Kawasaki Zx-14 Vs. Suzuki Hayabusa

Kawasaki ZX-14 vs. Suzuki Hayabusa

Dancing with the Stars

DON CANET

SIZE, POWER AND GRACE CAN OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE. Future NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith donned dance shoes to demonstrate that fact to prime-time television viewers. Today's heavyweight sportbikes are likewise skilled; in fact, when it's time to tango, one couldn't ask for better partners than these two ultra-performance offerings from Kawasaki and Suzuki. Both are adept at everything from the NHRA hustle to the backroad rhumba. They are two of the most powerful mass-produced motorcycles ever built, yet they possess plenty of class and versatility.

When either the Kawasaki ZX-14 or Suzuki Hayabusa comes up in conversation, the main topic is seldom handling prowess or comfort but instead is brute power, acceleration and speed. When these two last squared up in a Cycle World 2x2 (“Speed Kings,” September, 2006), the big Ninja was all-new from nose to tail, while the ’Busa remained a carryover with nothing more than new graphics-and the Heavyweight title belt, of course.

Kawasaki’s engineering efforts paid off with commanding performances at the strip and on the dyno. Street civility sealed the deal: The ZX-14 has been CWs Best Open-Class Streetbike for two years running.

This year’s eagerly anticipated rematch held added interest due to updates each bike received for 2008. Kawasaki’s focus was more on improving the Ninja’s electronically softened low-to-midrange power output. Suzuki gave the Hayabusa a more comprehensive treatment, both cosmetically and mechanically, with a 2mm stroke increase upping the engine’s capacity to 1340cc, giving it a fighting chance against the 1352cc Kawasaki.

Both have packed on some weight in the interim, 6 pounds for the 537-pound Ninja, its revised exhaust system with a third catalytic converter carrying much of the blame.

That’s small potatoes, however, compared to the 552-pound Hayabusa, now weighing in 20 pounds more than before, handing the Kawi a big weight advantage.

Then came the dyno runs, and all that extra poundage seemed not so important. While the Ninja matched the ’Busa’s robust delivery below 6000 rpm-even during thirdand fourth-gear pulls—it tailed off considerably above 8000 rpm and was down an astounding 10 horsepower on the Hayabusa’s 173.4-hp peak production. This was particularly disappointing considering our 2006 ZX-14 testbike produced 170.2 peak horsepower.

To reduce power when traction is less than perfect, the Suzuki features a three-position power-mode selector switch on its right handlebar. Toggling into C-mode reigned in peak ponies to 115, while B-mode allowed 156 horsepower and maintained an extremely flat torque spread across an 8000rpm span. Once the novelty wore thin, we left the engine in its full-output state the majority of the time.

Both bikes utilize fuel-injection systems featuring electronically controlled secondary throttle valves that effectively smooth engine response and maintain a degree of civility in power delivery when the throttle is snapped open.

Following the duel on CW’s dyno, we put the power to the pavement at our high-desert test site. Both bikes are equipped with durable clutches that stood up to repeated hard launches. Despite its peak output deficit, the ZX-14 made good use of its newfound midrange muscle on the launch, nailing down a (corrected-to-sea-level) 9.79-second E.T. that came within a whisker of the 9.78-second showing of our ’06-model Ninja. Consistent with its new power characteristics, the ’08 model’s 144.47-mph quarter-mile terminal speed was a full 2 mph slower than that of its peakpower-endowed predecessor.

Suzuki redeemed itself, with the new ’Busa erasing the memory of a just-into-the-nines run (9.98 seconds at 143 mph) from our 2006 shootout. The new bike’s best pass was 9.75 seconds at 147.02 mph. Although our bike had posted an even-quicker 9.70-second run at 148.48 mph when tested a few weeks earlier (“Hayabusa by the Numbers,” February), the spirit of a 2x2 comparison stipulates mat we per form back-to-back runs under the same eonditionlFKegqrdless the Suzuki is still the quickest production motorcycle this magazine has ever tested.

Considering that both manufacturers’ self-imposed topspeed treaty is still in place, it’s no surprise that both bikes blasted past our radar gun at a stalemate 186 mph. The only difference was the authority with which the ’Busa reached its rev limit in sixth gear; the Ninja seemed to struggle in eking out the last few hundred rpm and mph before engine stutter could be detected. Both bikes were very stable at high speed and provided decent wind protection when the rider was in a full riding tuck with his chest on the tank. The optics of the Ninja’s smoke-tint screen, however, are superior to those of ’Busa’s clear bubble.

Close match so far, but advantage Hayabusa.

Riding these bikes on the road revealed several tangible traits that swayed the vote to and fro. The Ninja offers lighter, more neutral steering feel whether weaving through a parking lot or ripping up a twisty mountain road. The Kawasaki comes without a steering damper and never felt as though it needed one. The Suzuki has the same non-adjustable damper as in the past, lending it a hint of heaviness and loss in steering feel. The ’Busa’s handlebars and footpegs employ rubberized mounting, while the smoother-running Kawasaki allows solid mounting for a more direct rider/ machine interface.

Suspension calibration of both bikes strikes a good balance between everyday comfort and sporting capability. The Ninja fork, though, is a tad soft and bottomed under hard braking; dialing its compression-damping adjuster nearly all the way in offered an improvement, if not a complete cure. Both bikes have shocks with threaded collars, making spring-preload adjustment more difficult than ramp-style adjusters; a shame, as these bikes are likely to see more passenger or sport-touring loads than a repli-racer. Shockdamping adjusters are difficult to reach on both models, each requiring a longer-shank flat-blade screwdriver than the ones provided in the stock toolkits.

The difference in riding positions is subtle, with the ’Busa feeling bigger and having a slightly longer reach to the bars. The Ninja’s bars are a tad higher with a flatter angle that reduces weight on your wrists for better longrange comfort. The Ninja saddle also gets our vote for its thicker padding and rounder edges. The footpegs on the Ninja are located about an inch farther forward than the ’Busa’s in relation to the leading edge of the seat, raising the rider’s knees a bit higher alongside the tank; both bikes offer generous tank side recesses, however, that accommodate taller riders.

Engine vibration also contributes to the Ninja’s greater comfort quotient, proving unbelievably smooth across a broad rev range that allows a silky cruise at speeds in excess

of 100 mph. The ’Busa, in contrast, remains fairly smooth up to 4500 rpm-good for about 75 mph in top gearbefore annoying vibes are felt through its bars, pegs and tank.

It’s unfortunate that its sweet-spot threshold coincides5 with the speed at which freeway traffic flows in Southern California. This vibration, which comes and goes, offers ’Busa pilots a tactile warning system of sorts; the Ninja’s smoothness, combined with the ease with which either of these machines can creep above legal speeds with the throttle barely cracked open, had us often unintentionally cruising at higher speeds aboard the ZX-14.

SUZUKI HAYABUSA

$11,999

Alps ^ Quickest production bike ever A Hip-hop styling, tip-top performance A Legendary reputation Downs T Longish reach to bars T Engine can be buzzy v NO faster than a ZX-14

KAWASAKI ZX-14

$11.699

Ups A Now has grunt in every gear A Silky-smooth runner A Strong brakes Downs ▼ Midnight Sapphire paint shows dirt and scratches ▼ Lacks storage space ▼ No faster than a Hayabusa

Shift action is very good on both bikes, allowing smooth changes up and down through their sixspeed boxes. Both have hydraulic clutch actuation with nice engagement feel, and neither has an overly stiff lever pull. Drivetrain lash is also a non-issue.

Rearview mirrors are particularly useful during city rid-

ing-or when hop-scotching at speed through freeway traffic. The ’Busa’s boxy rectangular jobs may appear dated next to the sleek, stylish mirrors of the Ninja, but if you value mirrors that provide a good look rather than look good, the choice is clear. The 5 and 7 o’clock blind spots aboard the Ninja are notably larger than those of the Hayabusa.

Other details? The Kawi has a helmet lock that doesn’t require removal of the seat, but under the ’Busa’s passenger pad you’ll find enough honest-to-goodness storage space to stash more than just an empty wallet. The ZX14’s toolkit occupies almost all the limited space under its seat. Suzuki’s solo seat cowl is a ’Busa bonus; its hollow interior offers nearly a gallon of additional stowage. Whether or not you like the styling of the ’Busa’s big booty, it sure can carry some Junk in the trunk.

There’s no doubt that Suzuki has reclaimed its position as the performance leader when it comes to top-dog bragging rights with an amazing powerplant and smoking quarter-mile time. But when it comes to picking the perfect partner for a night on the town or several days on the road, there’s not a better balance of power, finesse, smoothness and grace than the Kawasaki ZX-14. Cha cha cha! E