The music theory phraseology escapes me Strat. My guitar teacher gave up on me because I wanted to play things that were too difficult for me. He asked me to come in and show him what I learned on my own through learning by ear. I gave him a demonstration and I think he was disappointedly impressed. He had no comments to make at all. He was a great guitar player but I don't think he had much of a gift as a teacher. Anyway, with the exception of the basic chords and power chords, everything I learned was by listening to it bit by bit scores of times from a cassette tape and copying it. Stan taught me the rhythm part to High Flier, a UFO song. It was good. Had I heard the solo, I'd have learned that on my own. It doesn't sound too difficult to play if you can practice it enough to remember it all. Practice it enough and it becomes yours like anything you practice on the guitar.

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It's a really beautiful song, isn't it Strat? The guitars are very nice but the vocals are beautiful too.

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It's a really beautiful song, isn't it Strat? The guitars are very nice but the vocals are beautiful too.

Yes it is, great song, not one that
I actually recall, the big hits I remember
that got tons of air play were Livin' Lovin,
and Too Hot To Handle.
I just now listened to High Flyer,
and would say the E minor scale works
perfectly with it. Their Guitar Players
were excellent.
I didn't understand scales and theory
until I'd been playing for decades,
then when I started getting into
theory, I never learned enough
''...to hurt me'' as the old quote
goes.

I'm not sure why BG doesn't use advertising. All we ever had was C-Blast who fell into disrepute for his flashing which was a ripoff of his previous employer and which he didn't have the knowledge to address certain issues on...at least that's how the story went. Yeah, I believe BG is putting his own money into keeping this forum afloat. He should ask for donations. I would pay to keep in contact with my friends here. There was another forum we all met on that went defunct in about 2009. BG was a member and started this site since he's in the biz. There might be a couple more but Hub is a member who was here from the old site. BG too. Kruz is here sometimes. There may be a few more. I'm pretty old but not all the way back to 2006. I started posting on the old, now gone site in 08. Somehow, someone got ahold of me when this site started up and I was very happy to come over. Grn14 was another member from the start but we believe him to be deceased at this point. Monty was his name. I spoke to him on the phone several times. It's fun to look at the old threads sometimes and see the posts of the old members who inspired me. There have been lots of good people.

Hi guys. Tried banner ads long ago. Didn't do a thing.

I'm happy to keep the forum going, especially because of all of the tremendous resources that members (esp Rook) have uploaded here. And Hub... Whaddya say about Hub. He has changed a lot. I think this is the only forum he wasn't banned from in the early days (?). Used to be you could barely understand him. Always helpful though. Fun to see all those old names posted...

You guys stay safe! -bg

Hi BG! Thanks for the comment and thanks for everything.

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You guys stay safe! -bg

Thanks BG!
Mark me as one that is also very appreciative of
being able to access this site, I've learned much
here from many past and current threads.

He has changed a lot. I think this is the only forum he wasn't banned from in the early days (?). Used to be you could barely understand him. Always helpful though. Fun to see all those old names posted...

Yeah, BG, crashed the first year 14 schooling myself on FI. Was banned because I just rattled on being thrown into hospice, woke up with a concussion and had to let that heal for a few years or so. Would laugh it up hear and there and all of a sudden the thrill was gone.

Probably the best time I had was answering ROOK's rooky type questions. We could have written novice type Q&A book for the learned discussions. Kruz with his broken wire tracing, clowning with Grn. Bad and his badmouthing, and hagrid's comments. Those were the days.

Time went too fast. Was like yes tear day... sniffles.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/3/2025 @ 11:30 PM *

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Probably the best time I had was answering ROOK's rooky type questions.

I still have lots of rookie type questions. Obviously the answers were important, I learned to translate Hubbish pretty well.

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Hubbishit speak LOL

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Back brake update;
About 3 or so weeks ago I topped off
the back brake reservoir, it was near
the low mark.
Not being a brake specialist, I don't
know how that would affect braking,
but yesterday and today I've been able
to lock up the back wheel at about
30mph 3 or 4 times, it won't lock up
instantly or as quickly as I might prefer,
it seems to take a half to full second
before it locks up but I'll take that
over not being able in the past to
lock it up on dry pavement period.

We were having a discussion about ABS on the org recently. The Hayabusa's ABS links front and rear brakes. The rear brake automatically engages to some degree even if you only apply the front. I assume it engages the front if you only apply the rear. Apparently, the effect is unnoticeable but it happens. On a ZX-14, you can turn the KTRC off but you can't turn ABS off. It's possible that the ZX-14's ABS automatically engages the front brake when you apply the rear. The delay in powerful rear braking might be ABS intervening. I'm surprised you can lock either brake because ABS normally prevents that. With KTRC turned all the way up, the brakes might not lock at all. Maybe the ABS increases and decreases according to the KTRC setting. I'll probably eliminate my ABS someday to reduce weight.

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/12/2026 @ 10:44 PM *

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The delay in powerful rear braking might be ABS intervening. I'm surprised you can lock either brake because ABS normally prevents that.

I actually defeated ABS the first week or so
that I bought the bike, there are 3 associated fuse,
pulling #2 of the 3 defeated it, now I have that
nice looking orange ABS light always on.

I'm not sure if I'm just more aggressive on
the braking action, or of topping off the
reservoir had something to do with being able
to lock the rear up, the fluid was close to
the low mark.
Leading up to a couple of days ago when I
was finally able to lock the rear up, I'd
been able to lock it up on wet pavement,
gravel and dirt.
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WARNING TO FUTURE READERS;
NEVER LOCK UP THE REAR BRAKE,
unless you've had 'schooled' training
on avoiding high-sides. See urgent braking
videos, there are tons of videos on
the subject, locking the rear wheel is not
part of 'urgent' braking, and can
result in grave injury and or death.

I actually defeated ABS the first week or so
that I bought the bike, there are 3 associated fuse,
pulling #2 of the 3 defeated it, now I have that
nice looking orange ABS light always on.

Maybe I'll try that!

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Maybe I'll try that!

Yeah, you've got a hella lot more sport bike
seat time than me, you know how to brake.
As far as stronger, I do think my back brake
is now adequate, hard to say if topping off
the reservoir was the fix or not, maybe it
increased the effect of the existing stroke
somehow.
I sure didn't want to change the pedal height,
I blew out a MASTER CYLINDER once doing that,
I apparently went too far.

Site was DOWN for a few days on my end, I only
got a big RED Fail notice, something like; ''not secure....''

* Last updated by: Stratovarious on 1/16/2026 @ 3:41 PM *

Site was DOWN for a few days on my end, I only
got a big RED Fail notice, something like; ''not secure....''

Me too. Safari warned me not to come here. My mom's computer got a similar warning. Thanks BG for clearing that up.This has happened before but I don't risk my computer if I get a warning.

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Me too. Safari warned me not to come here. My mom's computer got a similar warning. Thanks BG for clearing that up.This has happened before but I don't risk my computer if I get a warning.

Ditto, except I clicked anyway, but didn't get through;
THANKS BG!

I remember when the original forum shut down. I can't even remember what it was called. it must have been in 2008 shortly after I got into this. I had never been a member of any forum yet except possibly FB. I was lost without my ZX-14 forum. I became a member of another one along with several others. It was good but someone alerted me to the fact BG had started this one. Here I've been ever since.

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I remember when the original forum shut down. I can't even remember what it was called. it must have been in 2008 shortly after I got into this. I had never been a member of any forum yet except possibly FB. I was lost without my ZX-14 forum. I became a member of another one along with several others. It was good but someone alerted me to the fact BG had started this one. Here I've been ever since.

Thanks, Rook for being here! Your contributions to the forum have been amazing. -bg

Thanks Bill. I'm working on new tutorials for the 14R now. It's a little late for that but I have a feeling the 14R will be in production for North America for another 5 years at least. Hard to believe the platform would have remained unchanged for 14 years! I think it will go close to 20 which is astounding.

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I just checked Cycletrader and there are 166 new 2025 ZX14r for sale. No 2026 ZX14r listed on KawasakiUSA.com website. Will Mother Kawa update the 14 ride-by-wire?
I need to contact Lee Zeldin at EPA and tell him to drop "catalytic converters" from motorcycles. And, also, raise the noise limit to 94dbs at 55mph. That would take 50lbs off our motorcycles and lower the price $2000.
I just read the Govt new noise level for Jan 2026. It has been bumped to 93dbs at 35mph.
My original 2012 muffler says 80dbs noise limit.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-A/part-325/subpart-A/section-325.7

I need to contact Lee Zeldin at EPA and tell him to drop "catalytic converters" from motorcycles. And, also, raise the noise limit to 94dbs at 55mph. That would take 50lbs off our motorcycles and lower the price $2000.

EU should be disbanded, the entire disease, not just he Emissions Division.
Motorcycles need a break from the EU and Ca emissions noose.
If we look around we see that 90+% of all vehicles we
going down the road are carrying just 1 person, they weigh
4000lbs, destroy our roads, being 8 + - times the weight of
a motorcycle, are responsible for most of vehicular deaths,
while getting perhaps 24 mpg on average.
Motorcycles typically have one rider as well,
but get 40 to 50+ mpg, cause negligible road damage,
and cause virtually no deaths to other motorists
by comparison to those caused by passenger vehicles,
trucks and buses.
Our environmental footprint from manufacturing to
retirement of motorcycles aren't even close to being
on the same chart as passenger vehicles.
As for noise, we need 'some' noise as a safety feature,
not open pipes, but reasonably audible volume that
can be heard by cars and trucks.

* Last updated by: Stratovarious on 1/21/2026 @ 8:44 AM *

Excellent points Strat! As for the noise, I have to admit, it's mostly for my own enjoyment but if the bike is really loud, drivers around you will know you're there. If you're just out cruising, letting them get in front of you goes a long way toward showing respect for those who are sealed in a quiet, airtight environment.

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As for the noise, I have to admit, it's mostly for my own enjoyment but if the bike is really loud, drivers around you will know you're there. If you're just out cruising, letting them get in front of you goes a long way toward showing respect for those who are sealed in a quiet, airtight environment.

Thanks Rook,
yeah, I like the noise too, to a point, after
X' db's I'm not so keen on it but up to a point
I love it, and am partial to the inline 4 music.
Another aspect of being good to the drive-train
and safety overall imv,
is the ability to hear the rpms, hence being
able to make the cleanest possible shifts,
and also those clean, predictable shifts when
making quick or urgent downshifts are critical
as an added safety factor. In addition, if we
can hear what we are doing and make those
clean shifts, we are helping the environment
via less consumable or replacement of parts
and or replacement of the bike we ride.
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As far as letting cagers' get in front of us,
I do all I can in being courteous to them
whenever possible, I do a lot of spirited riding,
but I try to pick my locations for doing so
carefully, in local traffic I'm usually
cruising with the flow of traffic, and
in the right lane, I'll even back off if the
guy/gal in the left lane is sandbagging,
and has cars backed up behind it, so they
can have space to get around it.
I figure that the friendlier I am to
the cagers, the better off we all are.

* Last updated by: Stratovarious on 1/22/2026 @ 3:02 AM *

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