I was reading up on the latest supercar, Koenigsegg Agera R and the article said that a lot of these rich boyz keep their exotic toyz a short time and then trade out when something newer or more exotic comes along....sometimes as little as three months. Many hardly even drive the car. Seems like a big waste to me and I have to wonder about what motivates someone to do that. I like to get new stuff but still enjoy the older, less cutting edge equipment. Can't see rushing out for a new literbike every 6 months or a year. If a new 1500 cc ZX-14 comes out I'm probably gonna stay with the old one. JMHO

says the man with what? 42 motorcycles?

I dunno....I'm REALLY excited about the new 14.I think I would HAVE to trade my baby in.Long as she gets a good home!Someone is gonna get a REALLY NICE 14 if I sell.Perfect first bike for someone looking for...well..you guys know.She does(and has) performed flawlessly...and I'm 'just' at 50,000 miles.ANYONE would enjoy having a bike like this and taking care of her.It's so far been an absolutely GREAT EXPERIENCE.ZERO mechanical deals.That's no BS either.Zero.Easy regular upkeep...very sweet!

You KNOW that new 14 is gonna be WAY tuned in and refined.They've had 6 years to r&d this platform.Gonna be AWESOME!!!!!Won't be no Busa facelift either .6 years of customer feedback.I can hardly wait!!!!!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 9/9/2011 @ 6:55 PM *

What new ZX14? Kawasaki isn't talking. There is not even one factual news release saying there is something new for 2012. Lots of wish lists, and hopeful speculation, but not one single fact.

If they do change it, I look for traction control stolen from C14 and ABS already available outside the USA anyway. Not much else.

Hope I'm wrong, but there is no evidence either way right now. Kawasaki is starting to roll out 2012 changes already, and have published changes to off-road, dual-sport, and ATV models for 2012.

Nothing yet for street bikes. I also think you are more likely to see upgrades to the C14 to try to keep up with increasing competitition in the niche. And of course to the ZX10R.

They already sunk a ton of money getting the new 1000cc bikes to market, and they did a great job on them. I rode one (not the Ninja one) and it is a great bike.

Will be interesting to see what really happens for 2012.

No Privateer...."not one single fact"....wrong bro.It IS a fact that Ricky Gadsen was driving one at some test track somewhere.Not speculation.Fact.Unless of course,Kawasaki(or Ricky for that matter) made a phoney video with a rectangular LCD and redesigned analog meters...in 14 layout(possible).Wouldn't THAT be a hoot!

You saw the commercial vids did you?Announcing the 2012 model(s)....on Oct 10th?I,m pretty sure those are genuine Kawasaki commercials...the green blasting whatever it is light?The Mexican 'country boy' farmer describing what he saw...classic Kawasaki.She's real alright.

I gotta say here...IMO...this new 14 is gonna break EVERY sales record so far for ANY modern big sportbike.This move is gonna put Kawasaki in the record books for producing the most famous and desired sportbike out there.You watch and see....There are so MANY 'would love to have a big sportbike' guys out there...they just haven't gotten a bike like the 14 yet...but they're there.Big sportbikes are makin a comeback.This 14 is gonna make that possible.6 years of customer feedback,and a HUGE cache of customer targeting...Kawi's got this bird right in the right slot.This bike's gonna be so aimed at the guys my age....it's gonna be VERY COOL!Power...refinement.Ease of maintenance.Gonna all be there.I wouldn't doubt it if they engineered into it a way to bypass the limiter.Wouldn't surprise me one bit.And a self correcting speedo...just punch in your tire size and gearing..bling bling....exact speed indicated.Guys like me don't need Viagra...just another blast on our 14's!!!Kawasaki aint stupid.Older riders are a HUGE market today...guys wanting thrills and such.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 9/9/2011 @ 9:40 PM *

says the man with what? 42 motorcycles?

Only 5 but that's not the point, I'm a buy and hold kind of guy. Only bike I've sold is my wrecked out ZX-10R to 1Bad back in June. I still have my '06 ZX-14R and have no desire to sell it, ditto on my old '04 VTX 1300C. That thing is coming up on it's eighth year and has more miles than the Starship Enterprise but she still runs like a peach and looks showroom fresh...why sell?

I'm talking about the guys who have to have the latest and greatest thing and keep if for 6 months or so until something else comes out and takes it's place on the front covers of the bike tabloids. One guy on ZX10R.net bought a BMW S1000RR kept it less than a year then traded it in on the new ZX-10R. He does this every year, this is what I'm not getting. IDK, I'm the type that if I had to have the new 10R, I would have kept the Beemer too.

Do you have to have the latest, greatest toy?

Nah... but the guys that do, more power to 'em... Whatever makes you happy, IMO.

Now, in the case of the new 2012 zx14... If it delivers, I'm in. But my 2008 will likely stay also... It's my woman's bike that's gotta go to make room.

If a new 1500 cc ZX-14 comes out I'm probably gonna stay with the old one. JMHO

I like to get new stuff but still enjoy the older, less cutting edge equipment.

I gotta say here...IMO...this new 14 is gonna break EVERY sales record so far for ANY modern big sportbike.This move is gonna put Kawasaki in the record books for producing the most famous and desired sportbike out there.You watch and see....There are so MANY 'would love to have a big sportbike' guys out there...they just haven't gotten a bike like the 14 yet...but they're there.Big sportbikes are makin a comeback.This 14 is gonna make that possible.6 years of customer feedback,and a HUGE cache of customer targeting...Kawi's got this bird right in the right slot.This bike's gonna be so aimed at the guys my age....it's gonna be VERY COOL!Power...refinement.Ease of maintenance.Gonna all be there.I wouldn't doubt it if they engineered into it a way to bypass the limiter.Wouldn't surprise me one bit.And a self correcting speedo...just punch in your tire size and gearing..bling bling....exact speed indicated.Guys like me don't need Viagra...just another blast on our 14's!!!Kawasaki aint stupid.Older riders are a HUGE market today...guys wanting thrills and such.

I would almost say you are a part of a marketing ploy, blue. How much are they paying you?

TC would be cool but other fancy electronics, I already have that aftermarketted into my old 14. No need to upgrade to something OEM(?)

I hope kawi does deliver a knockout punch to the industry. To rock me, it will take more than an extra 30 hp. My God some of you have that with turbo easy. The old bike can be modded cheaper and faster than the stock one is new. They are not going to make a stock bike that shatters the gentelman's agreement. Breaks it by a few mph, maybe. If this is not all a big panacea, I predict they will make the new 14 with about 210 hp. It will be just a touch faster in the 1/4 mile than the zx-10 and it will have a much stronger bottom end. That is the way it has always been and I don't see tat it could be otherwise. They could easily have make a production turbo bike with 300 hp a decade ago. That would be inviting government control. It would not be allowed. NOt to mention, every bike manufacturer would have to step up to the line in the same way which is very costly. Manufacturers do not want to make advancements by leaps and bounds for cost effective production. You think they don't all get together and make all kinds of agreements? We get the teasers but the real behind scenes stuff we do not hear. They leak info they want us to hear and make it look like some big secret. The real secret is the part you never hear. Marketing 101.

I bet Kruz WILL get a new ZX-14R, yes, the R is 'official' as far as I can tell, and, I will bet on it being a R model too! As for me getting one, highly unlikely. The MSRP on a new ZX-14R will likely be 14,500.00 dollars, more than I can afford, but, that's cheap considering what you are getting! I will likely keep the 14 as its not getting any hits of interests. Oh well!

I bet Kruz WILL get a new ZX-14R,

The MSRP on a new ZX-14R will likely be 14,500.00 dollars, more than I can afford, but, that's cheap considering what you are getting!

Hope you don't mind me repeating myself but:

I predict they will make the new 14 with about 210 hp. It will be just a touch faster in the 1/4 mile than the zx-10 and it will have a much stronger bottom end. That is the way it has always been and I don't see tat it could be otherwise.

......and still not impressed. I'll have no problem waiting especially at that price. The owners of the 15 are going to think I am a total . It might be good for a tenth of a second over a stock old school 14 but that doesn't mean didly to me.

I'd feel wrong putting less than 50k miles on a motorcycle, but then again I am not flush with cash. If the '12 is what it looks like, I may benefit from it indirectly by getting a better deal on the used '08+ that I am hunting for. I'd keep that for a few years at least before migrating to a '12.

I would prolly want the biggest and the baddest if I were buyinga new one but I'm sure the older bikes will drop in value. I'd look into what a new 08 is going to cost. Private Owners of the 08 who want a '12 will be dumping for 3-4 K I bet.

I certainly won't get rid of my 14 anytime soon...unless...that new bird is noticeably better all the way around.Like trading up from my 12 to my 14.It was and is a good deal.Very glad I did it,though my 12 had a LOT of potential and was a fine 'beginner' sportbike.I was thinking about this very thing yesterday while riding.Just having fun...cruising,rollin fast,carving.My 14 is a perfect machine for me.Just right.Everything about my bike is good IMO.Handling,speed,torque.Just right.Ride quality.That new one will have to be pretty impressive for me to get rid of my bike.If Kawasaki does to the new 14 that it did over the 12 to the 'old' 14,then...well...okay....I'll most likely be seeing my dealer again!I really can't imagine a better riding bike for it's purpose than the 14.So whatever they've done....it better be good...lots of present 14 owners are waiting to dive in.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 9/17/2011 @ 4:09 PM *

The new 14 is going to be a makeover and a facelift, similar to what Suzuki did with the Hayabusa except focus on midrange and low end....no thanks fellas, I'll stay put. Don' expect a bike that will beat the BMW, ain't gonna happen....if it does, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I thought I was the conservative one, last one to buy ZX-14 of the original zx14ninja.com forum members. Now, my habits have been changing somewhat lately. I may just succumb when I see and test ride the thing.

* Last updated by: Steven14 on 9/18/2011 @ 7:50 AM *

Today, we go 'huh' when we hear or see a ZX-12, those puppies dried up when the 14 came out. If the new 2012 model remains a ZX-14 the older ones won't be thrown away as much as the old ZX-12 was.

It gains an "R" though. Must order the decal, quick. LOL.

I will keep my 14 and buy a low mileage 2012 model in 3 years or so for under half the price as a new one. Best of both worlds.

Good plan but I suggest you do ALL mods ASAP if you are going to give up the 06 in such a short time. No sense in doing anything expensive unless you can use it a couple years (IMHO). I'm keeping my 08 and modding it more cuz I expect to hang on to it at least another 3 years.

I think I will buy what ever 14 or busa comes out to top the 2012. I can't afford every generation and I doubt there will be big enough dif to justify that cost for me. The aftermarket is going to take you farther than Kaw engineering for street use.

I really need to remove the flies from my girl

From a 06, you really do. It is usually not hard as long as you use a hot screwdriver or a soldering gun to melt the locktight. DO it sooner than later for ease of removal I would think. Did mine in the 20 F January weather. Hot screwdriver.

There are about 5 or 6 important pointers to this task. We had a recent thread that covered it.