(jzdad @ Sep. 09 2006,18:42) Let's make sure all the info is on the table...
The whole comparison
Last words from MC USA:
After seven years of ruling the streets, the Hayabusa has been deposed by the more-powerful and better-refined Kawasaki ZX-14. The big Ninja took a clear win in two out of three categories, so we must anoint the 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14 Ninja as the new king of the street.
What if the ZX14 only produced 140hp and topped out at 155 or so? Would it still "grow on you"? I think you're only diggin' it because it can match the Busa. It's butt ugly, though.(Shanling @ Sep. 09 2006,17:40) I went to buy some oil and a filter for the Busa today at a dealer that carries both. One of the employees had bought a black one and put chrome wheels on it and I have to say, it looked nice! They had them (ZX-14 & Busa) on the showroom floor just a couple of bikes between them and from the front, the Kaw is starting to grow on me. Don't get me wrong, I love my Busa and have no intention of going to the Kaw, but it did start looking better to me. Especially in Black as those grills tend to blend in more.
You could have a point there. Perhaps the fact that something else has approached the Busa's mistique does have me starting to like it. Kind of the way another hot sexy lady can turn me on in addition to my girlfriend?(PaNDeM1C @ Sep. 09 2006,20:14)What if the ZX14 only produced 140hp and topped out at 155 or so? Would it still "grow on you"? I think you're only diggin' it because it can match the Busa. It's butt ugly, though.(Shanling @ Sep. 09 2006,17:40) I went to buy some oil and a filter for the Busa today at a dealer that carries both. One of the employees had bought a black one and put chrome wheels on it and I have to say, it looked nice! They had them (ZX-14 & Busa) on the showroom floor just a couple of bikes between them and from the front, the Kaw is starting to grow on me. Don't get me wrong, I love my Busa and have no intention of going to the Kaw, but it did start looking better to me. Especially in Black as those grills tend to blend in more.
+1(tpbio @ Sep. 09 2006,19:05) The 14 may have won 2 out of 3 catagories but it is not like it just came and blew the BUSA off the throne.
This was the case when the BUSA originally came on the scene. The world had never seen a production bike like that before. Now this 14 comes along and gently surpasses some numbers and people act like the bike is like the speed of light! ??
I do not believe Suzuki will let this go idly by.
The 14 is still butt ugly. I wonder how stable it is at top speed?
I know. I read that on CW.. (Busa not hitting limiter).. So far, I only read the de-restricted testing in "SportRider" magazine.. 188.3 (ZX-14) and 188.9 (Busa) De-restricted... Restricted 184.5 (ZX-14) and 184.0 (Busa)..(chrisarrington @ Sep. 09 2006,20:17) What is up with all the mogs though. I was browsing through a few at the store and in none of the magazines, that I have seen the Busa tested in, it has even hit it's limiter.
Maybe that's why Suzuki never changed it's website proclamations about the Busa being the fastest...(JINKSTER @ Sep. 09 2006,23:13) Cycle World...Sept. Issue....page #43...sidebar column entitled......"Metered Power".....in the ZX-14 VS Hayabusa article entitled...."2X2 Speed Kings"....final paragraph by "Don Canet".......
"So what does this mean for ZX-14 owners? Doyou bang an upshift before pulling out to pass a truck? Not quite, but you may want to avoid a 3rd gear roll-on contest with a 'Busa for pinks."
and i'm not gonna lie here as i feel i am neither a busa zealot nor a fan of kaws latest battleship..but i am more sportrider than anything else and the thing that atracted me most towards the busa was it's stunning combination of V-twin like low end grunt coupled with the top-end rush of the hottest of in-line fours..with HUGE torque numbers "across the board"...so?..naturally?....I just hadta smile when i read Mr. Canets final line.
and?...L8R, Bill.