ZX-12R/Busa MCN RESULT

[OB_Kaw9R]

I witnessed a Busa at MIR running consistent 9.80's. He was an older guy ~150lbs (ex-racer) claiming nothing more than a front tie down. ...and this is coming from a Kaw owner.

1/4 mile takes too much skill to use as a reference point.

[OB_Kaw9R]

I witnessed a Busa at MIR running consistent 9.80's. He was an older guy ~150lbs (ex-racer) claiming nothing more than a front tie down. ...and this is coming from a Kaw owner.

1/4 mile takes too much skill to use as a reference point.

[OB_GSXRTURBO1]

Jack is right. The MPH tells the HP story, but the ZX12 was more effecient, putting the power down "better". This doesn't add up on paper, with the Busas longer wheelbase. Wait for more tests, the HP appears to be very similar between the two, but the Busa SHOULD produce lower ET's. My guess is that they were not launching very well, I'd like to see the short times for the runs...Tom G.

[Guest]

Thanks for the report DC.

[OB_VegasDude]

same day tests and the busa wins hands down................a lot of hype for nothing. No wonder suzuki wasnt worried.........

[OB_MagicBus]

Redelk,

You state that you're not normal.
I'd have to agree. Most normal people surfer from low self esteem and have to have latest, greatest or fastest to make then feel better about themselves. They equate their worth according to what the possess. I do believe that the 12 is a better machine for many people. The smart man buys the the bike that suits his needs not his ego. Either way, the
12 and the 13 are very close. Buy the one that suits you best.

[OB_ROR]

DC, thanks for the post. It's great to get that kind of data right away. And DP, I thought you were a little over the top on this one. You may not like the way the results came out, but the only real answer for that is to set up the same kind of three-way test with riders, place, and weather in common and see what happens. I don't know who else here is capable of doing that.

Certainly no one else has shared results of such a test with us. I certainly haven't read anything like it HERE from Cycle World or Motorcyclist or Sport Rider, so I'll have to wait until their mags show up to find out.

The one thing that has seemed consistent in all the verifiable reports we've been hearing since Ricky Gadsen showed up at the track with his 12R is that the Kaw is faster in the quarter mile and the Busa is faster top speed. I can live with that. And it's obvious to me that a whole lot of you out there know how to make your Busa's a lot faster in the 1/4.

I just love to ride mine on the streets at reasonably normal speeds. And its fun thinking that its the world's fastest bike even if I never intend to try to prove that to myself or anyone else.

[OB_DC]

Thank you for your positive reactions in general gentlemen. However, I would like to respond to some of you who feel it's important to have a go at MCN when I'm here bringing you the real facts first.
We use the latest high-tech datalogging equipment and accurate timing lights, we have some of the finest test riders in the world and that is why our tests are respected throughout the motorcycling community the world over.
You are quite welcome, of course, to have your say and I will defend your right to say it. But I will not accept inaccurate and scurrilous lies.
Read what I've written originally and see if there is anything you can honestly disagree with. The Busa was slower over a standing quarter because it wears its tyres out quicker. Live with it. Do you carry spare tyres when you go for a ride? No? And nor do the rest of us in the real world. If a bike is simply about a dragstrip for you then fine, go find a site dedicated to quarter miling and leave this one – and the roads – to those of us who can do more than ride in a straight line.

[OB_GASABUSA]

DC MCN is consistant at being inconsistant the equipment used by MCN and on occasion Performance Bikes allows the rider to roll the bike backwards out of stage.Maybe the rider just rolled backwards a little further on the Kawasaki than he did on the Suzuki.
Oh and on the subject of tyres why didn't the 9 second run on the previous test of the Hayabusa suffer from this heavy on tyres syndrome.9secs to 10.4secs hmmmm.
The datalogging equipment that you use was also used on my bike and was clocking 194mph v's 190.5 on the radar trap v's190 on the timing lights. The top quality logging system was higher, according to the technician present,due to a certain ammount of 'tyre slippage'his words not mine.
If these bikes are being promoted as the fasteset then the figures do become important to YOUR readers in 'the real world'.Just as a Carl Foggerty replica is used on the road and on track days so a ZX12 and Busa can be used on the road and at the dragstrip.
By the way dragstrips up and down the country are full of cheque book racers who think its easy to go fast in a straight line.
They are normally the slowest guys there normally whinging about their local tuner.
Don't forget that one of the most recent successful TT winning teams V&M were ProStock champions for many years,before moving to roadracing.
Gasabusa

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Sherm: Even "repeatable" is not an absolute. I think you understand what scientific testing is about. Motor vehicle testing should be as scientific as possible. This MCN crew is all over the map.

ROR: "Over the top?" Being a professional journalist, I'da thought you'd be one of the first to demand a little rigor from reporting. I appreciate DC's passing his story on to us, but I do not appreciate his characterization of his publication's results as being a reliable reflection of the vehicles' performance capabilities.

Whoever said that 1/4 mile stuff should not be used as an indicator of a vehicle's performance because dragging requires too much skill was right. But it WILL work to provide accurate relative data in a comparo, as long as each vehicle is ridden by the same, highly skilled person.

[OB_Zarniwoop]

Dirty Pete, you're not being fair to DC. He did state that the rear was shot to ribbons and it would have run a lot faster (they got 9.9's last year when the Bus was released) so why don't you cut him a little slack eh?.

We all know the blackbird does not hold a candle to the bus accellerationwise so ease off the dude or he may stop giving us advance information.

for what it's worth MCN is a fantastic rag (I would say that 'cos I'm British) and I have shipped numerous copies out to the states and they have been appreciated by the guys who received 'em.

Have a real nice day and enjoy riding the last of the Titans.

Z

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Alright Zarniwoop, there was nothing personal about my comments regarding MCN but I apologize to DC if I have offended him.

I buy all the Brit mags. They're fun and full of enthusiasm. I just don't look to them for performance data.

In future I'll try to accept the data in the spirit they're given.

[sherm]

I think Suzuki and Kawasaki both build very good high speed bikes. The big qustion is which will be the biggest seller? From the early reviews it sounds like the 12 and the 13 have different personalities and will appeal in different ways to buyers.

I would guess that Suzuki's biggest "worry" right now is having to deep discount(up to $1000 from reports on this forum) 13's to move them off the showroom floor. And this is at the very beginning of the buying season.

[OB_Hapo]

The heck with all of this crap...like I said before, and in a somewhat less modest post on LaBusas, I am goona spank the first ZX 12 I see on the street so bad the dude will feel realy slow...hope he ain't a cop!

[OB_Dirty Pete]

DC is roaring around on a closed 2 mile airstrip considered "real world" motorcycling in England?

What we enthusiasts want are REPEATABLE test results. No scientific test has any validity unless it's repeatable. This means putting the bikes being tested on a level playing field: fresh factory tires, optimal tuning by qualified technicians, same strip, same day, same rider, etc.

Do that and MCN's test results will enjoy more credibility.

[rotts4u]

I would think if anyone needs a deep discount is would be the ZX12 because it is 12k to start with. Some dealers do $1k discounts on the busa but I think that is the exception. Our dealers around here are not discounting the ZX12 or the Busa. In fact they are marking them up with dealer prep by $125.

[OB_c.dolan]

Read my post again. 10.40 was way the h*ll slow, with 143 mph. Tire and clutch NO EXCUSE. At 220 rider weight, I did 10.43, At ONLY 137 mph. I was doing "break in" and was launching "easy", and shifting at only 8000 to 8500 rpm. At 10.40, either you guys are "sandbagging" for a bracket race, or your "world's finest riders weigh a lot more than my fat a*ss 220.

[This message has been edited by c.dolan (edited 22 March 2000).]

[OB_Wronglane]

That's it Hapo,tell us your true feelings.Your're going to "spank" a 12 so bad?? I don't know about everyone else,but I'm not interested in your sexual activities and how you are going to spank big Bubbas 12 incher!!Post that on LA Busas.

[OB_MagicBus]

DC, I appreciate the late breaking news brought by your post. But remember, no one can please all of the people all the time.
It's just not possible.

As for discounts, I think we can safely assume that Kawasaki will in the hot seat not Suzuki. IMO the Suzuki is already the
best value of any motorcycle. Kawi will probably have to drop the list price like Honda had to on the XX a few years ago
because it didn't live up to it's hyped expectation. I'm sure a lot of the people who were buying the 12 for bragging rights (Hayabusa Haters) will back out now, leaving Kawi dealers with a surplus of ZX12's to move out.

[Guest]

Agreed - Suzuki has not had a problem selling the Busa at MSRP. I had to go to great lengths to locate a 99 since there were none to be found in my entire state that weren't already sold and I also checked all dealers in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I ended up having to go 450 miles to a neigboring state to buy the 99'. [Thanks again JeffW] The MSRP was slightly increased for 00' and they are still selling extremely well. The 12 is plainly overpriced when compared to the value of a Busa. Expect to see price drops/good deals on the 12 after the initial preproduction sales are complete in order to compete with the Busa.


[This message has been edited by Todd (edited 22 March 2000).]