ZX14 review in latest AMCN

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:25 am

can't miss it on the newsagent stand
a blue one on ...one wheel on the front cover!

good review,
but in some respects they
prefer the 12 to the 14

I prefer the blue colour they tested to the others

too many pages to scan and post
so have a read in ya local news

cheers

mike-s · Post by **mike-s** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:59 am

just buy the furking mag!

time for me to go out & hunt for amcn now, ya bastid

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:00 pm

"but in some respects they
prefer the 12 to the 14 "
Once the hype dies down we will all agree again that the 12 is KING

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:07 pm

frogzx12r wrote:"but in some respects they
prefer the 12 to the 14 "
Once the hype dies down we will all agree again that the 12 is KING

Yep sure, and the zx12r's resales going to go up, and honda's going to go bankrupt.

Lainie · Post by **Lainie** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:08 pm

Yeap have to go get the mag now

I am intrested in the read up about it

After my trip with Froggy I do have to say I JUST LOVE THE 12

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:15 pm

...whether it was on one wheel or two eh?

Bit low but arent they? Scraping stuff an' all ????

Lainie · Post by **Lainie** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:18 pm

frogzx12r wrote:...whether it was on one wheel or two eh?

Bit low but arent they? Scraping stuff an' all ????

Well hell yes on one wheel or two they are fantastic.

Yes a bit low and as for scraping, I am still in lots of shock and yeah it was such good fun

OK bike and boots may not agree but I sure as hell do

hoffy · Post by **hoffy** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:55 pm

12 remains king going by what they said, I would have expected more of a sporty showing from the 14, but it seems to be marketed and made as a super smooth hyper tourer.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:06 am

Not having ridden them both (ZX12 and ZX14) it's hard to judge. But looking at it on paper, the 14 to me stacks up better. It actually has a lower centre of gravity, and surprisingly enough, a shorter wheelbase. I reckon the 14 might be a surprise package!

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:49 pm

Strika wrote: I reckon the 14 might be a surprise package!

a bit like that "girl" u picked up in thailand that time??

hoffy · Post by **hoffy** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:28 pm

Strika wrote:Not having ridden them both (ZX12 and ZX14) it's hard to judge. But looking at it on paper, the 14 to me stacks up better. It actually has a lower centre of gravity, and surprisingly enough, a shorter wheelbase. I reckon the 14 might be a surprise package!

It dont have a shorter wheel base, and it may have a slightly lower centre of gravity at the expense of leg room?

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:04 am

hoffy wrote:
Strika wrote:Not having ridden them both (ZX12 and ZX14) it's hard to judge. But looking at it on paper, the 14 to me stacks up better. It actually has a lower centre of gravity, and surprisingly enough, a shorter wheelbase. I reckon the 14 might be a surprise package!
It dont have a shorter wheel base, and it may have a slightly lower centre of gravity at the expense of leg room?

My mistake, an earlier write up I had read in US or pommie mag said it was shorter than the 12! Perhaps i misread the us code and mistook it for a ZZr12!

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:58 am

I just did some surfing on this, and all the figures I could find stated 1440 for the 12 and 1460 for the 14????? Not the figures listed in that comparo sheet you posted Hoffy???

So based on that, the massively longer wheelbase of the 14 is 2 centimetres longer!! And I do believe that the 14 has a longer swingarm too.

But the really interesting stats are the steering numbers.

The 12 has 97mm of trail, and a 28 degree head angle! Whereas, the 14 has only 94mm of trail, and a positively GP like 23 degree steering head angle!!!

Now for people that those numbers are Gobbly Gook to this may put things into perspective.

My race bike runs about 95mm of trail and only 24 degree steering head angle!

So that means the new 12 has sharper steering numbers than my ZX6!!!

That thing is gunna turn like a good en I reckon! I may start saving some sheckles. I like the numbers on this new beastie! It may even need a steering damper!!!

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:34 am

the genuine Kwaka manual sez the wheel base of the 12 is 1440
as Strika found...
BUT
dunno about the steering head angle (aka caster)...
the manual sez.... 23.5° (not 28°)
and 93mm of trail

and I tend to agree with the Kwaka manual

cheers

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:37 am

Smitty wrote:the genuine Kwaka manual sez the wheel base of the 12 is 1440
as Strika found...
BUT
dunno about the steering head angle (aka caster)...
the manual sez.... 23.5° (not 28°)
and 93mm of trail

and I tend to agree with the Kwaka manual

cheers

I think I got most of my fig's from the Kawasaki website Smitty!!!!