Happiness!

EXACTLY. When my dad wants to blow the cob webs out of the pipes, he usually does it on Highway 29 in Sioux city. No dear and you can look for cops:) For those of you who know Where Correction Ville Road is in Sioux City, It rocks for a good ride. Be careful though, after it rains, This like red looking sand washes out into the middle of the road. I hit like a patch of it about a good 7 blocks long doing around 45 MPH while going down hill. Hitting your breaks isn't an option because the front and back wheel will lock right up. Just ride straight through it, don't accelerate, don't hit you breaks. I think i was on my dads 81' KZ1000 when i hit that too. Go slow on that road. Be aware of dear and other cars because they both seem to like to wander into the middle of the road. A good, normal day, can end up being a destroyed bike that you loved and some broke up limbs, or death.

KLD wrote: "If your looking for stability at high speeds you might want to look for something newer... Drove my kawasaki down highway 34 from Lincoln to Plattsmouth doing 150 without stopping..."

Then KLD wrote: "I'm frankly getting tired of hearing people saying keep away from big bikes if your young. Learn some self control and keep your hand off the throttle."

Let me make sure I understand these two statements. Riding 150 mph demonstrates self control and keeping your hand off the throttle - right? I wouldn't suggest that any kid get a bike that will run much past 100 mph as there are damn few kids (or adults for that matter - me included) who will always exercise self control. Crap happens REALLY fast at 100+ mph and the less experience you have the less likely you are to be able to anticipate or deal with the unexpected. Ed

here we go.....my brother had a typewriter!!!

Bad Kaw wrote:

:laugh:
Yyyyyyyyyyyeah...let's tell the 14yr old how a ZX14 is what he needs...hell, he's been riding for a whole year now; throw a turbo on it ...and a bottle! :laugh:

KT: There are no sticky-tires for stock KZ1000 wheels; you'll need to check into bias-ply tires and listen to the guys on this forum as to 'what' tire you need.

You sure seem to have a great attitude; all of us 'mother hen'-ing you and you don't mind. Cool.

If you don't mind I want to throw my 2 cents in: you did the best thing by putting your butt in a seat for a summer and ride-ride-ride; nothing teaches like experience (I'm an MSF instructor for 10yrs now and been riding for 41 years and racing for 36...so, maybe I know a little something I can share with you :pinch: )
As much as I want to I'm not going to give you the 'cc' lecture...:huh: ...as much as I want to...
Here are two little things to consider: people who take a MSF class move themselves to the top 10% of motorcycle riders least likely to crash :blink: ...there is a reason for that, go find out what it is.
The next thing I would emplore to you is: ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time)..85% of all accidents happen within 2.5 minutes of the destination, or the departure site. There is a reason for that, too: familiarity breeds complacency. Don't think that little jaunt to school, the grocery store, the pool is too close to wear your gear.

At your age we don't have to stimulate your enthusiasm, so, 'welcome'...and stay frosty!

-KR

The motorcycle safety course i took was a great experience. The two instructors i had did an excellent job. I saddled up on a ninja 250, and rode the piss out of it. The instructors stressed that this course was to teach us about the many situations out there, so just riding around town wasnt gona cut it. We had many tests such as hard acceleration for a distance, than hard braking. Those bikes really got beat on, and many of the tests were very scary for me as a new rider but i am damn positive that i walked out of there that day a MUCH better rider and experienced more in 10 hours that day than alot of guys ever get just cruising around

I will admit that i tried to top out my Suzuki GS300L like once when i first got it. me and my dad were way out on some weird highway out in the country. had to go to my grandma and grandpas' house and they live in riverside in Sioux city. We just stayed on highway 75 and rode all the way past old home bakery and kept going until we got to Hinton. there we took a left and went down this windy stretch for a while until we got to riverside. on that stretch you could see for a very long ways. I looked for traffic. Surprisingly, that little twin 300cc engine hauled me down the highway at 90 mph. Granted i was going slightly downhill and the wind was blowing behind me. I can't even imagine what the top speed of a KZ1000 is. They are famous for beging drag bikes for god sakes! I have a very healthy fear of those bikes. I see no point in trying to go fast either after like 85MPH because i think the speedometer buries around then. It does on my dads 81' KZ1000 but im not sure about the 79' KZ1000. I will be satisfied knowing that i have such a badass motorcycle and i don't have to prove anything because i know that I bought it and made it pretty and ride able again.

OK, I feel like I have an obligation to get in on this topic!

First, welcome and congratulations on getting Ma and Pa to let you have a bike at 14! I started in the dirt at 5 and got my first street bike at 17 I think. I rode lots of street bikes before that, but they weren't mine. My first bike was a Honda CB350 that I didn't even ride long enough to get plates on. Next I was on to my KZ650 SR. It took about a year of messing to get the 650 to run on all four cylinders. Looking back, I'm glad it took a year. I still have it today and I've had lots of other bigger bikes. I'm not skinny, I go about 185 and my wife and I both ride the 650 comfortably. That is WELL over 300 pounds!

I was 18 and knew all about bikes! (Remember, I've been doing it for 13 years) That first year I dropped the bike countless times. My buddy with the bike shop made sure to stock left mirrors just for me. They only cost about $7.00 then. I used to almost crash and burn daily.....becuase I was not mature enough for a "BIG BIKE" as I liked to think of the 650. One time I was showing off for my buddy on his GS750 and almost missed a 90 degree right turn on a road that I've know since birth. Thankfully there was a drive way running off of the turn that I went on rather than go over the ditch.

I won't rant about buy this or buy that, but I will warn you that maturity is something earned over time and with experience. IF YOU MUST GO FAST, GO TO THE TRACK. PERIOD, NO DISCUSSION!!!! No one is cool in a coffin!

Good luck with whatever bike you get, just be smart and careful. I've been in bikes all of my life and owned several different kinds. All of them will get you in a grave easily enough. It's great to see more of you young guys fall in line with us older (and some much older) bike lovers. Keep us informed even if you don't get a KZ.

yeah kids don't do as we did ...do as we say.....remember ,,we were getting the same speeches,,,see how much it helped us.....just wear saftey gear !!!oh and twist that thing on the RIGHT all the way open, each chance you get.......

Tri wrote: " and twist that thing on the left all the way each chance you get.."

I suggest you sit BEHIND the handlebars facing forward when you ride rather then in front of them facing the rear of the bike. You may find the twisty thingy is then on the RIGHT side

Are you serious Roy? I can say that for sure is not the case with most kz's I have ridden or ridden with. No way can I believe that.
On the flip side it will keep you out of serious trouble as a beginner and will be much cheaper. Can't you pick a new one up for like 3k? Nothing to worry about fixing up. Why not? Would be a perfect beginner bike.
roy-b-boy-b wrote:

If you can get a 1000 cc bike for that price i would buy it. You will have to spend some money on it.

The 250 Ninja is actually quicker the the big bike. That is a lot of bike though.

I had drag bars on my bike but exchanged the for the euro bars. The drag bars were just too narrow. Roy

it felt funny typing it ...thanks bro...it's been a couch day...yeah ,,,,ahhhh,,,glue the left one on twist the other thing....650ed wrote:

Tri wrote: " and twist that thing on the left all the way each chance you get.."

I suggest you sit BEHIND the handlebars facing forward when you ride rather then in front of them facing the rear of the bike. You may find the twisty thingy is then on the RIGHT side

a kz liter bike would crush any 250 short of a motogp 250....and if the kid buys one he'll get real good in year of carving(ninja 250)....but will sellit first chance he gets...that is what's left of it.....a kz550...or an fz 600...or a gpz 750 would be the bike i'd start a lighter person off on....my 30 yr old friend is doing well on his 136 hp 1000cc bike...he never road a moped even before this thing....


b]saxjonz wrote:[/b]

Are you serious Roy? I can say that for sure is not the case with most kz's I have ridden or ridden with. No way can I believe that.
On the flip side it will keep you out of serious trouble as a beginner and will be much cheaper. Can't you pick a new one up for like 3k? Nothing to worry about fixing up. Why not? Would be a perfect beginner bike.
roy-b-boy-b wrote:

If you can get a 1000 cc bike for that price i would buy it. You will have to spend some money on it.

The 250 Ninja is actually quicker the the big bike. That is a lot of bike though.

I had drag bars on my bike but exchanged the for the euro bars. The drag bars were just too narrow. Roy