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BIKELAND > FORUMS > ZX-14.com > Thread: Maybe they are just kidding? NEW TOPIC NEW POLL POST REPLY
zxfingyz


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Posts: 424
posted September 20, 2005 10:11 AM        
Maybe they are just kidding?

So maybe this is just a publicity stunt?

Maybe this is a message from God to lose that extra 80 lbs one may be carrying?
Maybe it is just a marketing ploy.
And later this fall they come out and say "Gotcha!". Everyone stops talking KMC and runs out and buys the new, real ZX-14R. Just as easy on the eyes as it is fast on the strip.

You have to wonder with all the cool stuff that gets designed in Japan, the money that goes into R&D, the countless meetings that took place.....I mean what the fuck.

This tells me that the while the busa has been eating Kawa dust on the street it has been kicking ass on the showroom floor. And this tells me that Kawa has known about the BMW for some time and can't/won't compete. So maybe they are taking a page out of the Honda playbook...

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THEMADKAW


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Posts: 211
posted September 20, 2005 10:41 AM        
I've been waitin to hear that! But no one has said it YET!
Oh well! they've said it will be a late release so maybe they have time for a redesign!
But I doubt it.

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MAXIMUS


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Posts: 4156
posted September 25, 2005 12:15 AM        
All we can do is pray that this is all a bad dream and we are all going to wake up to a newer faster better looking 12r or even a 14r. wake up and find a kawasaki engineer laughing his ass off, saying haha i got you america. now wheres my saki!!!
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trenace


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posted September 25, 2005 12:40 AM        
quote:
And this tells me that Kawa has known about the BMW for some time and can't/won't compete.

How in the world does the ZX-14 "not compete" with the K1200S?

Performance wise there can be no doubt it will be leaving the Bimmer pilots feeling very limp-dicked, being a WAY faster machine.

Comfort wise, the ergos and wind protection appear at least equal for both rider and passenger.

In what way doesn't it compete: by not having shaft drive? Shaft drive is for those that are so far removed from real biking that they find chain maintenance an unbearable hardship and willingly accept weight and handling (though these have been reduced in recent years) and power tradeoffs.

True enough Kawasaki didn't "compete" with BMW in watering down the bike like that.


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zxfingyz


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Posts: 424
posted September 26, 2005 09:22 AM        
C'[mon. How much faster is way faster? The target market for the ZX-12 is a 28-48 year old wider rider who has experience and who wanted the baddest ass bike he can get that fits his big ass. Or thereabouts. Of course, this is what he shops for and buys. But once you ride it you get a bit different set of needs.
Sure there is a subset that take their 12's to the strip and they look to the 14 as the next drag bike platform and it could be. Anyone know if Gadson or Schnitz is supposed to get a factory zx14 ride anytime soon? I bet not.
Historically BMW wasn't really in that big ass big bike big speed space. Now they have a bike that IS bad ass and you can ride forever on it too. No Heli bars, no handlebar vibration no Buell footpegs, no seat upgrade needed. They will be eating Japanese alright, Japanese markt share.

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238mph


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posted September 26, 2005 01:31 PM        
All the ride reports of the BMW say it's squirrely, and unpredictable in the turns...

I haven't read one ride report on the BMW that was favorable...

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aughtsix


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Posts: 277
posted September 26, 2005 04:55 PM        
quote:
All the ride reports of the BMW say it's squirrely, and unpredictable in the turns...

I haven't read one ride report on the BMW that was favorable...


By my understanding that was a fuel injection glitch that only affected the early bikes - none of which, to the best of my knowledge, hit the States. An ECU flash and problem gone.

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trenace


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posted September 30, 2005 11:50 AM        
quote:
C'[mon. How much faster is way faster? The target market for the ZX-12 is a 28-48 year old wider rider who has experience and who wanted the baddest ass bike he can get that fits his big ass. Or thereabouts. Of course, this is what he shops for and buys. But once you ride it you get a bit different set of needs.
Sure there is a subset that take their 12's to the strip and they look to the 14 as the next drag bike platform and it could be. Anyone know if Gadson or Schnitz is supposed to get a factory zx14 ride anytime soon? I bet not.
Historically BMW wasn't really in that big ass big bike big speed space. Now they have a bike that IS bad ass and you can ride forever on it too. No Heli bars, no handlebar vibration no Buell footpegs, no seat upgrade needed. They will be eating Japanese alright, Japanese markt share.

Very unlikely IMO... This BMW will sell to those who want to spend a premium of $5000 or more so as to feel they are riding an expensive German bike and so that all may see that they are riding this. And in some cases to fit in to the BMW cult.

It is not going to win on performance vs the dollar versus Japanese bikes, including sport tourers, including the ZX-14. The performance is less (you argue that it's not much less, but when it's not much less but costs $5000 more, how is that winning on bang for the buck?) and the cost is much greater.

As for any claim it outperforms on handling, that would be ironic in the light of your analysis above on real world riding for most buyers. The one place that the BMW is reported to handle very well for a street sportbike, let alone a sport tourer, is race tracks having predominantly extremely high speed turns. E.g it is quite good at the Nurburgring.

However, at lower speed handling such as 40 mph turns, all reports are that it's pretty clumsy and with poor feel.

So which works better in the real world, the Japanese bike that also handles well at 40 mph (or 30 or what have you) or the BMW that is a clumsy clod optimized for extreme high speed handling, with a wheelbase of what is it, 62" or something?

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zxfingyz


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Posts: 424
posted October 03, 2005 07:56 AM        
I bought my 12 so all could see I am riding a damn fast bike. At least ,see the back of me riding off into the night! It looked great, it was maybe the fastest bike out there, and it was nice and big.

If it was only about utility we would all be riding Sv650's.

You are correct, at this point, though you might be over thinking it.
You won't be correct for long.

This is the opening shot for the BMW. In a year or two they are seriously going to be damaging Japanese market share for this segment. You know how I know? Cuz I want one. And try as I might to be different, I am not. So if the styling hits home and the numbers are good and it rides right and I can find a way to afford it, I'm gonna get one. It will come at the expense of the new Hayabusa and the ZX-14 or the Honda whatever.
My point is, if I am thinking about getting one, so are a lot of people just like me. That bike resonates. Not too much, in terms of sportbikes, from Japan does right now.

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chriscollins


Novice Class
Posts: 91
posted October 03, 2005 08:42 AM        
quote:
C'[mon. How much faster is way faster? The target market for the ZX-12 is a 28-48 year old wider rider who has experience and who wanted the baddest ass bike he can get that fits his big ass. Or thereabouts. Of course, this is what he shops for and buys. But once you ride it you get a bit different set of needs.
Sure there is a subset that take their 12's to the strip and they look to the 14 as the next drag bike platform and it could be. Anyone know if Gadson or Schnitz is supposed to get a factory zx14 ride anytime soon? I bet not.
Historically BMW wasn't really in that big ass big bike big speed space. Now they have a bike that IS bad ass and you can ride forever on it too. No Heli bars, no handlebar vibration no Buell footpegs, no seat upgrade needed. They will be eating Japanese alright, Japanese markt share.

There are no more factory rides in drag racing for Kawasaki c'mon get with the times

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chriscollins


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Posts: 91
posted October 03, 2005 08:46 AM        
have you seen Sport Riders Mag october 2005 Big dog Brawl the BMW falls short of the zx12 and hayabusa. BMW has got a long way to go to even put a bike in this class as far as im concerned.
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zxfingyz


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posted October 04, 2005 07:57 AM        
There are no more factory rides in drag racing for Kawasaki c'mon get with the times
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why not?

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lietoome


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posted October 04, 2005 08:18 AM        
this thing is hitting a market for bigger guys. I was a perfect taget. When I tried on the busa, it made my knees hurt. Now you will see a lot of bigger guys going to the 14 due to egronomics? Not everyone is interested in buying a cruiser or a sport tourer. Kawasaki may have hit it right on the head...not in the looks department, but they definitely have the fishing worm on a sharp hook in the right pond(bad analogy, but you get what I'm saying).

The reason I point this out, is because thats exactly where i was....common sense said buy a ZZR1200. My ego said the busa, my knees(and a shitty dealership) said buy the 12. Big guys with a little credit in my age bracket(32-42) will be all over this monster. I'm guessing not because its "R" rated, but because bigger is better. Look at the cruiser market. Those damn things are in the 2000 CCs aren't they?

So, take a bigg CC bike, wrap it in some new plastic and show pics of it doing a smokey burnout...you will get that next generation of guys that 'should' be buying a cruiser or a Harley. I don't think Kawasaki can go wrong with this concept. We may have just caught Soozy in her sleep. Think I'm full of crap? Look at BMW. They are fishing the same watters, but their fish have a little better credit than me.

thats my take on everything....gimme some feed back.
jeff

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fish_antlers


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The Truth is Out There
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posted October 04, 2005 08:21 AM        
quote:
Look at BMW. They are fishing the same watters, but their fish have a little better credit than me.


Aint that the truth!

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chriscollins


Novice Class
Posts: 91
posted October 04, 2005 08:47 AM        
quote:
There are no more factory rides in drag racing for Kawasaki c'mon get with the times
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why not?

they pulled out of drag racing. wasnt good business i think contingency money was modified as well but still available to people who run Kawasaki's. any one else have info?

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supra5677


Pro
Posts: 1279
posted October 04, 2005 08:54 AM        
The zx14 was clearly made to target the busa audience.. If you seen Return of the Mach 3 you would know that the busa is a piece of garbage on the true open road.. I just came back from the Fresno rally in Fresno California and personally whipped 3 busas over a period of 50 miles.. 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear roll ons... 12r's still rule the street if you have the courage to take the bike deep into the red..

Brian

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lietoome


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posted October 04, 2005 11:04 AM        
sounds like they need to start shooting a newer Mach IV--return of the King? HA! featuring the new paint schemes of the '06 busa.... LOL

Hopefully Kawi will start drag racing again. That would be nice.

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lietoome


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posted October 04, 2005 11:05 AM        
If they do, we will definitely see this monster in Green!
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zxfingyz


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Posts: 424
posted October 05, 2005 11:05 AM        
So, take a bigg CC bike, wrap it in some new plastic and show pics of it doing a smokey burnout...you will get that next generation of guys that 'should' be buying a cruiser or a Harley.


Hey, I resemble that remark!

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lietoome


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posted October 05, 2005 02:20 PM        
me too.
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