Hi Guys. I removed the seat on the weekend to install mods and noticed that the rear seat cowl has been rubbing on that little center tail panel, and also on each of the side tail panels toward the rear. Has anyone else noticed this, or is it unique to mine. I'm putting some clear urethane panels on different parts of the bike for paint protection, and wonder if I should include these sections, or find another fix? I have also been noticing when fitting the seat with the rear seat cowl on, it contacts the luggage hooks at the front, making me spread the front of the cowl to go around them. Does everyone get this too?

I got the same small paint rubs sweet, I seem to clear the hooks fine. Those paint rubs piss me off.

Don't have a Cowl myself but with ya cobbar I would be %$^%$$^^% with that rubbing marks too!!!!

I get the same rub, guess it's just business as usual.....

This is where I think peeps are going to make fun of me, but here goes...
As soon as I bought the 14r I noticed the rub points (I knew these area's overtime would rub and fade the paint). So I went out and clear coated these contact areas. I clear coated the bottom scoops (lower fairing) and I clear coated where the seat tapers into the top of the plastic cowl. With all this fuss muss, I have no scuffs or wear. Cost me 80 Canadian.

This is the only path to avoid it.

* Last updated by: Wolfman on 8/19/2013 @ 6:46 AM *

Of course the Wolf not only has a solution but employed it already! Great idea wolf! I'm gonna do the same, I'll touch up the rub marks first with the colorite kit. Then clear. Kudos.
Those little marks piss me off.

yeah I just had the buffer out tryin to lightin then rubs a bit.

MINE has a about eighth inch gap all way around so it don't rub, but my 09 it did rub and cold never seem to adjust it so that it wouldn't, was enough to annoy me but only seen it when I took the seat cowl off, so I just left it on

I noticed two rub spots 8 months ago. Waxed them out the best I could and put a piece of masking tap over them and cured the problem.

There are foam pads under the tabs that the seat cowl fastener screws go through. It is pretty thin and it gets squashed to nothing in no time. Remove the OEM foam, put 1/4 inch thick self adhering foam weather stripping on the underside of those tabs instead. You will need to replace it once in a while but it should hold the seat cowl up better.

Glad to know I am not the only one with this problem. Not a lot of others said they had the seat cowl rattle when I posted this.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=D399363B-1372-66AE-3B21B160239EDB32

have a look at the tutorial. I would not bother with the silicone bumpers that you see. Also not necessary to apply unsightly cushions to the tail fairings. Just put the foam under the tabs that are on the seat cowl.

A Saddleman Techstyle seat also holds the seat cowl up higher. You'll never have a rattle with one of those installed.

This is where I think peeps are going to make fun of me, but here goes...

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/19/2013 @ 2:27 PM *

Let me say that I admire you fellas for your extra effort to keep the best all round performance bike in the world looking fine!

But I am of the mind that you are a bit anal as well. I remember an old film, when Paul Neuman was a young actor, called "Hud"; in which he had a perfect example of the latest model Cadillac, in pink maybe, and he drove the holy hell out of it on the range of the wild west! (and you thought he just sold salad dressing, right young 'uns?)

They are made to be used and a well used performance vehicle has character and patina. My own example of the beast has a few nics and scrapes and has it's second cracked front fender (repaired on the road with fiber tape and epoxy and since reinforced with superglue, liberally applied).

Now, I may replace that fender with a carbon, like Wolf's, some day in the future (cheaper than a OEM replacement btw) but not before I get a Roman's flash! First things first after all; fn over form.

All things age and performance machinery should be aged in battle and fully used up at retirement; a survivor and not a trailer queen; venerable old warrior fading away with honor; but still taking polish at regular intervals.

Then ......... restore it when it is a classic; if there is anything remaining. OR crip!

* Last updated by: PaulAB on 8/19/2013 @ 3:04 PM *

Paul love your attitude patch it up keep going for the venerable warrior. I am not a bit anal, I am crazy, obsessed almost ocd anal. All my bikes. I sold a cbr F4i in 2012 for more than I bought it. But your right it's not jewlery it should be ridden. And so I ride hard and clean hard? But the expert on keeping the bike in showroom condition is ZxBeast!

Mad love boys

PS replaced my fender because my daughter attacked it with my screw driver Ugh!

I caught myself using q-tips late late Friday night while detailing..............

Wolf.... this is getting spooky. Are you getting in my head? I've already started clearing the same parts on mine. Just to be clear (pardon the pun) I'm talking about self adhesive clear urethane sheet. You just cut sections and apply them to the vulnerable areas. When properly applied, you can barely even tell it's there if you get good quality film. I'm also making patterns for the leading edge of the front fairings and fender too. My 07 got the same treatment. When I traded it recently for the 2013, I just peeled off the clear and the paint in those areas was as good if not better than the day I bought it, even after surviving 6 years of being ridden hard and polished equally as hard (maybe harder). When I'm not riding I'm rubbing, replacing and maintaining.
I keep saying "the devil's in the details". My bikes usually get loads of attention because of the attention I pay to the details. I can guarantee you it doesn't make them any less ridable. Quite to the contrary, it makes them even more ridable because they are so well maintained too. It's a hands-on thing.
Some people are the same with their cars. Some just drive them and bash them to death, doing the bare minimum. It's a very individual thing how we treat our rides.
Anal.... YES, big time! OCD.... YES! Proud as hell.... YES! My bikes are my passion and get taken to the point of immaculate and get kept there. Visual appeal is a BIG deal to me. I love a bike that just looks unfuknblvbl!! If it takes me a few hours, a few bucks and some clear urethane sheet, then that's exactly what it'll get. Why on earth would I want to repair damage when I can so easily prevent it?
I like your approach too Rook. I'll have a look at those areas too. Cheers mate.

I caught myself using q-tips late late Friday night while detailing..............

better not take your seat off. Lots of little nooks and crannies that dust gets caught in.

I will be using q-tips on certain parts of mine.

My bikes are my passion and get taken to the point of immaculate and get kept there. Visual appeal is a BIG deal to me.

same here. After 5 years, I am not so afraid to to wear engine parts with hard riding. If some internals need to be replaced now, it is about time. However, there is never a reason to not have the bike looking perfect on the outside. It is a lot easier than wrenching so I wash and primp regularily. The finish is smoother than when new. Pretty hard to have every piece spotless all at once but I like when the bike gets attention so I try.

Another angle is that I am not afraid to muss up the OEM paintjob any longer. As I said, I've rubbed it out so much it is like a mirror but it still has some pits from rocks or a few unfortunate bumps against hard or sharp stuff...had a fairing or two fall to the garage floor...rolled the bike once even....so I can experiment with sandpaper and clearcoat to my hearts content now. Worst thing that could happen is that I mess it up tio the point I need to totally repaint it. That would be a lot of work but a lot of fun too.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/19/2013 @ 7:58 PM *

Mine does this too.

Do you guys put a blanket on the seat and wrap the grips with baggies? What do you do with the tires, wrap them in masking tape?

The daily road nicks annoy me way more than a little plastic chafing. I already know I will be painting the bike.

Shit. I scraped the drop pegs. Swapped them for the stockers and raised the rear 1/2 inch. Then preceded to drag the lower and belly fairings. Raised the bike another 1/2. Weeeeee!

Fat yeah she sits under a blanket when stored. I know it's sick. Yah sweet that's the stuff I use. Keeps her like new! And I wrapped where the tank pad and seat do not meet that small gap! I'm not going to sell her, but he is protected where needed!

Mine was rubbing too ! I removed the mounting hardware from the seat, put a washer over each bolt and re-installed the hardware. No more rubbing.

* Last updated by: streetracer on 8/29/2013 @ 6:39 PM *

Hey Streetracer. That's a fresh approach. I like that. Going to check that out tonight. Thanks

My boyz! Great idea!
Nice!

Sweet, how did the decal turn out on the cowl?

Hey Nasty. Stuffed it! I put them on, but didn't quite get the angle perfect. They went on straight, but there's supposed to be a bend in them. They stretched pulling them off too. Anything less than perfect just won't do with me. I've ordered another set. I'll get them right now that I know all this.

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 8/29/2013 @ 7:25 PM *

Haha! Well at least you got a test run and know what to do the second time around! I'm just as anal about things like that, it's gotta be perfect or not at all no matter how many tries it takes!

You guys might find that the cowl rubs again after a while of being shimmed. Mine seems to have a way of relaxing. Now as previously mentioned, the saddleman seat holds the cowl up. Much of the surface of the passenger seat area touches the underside of the seat cowl. The gap has relaxed some but not enough to allow the cowl to chatter againstr the tail fairings.