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BIKES: 2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R Press Intro: From Brock’s Point of View
Brock Davidson reviews the 2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R.
Brock Davidson rides the 2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R. (Photos by: Kevin Wing and Adam Campbell)
I’m not exactly sure what has gotten into the Japanese giant, but when you twist the throttle on their new flagship, you had better be ready for some serious (controlled) acceleration. Gone is the miserable neutering that would allow a healthy 600 to momentarily jump out in front of the original 2006 ZX-14, unless of course you removed the restrictive secondary butterflies, or added an aftermarket gizmo called a TRE (pre-2008 ZX-14,) but these came at the expense of releasing a harsh burst of power which could only be considered disruptive at best if you were trying to enjoy your favorite twisties. Instead, the new 14R rewards the rider with smooth, even what I would consider deceptive power delivery via sophisticated electronics inspired by the 2011 ZX-10R KTRC Traction Control System. But let’s digress for a moment and talk about a little modern ‘go-fast’ history and milestone model introductions.
In this day and age, the history of the open class hyperbike really begins in 1999 when Suzuki unleashed the Hayabusa, and it simply crushed everything previously considered fast. I haven’t exactly figured out why some of the others have been so unwilling to try and compete with the mighty Busa; odds are it revolves around liability, but one thing is for certain, Yamaha and Honda are still firmly rooted ‘under the porch’ in this category. In 2006, Kawasaki released the first generation ZX-14, and I for one, was thrilled. I ran down to my local dealer, purchased one for myself and documented my performance enhancing escapades for all to see.
I truly enjoyed my 14 and it became an instant favorite in my stable; apples to apples it was smoother, faster, handled better, stopped quicker, and was considerably more comfortable than a Gen 1 Busa, in my humble opinion. The 14’s only real flaw came when you decided to move to step two – hot rodding the engine. Most drag racers and many ‘slammed and stretched’ aficionados only like to keep their engine stock for so long, you know? But with the 14, if you left the engine alone and just bolted-on aftermarket performance or customization items, the bike was a fantastic platform as its large and ever-growing fan base indicates.The overall gap between the 14 and Gen 1 Busa was enough to get some Busa owners to jump ship to Team Green and entice new purchases, but from a loyalty (and many financial based) standpoint, quite a few Busa owners simply opted to build their existing engine to keep up. The Busa is very hot rod friendly, and the aftermarket world is teaming with parts to help the performance gap be eliminated and preferably reversed quickly, quietly and inexpensively in one’s own garage. So much for Kawasaki’s attempt to build a better mouse trap. Drag racers are cheap; what can we say…?
Enter the Gen 2 Busa in 2008. Even though it wasn’t the type of ‘suplex from the top rope’ that the Gen 1 Busa proved compared to the competition, it was a REALLY good bike based on a refined version of the dominant Gen 1 Busa and still retained its ‘buildable’ engine layout.
Kawasaki re-released their 2008 ZX-14 at the same time, in an attempt to boost somewhat lackluster 2007 sales, with modifications that included (drum roll please) opening the secondary throttle plates on the 2008 unit at basically the same rate as adding a TRE to the earlier machines (which received rather anticlimactic, “That’s it?” response from the go fast community.) They made a couple other changes also, but after the addition of the aftermarket mods that we do were performed (pipe, Power Commander etc.) the Gen 2 Busa was quicker and faster than the 08 ZX-14, and that’s really the only thing that anyone who buys these bikes really cares about at the end of the day and we have all been sitting in this same state since 2008 with only the ‘bold new graphics’ versions entering showrooms each year, until now.
I’m going to briefly touch on the introduction of the 2010 BMW S1000RR. Because it makes about the same peak power as the two brands/models above, yet weighs the better part of 100 lbs. less as we set them up, it really must be classified as a performance milestone of its own. With the BMW’s ultra short wheelbase and incredible power, it’s basically unrideable (to quick elapsed times) in the quarter mile -- at least in stock wheelbase form -- unless it’s in the hands of a professional jockey. As a result, and unlike the Busa and 14, the RR’s wheelbase must be extended to truly utilize its power-to-weight ratio for drag race purposes. At the time of its release in 2010, there were no other bikes in the 1000 cc category which even came close, so big bike comparisons were inevitable. Now that Kawasaki has released the 2011 ZX-10R, the BMW S1000RR now enjoys some ‘in class’ competition. Quite frankly, it’s a purpose built, lightweight, nimble sportbike more suited for canyon carving and road race track days than straight line assaults or late night boulevard prowling and tune and test drag sessions, so I’m going to try to refrain from referring to it, as much as possible, in the open class wars.
So back to the 2012 ZX-14R Press Introduction: We are in Vegas -- a fitting spot for Kawasaki to hold its press introduction for the 14R in today’s economic climate. US big bike sales have steadily declined since 2008 (due to the recession,) so WHY would any company in their right mind allocate funds towards a declining market? Let’s talk about a gamble… The theme of Kawasaki’s 14R presentation was simple: Total Domination. They are so confident in their work on the new 14R, that they believe truly performance-minded enthusiasts will simply HAVE to have one. I also attended the dealer show in Orlando and this opinion was resonated across all lines: dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides, watercraft, etc... Kawasaki intends to establish themselves as the number one Japanese manufacturer in all areas, and it looks like they have decided that this down economy is the time to do it; the ZX-14R is their opening salvo to let their intentions be known. After all, this mess can’t last forever, and I’m guessing they don’t think their competition has deep enough pockets (or the willingness) to combat their assault. Will they dominate and end up on top when the smoke clears? History will tell the tale.
I could get very long winded about how well the new traction control system works on the 14R, but instead I’m just going to say that it’s seamless and confidence inspiring. In traction control mode three, you can’t spin the tire in a gravel parking lot. In TC mode two, you can whack the throttle wide open in first gear and the bike won’t let you scratch up the back of your shiny new helmet as it includes wheelie control. For novice and experienced riders alike, there is a mode you will appreciate at some point in your travels. Read about it and the rest of the technical spec’s here:
The Drag strip… Typically my favorite part:
I say typically, why? Because in my world, I wouldn’t be seen at the drag strip on any stock height bike with the mirrors on. Seriously, I would stay home and wash the cat or do laundry first. I spend my long days in front of a computer running my business -- not practicing my launch or exercising -- and have done so for many years. This means I can do a fine job embarrassing myself at the drag strip, and don’t have the need to make a bike harder to ride (or slow it down.) For those of you who may not know, the simple addition of a Brock’s Performance lowering kit can lower the elapsed time of a difficult to ride machine, such as the ZX-14R, by as much as four tenths of a second in the quarter mile. This is accomplished by lowering the overall bike and rider’s center of gravity and allowing the rider to apply more power SOONER in the run. (I know… I invented it.) This is especially important for heavier riders because their increased body mass makes the bike try to ‘loop’ out from under them more so than with a lighter rider. It also requires approximately twelve horsepower to push the mirrors of a modern sportbike 140 miles per hour. So we take them off, or fold them in, or do something besides just let them hang out in the wind making us go slower. YES, all of this knowledge is a bit of a curse sometimes, especially when I’m at the controls, but I try to make the best of it.
In this day and age, the history of the open class hyperbike really begins in 1999 when Suzuki unleashed the Hayabusa, and it simply crushed everything previously considered fast. I haven’t exactly figured out why some of the others have been so unwilling to try and compete with the mighty Busa; odds are it revolves around liability, but one thing is for certain, Yamaha and Honda are still firmly rooted ‘under the porch’ in this category. In 2006, Kawasaki released the first generation ZX-14, and I for one, was thrilled. I ran down to my local dealer, purchased one for myself and documented my performance enhancing escapades for all to see.
I truly enjoyed my 14 and it became an instant favorite in my stable; apples to apples it was smoother, faster, handled better, stopped quicker, and was considerably more comfortable than a Gen 1 Busa, in my humble opinion. The 14’s only real flaw came when you decided to move to step two – hot rodding the engine. Most drag racers and many ‘slammed and stretched’ aficionados only like to keep their engine stock for so long, you know? But with the 14, if you left the engine alone and just bolted-on aftermarket performance or customization items, the bike was a fantastic platform as its large and ever-growing fan base indicates.The overall gap between the 14 and Gen 1 Busa was enough to get some Busa owners to jump ship to Team Green and entice new purchases, but from a loyalty (and many financial based) standpoint, quite a few Busa owners simply opted to build their existing engine to keep up. The Busa is very hot rod friendly, and the aftermarket world is teaming with parts to help the performance gap be eliminated and preferably reversed quickly, quietly and inexpensively in one’s own garage. So much for Kawasaki’s attempt to build a better mouse trap. Drag racers are cheap; what can we say…?
Enter the Gen 2 Busa in 2008. Even though it wasn’t the type of ‘suplex from the top rope’ that the Gen 1 Busa proved compared to the competition, it was a REALLY good bike based on a refined version of the dominant Gen 1 Busa and still retained its ‘buildable’ engine layout.
Kawasaki re-released their 2008 ZX-14 at the same time, in an attempt to boost somewhat lackluster 2007 sales, with modifications that included (drum roll please) opening the secondary throttle plates on the 2008 unit at basically the same rate as adding a TRE to the earlier machines (which received rather anticlimactic, “That’s it?” response from the go fast community.) They made a couple other changes also, but after the addition of the aftermarket mods that we do were performed (pipe, Power Commander etc.) the Gen 2 Busa was quicker and faster than the 08 ZX-14, and that’s really the only thing that anyone who buys these bikes really cares about at the end of the day and we have all been sitting in this same state since 2008 with only the ‘bold new graphics’ versions entering showrooms each year, until now.
I’m going to briefly touch on the introduction of the 2010 BMW S1000RR. Because it makes about the same peak power as the two brands/models above, yet weighs the better part of 100 lbs. less as we set them up, it really must be classified as a performance milestone of its own. With the BMW’s ultra short wheelbase and incredible power, it’s basically unrideable (to quick elapsed times) in the quarter mile -- at least in stock wheelbase form -- unless it’s in the hands of a professional jockey. As a result, and unlike the Busa and 14, the RR’s wheelbase must be extended to truly utilize its power-to-weight ratio for drag race purposes. At the time of its release in 2010, there were no other bikes in the 1000 cc category which even came close, so big bike comparisons were inevitable. Now that Kawasaki has released the 2011 ZX-10R, the BMW S1000RR now enjoys some ‘in class’ competition. Quite frankly, it’s a purpose built, lightweight, nimble sportbike more suited for canyon carving and road race track days than straight line assaults or late night boulevard prowling and tune and test drag sessions, so I’m going to try to refrain from referring to it, as much as possible, in the open class wars.
So back to the 2012 ZX-14R Press Introduction: We are in Vegas -- a fitting spot for Kawasaki to hold its press introduction for the 14R in today’s economic climate. US big bike sales have steadily declined since 2008 (due to the recession,) so WHY would any company in their right mind allocate funds towards a declining market? Let’s talk about a gamble… The theme of Kawasaki’s 14R presentation was simple: Total Domination. They are so confident in their work on the new 14R, that they believe truly performance-minded enthusiasts will simply HAVE to have one. I also attended the dealer show in Orlando and this opinion was resonated across all lines: dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides, watercraft, etc... Kawasaki intends to establish themselves as the number one Japanese manufacturer in all areas, and it looks like they have decided that this down economy is the time to do it; the ZX-14R is their opening salvo to let their intentions be known. After all, this mess can’t last forever, and I’m guessing they don’t think their competition has deep enough pockets (or the willingness) to combat their assault. Will they dominate and end up on top when the smoke clears? History will tell the tale.
I could get very long winded about how well the new traction control system works on the 14R, but instead I’m just going to say that it’s seamless and confidence inspiring. In traction control mode three, you can’t spin the tire in a gravel parking lot. In TC mode two, you can whack the throttle wide open in first gear and the bike won’t let you scratch up the back of your shiny new helmet as it includes wheelie control. For novice and experienced riders alike, there is a mode you will appreciate at some point in your travels. Read about it and the rest of the technical spec’s here:
The Drag strip… Typically my favorite part:
I say typically, why? Because in my world, I wouldn’t be seen at the drag strip on any stock height bike with the mirrors on. Seriously, I would stay home and wash the cat or do laundry first. I spend my long days in front of a computer running my business -- not practicing my launch or exercising -- and have done so for many years. This means I can do a fine job embarrassing myself at the drag strip, and don’t have the need to make a bike harder to ride (or slow it down.) For those of you who may not know, the simple addition of a Brock’s Performance lowering kit can lower the elapsed time of a difficult to ride machine, such as the ZX-14R, by as much as four tenths of a second in the quarter mile. This is accomplished by lowering the overall bike and rider’s center of gravity and allowing the rider to apply more power SOONER in the run. (I know… I invented it.) This is especially important for heavier riders because their increased body mass makes the bike try to ‘loop’ out from under them more so than with a lighter rider. It also requires approximately twelve horsepower to push the mirrors of a modern sportbike 140 miles per hour. So we take them off, or fold them in, or do something besides just let them hang out in the wind making us go slower. YES, all of this knowledge is a bit of a curse sometimes, especially when I’m at the controls, but I try to make the best of it.
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