ZX-14 vs FZ6

[Have2BeFree]

Sorry guys - no comparison!

My friend let me take a ride on his ZX last night and wow, what a rush! It is so smooth and powerful and now I know why people race the 1/4 mile! I am in love...........are you going to ban me now?

 

[wolfc70]

No :ban:, but the ZX14 is a nice bike. I found it kinda big and clumsy, but once you open the throttle, pretty much everything else is meaningless, talk about stupefying power. First bike I rode that actually scared me when I opened the throttle in second gear. I like this motor in the much more useful and practical package as the Concours 14.

 

[Red Wazp]

Think that over powered tub could keep up in the twisties? I doubt it.

 

[CZAR357]

Never rode a zx-14 but man would I love to! Just as a one time thing probably because I don't want to die! That thing is a beast!

 

[reiobard]

man, the ZX14 would be nice to try out for a day, but it is much to huge for me, the entire bike looks massive and clumsy IMO.

 

[OZXJR]

I really like Kwaka's and the power they have is incredible .

 

[SovietRobot]

I'd like a concours 14, that way I could have the power and still tour with it

 

[Raid The Revenge]

My brother owns the 2008 ZX-14 special edition.

We went on a trip (100KM) and stopped for an ice-cream. He asked if I wanted to ride it. I finished that ice-cream really quickly.

I'm not going to lie; if you're power hungry the ZX-14 is your best remedy. It's the most badass bike I've ever ridden. It's just pure power. All the parts are really tight, because even just placing your hand on the throttle will cause it to accelerate.

The good news:

1) Pure power.
2) Looks so badass it scares people.
3) They don't call it a Ninja for nothing; the bike is hauntingly quiet.
4) Stops NOW! Just placing your hand on the brake-lever makes the bike STOP.
5) VERY EASY to service. Coolant, battery and oil changes are in their own "shelves." That's right, you unscrew a hatch and there's the section you want. It's ingenious. R1 oil-changes are a pain in the ass.
6) The only mod you want is bracket framesliders. That is all.
7) 300 KM/ hour and VERY STABLE at that speed. (Yes, we dragged it).
8) Don't underestimate the handling. Even with the long swingarm, it still has FANTASTIC handling. DO NOT RACE A ZX-14 WITH AN FZ6 - YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING ARE VERY SLIM. EVEN IN A 10-TURN RACE. It's the frame, tires, forks, suspension, brakes...the list goes on and on.

I've ridden both bikes; trust me.

Now for the BAD NEWS:

1) The bike gets really hot really fast.
2) The ZX-14 is a pure afterburner. BINGO FUEL!!
* The fuel consumption is only a little bit more than an R6...
3) Insurance is very, very, very expensive.
4) You guys complain about the 1st-gear "clunk" on an FZ6??
------The ZX-14 has a 1st-gear CRUNCH. It feels like stomping on a skull. I'm not kidding. It makes the most grotesque CRUNCH from Neutral to 1st gear. Gah! I'll never forget it.
5) Although all the lights are automatically flushmounted, I have a feeling there's something bad about that...don't know what it is...just a bad feeling.
6) The 2008 special edition is not a gloss finish...it's matte. It's really difficult to clean. Looks cool though.

There you have it. I hope this enlightened you.

 

[cv_rider]

All the parts are really tight, because even just placing your hand on the throttle will cause it to accelerate.

I suppose some would consider that a feature - some sort of "melding of mind with machine" type of thing. However, I would have ditched numerous times if my bike did that. It's not too uncommong for meto hit a bump in the road and my grip on the throttle moves around a bit. Wouldn't want to a doing an unplanned wheelie. I like having to give some definite inputs into the FZ6 to make it respond. Gives a bit of margin of error.

Nice comparo writeup, BTW.

 

[Hollywood416]

I've ridden the ZX14 as well...I didn't get the same feeling...yes if you've got a power urge it will fix it the power is amazing but IMHO it handles like a tank compared to the FZ. Also having ridden the Hayabusa quite a bit I feel the Busa is a better "handling" bike than the 14 though not quite as fast. Absolutely No Way a ZX would even hold a candle to a good rider on an FZ through tight twisties. Great touring bike, great Hwy bike but worthless in the mountains or canyons. Also as said it does have a real rough feeling tranny like most every other kawi I have ever ridden.

 

[CrazyBiker]

still lighter and less bulkier than an FJR.

 

[trailblazer87]

My cousin has a ZX-14, in a straight it is pointless to try and keep up. When we are in the mountains I pull away easily in the curves. He dropped it while trying to keep up. Now I have a couple of friends with ZX-10's and they run away from me every time even in the curves.