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ZX14 review in latest AMCN
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:25 am
by Smitty
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
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:59 am
by mike-s
just buy the furking mag!
time for me to go out & hunt for amcn now, ya bastid
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:00 pm
by FrogZ
"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
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:07 pm
by Duane
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.
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:08 pm
by Lainie
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:15 pm
by FrogZ
...whether it was on one wheel or two eh?
Bit low but arent they? Scraping stuff an' all ????
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:18 pm
by Lainie
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:55 pm
by hoffy
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.
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:06 am
by Strika
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!
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:49 pm
by Neka79
Strika wrote: I reckon the 14 might be a surprise package!
a bit like that "girl" u picked up in thailand that time??
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:28 pm
by hoffy
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?
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:04 am
by Strika
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!
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:58 am
by Strika
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!!!
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:34 am
by Smitty
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
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:37 am
by Strika
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!!!!
After my trip with Froggy I do have to say I JUST LOVE THE 12 
Yes a bit low and as for scraping, I am still in lots of shock and yeah it was such good fun