...and that is, why is the ZX-14 such a fantastic motorcycle? I just came in from a twisty, backroad ride and I am always amazed at just how good this motorcycle is. It is smooth, plush, tremendously powerful, comfortable and when on fresh rubber handles as good as anything I own and I have some the best handling motorcycles ever built, an '09 ZX-6R, '11 and '16 ZX-10Rs, '16 959 Ducati and a '12 CBR 1000RR. A 10 year old motorcycle has no right to be this good but the fact is that it is really that good. Some things in life you just can't explain.

Then try a busa. Everything the gen1 14 is with a little better handling IMO. ...OH and bad brakes.

Rook, PLEASE read my post, I'm comparing to some of the best handling Supersport and Literbikes ever built, all parked in my garage and ridden on the same roads as my ZX-14. I don't recall anyone ever accusing the Hayabusa of being a particularly good handling machine, if yours handles better than your ZX-14 maybe it's time to find out why your 14 handles so poorly, bent frame perhaps, square wheels, suspension settings from a dump truck...etc.?

Kruz it's really unfortunate most people don't understand how capable this bike is cornering. I've said this here (and everyone) since I've been back in motorcycling, most of what people experience (figuratively) is in there heads. You know, they feel faster on one bike because it's specs are 430 lbs vs 5xx on something else. So basically, they see 590 lbs and assume it's a dump truck and will NEVEr get this out of their heads.

There's plently of videos of 14s at track days passing lightweight supersports and all that. I think it would make a difference on a professional level or maybe someone who circuit races. For good riders that do track days, quite honestly have a difficult time they'd be really any faster on a 600 or 1000 (or whatever moto stuff that's popular these days).

Right Vic, I continuously tell people how good this bike is on a twisty backroad but no one really listens, you're right, they're thinking it's over 500 lbs so how can it possibly handle...but handle it does. In the real world you can't ride a spec sheet.

Did you ever ride a busa? I've ridden both my 14 and my busa under every imaginable condition. The busa wins for cornering feel at all speeds. I notice it immediately. With old tires, it still felt better than the 14. If you like your 14 as much as your ZX-6, you should try a busa.

Its a design characteristic of a complex system that is intentionally over designed due to the big heavy engine. Same thing happens with airplanes with big overpowered engines and boats with big overpowered engines. To accommodate the load cases from the extra power everything is beefed up to make sure nothing is marginal from a stress and loads case. The structures are just a bit stronger and stiffer than normal. The bearings a just a bit better than normal so the pre-load can be higher and stiffer. We never hear about tank slappers in the 14 because the head bearings and pre-load are just that small bit greater/stiffer to handle the loads so dynamics dont couple into the structure resonance.

The structure and suspension is all just a bit over-designed to make the structural dynamics unaffected by the modes and inputs from the bike in normal use. The KHI engineers did a great job in creation a over-designed, over-damped system that works superbly with a 200 Hp bike with 120 lb-ft torque. There is a good reason this bikes 580 lbs.

I believe, from a professional opinion, KHI designed one of the best big powerful fast and comfortable motorcycles that is easy to ride and control of all times.

It really is a great example of complex engineering done right. Sounds like the new 10R and H2 are in the same class of quality design.

I loved my '06 once it was all dialed in and I love the '14 14R even more.

I agree, I don't have a garage full, but I hit a track day
about once a month on my zx10.

The zx14 to me feels just like the zx10, just bigger is stature.

If you get a little body english on the 14 in the corners she
falls right in place and doesn't fight you at all. Still surprises me.

Now parked along with a bunch of millennials on there R1's, 10's, 6's etc.
they just do not get the 14 at all.

Yes, I have to agree with both of you, the 14 really is a confidence inspiring ride that defies conventional wisdom, KHI really did their homework on this one and it shows. About a month ago I met up with a gaggle of literbikes for a spirited Sunday morning back road ride in the twisties. I was the sole rider on a Japanese bike on my '06 ZX-14, the rest mounted on the latest Euro exotica, Aprilia RSV4s and a BMW S1000RR. They essentially dismissed me and my 10 year old 14 until the ride got going. I started out as tail end Charlie in the group until I realized these guys were going way too slow in the corners, they'd go balls out, accelerate hard on the straights and then back off for the turns. I waited to make my move and shot passed the whole group going into a high speed sweeper and basically checked out. OK, I felt bad but I sometimes get tired of the Euro snobbery of these groups. I have no problem taking the 14 out in a group of experienced riders on literbikes, IMHO it gives up nothing in this venue.

I agree. I have gone on some group rides with some fast guys on Supersports. They glance at me and smile. Then the ride starts. I've actually seen some look in their mirrors and be surprised to see me right there on their ass. At the stops, some kind of stoll over and look the bike over. And this includes the rides when I'm 2- up with the wife.

Mad

He he, I love that look when they see this big whale of a machine barreling down on them hard in their rear view mirrors...in a corner!! I've noticed lately the ZX-14s are starting to get the respect they deserve. One of the forum moderators on zx-10r.net bought one and has been gushing about it's attributes non-stop. Folks are paying attention to him because they know him and know what he has been riding, so it gives him credibility.

http://www.zx-10r.net/forum/f23/new-sheriff-town-314625.html

The 14 can be ridden fast on the track and I've seen it done with creditable results but it's on real world backroads that it really shines. It is the only bike in my stable that I could comfortably ride several hundred miles of highway to the twisties, beat them up for a few hours and then ride it home again on the same day on the highway. I'd be screaming uncle on a literbike.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/29/2016 @ 8:44 AM *