Wow! I was just kidding but it looks like they take that stuff pretty seriously, huh? I guess they have to. What with "practicing what you preach" and all.

I know you are extremely safety conscious. I was just messin' with you.

 

I just did something stupid . . . . I got a quote on the ZX-14 for myself as the only rider.

$480 a year!

To me that's quite high as I am currently paying less than that a year for 4 motorcycles!

I'm sure riding the ZX-14 is a real trip. Almost like having unlimited power at your disposal.

I would however like to make a few 1/4 mile passes on the bike. Of course you might not be able to get me off after that!

 

keep your eye on that site iowaguy, tremek, i am a memeber of that forum too... great site for every kind of racing... and high performance... its a sweet site...

 

All I know is that I'm gonna look for a Z06 or other hi-po sumthin or other next time I need to fuel up, pull in behind them, and then flip the cheap-A$$ switch on the pump and pay as little as possible for that sweet stuff left behind in the hose!

Thanks for all the input/perspectives/knowledge sharing.....

 

hey marty i watched a show on speed channel yesterday called super bikes, they took a hyabusa(<spelling?) and the zx14 both with aftermarket slip-on pipes, i saw the 14 had a muzzy, and raced best out of 3, the 14 wont 2 out of the 3 it ran a .... 9.57 quarter mile.... with just a slip on pipe... and that was in hot florida weather, im sure if it was cooler and the track wasnt so hot it could have done better.... but 9.57 stock!!!! wow.

 

I don't know why am bothering weighing in on this, but I will say that your logic on this one is flawed Iowa. If one assumes that the "gas left in the hose" theory is true, then it would balance out for the station owner. Yeah, he might give away 1.88 gallons of premium to some poor slob buying regular, but the first guy that comes along to get some of the good stuff will get 1.88 gallons of regular. It's a zero sum game.

I agree that there probably is some features of the pump that prevent dispensing of the incorrect grade, but not for the reason that you state. Gas delivery is highly regulated, so there probably are rules specifically for this scenario. In the absense of those rules, though, I would bet that the station owners would not voluntarily pay for a more complex pump system to account for an issue that really doesn't affect their pocket at all.

I think much of the problem is the terminology that we use to describe gasoline. We call the higher octane fuel "premium", which implies that it is better. Some stations use color designation like "gold", "silver" and "bronze", again implying that higher octane is better. It's not. It's just different. It's no better for an engine that doesn't need it than diesel fuel fuel is. Diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline in my area right now (can't ever figure out why that flip flops sometimes ). Just because it is more expensive does not mean that I am going to start putting it in my tank so that my bike will run better. Gas is a tool, and you just need to select the right tool for the job.

Just my $0.02 (what would that be in Can$ or Aus$)?

 

Your right again Iowaguy, the following was what Ricky Gadson had to say about dragging the ZX-14 quoted in May 2006 Motorcyclist magazine
"It’s hard to imagine a friendlier beast, even at the strip. Can you fog a mirror? Then you can put a ZX-14 in the mid-11s at 120-something. Your little sister could clock an 11.48. Aim for the traps. Put 3500 rpm on the tach. Now ease the clutch out and wind the throttle in one fluid motion. Shift three times at 11,000 rpm without lifting the front wheel higher than your head—or hitting the rev limiter—and you’re there."
"Rickey Gadson used everything Barry taught him the very next weekend in Valdosta, Georgia, earning a Super Street win and a national mph record the first time out on his ZX-14 racebike. Is it quick? How about 8.48 seconds at 178.12 mph".
Also quoted
“This bike makes horsepower in a totally predictable way,” Burke said. “And that, along with all that clutch feel, makes it really easy to launch.”
"Smooth, obedient power and excellent feel from a bulletproof, ZX-11-sized clutch get the job done like nothing else. The old ZX-12R would never have survived this kind of abuse. And the longer, lower chassis parks you closer to the sticky asphalt where drag racers like to be. Despite the Hayabusa’s hard-earned reputation, there’s no way a bunch of variously talented amateurs could go this quick on one. The cool thing is, the same friendly demeanor we noted on the strip makes the 14 more fun on the Vegas strip, as well."
Just to finish this off I thought this was a good sumation
"That distinct shortage of glitches may be the most remarkable facet of the new ZX-14. From the 1973 Z-1 to the 2000 ZX-12R, Kawasaki has earned a reputation for building some of the quickest, fastest things on two wheels. That speed came often at the expense of refinement, but not any more. From tip to tail, the ZX-14 seems as sophisticated and well finished as anything out there, and more so than most. Welcome to brutal horsepower and cliché-shattering acceleration with no unpleasant aftertaste.
And what of the Hayabusa? It’ll take some serious testing on our home court to settle that score. But right now, we’re thinking Suzuki’s meanest is starting to taste a little like chicken."