Say the word "ninja" to anyone who isn't a motorcyclist, and most likely they'll picture some spry little dude in black pajamas who can do a standing backflip with an assassin's knife in his right hand and somehow avoid stabbing himself. Ninjas are by definition stealthy, quick, light on their feet, silent, and lethal. They are not stand-and-fight guys. They are the perfect biological manifestation of the term "surgical strike."
That's why Ninja is the wrong name for this bike: The 2008 Kawasaki ZX-14 Ninja is more of a Samurai — beefy, physical, tough, and powerful. It's Toshiro Mifune swinging a two-handed broadsword, not some puny weasel with a sushi knife. Of course, both are capable of removing your head, but their styles are very different. This thing is a brutal ass-kicker, not a surgical tool. In car terms, think Viper ACR, not Lotus Exige.
"No, honey, you don't look retarded at all! I'm soo happy you cut your hair like I told you to [the girls will love this one. For my next trick I'll have him jump off the Brooklyn Bridge]"
The above is an excerpt from the best selling book Band of Boozers, a heroic tale of ordinary alcoholics thrown together in an extraordinary time. Experience this harrowing Wino War II tale as only those that drank it can slurr.
That thing sure is fast, but like the 'busa its just too heavy to have fun with on the street. Kinda ugly too.
But, it is amazing to squeeze so much power out of an engine that small. Suzuki is getting just a touch over 200 with their 1350cc engine in the new 'busa. All that tech trickles down to lower displacment bikes...my 600 makes 130 - more than the literbikes made a decade ago.
Why is this in the Car forum and not the Motorcycle forum?
Because this is the kinda bike that car guys like
The above is an excerpt from the best selling book Band of Boozers, a heroic tale of ordinary alcoholics thrown together in an extraordinary time. Experience this harrowing Wino War II tale as only those that drank it can slurr.
this is the only large ninja I would ever want to own
of course the hyabusa does nothing for me either, so I guess I'm not in the crowd that this is geared towards.
You smug faced cowards with kindling eye, who cheer when soldier lads march by. Sneak home and pray you'll never know the hell where youth and laughter go. - Siegfried Sassoon.
I got a ride on a friends ZX-12 and WOW, that was fast. After just a few seconds getting into triple digits (at a legal place), it "sucked" my helmet off my head. Chin strap cept me from loosing it completely, but wow
Why is this in the Car forum and not the Motorcycle forum?
Because Motive can do whatever they want on here. I'm surprised it's not stickied at the very top of the page.
Quote, originally posted by Adam144 »
"That's some Ferris Bueller's day off kinda **** right there" (some weird doorman at a bar when we parked nearby). All in reference to my Datsun.
I DD a Miata. I have a dog that requires grooming. I regularly get pedicures. I carry a .357 on my person. I keep a 12 gauge in the trunk. Probably shouldn't judge a driver by their car. Just sayin'.
What is it about Japan that leads them to make bikes that can kill you with a half throttle twist but then make cars that put you to sleep?
Are there no restrictions on bikes like there are on cars?
Don't confuse Kawasaki with other companies from Japan who happen to make cars. They are dead serious when it comes to performance and racing...by far the smallest MC company of the "Big4" and very much hold their own on the racetrack and motocross.
Yes Martha, you can get your new 2010 Toyota 4Runner with a 4-cylinder. As long as it's 2WD. And as long as it's with an old 4-speed automatic.
I wrote this piece on the Zx-14 ... and if you read Motive regularly you'll see this is like the 4th or 5th bike I've done for the site. The question is: do those of you who are not motorcyclists NEED automotive analogies to help grok what I'm talking about? In this article, an example would be the where I said the power is akin to 800 hp in a Lancer.
Just curious.
And thanks for reading... even though it's a "car" website.
Listen up, buddy, I've had both - I eat plain bagels with cream cheese all the time, and I know people who've brought me onion bagels to try. I've toasted them both. I've even had poppy seed bagels and bagels and lox with capers. I'll pit your onion bagel against my plain bagel with cream cheese any time anywhere, just meet me halfway.
Hey I was watching an episode of Jason Britton's Superbikes show on SPEED at the zx-14's press release, I'm guessing this was the same event that you reported on
The above is an excerpt from the best selling book Band of Boozers, a heroic tale of ordinary alcoholics thrown together in an extraordinary time. Experience this harrowing Wino War II tale as only those that drank it can slurr.
IB4TFools who will say Hayabusas will top out in the 200mph range off of the showroom floor. They won't.
Maybe not 200mph, but the unlimited 1998 and 1999 Hayabusas would break into the 190s for sure.
I'm pretty sure Kawasaki has a firm hold on ugliest bikes around. The old ZX-9Rs were nice looking; anything they've come out with since has been terrible.
Quote, originally posted by Jrod511 »
One of these days I'm going to break my computer screen punching you Corbic.
Maybe not 200mph, but the unlimited 1998 and 1999 Hayabusas would break into the 190s for sure.
I'm pretty sure Kawasaki has a firm hold on ugliest bikes around. The old ZX-9Rs were nice looking; anything they've come out with since has been terrible.
190's and 200mph are two vastly different things w/ bike aerodynamics.
'91 GLI 16v -63K original miles '91 GTI 16v -Auto-xer '02 B5.5 Variant -her's '94 zx6e -not-stock
Large displacement sport bikes are built to rid the world of people with poor impulse control and provide low mileage engines for interesting project cars.
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The above is an excerpt from the best selling book Band of Boozers, a heroic tale of ordinary alcoholics thrown together in an extraordinary time. Experience this harrowing Wino War II tale as only those that drank it can slurr.
