August Motorcyclist

[Revlis]

Grudge Match! ZX-12R vs. Hayabusa
Take one of the country's hottest drag racers. Mix with the two hairiest road rockets of all time. What do you get? A day of wheel-spinning, trash-talking, record-shattering insanity



ON SALE: July 1, 2003

THIS FIGHT'S BEEN A LONG time coming, and it has already been rehearsed on countless Internet forums, in hundreds of barrooms and on dozens of very secret streets, often late at night. In the grassroots dragracing community, spread all over this great country of ours, two mega-motor streetbikes reign supreme: Kawasaki's ZX-12R and Suzuki's GSX1300R Hayabusa.

These bikes were never intended to be drag racers; they were designed to beat each other's brains out, fighting for the title of World's Fastest Motorcycle, as in 190-mph fast. But that little detail hasn't worried the country's quarter-mile racers, owners and tuners one bit. Take your pick, Brand K or Brand S. Either way, you've got somewhere around 160 rear-wheel horsepower, pushing a little over 520 pounds of highly aerodynamic plastic, aluminum, steel and rubber. Do the math and you wind up with the fastest-accelerating street-legal machines ever sold to the public, no matter who makes 'em, how much you spend, or how many wheels touch the ground.

But which is the quickest? The hottest? The all-out, put-yer-money-where-yer-mouth-is king of the strip?

Being curious, and having access to the bikes, the people and the brainpower to make it all happen, we figured we'd find out.

So we rented an NHRA dragstrip. Then we gathered the bikes. Finally, we hired none other than Keith Dennis, world champion dragracer and, maybe most importantly, a guy without a whole lot of allegience to one factory or another. We ran the bikes in three guises: Stock ride-height, lowered front and rear, and re-geared. Otherwise, they were bone-stock, right out of the crate.

How close were they? Which bike won? Well, you'll have to wait until the August 2003 issue of Motorcyclist -- on sale at newsstands everywhere beginning in late June -- to find out.

The wait will be worth it.

Bets, anyone?[/QUOTE]

I have my money on the Busa of course. Though it all comes down to which manufacturer paid the most in advertising dollars.

I do not trust much that the US media says...they are all bought and sold by the corporations.

 

[Racer 222]

If they go stock I think the 12 might have the edge. They are both awesome Machines!

Marc "Howlin Mad"

 

[busahigg]

I think the point made about advertising dollars is an excellent one..........that's why Cycle World loves those damned naked bikes.

 

[cache]

I think the point made about advertising dollars is an excellent one..........that's why Cycle World loves those damned naked bikes.

aww, you don't like these??!!

 

[Revlis]

I think the point made about advertising dollars is an excellent one..........that's why Cycle World loves those damned naked bikes.

Yeah, it seems that if you want the straight skinny on a bike you have to read some of the british mags...They are still bought and paid for of course but their writers will generally speak their minds.

What I found really odd, was that Sport Rider and Motorcyclist are owned by the same Primemedia corp.  In the last big 600 roundup tests SportRider is all a twitter about the R6 while Motorcyclist is all over the Honda600RR.  

So which is it?  I figure since they all get paid by the same folks it came down to making the those two happiest based on add money...

It's hard to believe anything...Thats why this forum rocks...real info from real owners.

Howlin_Mad, I dunno the Busa makes more torque over a flatter curve.  THis should help out on the drag strip...  But I still think it will come down to who coughs up the most add money...

 

[Revlis]

I think the point made about advertising dollars is an excellent one..........that's why Cycle World loves those damned naked bikes.

aww, you don't like these??!!  

Dude, That is just plain ugly...Let me guess, they called the deisgn "fresh and original"...Heh...

 

[NCBusa2001]

I guess it similar to someone buying an Austin-martin or a corvette. People have been known to be buried with one and most treat the other one like a whore. You can love the busa. But it’s hard to love something that is butt-ugly and sounds like it is going to come apart at any second. Drag strip ain’t the deal,…. it’s which one do you want to RIDE. Chris

 

[Juggler]

I think the point made about advertising dollars is an excellent one..........that's why Cycle World loves those damned naked bikes.

aww, you don't like these??!!  

Dude, That is just plain ugly...Let me guess, they called the deisgn "fresh and original"...Heh...

Plain ugly? I was thinking more like BUTT UGLY. To each his own.

 

[Kento-Moto]

The Kawi is 1 awesome street machine I would like to ride but of course I am loyal and partial to my Busie ... but I have wondered why the Kawi doesnt get near the praise or PR that the Busa gets? ? ?

 

[ks-waterbug]

I suppose that even after the August issue is released there will still be a debate.............

 

[dezzy7]

The Kawi is 1 awesome street machine I would like to ride but of course I am loyal and partial to my Busie ... but I have wondered why the Kawi doesnt get near the praise or PR that the Busa gets? ? ?

The Kaw 12 was considered a MAJOR dissappointment at the time of its release. KAw had pumped it up to be the BUSA_KILLER and the fastest production motorcycle ever produced. They really hyped the bike and planned on upping the ante in the SPEED WARS, however before the bike was delivered to the streets the major bike manufacters agreed to limited the top speed of their machines to 186. Therefore after all the hype by the time the KAW12 hit the street it had been RETARDED to 186. Therefore in spite of the legalistic reasoning, because you know what we think of the LAW....the KAW was bashed and proclaimed a "noncontender". So the SPEED WAR ended with the BUSA reigning as champ and still the fastest production sportbike ever produced. As for the 12, great bike but it will always be known as the "BIKE THAT COULD HAVE BUT DIDN'T"..

 

[Revlis]

The Kawi is 1 awesome street machine I would like to ride but of course I am loyal and partial to my Busie ... but I have wondered why the Kawi doesnt get near the praise or PR that the Busa gets? ? ?

The Kaw 12 was considered a MAJOR dissappointment at the time of its release. KAw had pumped it up to be the BUSA_KILLER and the fastest production motorcycle ever produced. They really hyped the bike and planned on upping the ante in the SPEED WARS, however before the bike was delivered to the streets the major bike manufacters agreed to limited the top speed of their machines to 186. Therefore after all the hype by the time the KAW12 hit the street it had been RETARDED to 186. Therefore in spite of the legalistic reasoning, because you know what we think of the LAW....the KAW was bashed and proclaimed a "noncontender". So the SPEED WAR ended with the BUSA reigning as champ and still the fastest production sportbike ever produced. As for the 12, great bike but it will always be known as the "BIKE THAT COULD HAVE BUT DIDN'T"..

True enough, though to it's credit Kawasaki did go back and make a lot of refinements to the 12R to make it more of a Hyper-sports all arounder than a pure speed machine. It is supposed to be a much better "street" bike now than the initial generation.

I like the Busa for it's unique looks and LOW design. Feels better to me than the 12R. And I am of course completely un-biased.

 

[TIMMYDUCK]

Plain and simply,
I have got to go with the Guiness Book of World records.
They name and show the Hayabusa for the last five years.

 

[WWJD]

There was a link on here with a great broadcast of 12 vs BUS. The kaw edged ahead SLIGHTLY, but VERY SLIGHTLY, on SOME parts of the test. They are both so close who really cares? Not me. I bought exactly what I wanted and could have gotten anything, even pricey Itialian ones. The Busa looks great and unique, hauls passengers well, and, well, I owned a KAW before it and it was a rattle bucket. SUZ consistantly makes the best, bleeding edge cycles on the planet, so I felt Busa was from a very good, functional family. I wonder if the 12R folk talk about how the ZX9R is the best, fastest, GIXXER spanker on the planet, thus putting the 12 in a great family? I don't know, but probably not. People at the track kicked my @55 on 600's because A) they were better more experienced riders, and B) they customed their bike. The fastest production bike, however COOL that label is, is pointless after leaving the dealers lot with after factory parts.

I'll read this article and admit a 12R CAN be better than a Busa to somebody else, but I got the best for me. And my passengers are glad I did.

 

[NightStalker]

Well funny you mentioned the brittish press. You all know the mach-series don't you (no, not the razor, the MOVIES) ... Well, those guys also have a VERY good magazine here. They tested the busa, the busa vs the 12R, the busa against itself (well, 4 versions of it: The TTS tune-up, 1500cc bigbore, 350hp turbo and the yoshimura special - All good for 200rwhp and 200 genuine mph) ... Anywayz, in their test they INSTANTLY said the (slightly) larger weight of the Busa would be in it's disadvantage, yet when they started driving, all riders noticed that the Busa was MUCH nimbler than it appeared, and indeed, even nimbler than the ZX12R. One of their tests was a 180 turn in a narrow street. Same driver did it for both bikes, he first took the Busa and was surprised how sharp it would corner at low speeds for such a heavy bike. Immediatly after that he took the 12R, and dumped it. He overestimated the 12 in thinking that it would go even smoother than with the Busa.

Their ultimate conclusion was:
ZX12R: Buy one and be ever happy, fast cruiser, good wind-protection and indeed can be thrown quicker from side to side than you would expect from something so "bulky"
Busa: The Ultimate Hooligans Machine ... We can, and shall, have no less ...

They declared it the "ultimate bike" and even the 1000 couldn't change that ...

 

[Revlis]

Well funny you mentioned the brittish press. You all know the mach-series don't you (no, not the razor, the MOVIES) ... Well, those guys also have a VERY good magazine here. They tested the busa, the busa vs the 12R, the busa against itself (well, 4 versions of it: The TTS tune-up, 1500cc bigbore, 350hp turbo and the yoshimura special - All good for 200rwhp and 200 genuine mph) ... Anywayz, in their test they INSTANTLY said the (slightly) larger weight of the Busa would be in it's disadvantage, yet when they started driving, all riders noticed that the Busa was MUCH nimbler than it appeared, and indeed, even nimbler than the ZX12R. One of their tests was a 180 turn in a narrow street. Same driver did it for both bikes, he first took the Busa and was surprised how sharp it would corner at low speeds for such a heavy bike. Immediatly after that he took the 12R, and dumped it. He overestimated the 12 in thinking that it would go even smoother than with the Busa.

Their ultimate conclusion was:
ZX12R: Buy one and be ever happy, fast cruiser, good wind-protection and indeed can be thrown quicker from side to side than you would expect from something so "bulky"
Busa: The Ultimate Hooligans Machine ... We can, and shall, have no less ...

They declared it the "ultimate bike" and even the 1000 couldn't change that ...

Yeah Cool,

Hey Where you been? Seems like you've been a little scarce...