Something I didn't expect from this thread and that was several members who's names I won't mention, seemed to be condemning me for going fast and having loud pipes. I'm a little disappointed, afterall this is a ZX-14 forum last time I checked. None of us purchased what is arguably one of the fastest "road" machines in the world, to drive down to the local Jiffy Mart at 25 mph and last time I checked the majority of us run aftermarket exhausts. If you have a 14 and you tell me you have never exceeded the speed limit on a public road you are either a liar or a poser and need to seriously consider selling your bike and buying a Vespa. You bought way too much bike. Folks who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, I admit I go fast but I'm not going to be a hypocrite about it and condemn someone else for it.

John 8:7 comes to mind here. And all you "super racers" out there, don't bother to tell me you bought the 14 for the track, it's a great bike and very fast but it's not a racing machine.....unless you're dragracing. OK rant off!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/28/2010 @ 12:16 PM *

Kruz,
I think you got the "old guy" pass. I've been blessed with (3) this year myself, all going over 100mph. In every case the officer mentions, something about me not being a kid or "looking" like a responsible citizen. Also, I believe, no one likes a kiss ass, including law enforcement but, respect and politeness, go a long way.

"you might learn something you didn't know before like your not as fast as you thought you were "

It sounds like you speak from experience there WilliD...

Due to my total lack of ego I'll admit that you are right. I just wish it did not take 20 years and broken bones to realize that little fact.

* Last updated by: willidx4 on 9/28/2010 @ 10:15 AM *

All us newbies loved the look of our bikes but how long does that last? Everyone has gone faster than they should, be that for reasons of safety or the law---how ever you want to look at it. Sooner or later, if you ride enough, you are going to get a reminder from the police. Just pay as much attention to the few busted stories you hear as you do all the stories of near misses. Now enjoy your bikes and be careful.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/28/2010 @ 11:50 AM *

Good point williD, when I get to the track I intend to check my ego at the front gate, learn the circuit at my own pace and ignore the local experts blowin by in the turns. That always seems to have worked out well for me in past endeavors, y'know expand the envelope gradually and eventually you'll get there. I'd forgotten that the last time I broke my collarbone. It was on a mountain bike of all things after a long layoff from another broken collarbone. A guy blew by me and I took out after him trying to match his pace and endoed the bike over a dropoff....ouch, lesson learned, never ride over your head! I read an interesting article in Fastbikes about MotoGP practice at Donnington a few months back. I guess that track is on the GP circuit this year and all the factories were doing testing. They showed a graph of how quickly each rider came up to a race pace. Randy dePuniet (spelling?) was up to speed after only a few laps but Ben Spies took quite a few laps before he was on pace. He is methodical though and when race day comes I have no doubt he'll be competitive.

I think you got the "old guy" pass.

I actually did get let off once back in my "hooligan" days. I was riding a wheelie on an old RD-350 two smoker and a cop turned on the bubbles. Being 19 years old and too dumb to know better I ran and hid out in an apartment complex. Half hour later when the coast was clear I snuck out the front gate and there he was waiting. He told me he could take me in for evading arrest along with five other charges, from speeding to reckless operation of a motor vehicle but he let me go with a warning. Never have figured that one out, I guess everyone has a story like that though.

All us newbies loved the look of our bikes but how long does that last?

How true Rook, for at least two years, I coudn't stop looking at my 14. I couldn't walk away from it without turning my head to take one last look. Too bad that feeling eventually wears off and it becomes just another bike.

Kruz wrote :

know a couple of fellows, John McGuiness and Guy Martin being just two, that go awfully fast on the road and might beg to differ with you.

I was talking about you, not those guys. Besides, all they have to do it build a racebike and go race. Then we will know.

WOT and it's like pure, unadulterated sex. That's all I gotta add.

* Last updated by: loadedmind on 9/28/2010 @ 12:54 PM *

I ain't that old.... still have all my hair and none of it's gray yet.

Well then you need to pull some that out of the top then and be an old guy like the rest of us.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/28/2010 @ 1:12 PM *

Besides, all they have to do is build a racebike and go race. Then we will know

Or even better yet, Rossi and company can come try their hand at TT racing which he already said he won't. Remember they call it "road racing" for a reason, it used to be exactly that, a race on public roads. Now it's short circuit racing, a completely different type of racing on a manicured track with a minimum of turns and maximum rider protection. Not knocking that but it's different. Just because your fast on one doesn't necessarily mean you'll go fast on the other. The Irish have some of the fastest real "road racers" in the world, ask Jafo about it some time. It takes a special breed of man to race TT.

In ANY town...if it says 25...35....15...whatever...that's what I do.I learned that some people have the ability to "remember" a certain situation(Blue,LOUD,FAST sportbike)and when they see it again...they have this strange propensity to dial the Police.Which normally means....TICKET on up the road somewhere.I'm usually gonna be going through there AGAIN on my future rides...so leaving a BAD impression is FOOLISH.Speed limit.Wave at the locals.Act sane.Goes a long way for PR up here.Police appreciate the restraint as well.ALWAYS wave to the Police.

WOT and it's like pure, unadulterated sex. That's all I gotta add.

Are we talkin on the track or on the road here.....or both!

The last time,I just backed off from a 135 mph s- curve run.

My days of doing those kinds of speeds on public roads are way over. I look for the tighest twistin roads I can find to hold the speeds down and take the 600 or a literbike. If that officer had clocked me at a buck thirty five instead of 66 I'd be doing time in the pokey....just not worth it to me.

I've had so many close calls with Officers it's amazing to me

We all have blue07 but eventually your luck will run out, it always does.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/28/2010 @ 2:36 PM *

I think I'm starting to sense a little bias here...or maybe it's just my imagination. The most amazing thing about this thread is...... I'm clocked at 66 mph on a country road and suddenly I'm a bad guy. Everyone else is talkin about doing a hundred thirty five to 180 on public roads and no one even raises an eyebrow. Does anyone honestly think just because I'm in a corner that it's inherently more dangerous than triple digits in a straight line. If so, I'll fall off my bike at 66 if you'll fall off yours at a hundred and eighty..... you go first!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/28/2010 @ 2:54 PM *

135 isn't the norm for me either.I don't do much of that anymore

Alright then, Blue you're forgiven...just don't let it happen again!!!

WE must be a bit more free out here on the lonely stretches we often PLAY cat an mouse with each of an don't see any traffic on our many rides !!cant see if yer honest with yerself with such a great bike how YA wouldn't enjoy all of its abilities a few times a year. we still have the boys in blue but I have only bin pinged 10kms over touch wood ! on 30+ years of riding

* Last updated by: bean07 on 9/28/2010 @ 4:51 PM *

kruz, you were definitely lucky to just get a warning! its probable that the cop was a biker himself as most people ( the non bike riding public) have a negative attitude to bike riding and that its assumed your going too fast no matter what speed your actually doing!!
also i agree that with rare exception, most zx14 riders have 'built' up to buying this bike precisely because its powerful. most of us exploit this power where possible but not necessarily at every opportunity and always mindful of the risk of getting caught.
i love sport bikes, and i love riding them fast!! id luurve kruzs garage LOL i nearly got a fireblade but by chance i got a different type of bike. heres my experience....
with the exception of my trip to the pyrenees, ive mostly spent the year on a naked street bike, a superduke 990. its an absolute hoot on the road and while its certainly capable of doing 150mph, being un-faired, it doesnt really encourage it! but it will take most corners at any speed governed only by the bravery of the rider.
this might help the 135mph straight line speed jockey but could add 10mph onto the sportbike corner speed...sorry kruz!
cant recommend it highly enough!

as for riding your favorite route, find a few alternatives, cops cant be everywhere all the time! :)
oh, and even if the IOM TT doesnt work out, theres always the Northwest 200, Skerries, UlsterGP to name but a few!!
if you havent been to a road race, any one of these will blow you away!

None of us purchased what is arguably one of the fastest "road" machines in the world, to drive down to the local Jiffy Mart at 25 mph

ROFL,,,,, Well maybe, but if you did, You would not be much fun to hang out with lol. Congrats on the break bro.

Kruz, never had the '14 on a track, so street, but track would also certainly apply. I got to ride an R6 for Yamaha demo days at Barber almost a year ago now. WOT was extremely fun there too. Gorilla on a tricycle, though. Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a large human..

Romans 13:1 & 2 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

I could never figure this one out, followed literally we never would of had a USA.

There is a time and a place for everything. True being a beleiver most would think that it would take all the fun out of everything. But God showed you mercy on not getting a citation. Being concious and listening to what the Holy spirit tells us is what keeps us safe and in his will. I have a 14 and an M109R. Love riding fast but when I feel that I'm grieving the spirit I submit to his will and slow down. God Bless Mack

Damn. You're right Fr8Flyer. Sometimes there is a higher purpose to God's Laws. I think you just need to wait to feel the movement of the Spirit. For example, I drove my wife to the hospital at 80 mph in the dark at 1 am when my oldest daughter was being born. The wife was screaming every minute having contractions. Hahha I got there in half the time it took us to get there at legal speed and my daughter was darn near ready to drop out when we got to the hospitol 20 miles away. I don't feel there was any thing else I could have done except to ignore the law and use my own judgement.

That being said, I'm not sure there is a higher purpose to sportbike riding at high speed. Close but not quite. lol Excellent point though, Fr8flyer.

Specifically, I question "the powers that be are ordained of God" part. Are we to believe that these cops are "ordained of God", the same ones handing out tickets all day long when the speed limit is obviously not prudent in 90% of the U.S.? Are they not ordained from each State to help with extra money and not to ensure the general safety of the population? This is where I start questioning how the Bible applies to where we are now. I'm torn.

Another great point. But Kruz has the answer to that one. Some bad people have come to power but that does not mean they were not an important part of a higher plan.

I think the thing to remember is why we break laws. If there is obviously a higher pupose to the breaking of the law, I think the offender is often not held accountable if no harm was done. For example, I am sure any police officer would have ran to his car and given me a high speed escort to the hospital if I was stopped with my wife in labour.

Some bad people have come to power but that does not mean they were not an important part of a higher plan.

True, Adolph Hitler in 1936 comes to mind here as a prime example.... there would be no modern nation of Israel without the Holocaust, it allowed the fulfillment of biblical prophesy.

That passage from Romans 1 is a tough one sometimes. Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved thousands of Jews from extermination during WWII, would be considered destined for eternal damnation if you take it literally as he resisted Hitlers Nazi government.

Love riding fast but when I feel that I'm grieving the spirit I submit to his will and slow down. God Bless Mack

I've decided to follow something along the lines of what Mack suggests here. If you are a true believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit will convict you when you step too far out of line, I know that. I was actually thinking about selling all my sport bikes but have rethought the subject and will try to slow down a bit. GOD places the desires of our hearts in all believers, we just have to listen to that still, small voice when we are straying too far from the path he wants us on.

But God showed you mercy on not getting a citation. Being concious and listening to what the Holy spirit tells us is what keeps us safe and in his will.

That's what I thought when he let me go, I was behaving like a common hooligan but GOD is merciful. I got the memo!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/29/2010 @ 8:03 AM *