky or arrogant. I'm good with that.

The great thing about the 14R is it's versatility - drag bike, hypersport, sport tour, stretched out lazy cruiser. We are very fortunate to be able to ride such an amazing machine!

I did it not for power so much as to shave some weight and make it sound better. More power was just a byproduct for me. I'm not a racer, nor do I pretend to be. I do like to run it through the gears when nobody's watchin' though.

If they made a ZX-20R, I'd buy that, and mod the hell out of it too.

Every time I ride hard, its a reflection, a time to look deep and say 'is it still there?'. I have seen the apex, and my answer is Yes, I can. I believe 100% that I can ride anything to its limit. I have zero room for doubt. I push too hard too often, to think anything less. Absolute confidence. That's just my perspective. I am in a unique spot because I make my living with the ride. I love it as much as I ever have. And I love looking the dragon in the eye.

Rock on brother!!!

Ten years ago I would have said yes! Now at 64 having had a major heart attack, slower reflexes, No and wouldn't try. I can still ride hard enough to embarrass a few, but also at my age I'm not out to impress anyone. I just enjoy riding and if you can ride faster then good for you, I hope you enjoy riding too!!!

Bought my current ZX because I liked the previous two, great looks, Godzilla motor, smooth as a turbine, plus I like to tinker and the ZX is perfect for that!

Cuz in stock form it won't power wheelie in 3rd ... or 4th ... or 5th or 6th

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 3/27/2015 @ 7:35 AM *