Dragking you had me till the end. So the bmw dosen't need anything from the factory,and me and my friends are wanna be racers? First off you have no idea how little or great my motorcycle knowledge is or defiantly know idea how long ive been racing or riding bikes. But lets forget about me for a moment. The bmw,the zx14r,and the older zx14 among MANY MANY bikes needs NOTHING from the factory AT ALL. They are amazing bikes stock,all of them. People CHOOSE to add to them to make them their own and chase ever bit of power or handling they can get. I can honestly say my 14r was the first bike i thought i would never touch except for getting rid of that horrible exhaust. But like most i was bored in my garage and my mind started day dreaming,and i have a big enough wallet to spoil myself,so i did. Now onto the beemer. My 2 friends i ride with off and on with the bemmers,one is a extremly good rider and also dragraces. The bmw doesn't come PERFECT from the factory as you say my friend will tell you. They both went -1 tooth down front for the lack of low to mid range power. Also one has a full arrow exhaust and the other has a full austin racing exhaust,and both have gained with a tune over 12+hp each. So i think the beemer does leave somethings from the factory. Futhermore my racing friend came from a 2010 cbr 1000,and was a lil underwhelmed when riding his bmw for awhile because of the lack of power below 9000 rpms. He said compared to the cbr it felt like a gsxr 750. So every bike COULD use something from the factory..........or not and you would be happy with it i'm sure.

* Last updated by: zx14racer on 5/25/2013 @ 9:19 PM *

Regarding my perception (key term, here) of the RR's scoot factor under 9,000 rpm...........

Sure, it was not the torque factory the 14R is from low to mid range, but it was not as lacking as some may think. The size of the bike, and its power to weight ratio was rolling my eyeballs back pretty easily.

Sure, the arm straightening power really comes on at higher RPM, but from what I have seen in repeated clips over the last few months I've been looking into these bikes, the RR will just about hold with a 14R, even in a drag race.

I am not what you'd call a well seasoned rider with these machines, but I do know I was impressed with the bike, and was not disappointed at all, at any RPM range. And this is coming from someone who has a 14R as a primary bike.

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 5/25/2013 @ 9:31 PM *

And dragking i never went after the older 14 at all. I had an 09 se orange and black. I only sold it because i was buying a brand new bigger home and thought i would need the money. Well when i settled down i realized i could buy a bike again and fell in love with the 2012 green se. But would i trade in an older 14 worked like yours for a new 14r. Hell no your bike is great as is. People get so over hyped about the newest thing. IMHO the new 14r vs the older 14 on a normal day to day bike......no real difference. They say stiffer this sharper that,and guess what,no one here has pusher their older 14 or older bike all the way or close to it,let alone the newer 14r. The ONLY thing i'll say is this,on a long road if each bike mod for mod,or my bike vs yours with twin riders the new 14r will simply walk away everytime. But who cares,i mean how many times are you on an open road long enough that the new 14r has the time to start to walk away.....really? So i see your point drag and i agree with ALOT of it. Enjoy the bike you have no matter what it is,because in reality it's only a mere second or 2 and a couple feet or so that really separtes them. And again i'm not hating on the bmw,because one day soon people will be like hey wheres zxracer and somebody will say i don't know but there is this new guy over at the bmw forum's named bmwracer!!!!!!!!!!!!

* Last updated by: zx14racer on 5/25/2013 @ 9:34 PM *

Regarding my perception (key term, here) of the RR's scoot factor under 9,000 rpm...........
Sure, it was not the torque factory the 14R is from low to mid range, but it was not as lacking as some may think. The size of the bike, and its power to weight ratio was rolling my eyeballs back pretty easily.
Sure, the arm straightening power really comes on at higher RPM, but from what I have seen in repeated clips over the last few months I've been looking into these bikes, the RR will just about hold with a 14R, even in a drag race.
I know I was impressed with the bike, and was not disappointed at all, at any RPM range.
Link | Top | Bottom

Drag I'm not trying to defend the bike. No reason to. Next year I might be riding the Honda V4 or Zx-10R. I just simply don't find the BMW lacking in mid range grunt. Of course I've added a full Brock's system with PC 5 and dropped another 25 lbs which makes the bike mental.

My comments earlier regarding "putting pavement between the BMW and the 14R were in total reference to riding in the twisties. I sold my 14 after buying the BMW because there was no comparison in handling for what i consider fun riding to be, as in making the bike turn;). I stand by the comment that the 14 cannot keep up in the tight stuff but then again it's a sports tourer. One I'm sure I will own again at some point.

* Last updated by: Jagman on 5/25/2013 @ 9:58 PM *

Jagman you had and now have an amazing bike. I hope oneday soon i'll be able to own the bemmer also. It is a world changing bike,that you have to give it.

I really didn't read all 49 pages but i did skim over a few of them ..

Just an update if you guys missed it .. My zx14R has gone 8.43 with a best MPH of 164.95
Now the BMW 1000rr has run 8.44 with less MPH ..And that BMW was running MR12 .. My numbers were on pump gas 89 shell .. Keep in mind JT ran that number and is one of the best pro riders out there today .. I'm just an old 57 year old and not a pro , I may ride pretty good but i'm no pro like JT ..The bike were set up with close to the same mods but for the fuel that was used , orings cut off the BMW chain and less than 0 wt oil ..Now i'm sure if you put JT on my bike we would see some 8.30s without MR12 ..Maybe faster with MR12 ..The BMW is no joke in the right hands ..Both Zx14r and the BMW are to top of the food chain and what it all comes down to is who is riding it ..I myself don't liter bikes , too cramped and a bad ride ( to stiff ) I'm not into riding twistys so i would never use what the BMW has to offer..The zx14R fits me even if i'm a smaller guy ..In the end pick what you like and ride the wheels off of it and be happy ..

And for the record my gen 1 ZX14 never had the head off .. 8.76 was the best pass ever on motor .. It went 8.56@ 163 on a 30 shot ..So my ZX14R has gone 8.43 ..3.3 tenths faster motor to motor ..Even with a 30 shot on my Gen 1 it was 1.3 tenths slower than my Gen 2 zx14r on motor only..

* Last updated by: Smokinzx14 on 5/25/2013 @ 11:52 PM *

Drag the only reason Garth rebuilt his 10 was he torched the motor with nitrous, 190 is only a flash, tune, and pipe away...

Smokin - off topic but do they offer a flash kit yet so you don't have to ship your ecu?

When smokin(Lee Pricthard) chimes in case closed. If you guys don't know who he is,he is one of the best non pro riders out there PERIOD. And he puts up those numbers in hot and humid florida. Love to see him in atco,a very fast track. He also does alot of work in helping out brock test his products. Hell any man who can drive a bike like that can test out my produts to,if i had any!!!!!!! And jason they do not,you have to send it in to either brocks,or another one is ivan's. I know with brocks it's usally a week at the most till you get it back.

* Last updated by: zx14racer on 5/26/2013 @ 6:18 AM *

Boyz to reiterate, IMO I will never own a BMW1Krr, ever, never! Beautiful ride, the ergos just do not allow this. Even if I shed the remaining 30lbs, I just don't fit for ride duties I would use a motorcycle for. Once all the flash bomb of owning one starts to receed, the every day liveability of the bike takes over. And this is where I would hurt. I could in reflection, build or move close to a racetrack, because then I'd have to reconsider my opinion and just blast on it. For now I am a ZXman to the core (my boy and I went to a bike shop and I have stopped looking at other bikes), quite telling, I'd say.
Mad love brothers, and for those who can, enjoy that beautiful bmw 1000rr

On the ECU flashing there is a guy offering a do it yourself flash kit for the zx14R .. Just google Woolich Racing ..

Smokin is referring to drag racing, not twisties or canyon carving.

And yet they are that close. A 999cc being "comparable" (reasonable term) to the big Ninja's 1441cc

Once again, he is talking Drag racing.

Wow! What color of RR am I gonna get is my new predicament!

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 5/26/2013 @ 9:55 AM *

I love arguments that end well. Thanks for chiming in Smokin...
In short, we're talking about tenths of seconds in the real world. For guys like Smokin one tenth can be an eternity but for most people here it makes no difference that's why those hp and tq numbers people brag about don't mean nothing to me. I was really excited when I first saw those figures, then I saw the numbers the S1000RR was putting at the trip. Just from JT numbers you can see that in the street with normal guys, winning or loosing fall on the rider ability while at the strip it's a different story because skills are matched.

Jason... Several members here hit 190-192 just with a pipe on their 1st generation 14. I bet the ZX-10R can get pretty close just with a reflash but unfortunately there is no 190 MPH club that I know of so if one wanna get a t-shirt, 200 MPH is the way to go. Busa, Beemer are both more aerodynamic than the 14 so to get in the 200MPH club, you have to throw more $$ at the 14. It appears to be the same way for the ZX-10.
^^^ ZXracer that's what I was referring to when I said Kawasaki line of sport bikes (at the exception of the ZX-6R) need lot of $$ to be king of the Jungle. There is a huge difference between a flashed ZX-10R and a stock one, just like there is a huge difference between a flashed 14R and a stock 14R. I don't know what they were thinking about with the safety mode. Beemer and Suzuki are not worried about that. They make the bike and let you decide if you're man enough to ride it. Kawasaki on the other hand wanna please everybody. And as you implied, I'm not telling anybody to go by an older ZX-14. If I was starting from scratch today, I would look for a barely used 14R with ABS. My tuner even told me that if I wanted to get in the 200 MPH club, the ZX-14R was the shortest route there. However, in my current situation I feel like the after market is moving faster than manufacturers and going around a corner is priority.

An informative and concise summary DragKing...
Cheers to all!
Wman

It seems it doesn't take a lot of cash to set records on a new ZX14r ..Read the story and see the pictures .208 MPH on a lake bed with stock exhaust ..
http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewsArchives/2013/March/Kawsaki_Record.htm

I know some of read other bikes sites and know that Shanes wife hit over 200 her first try in the standing mile on the new ZX14r .. Also Bobc in the UK hit well over 200 his first try in the standing mile .

BobC from the UK 203.1 standing mile ..

* Last updated by: Smokinzx14 on 5/26/2013 @ 1:43 PM *

I read those but it doesn't apply to the over 200lbs crowd!
Actually I haven't heard the first story but I will check it out. I'm sure the guy is tiny and the wind was blowing hard in the right direction and just because of her weight Shane's wife could probably hit 200 mph on a 1st gen with the same mod but you've got a good argument with Bobc's story I need to check it out.

* Last updated by: dragking on 5/26/2013 @ 3:45 PM *

None of that stuff makes a tinker's dam on real world roads, no one is doing 200 mph on Texas Farm to Market roads or highways, and if they are it certainly won't be for long so silly to really talk about it. You're asking for immediate arrest or death as you are impaled on some farmers back bumper.

95% of the equation is rider skill, bikes being anywhere near comparable they're the other 5%. That's why the old guy on a clapped out SV650 can spank you on the track on your shiny new Whizbang1000 or whatever. It's the rider, it's really that simple.

I ride the Gen4 ZX-10R, the CBR1000RR, the ZX-6R and the Gen 1 ZX-14 and can go down the same twisty road just as fast on any of them, right up to the point where the 14 starts dragging hard parts.

I get so tired about hearing about this or that ultimate machine, there is no such thing, they're all bloody fast in the right hands!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 5/26/2013 @ 4:18 PM *

Kruz be honest you're a tad faster on the liter and 600. The lack of cornering clearance is one reason I won't be getting another 14 soon. I'm getting close to dragging hard parts and I'm doing a couple of track days this summer...
As far as the 200mph and drag racing, this is the only way to test through HP. No?
I admit it's mostly an ego thing but hyper bike that heavy should be able to reach 200mph. It's like a Ferrari, you pay top $$ for the performances but you don't have to play Steve McQueen.

Exactly

Alot, or shall I say, a good amount, of the appeal of these bikes is the thrill of riding and developing your skills on a bike that "you know has such potential". That also means these famous bikes come with a built-in "wow factor" in anyone who knows anything about the latest and greatest on the sportbike market.
That "aura" these two macines especially have, creates a "buzz" when you ride roll up on it to enjoy a ride with friends; friends that will already know how lethal your machine is before you even say a word. As drag king said, ego plays a part. A good feeling of pride that comes from just having and enjoying a bike you know is we beyond your skill level. That is something that I feel many "ordinary joes" are attracted to. A bike with a reputation that precedes it.

I bet a very small percentage of the RR owners are able to take their bikes to their limits

Just my opinion, of course

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 5/26/2013 @ 4:26 PM *

dragking did you look at the picture of the guy that went 208 ? He makes two of me .. He makes the zx14r look small setting on it ..Plus he is hauling the weight of the stock exhaust ..And this was on salt !! anyone that has run on salt will tell you it's harder to go fast ..BobC is also a big guy ..I'll see if i can't find a picture of Bobc ..

BobC far right on his ZX14R

As you can see Bobc is no little target in a zx14 ..

* Last updated by: Smokinzx14 on 5/26/2013 @ 4:36 PM *

Kruz be honest you're a tad faster on the liter and 600.

I can't afford to buy the latest and greatest every 12 months so I have to focus on the riding skill portion of the equation which more than compensates for any perceived differences in outright power. It's not how much power I have that concerns me but how much power I can use. 600 is plenty fast enough and I take that one out more than the others as I can utilize a far greater portion of what it has.

Now straight line roll ons are a different story but that's really not my bag and there's always a bend in the road just ahead.

Shanes wife on Bill Warners bike.. Bill on the right in the picture ..

Kruz i'm sure you are 100% right .. Hell the only turn my zx14r ever sees is the turn off at the end of the 1/4 mile :)

* Last updated by: Smokinzx14 on 5/26/2013 @ 5:04 PM *

BobC 203+ MPH pass ..

http://youtu.be/GNpyUmcgu8Q

* Last updated by: Smokinzx14 on 5/26/2013 @ 5:03 PM *

Kruz i'm sure you are 100% right .. Hell the only turn my zx14r ever sees is the turn off at the end of the 1/4 mile :)

Different strokes Smokin, I can't do what you do bro, that 60 ft time seems to be where it all happens, never tried it but it looks like the mother of all balancing acts, serious skills needed to do that.

Hey smokin! Wicked links and pics! No other stock bike runnin around with a stock exhaust runnin over 200+!!!!! You are not getting a lot of responses to your post directly because you basically just shot the argument all to hell and settled it!!!!! :))))) Thank you sir, for your time and attention in this matter.