You'll Hate this Warning - bike related thread

[Oldandbald]

Good evening all. I have a dilemma and I'm sure you won't be shy with your opinions!

Last weekend I rather stupidly borrowed a ZZR1400. Now, I've never hopped on my bird and thought "I need more power" so the fact that it had a touch more grunt didn't impress me. But what did was the ride quality. It was just "plusher" and seemed to hold a better more stable line in faster bends on our less than perfect roads.

I love my bird more than my kids (don't worry - they already know) so my dilemma is: do I go for one of Lord John's fork upgrade kits and shell out for an upgraded shock or do I wave goodbye to IT (respect Andy) and try a ZZR?

 

[andyBeaker]

'Dilemna' not 'dilemma'.

The JAWS front springs do make the ride 'plusher'.

The OEM rear shock is shagged by 20,000 miles and dead by 30,000. JAWS rebuilt units are good value, do the job well and are definetely a step up from OEM.

Throwing money at other rear shocks may give a better result but if you are looking for a bike that handles brilliantly rather than adequately you have got the wrong bike.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Had fun with my zzr1400 but I'm back with a Bird again says it all really

 

[Oldandbald]

Sorry Andy. Spell check never works when you actually need it!

Not looking for sports bike handling. Far too old for that. Just wondering if it's worth trying to improve on Brunels original design and make it feel a bit more modern. It's still a fairly low mileage bike at 16,000 but from what I read on here the front forks didn't work when it was new and the rear shock is already half way to being knackered.

 

[Oldandbald]

Had fun with my zzr1400 but I'm back with a Bird again says it all really

Thanks Grey Wolf. That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Had my bird from new and I'd hate to have to try to replace it if I get this wrong.

 

[Ned52]

I found the better the ride quality and the more stable line the bike holds
the faster you ride to get the same feeling.

 

[sr71caspar]

Ihttp://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dil1.htm

 

[Oldandbald]

Bloody hell I'm off to hide behind the sofa before andybirdlessandwrong reads that!

 

[Squag1]

'Dilemna' not 'dilemma'..

Check the OED......
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/dilemma

 

[Cougar377]

'Dilemna' not 'dilemma'.
.

He is citing precisely 2 choices... modify the Bird or change to the ZZR.... therefore it IS "dilemma".

"Di" from the Greek, meaning two...

 

[sr71caspar]

"Di" from the Greek, meaning two...

+ lemma meaning premise.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/dilemma

 

[slim63]

Having owned a bird & also ridden a couple of thousand miles on a bone stock zzr14 over the course of a long weekend I hate to admit it but for me there is no contest the zzr beats the bird hands down in every respect

 

[andyBeaker]

'Black' = a mood of extereme depression and feeling of doom
'Bird' = a pointless animal that is prone to flying into windows

 

[andyBeaker]

Having driven a car I can confirm that any car is better than any bike.

No dilemna whatsoever.

 

[Oldandbald]

Not sure that's entirely true. The peregrine falcon is a fairly impressive bit of kit.
I have a car. Was going to get one of those petrol trinkets. Then I realised that you have to rev the bollocks off it to produce enough torque to turn the heater blower so I went and bought a proper one. No dilemma at all.
Off to look at a couple of zzr's!

 

[andyBeaker]

Not sure that's entirely true. The peregrine falcon is a fairly impressive bit of kit.
I have a car. Was going to get one of those petrol trinkets. Then I realised that you have to rev the bollocks off it to produce enough torque to turn the heater blower so I went and bought a proper one. No dilemma at all.
Off to look at a couple of zzr's!

At least you won't be able to hear the heater blower over the clatter of the boat engine.

 

[carler]

Shell out for a "real" "proper" rear shock and then do the JAWS front springs thing!
Save yourself a fortune and won't be looking for another 'bird in a few months as everybody (well some anyway) who buys a ZZR seems to go back to 'bird.
P.S. I know nothing about ZZRs obviously.
P.P.S. You would be better off with a diesel!

 

[Oldandbald]

I think that is sound advice. Just looked at two zzr's. Both 3 years old and one with just 2000 miles on it. I've never seen so much fur on brake unions and fixings. My 14 year old blackbird puts the finish on the kawasaki to shame. The blackbird might be getting long in the tooth but at least Honda built them properly.

 

[Cougar377]

I think that is sound advice. Just looked at two zzr's. Both 3 years old and one with just 2000 miles on it. I've never seen so much fur on brake unions and fixings. My 14 year old blackbird puts the finish on the kawasaki to shame. The blackbird might be getting long in the tooth but at least Honda built them properly.

Plus....do ZZR14 owners even have a forum...?

Certainly not as entertaining as this one...

 

[Oldandbald]

No they are far too old and boring for that. Oh hang on....