ZX-14 first look for me

[Trent]

I can't use all the power the beast puts to the ground now.

"The busa's current power overwhelms 99.9999999999% of the riders who own them."

Totally agree and I also totally respect each guys pursuit of what gets them hard so its all good (thats the cool part of being a dude and what brings us together united in our seperate pursuit of joy!)

Funny story...at the dealership while they are putting my paperwork together the salesmans giving me the nickel tour and takes me over to the well stocked selection of power commanders and exhaust systems and he's like "after you break it in you'll probably want to get these installed cause most guys do". I had to tell him that going from 0-100 in 4 seconds is plenty fast for me and I dont know what I would do with the extra .1 seconds anyway but I DO know what I would do with the extra 2 grand in my pocket! :-)

 

[Chris79761TX]

personally I think the front of the ZX14 looks like some strange creature off of Futur-rama. I think it is quite ugly. I will stick to my Busa anyday of the week.... just my 2 cents

 

[E Zurcher]

Being a recent new bike shopper/buyer, I tried to get a 2011 Black ZX-14, but the dealer here said they couldn't get one. I was bummed because it took me a long time to warm into the styling. If you look at the bike long enough it starts to grow on you just like the Busa. I think it will take longer to get tired of looking at the Busa because it has so many unique contours. Reading negative things about servicing the ZX-14 made me happy that I went with the Busa. One quote I read about working on the bike said that the 14 was as though Kawi had made a car and welded the hood shut. Not sure if this is baloney or not but you know how it is when youre trying to justify that you made the right choice. Funny thing...right after I read that I left work early and went down the Suzuki dealer!

Both the old and new ZX-14 allow oil and filter changes without removing the fairings. Wish the BUSA designers thought about that cause I get pissed just thinking about my next filter change! Also I think if you ask a BUSA owner if they wished they had bought a ZX-14 instead, more people would say no than if you turned the question around on ZX-14 owners. Of course, I am biased on that regard.

 

[E Zurcher]

asdfg

 

[E Zurcher]

I'm surprised at you guys who complain about the busa's available power. I can understand wanting ABS or Traction Control but more power? What would you do with it? I can't use all the power the beast puts to the ground now. I can totally distroy a tire during a single track day. On every corner exit the beast either spins the tire or lifts the front. So how much more HP do I need when the power the busa delivers now quickly overwhelms the tire. The answer is "Bragging Rights"!

The technology of modern high performance motorcycles has made huge advancements in recent years while rider skills are stuck in the 80's. The busa's current power overwhelms 99% of the riders who own them. Many are happy to share how quickly they can accellerated to a buck fifty but no one seems to know the time nor distance it takes to stop the beast at that speed. Somehow, riders should be convinced of the need to advance the software in order to keep up with the bike's technology.

The male ego is as fragile as a crystal wine glass. I remember when a salty old racer said to me once: "You wanna know how to make your bike go faster,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, put somebody else on it"! With one single sentence my ego was crushed.

So the point of my post is: As you learn more and more about riding the better you will understand that it's not two clicks out on rebound or a pipe and PC for more power that makes your bike go faster, it's the software (You) operating the controls that makes the difference!

With that logic, we would all be riding 250 cc bikes because some have the skills to go faster than others. Where do you draw the line? Personnally, my BUSA is bone stock but I would love to have a bike that can break the rear tire or loft the front wheel at will, any time, any place and give me the option of when to do it. Is there a turbo in my future?

 

[Tufbusa]

With that logic, we would all be riding 250 cc bikes because some have the skills to go faster than others. Where do you draw the line? Personnally, my BUSA is bone stock but I would love to have a bike that can break the rear tire or loft the front wheel at will, any time, any place and give me the option of when to do it. Is there a turbo in my future?

You can accomplish all those goals on a bone stock busa. You can lift the tire at a red light, shift through all the remaining gears and vanish over the horrizon on the rear tire on a bone stock busa, if you have the skills. With some practice you can spin the tire until it pops, on a bone stock busa. What your bike longs for is a rider with more skill, not more HP.

My point is, no one NEEDS more HP than the busa delivers from the show room unless they already have every horse in the bunch humbled. If one cannot spin the tire nor lift the front at will then they have not reached that level.

Big horses without equal skills to use the buggy whip is indeed about ego and "Bragging Rights"!

Buy what you want and ride what you buy! Just don't get the idea that more HP will improve your skills, it will not!

 

[bazooki]

What your bike longs for is a rider with more skill, not more HP.

Big horses without equal skills to use the buggy whip is indeed about ego and "Bragging Rights"!

Buy what you want and ride what you buy! Just don't get the idea that more HP will improve your skills, it will not!

Well said.

 

[E Zurcher]

Well said.

The both of you assume much about my skill level without even knowing me. I do not have the skills to loft the front wheel at a stoplight and dissappear into the sunset or shred through a tire at trackday nor do I desire them at this time. I never said more power would improve my skill. It sure would be fun though. It has nothing to do with "Ego" or "bragging rights", I could care less what others think of me or my bike. My favorite thing to do on my bike is to roll on the power on a deserted back road (there are many in New Mexico) and feel the amazing pull from 9200 RPM to redline through the gears. I'll bet if a you could wave a magic wand for 50 more horsepower at no extra cost neither of you would turn it down. Better yet ride your bikes in mode C (still beyond the full capabilities of most riders) until you master all aspects and can ride like a GP racer. Then move on up to modes B and A. I'd take the 50 horsepower for the roll-ons alone.

 

[Flicka]

The both of you assume much about my skill level without even knowing me. I do not have the skills to loft the front wheel at a stoplight and dissappear into the sunset or shred through a tire at trackday nor do I desire them at this time. I never said more power would improve my skill. It sure would be fun though. It has nothing to do with "Ego" or "bragging rights", I could care less what others think of me or my bike. My favorite thing to do on my bike is to roll on the power on a deserted back road (there are many in New Mexico) and feel the amazing pull from 9200 RPM to redline through the gears. I'll bet if a you could wave a magic wand for 50 more horsepower at no extra cost neither of you would turn it down. Better yet ride your bikes in mode C (still beyond the full capabilities of most riders) until you master all aspects and can ride like a GP racer. Then move on up to modes B and A. I'd take the 50 horsepower for the roll-ons alone.

Where does the 50 horsepower number come from?

 

[BUSAnomics]

I JUST got in from looking at the new 14 a few minutes ago and Im not impressed at all with the looks. Im sure its a beast but its missing character. Id rather spend the money and slide a 1441 in my 08 and still have 20 more horses or even installing a turbo. The gentlemen (tufbusa) that spoke on "riders who want more power but havent mastered what they already have", said a mouth full. My 08 only has a changed sproket, strapped front, a brock exhaust system and I walk the dog on BUILT 14s. I was told by an old racer that I must FIRST fully learn my bike before I apply the mods. He told me that with my weight (140lbs.) and great skill, Ill be able to beat lots of other bikes and he was telling the truth. He also said, "make those guys build their bikes, dont go spending unnecessary money for nothing." Those guys are 200+lbs. so their going to need to buld them." Long story short, I handle biz with a super stock bike. Master your weapon and she will fire true.

 

[Tufbusa]

I JUST got in from looking at the new 14 a few minutes ago and Im not impressed at all with the looks. Im sure its a beast but its missing character. Id rather spend the money and slide a 1441 in my 08 and still have 20 more horses or even installing a turbo. The gentlemen (tufbusa) that spoke on "riders who want more power but havent mastered what they already have", said a mouth full. My 08 only has a changed sproket, strapped front, a brock exhaust system and I walk the dog on BUILT 14s. I was told by an old racer that I must FIRST fully learn my bike before I apply the mods. He told me that with my weight (140lbs.) and great skill, Ill be able to beat lots of other bikes and he was telling the truth. He also said, "make those guys build their bikes, dont go spending unnecessary money for nothing." Those guys are 200+lbs. so their going to need to buld them." Long story short, I handle biz with a super stock bike. Master your weapon and she will fire true.

Now here is a fella that has paid attention and as Keith Code would say has "Got it"! Nick Ienatsch in his book writes "The rider is the greatest single factor in a motorcycle's performance" and "Work on your engineering skills to find your bikes best performance".

It takes little to no measureable skill to sit straight up on a bike and roll the throttle against the stop while maintaining a death grip on the bars. The only thing you gain is a sore neck from the wind buffetting your helmet. Everybody can twist the throttle as soon as they can keep it between the ditches. It's braking and changing directions that throw a curve ball at most riders and terrify the rest! I can tell you this from experience, the farther up the skill ladder you climb the more fun two wheels become and the more apt your are of living a long and healthy life!

 

[E Zurcher]

What you all don't understand is that not everyone wants to race their bike around a track and be a junior moto Gp racer. Some of us are quite happy keeping it between the ditches. I can carve it up just fine when I want to. I tire of this conversation you all have fun now. Z

 

[saygbye]

The Kawasaki ZX-12 was a Busa eater way back in 2001, However they had to detune it before release because Europe threatened to ban the bike altogether. Since all bikes then became limited to 186mph, the 1999-2000 Busa remained king. Simple tweaks would return the ZX-12 to full power glory once purchased. The Busa was still a better all around Bike though, way more user friendly if you can call it that.

funny i drag race alot and i missed all the zx-12 busa killers at the track.

 

[Tm@nFL]

I just hate the crappy flame stickers on the bike.

I thought it looked bigger in person. I seen a busa and ZX-14 side by side at a dealer in Brandon FL. I pick the busa for looks.
ZX-14 is a nice bike.

 

[Tufbusa]

What you all don't understand is that not everyone wants to race their bike around a track and be a junior moto Gp racer. Some of us are quite happy keeping it between the ditches. I can carve it up just fine when I want to. I tire of this conversation you all have fun now. Z

I like the way Macon454 put it on a thread some time ago, "He who teaches himself hath a fool for a master"!

I believe that was a quote from Benjamin Franklin.

 

[racerV]

I can't believe you have that poor dog locked in your car!

 

[fallenarch]

You can accomplish all those goals on a bone stock busa. You can lift the tire at a red light, shift through all the remaining gears and vanish over the horrizon on the rear tire on a bone stock busa, if you have the skills. With some practice you can spin the tire until it pops, on a bone stock busa. What your bike longs for is a rider with more skill, not more HP.

My point is, no one NEEDS more HP than the busa delivers from the show room unless they already have every horse in the bunch humbled. If one cannot spin the tire nor lift the front at will then they have not reached that level.

Big horses without equal skills to use the buggy whip is indeed about ego and "Bragging Rights"!

Buy what you want and ride what you buy! Just don't get the idea that more HP will improve your skills, it will not!

So, so true Tuff. It's difficult to use the power in the average 600 sportbike on public roads. One thing I will say about power is that big displacement means more torque, which is more usable on the street. It makes the engine more flexible and easy going.

But this does beg the question what is the next generation? More horsepower won't mean a better bike given that we are pretty much way beyond what is usable now. Making the Busa the un-disputed drag race king would probably destroy it's all around good manners as a do it all bike. TC and ABS are no big deal either so what would the specs on a ZX14 killer be?

 

[Tufbusa]

I can't believe you have that poor dog locked in your car!

You know Big Boy, you aren't any to big to get an arsewhoopin!

That dog is doing well and still pretty much controls the household.

Where the hell have you been?

 

[JINKSTER]

Anybody read the new MotorCyclist article on the the all new and mighty ZX-14R? "Incredibly hard to launch" & "The Hayabusa is dead".

I say for the moment and enjoy your small victory...Where were you the last 13 years...

Ya'll can kiss my Hayabusa 1340cc ridin

LOL!...have you ever read any bike review by "Motorcyclist" that said..

"This Bike Sucks Nads!" ?... LOL!

heck..when a bike rag can make the re-release of the triumph bonneville sound exciting? LOL!

but i do recall the best accolade they ever doled out to a single bike that i read which was..

"Sell the family farm if you have to but whatever you do..don't die without riding a Hayabusa first."

oh..my bad..there was one bike they sorta trashed..well..maybe not "trashed" but..they didn't sound to thrilled about the exhaust system of their Buell Cyclone liberating itself from the engine in the first hundred miles but i'm sure that..other than that?..IT WAS A GREAT BIKE! LOL!

 

[C-Dog]

I Just can't get passed the "Urine Specimen Jars" in the Cockpit!