ZX14 versus Hayabusa

**marty** · 30th May 2006, 20:17

busa is still the bike i yearned for for years. i never thought - 'gee i'd like a kawasaki....'

**Blackbird** · 1st June 2006, 11:11

Thought you might be interested in this UK ‘bird. Huge expenditure on Ohlins suspension/forks, racing discs and billets and a TURBO. Talk about no expense spared! Don’t like the colour, but I could live with it! Probably spent more on it than a new bike but magnificently executed.

**Edbear** · 1st June 2006, 11:15

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Thought you might be interested in this UK ‘bird. Huge expenditure on Ohlins suspension/forks, racing discs and billets and a TURBO. Talk about no expense spared! Don’t like the colour, but I could live with it! Probably spent more on it than a new bike but magnificently executed.

Well and truly 'X' rated...!

**Blackbird** · 1st June 2006, 11:17

Originally Posted by Edbear

Well and truly 'X' rated...!

Pass the tissues...

**Blackbird** · 1st June 2006, 15:13

This is performance data for 3 of the bikes under discussion. It would be interesting to compare them in detail with the Kawasaki. None of those shown are exactly slow! The testing was done on an ex-RAF runway, not a dragstrip with a higher grip coefficient.

**Zed** · 1st June 2006, 17:52

Originally Posted by Blackbird

This is performance data for 3 of the bikes under discussion. It would be interesting to compare them in detail with the Kawasaki. None of those shown are exactly slow! The testing was done on an ex-RAF runway, not a dragstrip with a higher grip coefficient.

Hi Geoff, great data, do you know what year these bikes were? ZX-12 & Gixxer were close...Blackbird a bit lagging, oh well we knew it would! :spudguita

**Blackbird** · 1st June 2006, 20:10

Originally Posted by Zed

Hi Geoff, great data, do you know what year these bikes were? ZX-12 & Gixxer were close...Blackbird a bit lagging, oh well we knew it would! :spudguita

Hi Matthew

Without tracking the mag down from another part of the house, it was probably around 2001. It was certainly before a catalyser was fitted to the exhaust systems. Both the later 'bird and 'busas had lower power than the earlier models. Not sure about the '12.

Cheers

Geoff

**The Stranger:Me** · 3rd June 2006, 19:23

Originally Posted by Blackbird

This is performance data for 3 of the bikes under discussion. It would be interesting to compare them in detail with the Kawasaki. None of those shown are exactly slow! The testing was done on an ex-RAF runway, not a dragstrip with a higher grip coefficient.

Happened on this site which I think is handy, though needs some updating.

Still recon that the Blackbird is pretty damn good considering it is a 10yr old sport tourer.

**Zed** · 4th June 2006, 01:03

Originally Posted by CaN

Still recon that the Blackbird is pretty damn good considering it is a 10yr old sport tourer.

Nearly ten years yes. I'll always have a place in my heart for the ole Bird!

**sugilite:Me** · 4th June 2006, 18:24

As hard as I try, I cannot get this character out of my mind when I see photos of the ZX14R! It's from the kids movie Lilo and Stitch.

**The Stranger:Me** · 8th June 2006, 21:24

Originally Posted by busa pete

went to see zx14 at mount eden to day left there not convinsed that i should change demo in store mid july i think he said . is there a comparison of the two out there on the web

Went and saw the ZX14 today.
Must say they are not at all a nice looking bike.
Everything about it looks cheap, from the swing arm right through to the gauges.
By contrast both the Busa and Blackbird have a lot more attention to design and detail.
Will be interesting to see if it will stand the test of time as both the others have. I predict it wont.

**Edbear** · 17th June 2006, 21:43

Quote from a European test of the ZX14. "...at 290 I changed into top (!!!!) and opened the throttle fully (!!!!!). The bike went to 299 very quickly where the speedo stopped. The tacho kept going though, so the bike is "politically" limited to 299."

**Lou Girardin** · 19th June 2006, 12:24

Originally Posted by Edbear

Quote from a European test of the ZX14. "...at 290 I changed into top (!!!!) and opened the throttle fully (!!!!!). The bike went to 299 very quickly where the speedo stopped. The tacho kept going though, so the bike is "politically" limited to 299."

If the speedo is typically bike accurate, he was probably doing 270 at an indicated 299.
The good thing about such a high top speed is that you don't have to look at the bug eyed freak for long.