You guys should really ride what you're dissin'. And take a look at your Silver Book's - the 14 is what they wanted to make the 12 all along.

The only bike I "dis" on is the Bugly.

 

It's tough to beat the green one.

You're right about that. If I didn't have the black '05, I'd want that green one :shock:

Sat on a blue zx14 the other day, can't say I wouldn't like to have one. Sure is nice from the seat view, comfortable.........maybe a 2008???

 

They may have wanted to make the 14 all along, but when they made the 12 they made a great handling bike with awesome looks and tons of power. The ultimate all around bike.

The dimensions of the 14 are made more for the drag strip, I also don't like the looks of the 14. The Foreman Grills look butt ugly to me. I am sure the bike is fun to ride and would not blame anyone for buying one. It just doesn't get me excited like the 12 did, and I am quite sure that many others feel the same.

The 12 made a "BOOM" when it was launched, the 14 just made a "pop"

I just hope Kawasaki puts the 14 engine into a build similar to the 12R

If you bought a 14 I am sure you will like it. The black version isn't that bad to look at, it just doesn't do it for me.

Please, no one take this the wrong way, I loved my 12R and still think it is a great bike, but I have to disagree with the 12R making a boom and the 14 just a pop. The 12R got hyped up and the cannon was loaded for a big boom, but the powder got wet and it only went phhhhht when the fuse was lit because they neutered the bike due to the Euro crap. The only boom was the let down on the sales floor. Trust me, we had a hell of a time moving them the last couple of years of production.

The 14 got hyped some, doesn't seem like quite as much as the 12R, maybe it was. However, if you look at what the 14 is doing with some simple mods, top speed record already set and also one at the drags I believe, it is actually doing OK. Sales are good on the 14 as well, at least for this year.

Yes, the dimensions of the 14 are much more geared towards the drag racing crowd, but don't try to evaluate its handling until you have ridden it, just turned 500 miles on mine last night. If it weren't for its underdamped stock suspension, I would say it handles as well as the 12R. In fact, side to side transition feels lighter and easier, and I had a 190 on my 12R. The magazines are right, man will it wallow when pushed hard in a bumpy corner. I hope to get that fixed. No, the 14 will never be as good at a track day as the 12R is, but people don't buy the 12R as their exclusive track bike either.

Oh, and yes, with the built in soft spot between 2,500 and 3,500, it is down on power compared to the 12R in that range. You can really feel it. I am not sure I mind it too much yet, still thinking about it.

 

At my dealer since the 12 came out they sold 2 unit's, and I bought one of them, which they got from another dealer still in a crate. So it did not even make a pop here. More 14's have been sold locally already than 12's after 6 year's. But that being said I loved my 12, and have nothing but praise for the bike. It just felt like the time was right to make a move while my 12 still had a good trade in value.

 

I think Kawasaki has put more into promoting the 14 than they did to the 12. If they hadn't neutered the 12 before it was released in 2000 I believe things would've been much better for the 12 in the showroom.

 

If they hadn't neutered the 12 before it was released in 2000 I believe things would've been much better for the 12 in the showroom.

Absolutely! Unfortunately, truth and performance do not sell bikes, hype and street cred do. Once the 12R got the reputation of being neutered, it didn't matter that it was still such a great bike. I have said it in past posts, the 12R is about the most under rated bike in history.

Similar story in airplanes. The very first Cessna Cardinals were slightly underpowered and had problems with the horizontal stabilizer stalling in the flair, this gave it a bad rep on high density takeoff situations and many pilots banged the nose when the elevator stalled in the flair. They put a bigger engine in it, slotted the stabilizer and cured all the issues after only a few years. The plane went faster, looked better than the 172. Didn't matter, once it got an undeserved bad rep, it was all over. The Cardinal went out of production and the 172 stayed. Then when Cessna started building GA aircraft again, they brought back the 172, not the Cardinal.

 

you guys don`t know what the fuck your talkin about.

THE 2000 ZX12R WAS NOT NEUTERED....PROVE IT...WHAT IT WAS IS WHAT IT WAS...THE BIKE BUILT TO KICK THAT UGLY BUSA SHIT BIKES ASS....AND IT DID IT OVER AND OVER. ALL OVER THE WORLD

 

you guys don`t know what the fuck your talkin about.

THE 2000 ZX12R WAS NOT NEUTERED....PROVE IT...WHAT IT WAS IS WHAT IT WAS...THE BIKE BUILT TO KICK THAT UGLY BUSA SHIT BIKES ASS....AND IT DID IT OVER AND OVER. ALL OVER THE WORLD

Explain the difference in performance from the pre-production bike that Rickey Gadson went 9.50's on in the fall of 1999, then he gets on the 12 that was suppied to Cycle World and can barely get it in the 9's, I think a 9.96......

 

Like I wrote in my weblog:

Made today a test ride on the ZZ-R 1400 (aka ZX-14). My opinion on this bike: it's a fine bike, there's nothing wrong with it, but I can't see it as the follow up for the ZX-12R. It is for the ZZ-R 1200 though.
Power delivery of the 1400 is very smooth, with very few vibrations. It didn't veel much more powerfull than my, mildy tuned, ZX-12R. I didn't feel much of the power gap below 5,000 rpm, but you can notice that it pulls harder above 5,000.
Brakes are very, very good. A lot of stopping power, with little effort. I'd like to have those brakes on my 12.
Windprotection is better than the 12's too. Even above 180kmh you feel very little of the wind.
Steering was very easy too, probably due to the 190 tire on the rear.
So, what keeps me from buying one? Well, there is the looks, don't care for it much. And, like I wrote, I guess it's the perfect follow up for the ZZ-R 1200, but it is less sporty (looking?) than the ZX-12R. The overall feel of the bike is similar to the 12, so the 1400 wouldn't be an upgrade from my 12. I guess I'll be waiting for another bike to come along that's worthy to replace my ZX-12R.

 

I guess I'll be waiting for another bike to come along that's worthy to replace my ZX-12R.

That is how I feel as well. I am not putting down the 14, but it is just not something that would make me replace my 12.

 

Damn, next to the 12r the 14 looks like it should have "Greyhound" on the side...

 

Damn, next to the 12r the 14 looks like it should have "Greyhound" on the side...

:lol: :lol:

 

you guys don`t know what the fuck your talkin about.

THE 2000 ZX12R WAS NOT NEUTERED....PROVE IT...WHAT IT WAS IS WHAT IT WAS...THE BIKE BUILT TO KICK THAT UGLY BUSA SHIT BIKES ASS....AND IT DID IT OVER AND OVER. ALL OVER THE WORLD

You got the "don't call my baby ugly" syndrome going big time. First, read what I wrote "got the reputation of being neutered". Second, go back and find all the articles written on the 2000 model. Why do they all wonder why there was a difference in performance between the pre-production models and the production models?

 

Like I wrote in my weblog:

Made today a test ride on the ZZ-R 1400 (aka ZX-14). My opinion on this bike: it's a fine bike, there's nothing wrong with it, but I can't see it as the follow up for the ZX-12R. It is for the ZZ-R 1200 though.
Power delivery of the 1400 is very smooth, with very few vibrations. It didn't veel much more powerfull than my, mildy tuned, ZX-12R. I didn't feel much of the power gap below 5,000 rpm, but you can notice that it pulls harder above 5,000.
Brakes are very, very good. A lot of stopping power, with little effort. I'd like to have those brakes on my 12.
Windprotection is better than the 12's too. Even above 180kmh you feel very little of the wind.
Steering was very easy too, probably due to the 190 tire on the rear.
So, what keeps me from buying one? Well, there is the looks, don't care for it much. And, like I wrote, I guess it's the perfect follow up for the ZZ-R 1200, but it is less sporty (looking?) than the ZX-12R. The overall feel of the bike is similar to the 12, so the 1400 wouldn't be an upgrade from my 12. I guess I'll be waiting for another bike to come along that's worthy to replace my ZX-12R.

Your write up seems right on and honest (we won't talk about looks ). Only thing I am not sure about is the light steering being due to the 190. I had a 190 on my 12R and the 14 still feels a bit lighter steering than it did. The biggest gripe with the 14's handling is the underdamped suspension. It will wallow if you push it in the corners, but it turns in better than a bike with its dimensions should.

 

Damn, next to the 12r the 14 looks like it should have "Greyhound" on the side...

That would be "in front of" not "next to". Right where you would expect to see it.

 

Damn, next to the 12r the 14 looks like it should have "Greyhound" on the side...

That would be "in front of" not "next to". Right where you would expect to see it.

That's pretty funny...

I bet most guys who regularly race a 12 aren't too worried about the 14...

Hell, a 1270 will smoke a worked Busa, and a 14....

I laugh in your general direction! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Damn, next to the 12r the 14 looks like it should have "Greyhound" on the side...

That would be "in front of" not "next to". Right where you would expect to see it.

That's pretty funny...

I bet most guys who regularly race a 12 aren't too worried about the 14...

Hell, a 1270 will smoke a worked Busa, and a 14....

I laugh in your general direction! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ok it must be true if you say so.

 

For everyone that has a 14, I don't think there is any reason to say the ZZR1400 is not a good bike. I think it is great for what it is, a ZZR upgrade. It is not a 12R upgrade or it would be called a 14R.

It is a different bike with different purposes. I doesn't surprise me that not all 12R riders are excited about the ZZR1400. If people were into the ZZR1200 then the 14 would definitely be an exciting upgrade, however for the people that looked at the 12R as an upgraded 9R then obviously the ZZR1400 just isn't in the same category.

The 14 is the next generation of the ZZR, for many that is great, the fact that they discontinued the 12R doesn't necessarily mean the ZZR1400 is the replacement, they discontinued the 12R because of poor sales. The ZZR1400 may have come out as the ZZR1200 upgrade regardless of whether the 12R was dropped.

Unforunately bikes like the 12R intimidate a lot of people which leads to less sales. That doesn't mean it wasn't an awesome bike, it just wasn't paying the bills for Kawasaki. However the Busa seems to be paying the bills for Suzuki, which means the money and riders are out there. Kawasaki just needs to do a better job of marketing next time. Which means paying off all the scumbag N.A. magazines that only give valid reviews and write ups if you advertise with them.

 

I post here to share my enthusiasm about the new 14. If you dont like them (and your entitled to your opinion) why do you guy's even bother to post in here? If you want to talk about how great your 12's are there is a forum for that. With all the negative comment's Im starting to feel like I bought a Busa. I had always thought this was the best M/C forum and wanted to be part of it. But I guess it's time for me to move on and not bore you with my 14 anymore...and Im not letting the door-

Later, enjoy your bike's and good luck.

 

Yikes. I hope that wasn't from my comment.

What I just posted was not to rag on the 14 but to just say it is a different style of bike intended for a slightly different purpose.
It is great that you bought a 14, it isn't a bike for me at this point, but it definitely has some very good points to it.
If I was a drag racer or wanted a bit more of a touring slant the 14 would be a great choice. It is all up to preferences and personal choice.
The point I was trying to make is that the ZZR1400 is not necessarily a replacement for the 12R, it is for a slightly different purpose which is fine.

 

With all the negative comment's Im starting to feel like I bought a Busa.

Naw - Busa's better looking... :roll:

Need a tissue?

 

Yikes. I hope that wasn't from my comment.

What I just posted was not to rag on the 14 but to just say it is a different style of bike intended for a slightly different purpose.
It is great that you bought a 14, it isn't a bike for me at this point, but it definitely has some very good points to it.
If I was a drag racer or wanted a bit more of a touring slant the 14 would be a great choice. It is all up to preferences and personal choice.
The point I was trying to make is that the ZZR1400 is not necessarily a replacement for the 12R, it is for a slightly different purpose which is fine.

Easy
I doubt it was because of your last post. You have jumped on the pile just a little with some of the jokes etc. but we know you aren't as narrow minded as some posting here, and nothing wrong with a little ribbing now and then. But I do have to agree with Jeff somewhat, go back and read some of the posts. What if a Busa, or even a 14 rider made the same post as the opening one in this thread about the 12R in the 12R forum? Then there are those that just hang out here, lurking, to make negative comments on a bike they have never ridden. Joking is OK, but hanging out just to comment on a post to slam on something you know nothing about, not talking about you Easy, is really childish, ignorant, and uninformed. This site is better than that.

 

The way I really feel about it I am happy that Kawasaki has come out with the undisputed baddest ass bike. Hell who knows I may eat my words and buy one just not right now. I support the effort 100%

 

I think people are just dissapointed that Kawasaki dropped the ZX-12R. Unfortunately the ZZR1400 was launched the same year the 12R was dropped. I think people are taking out their frustration for no longer having a 12R on the 14. The bikes are for different purposes, confusing the 14 for a 12R replacement is not appropriate.

I think we need to judge the 14 on what it replaced which was the ZZR1200. For a replacement of the ZZR1200 it is an awesome upgrade which anyone who liked the ZZR1200 should be extremely happy about.

I just hope that Kawasaki decides to do something on par to the 12R someday.

 

Lest the thread title become forgotten, the thread is about styling - aesthetics -- something we ALL know something about.

All that is necessary to form a meaningful opinion about the styling of the ZX-14 as compared to the ZX-12r is to have seen them both.

The mindset that suggests you have to own something to appreciate, or not appreciate, its aesthetics has run off the road of reason and is helplessly bogged down in the field of nonsense.

In fact, one could say that ownership of an object makes one less able to objectively assess its attractiveness...