Official 2012 Kawasaki Head to Head Comparison Video ZX-14 vs Hayabusa

[BusaBret]

Fact is the zx14 and busa are not the best looking bikes out there by a long shot .. I like the 2007 gixxer and R1 myself ..

I agree

This is the bike fantasies are made of....

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[TheDayday]

Haha I didn't quite think of it like that, but both the busa and the Kawi are uuugly compared to some other bikes. (Most newer ducati bikes, newer g1k look sportier, more nimble, and more fun, etc.)

I couldn't disagree more. I love the looks of the Hayabusa and ZX-14R. Don't really know why people think they're "ugly." Different strokes for different folks I reckon'.

 

[Justyntym]

The Hayabusa is the best looking bike IMHO but I like the ZX 14 and both are awesome bikes.

What I like about Kawasaki is they seem to care about their customers and continue to
evolve and update their bikes REGARDLESS of their standings. e.g. the concours best
sport tourer in the business and they made it better. I BELIEVE kawasaki would be
upgrading the zx14 if there was no busa (perish the thought).

Suzuki is the opposite and waited 10 YEARS to update the bus and it was a minor update
at that. Suzuki's bike lineup and if you objectively look at their evolution is rather ho hum
with no innovation and/or new ideas (models) and updates. I surmise Suzuki does NOT care
about the customer/you or me and it's ALL ABOUT THE BENJIMINS...period.

The new 14 seems like an impressive machine...beat the busa...sure. But we been getting it
handed to us by liters since '05 (or at least the days of walking THEM was getting very difficult)
which that SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING with no cc restriction on the busa and a real
update here or there. I can't count the number of threads where a busa rider complained he
got beat by a liter.

Bottom line....don't expect a busa update for quite a while and even then, probably be another
minor bump (read in save the $$$$). Mode sector switch...what a joke/ high tech traction control right

How many YEARS have we gotten to enjoy nothing more than the BNGs (Bold New Graphics) ....Ohhhh...yea.

 

[TheDayday]

Bottom line....don't expect a busa update for quite a while and even then, probably be another
minor bump (read in save the $$$$). Mode sector switch...what a joke/ high tech traction control right

How many YEARS have we gotten to enjoy nothing more than the BNGs (Bold New Graphics) ....Ohhhh...yea.

I know what you mean... but at the same time, I sort of feel like Suzuki's laziness will save us all money in the long run hehe.

But really though, can we blame them? They've created a brand with the Hayabusa. It's such an iconic look and the engineering behind it was miles ahead of the comp. It's actually really impressive that it took Kawasaki this long. If it ain't broke, don't fix it is the old adage. Also, I was under the impression that Hayabusas were selling like crap in the U.S. because of the economy, can't really blame Suzuki for that. Isn't that why they skipped 2010 in the states? That's money that could have gone in to R&D.

The dealership I'm getting my ZX-14R from told me Gen III Hayabusas won't be hitting until at earliest 2014. So if you get a ZX-14R now, it'll be king of the road until then. Once the Gen III Hayabusa comes out, I'll sell my 2011 Hayabusa and my 2012 ZX-14R. Then rinse and repeat the process of getting the best and baddest. So the longer the models stay, the better it is for the resale value of our bikes because since the innards are the same, age doesn't matter as it will be about use/mileage instead.

I think if there was a speed update every year on these things, guys like me would go insane and lose $$$ every year.

 

[mysticblu999]

Big cans...

 

[raydog]

Oh I always say this, why oh why does camparing OEM vrs OEM even enter the conversation? Like Frisbee says, who holds the LSR and 1/4 mile world records? And if Ricky was contracted by Suzuki, we'd see the same rhetoric only with a Suzuki bias. I welcome ZX owners to ride the track with me and some other Busa pilots, I'm not sure they would have puffed up chests.
Having said all that, my first 3 really fast bikes (back in the late 70's) were KZ 1000's so I give Kawasaki much credit for those years. Raydog

 

[Big Bo]

Nice looking bike.

 

[bjewell]

First generation Busa is iconic. It's a classic and more recognizable than 99 percent of the bikes on the road...

 

[raydog]

OK, here I go again, Raydog the contrarian! So many org threads make mention of "When will we see a Gen III?" and, "when will Suzuki do this or that to the Hayabusa?" I just think SO MANY wonderful things can be done to any bike to upgrade it....especially the Busa. There is such an amazingly large aftermarket in place for our chosen motorcycle, just look at our sponsors' and their inventories! One of my Gen I Busas is so aftermarketed that when I recently rode a bone stock Busa, I was amazed at the difference between the two bikes. Handling, acceleration, ride quality, braking, weight, looks, colors....change your existing motorcycle and stop waiting for Suzuki to do it!
Even when a "replacement model" is introduced, usually there are limitations in production.....in the aftermarket, the only limitations are your pocketbook and willingness to experiment.
There is a book out now and it's title is, "How to want what you already have".