Im currently sitting on my speckle'd log waiting for the most delicious flies.
Calling out flicka
- Thread starter black diamond busa
- Start date
Im currently sitting on my speckle'd log waiting for the most delicious flies.
When you have it ready post it on Zx14.com
I've not been very impressed with that site. I could count my posts over there on two hands. Actually, I haven't found any Kawi related sites that I enjoy.
It has been 22.5 hours, sir.
Alright, alright...
Wow you really are turning into a Kawasaki rider, putting everything off till the last moment
Awe, you really do love us.
So you want to know about the ZX-14R...
The first time I rode a new 14R was early last year on the Cherohala Skyway. Good testing grounds. When I threw a leg over and stood the bike up, the very first thing I noticed was how much lighter it felt than a Busa. That surprised me since the 14R actually weighs over 11 pounds more than a Busa in stock form. The 14R has a lower center of gravity.
I always liked how modern bikes do a gauge sweep when you turn the key, but the 14R has a full LCD info center that goes through its own little start-up sequence. It's pretty neat. The bike give you some pretty good information in real time, but I usually leave it set to show the ambient air temperature. Like the Busa, it has power modes, but it also has a 3-mode traction control system, and ABS is available for 2013.
See the video:
Sitting on the bike, it feels a little bigger than a Busa. The seat is larger, the bars are wider and slightly higher, and the pegs feel lower and more forward. Overall, it's just a little more relaxed.
Hitting the starter button makes it very clear that you're on a different machine. The engine on a Busa is fairly smooth, but this one takes it a step further. If you've ever ridden a 2008 or newer Concours, you'll instantly recognize the feel of the 14R. The clutch works so smoothly that it almost makes you feel a little disconnected from the bike. I think on a weaker bike that might present a new learning curve for starting off in 1st gear, but these things are so strong it's just not a real issue.
The very first thing I noticed when I started down the road was how much stronger it is on the low end. I know the Busa is very strong, but the extra 101 cc's really give this bike a lot of power down low. Going down the road, it rides like a Cadillac. Not your granny's 1982 Sedan de Ville, but more like a new CTS-V with a comfy but purpose-built suspension. It very obviously feels like a large bike. It really feels bigger than the Busa, which I attribute mostly to the wider bars and larger seat. In some ways I like to compare it to an large jet airliner. Leaning into the turns, it feels absolutely 100% planted and stable. You know you're on a really big bike, but you still get the feeling it's incredibly fast. It's not nearly as sporty and wild feeling as the Busa could be going through the mountain curves. This thing feels much more controlled and deliberate. The stock suspension is more adequate than the Busa's, especially for bigger riders.
Once you hit the apex of the corner and begin to power out is when it gets really interesting. The important word here is still "smooth". Rolling on the power with the traction control in Mode 1 (the most aggressive T/C setting), is like throttling up the turbofan engines on a Boeing 737. You never lose sight of the fact that you're on a large bike, but the combination of the bike's size, weight, and smooth engine make it a real pleasure to go very fast very quickly.
I'm sure it will vary from rider to rider, but I'm about 6'2" and the stock windscreen works very well for me. It's also nice to realize that you can actually use the mirrors a little more. They cover a wider distance on the 14R, and work pretty well.
The brakes on this thing are really great. I had stainless lines and EBC Extreme Pro pads on my Busa, and that wasn't even in the same league as these Kawasaki brakes. Sure they worked, but I never knew what I was missing until I rode a 14R. You can easily bring this bike down in a hurry from deep triple digits with just one finger on the lever. It's very impressive for a stock setup. I would say that the brakes are the single biggest advantage that the 14R has over the Busa. Yes it accelerates quicker, but by the time you're both hitting 186, nobody has been "left in the dust."
Anyway, I could go on about some of the finer details, but then I'd be rambling.
Having said all of the above, I want to say this: The Busa is still a great bike. The Kawi will never take anything away from the position Suzuki has held all these years. In the twisties, a better rider on a Busa will still leave behind a 14R every single time. There's just not that much difference in performance. I had a unique situation arise which prompted my trade, otherwise I'd still be on my Busa.
If I missed anything you wanted to know about, please ask away.
The first time I rode a new 14R was early last year on the Cherohala Skyway. Good testing grounds. When I threw a leg over and stood the bike up, the very first thing I noticed was how much lighter it felt than a Busa. That surprised me since the 14R actually weighs over 11 pounds more than a Busa in stock form. The 14R has a lower center of gravity.
I always liked how modern bikes do a gauge sweep when you turn the key, but the 14R has a full LCD info center that goes through its own little start-up sequence. It's pretty neat. The bike give you some pretty good information in real time, but I usually leave it set to show the ambient air temperature. Like the Busa, it has power modes, but it also has a 3-mode traction control system, and ABS is available for 2013.
See the video:
Sitting on the bike, it feels a little bigger than a Busa. The seat is larger, the bars are wider and slightly higher, and the pegs feel lower and more forward. Overall, it's just a little more relaxed.
Hitting the starter button makes it very clear that you're on a different machine. The engine on a Busa is fairly smooth, but this one takes it a step further. If you've ever ridden a 2008 or newer Concours, you'll instantly recognize the feel of the 14R. The clutch works so smoothly that it almost makes you feel a little disconnected from the bike. I think on a weaker bike that might present a new learning curve for starting off in 1st gear, but these things are so strong it's just not a real issue.
The very first thing I noticed when I started down the road was how much stronger it is on the low end. I know the Busa is very strong, but the extra 101 cc's really give this bike a lot of power down low. Going down the road, it rides like a Cadillac. Not your granny's 1982 Sedan de Ville, but more like a new CTS-V with a comfy but purpose-built suspension. It very obviously feels like a large bike. It really feels bigger than the Busa, which I attribute mostly to the wider bars and larger seat. In some ways I like to compare it to an large jet airliner. Leaning into the turns, it feels absolutely 100% planted and stable. You know you're on a really big bike, but you still get the feeling it's incredibly fast. It's not nearly as sporty and wild feeling as the Busa could be going through the mountain curves. This thing feels much more controlled and deliberate. The stock suspension is more adequate than the Busa's, especially for bigger riders.
Once you hit the apex of the corner and begin to power out is when it gets really interesting. The important word here is still "smooth". Rolling on the power with the traction control in Mode 1 (the most aggressive T/C setting), is like throttling up the turbofan engines on a Boeing 737. You never lose sight of the fact that you're on a large bike, but the combination of the bike's size, weight, and smooth engine make it a real pleasure to go very fast very quickly.
I'm sure it will vary from rider to rider, but I'm about 6'2" and the stock windscreen works very well for me. It's also nice to realize that you can actually use the mirrors a little more. They cover a wider distance on the 14R, and work pretty well.
The brakes on this thing are really great. I had stainless lines and EBC Extreme Pro pads on my Busa, and that wasn't even in the same league as these Kawasaki brakes. Sure they worked, but I never knew what I was missing until I rode a 14R. You can easily bring this bike down in a hurry from deep triple digits with just one finger on the lever. It's very impressive for a stock setup. I would say that the brakes are the single biggest advantage that the 14R has over the Busa. Yes it accelerates quicker, but by the time you're both hitting 186, nobody has been "left in the dust."
Anyway, I could go on about some of the finer details, but then I'd be rambling.
Having said all of the above, I want to say this: The Busa is still a great bike. The Kawi will never take anything away from the position Suzuki has held all these years. In the twisties, a better rider on a Busa will still leave behind a 14R every single time. There's just not that much difference in performance. I had a unique situation arise which prompted my trade, otherwise I'd still be on my Busa.
If I missed anything you wanted to know about, please ask away.
GNBRETT
Registered
Thanks that's a good honest review. I curious as to tire wear and highway MPGs? I average 44 just cruising for a long ride. I was afraid that you feel the extra weight as that's the first thing that jumped out at me when I first saw the specs for the 14r. Hows it handle 2up and is the passenger seat as comfy as the busas?
I haven't seriously looked at it. Really, the only thing I'd like to change is the top speed restriction. I'm only running a Two Brothers slip-on exhaust, so everything else is good as it is.
My local friend who has the same bike had his ECU flashed by Guhl. If I remember correctly, he extended the rev limiter by 200 RPM's, removed the top speed restriction, and set it to open the flies earlier. His bike does start really pulling at even lower revs than mine because of that, but it was also $400. Not really worth that much to me at this point.
The tire wear is pretty similar to the Busa. Maybe just a hair better with the T/C turned on. Highway MPG, I'm getting around 39. But you have to consider I'm a heavy rider and I always have at least one Ventura luggage pack on the rack, which acts a little bit like dragging a parachute.
The extra weight is a non-issue. It really does feel lighter than a Busa.
Two-up handling is quite a bit better in my opinion. Mainly for two reasons: First, my wife says this seat is more comfortable than the Busa's. And second, there's more room for us to space out from front to back. She's not always right up on me, even with the luggage rack installed.
This one is more wheelie-happy than the Busa. Unless the T/C is cranked up, I sometimes have to go out of my way to keep the front end down when I'm out playing. I don't know if it's a weight distribution issue, suspension geometry, or what. I used the same luggage arrangement on the Busa, so I don't think that's it.
Wow a more comfy passenger seat than a busa, they must have put a lazy boy back there. well I'm glad that you could give us this input as I hate reading the reviews by the magazine as it seems they are paid to say certain things. I am really glad that Kawasaki stepped up the game so hopefully Suzuki comes back with something. To me its not just about HP and I'm glad that they put together a overall great bike.
well I'm glad that you could give us this input as I hate reading the reviews by the magazine as it seems they are paid to say certain things. I am really glad that Kawasaki stepped up the game so hopefully Suzuki comes back with something. To me its not just about HP and I'm glad that they put together a overall great bike.
Wow a more comfy passenger seat than a busa, they must have put a lazy boy back there.
I've been saying it since the day I brought this bike home. I can't wait to see what Suzuki comes up with next. Competition drives innovation, and it's Suzuki's move.
Question regarding 2up riding Daniel, was the Mrs's able to stay put on the single seat? I owned a first gen 14 for 3 days years ago and I noticed that my gf at the time couldn't stay put in the 14 seat like she could on the Busa. Maybe it was her fault, like so many other things
How do you like the dash? I think it looks really nice, I really like how they kept the analog speedo and tack. I hate digital read outs of those 2 gauges, they just don't look right.
GNBRETT
Registered
yea that thing rips stock so y screw with it.
Question regarding 2up riding Daniel, was the Mrs's able to stay put on the single seat? I owned a first gen 14 for 3 days years ago and I noticed that my gf at the time couldn't stay put in the 14 seat like she could on the Busa. Maybe it was her fault, like so many other things
Yeah, she seems to do pretty well. She knows not to lean back on the rack, but she also keeps her distance so we're not smackin' helmets all the time. We have the radios, so she can tell me ahead of time if she needs to make any sort of major adjustment.
I like it a lot. The one thing I'd like to see added is tire pressure sensors, but I really have no complaints. I have heard one or two people say that the LCD screen can fade out after sitting in the hot sun for a long time. So far I haven't experienced that, but they say it goes away pretty quickly after the wind starts flowing again.
I've ridden a couple of bikes with the digital speedo, and I also prefer the needles.
OK so here's the big question, what would Suzuki have to do/change to see you back on a busa?
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