Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A Little Change of Color...

One reason I bought the 2009 ZX-14 was the color, Kawasaki calls it, Candy Lime Green (CLG). I know it's a color that most people either love or hate, but I love it!

This is it the day it came home.


I had always wondered what it would look like if it were all CLG. In 2011, Kawasaki released the ZX-14 in a 2 tone, CLG and Black. I immediately started lusting after the CLG grills(the green panels under the gas tank) and lower cowling.
This is a 2011....


Last spring, one of the on-line parts dealers was having a good sale on OEM parts, so I bought a set of 2011 grills in CLG...



Here's the bike with the new grills...
The Givi side cases are CLG too. Kawasaki offered the Givi cases and color matched panels as an option for their Versys bikes. I figured it was much cheaper to buy the pre-painted panels for the 2009, CLG, Versys, than it was to try and get them custom painted.

This summer, I had an unfortunate incident... I dropped the bike during a low speed u-turn. I scuffed the lower cowling on right side.

A few weeks ago I started shopping the on-line OEM parts dealers for CLG lowers. The first few places I checked had either "unobtainable" or "call us" next to the items. I was able to locate a set at a decent price.

Late last week, the big brown UPS truck stopped at the house and left a package!


Before I could get them mounted we had some cold temps and a small snow storm.


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22 comments:

  1. RogerFebruary 12, 2013 at 7:17 PM

    Looking good mate.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SonjaMFebruary 12, 2013 at 8:06 PM

    looks mighty green to me ;-)

    I have always purchased used bikes, so I accepted the color it came in, if it was red or black or yellow. Never had a green one just yet... However, my favorite color would be orange!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erik RFebruary 12, 2013 at 10:26 PM

      Thanks Sonja. Kawasaki has made the ZX-14 in some pretty cool colors. The 2009 also came in a 2 tone Orange and Black that was pretty sweet.

      Delete
  3. TroubadourFebruary 12, 2013 at 9:39 PM

    It ain't easy being green, I like the panels and lowers, it looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Andrew ThomsonFebruary 13, 2013 at 12:11 AM

    It's green! Not too shaby though...

    But have you seen the Special Edition in black...

    http://www.hayabusa.org/forum/attachments/general-bike-related-topics/256922d1355165511-busa-vs-zx-14-kawasaki-zx14r-2013.jpg

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    1. Erik RFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:19 AM

      I like the looks of the new style 2012 and 2013's. We could get the 2012 in Green in the US.
      I thought about updating, but my '09 has almost 40,000 miles on it. I think I'll keep it and try for 100,000.

      Delete
  5. Kofla OlivieriFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:02 AM

    I m trying to add the 2009 Monster Edition graphics to mine. Still shopping for the grills.

    Last week UPS gave some parts I ordered to a complete stranger outside my apartment building. No signature, no name. Now my parts are nowhere to be found.

    Riding My Own Biography
    NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

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    Replies
    1. Erik RFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:13 AM

      Oh that's no good! Is UPS going to do anything about it?

      Delete
    2. Kofla OlivieriFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:18 AM

      UPS "suggested" to contact Amazon and the company where I purchased the parts. Like if if it was their fault, lol I am not holding my breath about getting this issue resolved. UPS sucks.

      Riding My Own Biography
      NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

      Delete
    3. Erik RFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:24 AM

      Maybe the vendor will believe you didn't get the parts when you order a second time.?? Who needs 2 of them. I had something like that happen when I had a goldwing. I purchased something, it was defective, I had UPS stop back and pick it up to be returned, the vendor said he never got it back. I ordered the part again, they never billed me for it. I don't know how they worked it out with UPS?

      Delete
  6. TrobairitzFebruary 13, 2013 at 10:47 AM

    Looking good Erik.

    I like the bike both ways, with black and with the extra green. I bet you it will look sweet in the bright sunshine.

    At least you weren't the only one with an incident that day last year - misery loves company and all that. Luckily there aren't any plastic panels to scuff on Max.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erik RFebruary 13, 2013 at 12:42 PM

      Ya, it will be a while before I forget that day! Except for the heat and the dropping incident, it was a great day!!!

      Delete
  7. RichardMFebruary 13, 2013 at 11:45 AM

    The new panels with the cutouts look great (plus it'll make the bike faster, right?)

    All this extra shop time from the snow just gets you to spend more instead of riding more...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erik RFebruary 13, 2013 at 12:45 PM

      I think the added green WILL make it faster! hehehe.
      There's plenty of down time around here.. same way up there too! But with 3 wheels you get to extend your riding season a bit.

      Delete
  8. Claudio MccartyFebruary 13, 2013 at 4:36 PM

    The Candy Lime Green is a pretty nice color. Your bike still looks stunning, even if it’s been almost 4 years since you bought it. You must have taken good care of this gorgeous motorcycle! And I think the new installations were pretty good additions. I like the fact that you chose replacement parts of the same color to match the color of the other parts. I suddenly found myself imagining how it would look like with candy lime green all over!

    ReplyDelete
  9. VStar LadyFebruary 13, 2013 at 6:38 PM

    Definitely green ... and looking great. Green is good (so is white, and red, and black and blue and burgundy and, and, and - as long as it means having fun.)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hannah ParkinFebruary 14, 2013 at 9:10 AM

    After changing some of the parts to attain the maximization of the CLG color, that motorbike looks like it’s brand new. Can I try driving that cool motorbike of yours? Hehe, just kidding! This is really awesome! Great job on the changes that you made! :)

    -- Hannah Parkin

    ReplyDelete
  11. Coop a.k.a. CoopdwayFebruary 14, 2013 at 2:58 PM

    That green looks great with the added panels. You are probably gifted at removing and installing body panels; I do my best to save that job for winter on the lift. ;)

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  12. UnknownFebruary 14, 2013 at 3:50 PM

    Erik:

    I wished that I knew how to remove my panels. I have those buttons that you push in the centre but I hear they always break.

    I am lucky that my bike was all one colour and no chrome. I may need to change my panels soon as they are getting dirty

    In Canada, UPS is a 3 letter dirty word. most of us up here like 4 letter words such as USPS. If the vendor will not ship USPS then we don't buy . . .

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

    ReplyDelete
  13. wendiemmFebruary 15, 2013 at 1:05 PM

    Hey Big E - just one question. Is this the color green you painted the back entryway? Just aksin' <3

    ReplyDelete

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