08 Busa vrs. 08 ZX-14

[raydog]

For those of you that don't get an early copy of Motorcyclist...the Feb. issue tests an 08 ZX-14 and on page 59 advises...."A well known, (but anonymous due to sponsorship issues) professional dragracer did 20 1/4 mile runs on each bike".....and I paraphrase....both bikes were lowered with straps in front and shorter links in rear...the Kawasaki's best run was 9.24 seconds @ 150.00 mph.....the Hayabusa's best run was 9.23 seconds @ 151.5 mph! These figures represent the level playing field representation of Kawasaki and Suzukis latest editions of the ZX-14 and Hayabusa. Same rider, same track, same time, same prep methodology, 20 times each to do this. What else is there to say.


Raydog

 

[rtvegas]

Wow.. Talk about a razor close margin !!

 

[bigoltool]

Can you scan it?

 

[rc51ny]

Just finished reading the same article. In the end, it all comes down to the rider!

 

[99'busa]

i saw similar thing on tv. same results bounced back and forth. always came down to reaction time

 

[raydog]

Can you scan it?

I'm sorry I can't...it's black background with white letters and my stupid Dell scanner doesn't do it! Raydog

 

[Got-Busa?]

i saw similar thing on tv. same results bounced back and forth. always came down to reaction time

Reaction time doesn't affect the E/T of the run...

Does it give the 60' and 1/8 of the runs or just overall E/T....?

 

[raydog]

Got-Busa, Just overall ET, but alot of discusson re: Kawasaki beefing up the low and mid rpm response compared to 06/07 models. There has been so much discussion everywhere about this comparison....I'm just glad to read about such an evenly pitted contest, and yes, incredibly close results, BUT alot less margin has won world championships in various forms of racing, for example look at funny car ET's and speeds. To me, I just enjoy knowing the truth PRIOR to all the variables usually present in speed contests (rider difference, aftermarket issues, traction, location yada yada). It's not that the Busa won (although that's quite nice) it's the 1/4 mile equality of these bikes becomes clear now. I think the rest of the attributes of these bikes is simply what one chooses in a motorcycle. BTW, It has almost nothing to do with what most moto journalists say, lately I've grown very tired of their short sighted drivel, like why I should or should not like something about a certain motorcycle. Or criticizing some bike because of an OEM component when 95% of its owners switch to a fine aftermarket replacement part...but that never gets mentioned in their "article". Whomever reads this, thanks for listening....rant off. Raydog

 

[Mr Bogus]

Got-Busa, Just overall ET, but alot of discusson re: Kawasaki beefing up the low and mid rpm response compared to 06/07 models. There has been so much discussion everywhere about this comparison....I'm just glad to read about such an evenly pitted contest, and yes, incredibly close results, BUT alot less margin has won world championships in various forms of racing, for example look at funny car ET's and speeds. To me, I just enjoy knowing the truth PRIOR to all the variables usually present in speed contests (rider difference, aftermarket issues, traction, location yada yada). It's not that the Busa won (although that's quite nice) it's the 1/4 mile equality of these bikes becomes clear now. I think the rest of the attributes of these bikes is simply what one chooses in a motorcycle. BTW, It has almost nothing to do with what most moto journalists say, lately I've grown very tired of their short sighted drivel, like why I should or should not like something about a certain motorcycle. Or criticizing some bike because of an OEM component when 95% of its owners switch to a fine aftermarket replacement part...but that never gets mentioned in their "article". Whomever reads this, thanks for listening....rant off. Raydog

 

[Justyntym]

welcome to the tweener tweaking wars of minutia

This is why I'm POed at zuk for not dropping the hammer and making the new busa a 1400cc+ 200 rwhp stock monster.

Hell, they had 10 years between updates and we got a tweak...yippie

Sorry, no cheers here

 

[hayabusa99bw]

 

[Ranger]

Ok so it's settled, the Busa is faster, right!

 

[The Big Red One]

welcome to the tweener tweaking wars of minutia  

This is why I'm POed at zuk for not dropping the hammer and making the new busa a 1400cc+ 200 rwhp stock monster.

Hell, they had 10 years between updates and we got a tweak...yippie

Sorry, no cheers here  

I don't think 13+ more hp on an already crazy fast bike is too bad

But I agree...I woulda liked to have seen them do the same thing the first haybusa did...drop like a performance bomb

 

[georgiabusa_05]

I read that article, its just a matter of what bike you like best. for most of us real world riders, both bikes are great.

 

[raydog]

welcome to the tweener tweaking wars of minutia

This is why I'm POed at zuk for not dropping the hammer and making the new busa a 1400cc+ 200 rwhp stock monster.

Hell, they had 10 years between updates and we got a tweak...yippie

Sorry, no cheers here

From a marketing standpoint, competing companies (when just inching stock performance up slightly on each new generation) probably sell many more motorcycles than a single quantum leap type thing. Also, in terms of production costs, much less as well.

For me (and Suzuki knows this) I'm glad that...

1)my Gen I isn't obsolete
2)my Gen I performs significantly better than a stock Gen II (so the thousands of dollars I've already invested in aftermarket aren't so "down the drain" on the contrary, it's fun to continue to develop my Gen I
3)I won't even skip a beat in the additional plans I have to improve my Gen I even more over the next period of time
4)I think the relative similarities between Gens I and II "fog the difference" between the two, therefore increase the size and power of our "family"

Raydog
















r

 

[WWJD]

and when the KAW 14 is on top for 7 years strait in a row, I will happily call it the only successful Hayabusa clone. 2nd place is the first loser

and let me add it will ALWAYS be the rider. seeing 600s SMOKING 1000's on the Road Course Race Tracks [my track days] wakes you up to that reality very fast

 

[raydog]

"it will always be the rider", very true, but when it comes to 10/10ths riding, I have a hard time seeing the 14 down on the edge with the knee puck scraping at the level I've seen Busas at. Sport touring, drag racing, touring, top speed...alot of equality. Track days, I just don't think so, maybe I'm wrong but I haven't seen that aspect of ZX-14 performance yet. Raydog

 

[Justyntym]

welcome to the tweener tweaking wars of minutia  

This is why I'm POed at zuk for not dropping the hammer and making the new busa a 1400cc+ 200 rwhp stock monster.

Hell, they had 10 years between updates and we got a tweak...yippie

Sorry, no cheers here  

From a marketing standpoint, competing companies (when just inching stock performance up slightly on each new generation) probably sell many more motorcycles than a single quantum leap type thing. Also, in terms of production costs, much less as well.

For me (and Suzuki knows this) I'm glad that...

1)my Gen I isn't obsolete
2)my Gen I performs significantly better than a stock Gen II (so the    thousands of dollars I've already invested in aftermarket aren't so "down the drain" on the contrary, it's fun to continue to develop my Gen I
3)I won't even skip a beat in the additional plans I have to improve my Gen I even more over the next period of time
4)I think the relative similarities between Gens I and II "fog the difference" between the two, therefore increase the size and power of our "family"

Raydog
















r

So basically what your telling me is your glad suzuki's "upgrade" was puny enough to make you want to keep your old one

Ya know, I don't have to ride the fastest bike in world...it's not about that at all. What I liked about Suzuki and the Hayabusa was 10 years ago, they killed a flea with a sledgehammer attitude and built an incredible machine... the best technology would allow (within reason). Blew away any and all commers.

Now Zuk updates 600s, 750s, and 1000s every couple of years like clockwork...10 years go by and the flagship remains unchanged, not even decent brakes.

It appears to me that the people responsible for the original concept and attitude of the first Busa has been replaced by bean counters and zuk and kawi are just going to play games with each other for a while, nickle and dimeing horsepower back and forth.

Sorry, I guess for the first update in 10 freaking years...especially being a SECOND GENERATION bike...I expected a bit more than 13 horses and an ugly tail.


HOWEVER...I'd still buy the blue one

 

[99'busa]

their both the fastest but the busa looks the best hands down.

 

[Big Red]

the fact that the newer sports bikes get constant up grades from year to year is great if you want a throw away product. The very reason I like the Hayabusa is that it has stayed relatively the same over the years. If you wan't to up grade, all you have to do is go to the aftermarket. This stability has given us a very diversified product line up.