Green means GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I lived closer. Ive been thur Montana afew times love the place. Folks are nice and I like the temps in the summer. I might be motivated at some point to pony up and head west. The NE* isnt bad either Green. From RI all the way up to Canada is a great ride.

Getting to the bike..

-Just under 1000 miles... 920
-Engine sounds great.
-Feels smooth and longer with the power
-Paid more attention to the riding postion yesterday. I feel like I sit slightly higher on this one. Or maybe closer to the tank. It def feels more upright than my 2011. As far as comfy goes its def as good or better. I tend to move my as around alot in the seat when I ride.
-Bike seems to be holding together better. Ive noticed that some of the little things that loosen up on the 2011 arent issues anymore. Of course its short on miles, but theres afew things that Kawa did that seem to be working. The redesign of the fairing is much nice with less maintence.
-Tires are wearing nice and give me great feedback. Had a spirited ride yesterday and after I exited a sweeper I said hmmm these Metz's feel great just as nice and confident as my Mich's.

So thats it Im planning riding today as the weather is suppose to be nice high 60* or so. Im also gonna pull off my cans today as Im going to enjoy the sound of that 1441cc monster. The damn cell phone situation is crazy here. At least with the cans off they will know something is coming. Right now Im not in the mood to deal with folks talking on the cell and cutting me off like yesterday afternoon. Today is about being LOUD.

First service is coming up soon just like the nice weather. Green if I decide to come out west for a week will let you know...

Later,

Creeps..

That would be cool Creeps.I'm over halfway now to 1000 miles.Getting rides in as I can so far.She is a great bike.Metzlers holding up good as well.Engine sounds and feels great.KTRC working really good.I tightened up my suspension some....she's very sharp in the curves and smooth as glass.The ride position is different....I think so.Subtle,but different.I'm thinking they raised the volume of the airbox,and to keep the tank at the same volume,they styled it a bit differently.Ya....this bike to me feels actually a lot more comfortable ergos-wise than my 07.Really like what they did with the seat and it's shape and all.NOTHING like my 07 stock seat.The bar reach and stuff just feels closer to me.Like they somehow raised the triple-tree...but I don't think they did.I think it's the tank and all giving that impression.Definitely can feel my upper body feeling more supported with this new bike design.

I had my ECU flashed by Guhl.I also bought a new ECU.I'm trying to decide which one I want to use.There is a difference I can tell with the bottom end and the response.Guhl flashed my ECU to open the secondaries way earlier in the rpm range.And recalibrated the ignition.Gonna take some riding to see which one I'm more partial to...shit...they BOTH rock big time!I'd have to say first impressions with the flash....from 0 rpms to about 2500,she 'seems' to have a bit more response...but it's hard to tell really cause the motor as you know is so strong.I'm still trying to determine the secondary opening thing.It feels like with the stock ECU that the secondaries are smoothing the power down low 'possibly' a bit better.This 'may' be better actually for street riding.IDK....still testing.Having the secondaries opening just off throttle up doesn't feel all that much different than my stock ECU.Not really.I did notice with the stock ECU settings...the engine feels like it has a teensy bit of 'bog' from 100 on up to about 1800 or so.But it's not really any type of like issue.Not to me anyway.I'm not drag racing.And the shifting feel seems a tad different with the flashed unit.SLIGHTLY more pronounced...but not rough.This is an awesome bike...for sure.They got this baby right.

Hey Grn, let us know how you finally rate the flash from Guhl to the original map. Sounds like you are not too sure of the advantages, if any, over the "drivability" with the mod!

You reference 0- 2500 rpm as the range of advantage but RG launch instructions are slightly over 3000 rpm; so why bother with a bit more oooomph if its restricted to a range below optimum launch, especially if it compromises the smoothness of delivery in street/traffic applications under stop and go conditions.

Does the flash take out the limiter as suggested in another thread? Not suggesting you go there just to answer my question, BTW! I haven't exceeded 150 mph on the old ZX 14 in 4 years of riding and dont really expect to do so on the new one. Well, maybe if I can get to an abandoned air strip with Your text to link here...some fast company.

What part of Montana do you inhabit by the by? I spent a summer there during grad student days doing physical geo research and studies; headquartered at the University in Bozeman as adjunct to Notre Dame. LOL, it was snowing when I got there in late June and it was snowing the day I left in late August. Froze my a__ in the mornings going out to the field and had to strip down to shorts in the afternoons to keep from overheating! Lots of rattlers behind every other rock it seemed in Nixon Gulch.

PaulAB

btw: is this a candid shot of your garage and mechanic?

Gawd no...not my garage!Sheesh.Okay...back to bike talk.

"You reference 0- 2500 rpm as the range of advantage but RG launch instructions are slightly over 3000 rpm;"...Well...for one thing...my driving is NOTHING like Mr Gadsen's.NOTHING.He's a world renowned Dragger.If he says...'this rpm' or that rpm...he sure as hell knows what he's talking about.I'm definitely not launching anything like he is.I only got the flash to basically remove that top speed limiter....riase my RPM limits a bit,and the ignition advance...well...I had good results from my 07 advancing the ignition 4 dergees...so that's what I was aiming for with the Guhl.It wasn't supposed to be a full on remake of the engine performance.One thing I didn't notice....as Dogo pointed out...is on the Dynos from Brocks...using the Guhl flash....was that he was using MR12 fuel...0 WT.oil...and petron additive.And of course his Alienhead...or whatever that was.So with my stock bike...regular pump gas (91) and normal wieght oil and all...my results are not gonna be the same as his...and I failed to see that.But,it wasn't a waste of money.No...it wasn't.I can feel a response difference...at least up till now.Gotta remember..these stock cans are kinda hefty compared to an aftermarket chopped pipe and all.

I ran a good hundred and some miles on Friday with the stock ECU.I have to say....the Guhl and the stocker are so close in performance...I really don't know how much of a difference there really is now.I reinstalled the Guhl last night.....gonna go out real soon and get a few hundred on that one...see if I can really determine the differences.I didn't keep the Guhl in there long enough to get enough conditions going to actually tell positively.It was very cold for one thing.That's gonna affect the tires and road surfaces.So the feelings of 'maybe' not being as smooth...that could be what it is.IDK.Also,I've done some more suspensions adjustments....that could affect the ride feeling as well.Just have to see here.The temps here are coming up now.So the roads are going to be a tad bit more forgiving.As will the fluids in the forks and shock and such.I am 'pretty sure' the Guhl ECU flash did something with the way the engine fires...with more advance...but I'm not positive 'where' because I don't know where they recalibrated the ignition and in what range(s) they did that.I don't know if it was just straight across the board advance...like the Muzzy manual wheel...or if it varied according to the rpms/fuel and such.I can say...with the stock ECU...the idle was 'sometimes' going a bit up and down...nothing extreme mind you....but wandering just a bit.With the Guhl ECU...the idle stayed almost dead on all the time.That's something small I know...but....it does show something is different.As far as acceleration...I still need to give er a good several situations of hammering up through the powerband.BOTH ECU's are so darn strong...it's very hard to tell a difference.If there is one...I'll find out.Fly opening?....I can tell this one thing between the two.The stock ECU just off idle will have a small bog till she hits around 2K...somewhere in there.The Guhl....that 'bog' is pretty much gone.Also...it seemed to me that the KTRC with the Guhl wasn't kicking in quite as fast as the stock settings.Meaning....when I wheelied up in first...the loft time was different.The stock ECU would kick in as soon as it began to detect a slowing of the front wheel.As it's supposed to.The Guhl...that loft time was longer,which means...she was still coming up,and I had to let off some because I didn't know IF it was gonna stop the wheely or what.And she seemed to loft 'easier' with the Guhl in there.I have to test her some more.The KTRC is relying on fly operation and ignition to stop the lifting(as interpreted by the front wheel speed).With the flies opened sooner...I don't know IF the ECU is catching the front wheel speed as quickly?OR,if the new opening settings are overriding the stock ECU settings in the KTRC program.Which is okay really...just will have to get used to using the throttle more carefully.Of course,that could also affect the KTRC operation while leaned in and carving as well...which may NOT be okay.IDK.Too soon to really notice just yet.

I know with the stock ECU...yesterday...I was coming up a small grade...in the highway.Clear road.50ish temps.I downshifted into first and punched it...the rear tire started spinning pretty good for about 30 feet or so before I realized what was going on.I looked at my little 'KTRC" window there...the bars were at almost halfway.So I let off....IDK IF the ECU was gonna kick in or not...I suppose it was gonna...but I may have let off the same time it did it's thing.Could be.I know it DOES work....and well.

I want to test the Guhl flash and see how much the KTRC is working in different scenarios.I think the ride quality thing was just from the temps and road surface.This bike as you know is VERY smooth...but at least with mine...I get a certain amount of vibration simply because the motor is a lot stronger...but it's not like a bad vibe or anything.I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.There's a lot more torque and power going on when yer opening her up.And certain RPM ranges are giving a certain amount of ride quality than others.She's an awesome bike.The vibes are less with this bike than my 07.And the power delivery and cruisability of this bike are pretty far beyond my trusty 07.So I'm VERY HAPPY so far.

I'm in the Polson Area...Hwy 93,that's the main big hwy through here.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/10/2012 @ 11:32 PM *

OK Grn,

Will stay tuned. It is very nice to have someone else doing these trials and reporting the results,fer sure.

I've put 500 miles on it now, so time to start putting in some time in the power band. One thing though, I'm getting more "thud" now when I go from neutral into first at a light! Warmer weather, maybe? Transmission loosening up? IDK. No, I haven't banged up my shifts or missed gears at speed. Maybe time for oil change due to shear? I thought I'd put dinosaur oil in at 600 mi and then go to synthetic at say 1500.

Paul.

I think yer bike is doing fine.Oils are iffy anyway.Temps are iffy.Things work different at different conditions.Then you throw in a new machine...going through it's break-in.Ya...stuff may appear strange sometimes.She sounds fine to me.It's a pretty beefy engine....not the same as the earlier ones.It's gonna behave different.Mine does anyway.

I think your oil change deal is fine.I've got full syn in mine since 85 miles.And now I'm at around 800.I have a new oil change coming....and I have 10/40 Dino oil...Motul...V300.I'm thinking about putting that in there...just because.It certainly won't hurt anything.Just to see how she handles that...going back the other way that is.Who knows?Worth the 'try' I think.

I noticed with the Guhl ECU before...at idle,several times...there seemed to be a light rumble coming from the right side in there...down by the right front.Kinda strange I thought.And it didn't always do it everytime she was idling.I put the stock ECU back in...a week ago or so.Went riding the other day.No rumble.BUT....I was wearing my other helmet.AND...she had several hundred more miles on er.AND..it 'may' have been the right side fan coming on...I really don't know.So I reinstalled my Guhl the other night.And haven't ridden her yet.Next ride...you can bet I'll be listening for it...with the same helmet I had on the other day.My suspicions are the ignition advance may be causing it....IDK at this point.I certainly don't want to break something.It wasn't real noticeable...but I did hear it and it wasn't doing that before with the Stock ECU.Coincidence?IDK.Mileage?IDK.Oil breaking down?IDK.But it didn't do it at first start either.Only after I'd been riding a bit,then stopped for whatever reason and listened.

Grn14,

Keep the reports coming my man!

We need all the feedback we can get.

You know Paul...that 1st gear clunk.To me anyway...it's NOTHING compared to my 07...which I had rpm'd down some so it would 'clunk' in easier...which it did.This new bike....it still has a 'clunk'(kinda) to it.But it feels way more smooth about it than my other bike.WAY MORE.Someone noticed the sound from a video or something when they first came out...someone on this forum.They jumped on it right away and commented about how undifferent the new bike is from the earlier ones.What they 'heard' was on the video.Not what was felt on the bike.I'm happy with the way she shifts in any gear...very happy.To me...that hard azz clunk is gone.Now it's much more comfortable and virtually unnoticeable(to me anyway).I couldn't say that about my other 14.Even in her best moments of 1st gear shifting.

I haven't exactly babied my trans either.Not even from the start.First several miles...ya...I kinda took it easy on her...shifting and all.But that part didn't last long.Within around 100 miles or so,maybe less...I was shifting hard through the gears and powering her up strongly.Downshifting a lot.With and without clutch...up and down.Different rpm speeds...nothing routine really.So far...she sounds just fine.Drives just fine and shifts excellently.IDK....this is the FIRST sportbike I've ever broken in like this.I haven't seen any negative things yet...she only feels like she's refining even more.Shifts now are noticeably smoother...with and without clutch.Could be just me getting more comfortable with her....but I tend to think it's more the bike breaking in nicely.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/11/2012 @ 11:29 PM *

I stay away from the clunk as much as possible. My stand shuts the bike down, leave it in gear, holds it if on a slight incline or if it gets nudged. I usually just hold in the clutch at a stop, no clunk. Remember that the sulfur stinky oil has a purpose. The oil helps hone in the gears. The only thing I have done on my 2012 break in is to run another filter at the 300 mile mark. I went to Amsoil at 639 miles and the bike has 4044 miles on to now. No ride today, rain with 70 mph gusts. The clunk from my 08 is more pronounced than the 2012. Ride till you die. Work with The Pace.

much safer to be in gear at a light...it's one of the rules of safe biking.

this way if a car comes up fast and does not see you right way...you have a better chance of driving away ...right away.

keep my bikes stock, no issues and they seem to run better can't beat the factory settings... but if you want more sound and some more power i guess that's one way to get it.