how does the bike do in stop and go traffic.. alot of my riding will be in and out of small towns... does the bike feel heavy ?

im sure the bike is great on the open road... just was wondering hows she works in traffic.

Ur kidding right?

bearing in mind stop and go traffic sucks no matter what you're piloting, i find my 14r quite manageable: just as much low-end grunt as a big v-twin but more nimble in heavy traffic. The clutch on my roadstar is actually a little lighter than the 14r so my wrist used to get tired. A few more days in the saddle cured that.

how is the weight when you first take off from a light....when i sat on one at the dealership they did seem pretty balanced.... i work 2 part time jobs and one of them is delivering parts so my boss pays me for gas and i use my bike sometimes.

alot of stops and starts... but it's faster and more fun !

* Last updated by: mark43 on 3/4/2012 @ 10:40 AM *

Being this is my first sport bike i was concerned that it would be squirrely at low speed. Surprisingly the 14r is just as well mannered as my roadstar. Case in point: at stop signs i can come to a complete stop and roll away with both bikes without my feet leaving the pegs. So as far as stop & go traffic is concerned i think the 14r does quite well. I wouldnt worry about the weight Mark43.

* Last updated by: hagrid on 3/4/2012 @ 11:10 AM *

"Ur kidding right?"

Actually, this is a street bike after all for those not racing it and a valid question as far as I'm concerned

So I am also wondering about the low end grunt. A lot ultra powerful bikes like this sputter and jerk when lugged down to 2k in high gear. Is it really that smooth off the bottom? I had a superhawk that you could wack the throttle open at 1500 rpm in 3rd and it would chug right on up the revs. Does the 14R really do that too?

* Last updated by: Auron on 3/4/2012 @ 12:23 PM *

Hey Guys

My 14R a Silking Smooth in all gears and all ranges of RPM.

I live in NYC and if theres one thing I know about its traffic and its really very good in traffic, actually its much cooler than my 07 alot less heat on my legs.

Snuffy

"Ur kidding right?"

Actually, this is a street bike after all for those not racing it and a valid question as far as I'm concerned

So I am also wondering about the low end grunt. A lot ultra powerful bikes like this sputter and jerk when lugged down to 2k in high gear. Is it really that smooth off the bottom? I had a superhawk that you could wack the throttle open at 1500 rpm in 3rd and it would chug right on up the revs. Does the 14R really do that too?

Yeah it's a street bike... so it's for the "street"
Guess...you never use the clutch to vari power when at a crawl?
and why would you be in such a high gear when slugging around in traffic....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChpC8Q94a60
I personally can't do this perfectly.... but damn close

* Last updated by: leo167 on 3/4/2012 @ 1:32 PM *

I had a superhawk that you could wack the throttle open at 1500 rpm in 3rd and it would chug right on up the revs. Does the 14R really do that too?

Im just curious, why would you wanna do that?thats why they put a 1st gear on there lol

Can you do it or not dude? Oh wait, you have the old one nevermind

Mark is green. Mark, the 14? Not yet. Year not ready steady. The Q's are too beginner/novice. Stay on the bike you are on. Go to some empty lot and then dead stop. Keep your feet up. Once you fell like you are about to fall over, take off. Hang on those pegs and remain balanced.

Now, every time you go to a stop sign, hang, then take off. My vids embarrass year ass. You need some hard core, shut up, do dis! This is no, do as I say, not as I do? Oh, you better, squiddy. Too many tentacles. Just 3 are needed. Okay, 4 if you use the rear brake.

"Ur kidding, right?" Ah, no, he is not kidding. He's squidding.

Thanks for fixing the link....

ok good....if it can make it there it can make it anywhere.

i figured with that much tq the bike would pull away pretty easy with not much thottle... i was more asking about the balance of the bike... but that seems good also.

* Last updated by: mark43 on 3/4/2012 @ 5:09 PM *

How fast does it go? Can you wheelie it?

I'm just trying to get a full representation of powerband. He said it behaves like a twin off the line so I asked "how much" like a twin. If guys want to be like that then forget it.

NOW NOW NOW AURON...c'mon....take a breath bro.Sa'll good.YES...she pulls like a friggin bat outta hell right off throttle.And as far as slow speed manners...the 14R is a dream child compared to her earlier sisters.Just don't grab the front brake while manuevering slowly!

She'll wheely all day long.Burn rubber...ya...the whole nine yards.

As far as 'chugging' up the rpm range...I don't think you're gonna feel like she's 'chugging'...more like..."FUC^,I hope that KTRC is workin!""Do I let off...or continue to climb and trust!?"

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/4/2012 @ 9:07 PM *

Very nice...I'll be getting one as soon as my XX sells. I'll be touring on it, which is why I asked such a strange question. Riding 700 miles a day will place a bike in every situation you can think of, and I was betting this is the only bike out that can handle anything.

Now here's another one. I hear it's quite nimble for such a heavy bike, with a touch of suspension and geometry tweaks I'm guessing it will whip around slow 2nd gear corners better than my mid 90's tech cbr1100xx or any other 500lb+ bike, right?

* Last updated by: Auron on 3/4/2012 @ 10:08 PM *

I would say....yes.I'm guessing you're talking about 180 degree u curves or something?Any heavy bike is gonna feel,well, 'cautious' moving slowly around a 180 turn..She'll ride all day long touring...you can bet on that one!If you're gonna load er up...backing her out of places will be a bit more challenging.I'd keep that in mind before I just pulled into any old parking space!Course,I guess you COULD back er out without sitting on her...that could be a solution.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/4/2012 @ 10:15 PM *

grn... why is the bike so hard to back up.... my bike will be parked in my garage next to my truck...so when i need to ride the bike i will have to back it out of the garage...what's the big deal with just sitting on the thing and backing it out that away.

* Last updated by: mark43 on 3/5/2012 @ 4:19 AM *

I think he might be refering to backing it up an incline... and i agree. My vtwin is 200# heavier and i can uphill reverse it easier than my 14r.

Kinda both actually....IF your feet are flat on the ground...with an inch or so to spare...you won't really have any problem.BUT...if your feet are not touching very well....it's gonna be a bitch.....IF there's ANY incline(decline) at all.In fact...you may never get er out if the incline's 'just enough'.Not a big deal really.Just thought I'd add that to the 'handling' comments.Any inclines while parking...best to u-turn and back in to the spot(won't have to worry about her falling forward either)(I know...there's a gear for that ).Yer gonna look really stupid trying to get this bad girl out on an incline.If anyone will feel the extra 20 lbs or so,this is the place you will.

Foolish as it sounds...a reverse gear would have been very nice for this baby.Sa'll good though.Just gotta think ahead sometimes where yer parking and such.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2012 @ 12:31 AM *

Just gotta think ahead sometimes where yer parking and such.

Hogwash! I did not purchase a scooter with 195 rwhp so that i could "think ahead"; parking, heavy traffic, or otherwise.

Good Day Sir!

But...

I said good day sir!!

I jest of course.

Well...I probably should have said it...like this...."I have to think ahead when parking and such".I've been down the road of trying to backup a bigazz Harley because I didn't 'think' that little decline there in that parking spot would be anything .Only one way out...that was BACK.FUC$.What a hoot that was!

But it beats throwing that kickstand down...like a real biker would,only to have it bounce back into the 'up' position....and...well...you know.I'll take 'backing up' to 'picking up' anytime Better yet...if you MUST park headon into that parking space...at least give yerself enough front room to climb that cement curb there,and a bit of walkway to turn on!Been THERE...done THAT Kinda pisses off the pedestrians...but wthell...you only live once,right?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2012 @ 12:43 AM *

I]ll take a crack at the v-twin wheelie scenario. Guys would pull the snorkel out of the aprilia twin. I pulled it too. I knew it was going to fall on it's face. This lost the wheeelikeffect with lots of air handed to it. Leaving a light, this bike carries the front in the right conditions. Low rpm take off.

The 14 is going to move in a different way because of the weight. This may take a few more feet, a few more 1,000 rpm. The engines are different too. We could compare this to a high revving RR to leave the old 14. Where as, the 14 (generally) has the torque band in the 7,500 rpm range.

That being said, it takes no more than 30-40 feet(?) from say, a 35 mph roll on? Within those feet, the front end begins to climb. You have to shift or lift to bring the front end down. We are talking, bone stock, flies in, no mods; pin it open only. With that said, I'd imagine you would add the extra torque to the R, you might cut the time back, say 5 or 10 feet?

30~40ft from 35mph = 14 lofts?
20~35ft from 35mph = The R lofts?
No clutch pull needed, just WOT it in 1st. Not a snap open, but a fast controlled open throttle.

Are we talking a big twin Japanese bike? That big Honda VT can chunk some wheelie in the low rpm range. So, no. This is not a pop and pull her up 14. This bike needs some rpm. Not much, but more than a twin, lets say.

Grn: you know i was JK with whole hogwash thing right? My poor attempt at humor.

Hub: the vtwin i was referencing is 02 yamaha roadstar 1600.