I test rode a black carbon model Diavel this summer.

Salesperson took me out on a good route of about 8 miles with mixed roads; some local streets, some nicer twisty blacktop, some highway and approach. Followed him on his Duc and got a good feel for the Diavel.

Really liked the sum' bich! Very different from the 14. Excellent torque and handling, even with that giant rear tire.

Of course, I loved the look or I wouldn't have been there. Not so smooth with the pwer pulses readily apparent at lower rpm. Handle bars too high and too far back for me (I'm 6'3" with 33 inseam and 210 lbs); would have to change the bars, that's fer sure; salesman says can easily do.

When we got back, I was ready to talk a deal in the fall. Sales guy didn't have any that weren't already sold and the carbon demo was going to go in the fall at a good discount. Let him know if I wanted to call dibs, on it.

So I'm thinking on the trade as I leave the urban area on the 14; and talking myself into a trade even though its a very different type of bike and I am a serial monogamist when it comes to motorcycles.

Then I got out into some more open country and realized I was way speeding and had reached that speed without drama and in total smoothness. I was perfectly comfortable on the 14 and as I dropped the left shoulder and blew around some slower ( isn't it all? ) traffic on the way home, I just knew there was no replacing my Ninja!

But wait, then I saw the rumors and releases on the 14R.

The rest is history. Heh, heh. Now I am a serial Ninja-ist.

Cycle World has a big write up on the new Panigale in the January issue. Maybe two pages on the new 14R. 195 HP is the crank number, rear wheel is going to be 165 to 170 I would imagine.

I got the latest issue of fast bike at Barnes and Noble. You should check it out Kruz. A little bit on the Panigale and 14R and a good test on the "S thou". Looks promising. They have an optional package that can send the 1000R north of 200 hp. The liter competition is crazy.

I can't keep up, my new 10R is not even 6 months old and already seriously outgunned by the new BMW. You'd have to be filthy rich to always have the fastest bike. I don't race, not yet anyway and seriously doubt I could use the 200 HP the new S1000R brings to the table.... on the roads I ride anyway. I'm focusing on improving my skilz, that's where my biggest gains are going to happen.

I don't blame you that s where I'm at minus 5 bikes. they have a calendar in the fast bikes and I like the new zx-10 colors: blue and black. I'm going for an 11 zx 10 end of next year and once I get the skills up....ecu reflash. U don't need 200hp to have fun. just a good track...
nurburgring

Just a reflash will put you at 180 rear wheel on the 10R with lots more from an Akra and a tune. I left mine butt stock, right down to the pipe for now. I'm not sure if the 10R will ever have the stones to go head to head with the S1000RR on the dyno but different story on a racetrack. Michael Dunlop ran off and hid from all the Beemers in this years IOM Superstock TT race. Rider could have had something to do with that I'm sure!

M Dunlop is crazy! When he s not racing he goes out there and paint posts and such so he can have breaking markers. now that's dedication.

When you get yours and get a little time on it, we can compare notes on best engine mods. I want the ECU reflash and free 15-20 HP for sure but most concerned with more midrange. I'm taking the same approach I did with my other bikes, sitting back and watching other folks make mistakes. A consensus will eventually form on what works and what doesn't.

Stock works...

So far stock does work, bike is smooth, very smooth linear power that doesn't start to really come on until over 11K then starts to fade out by 12.5K. Flies closing is the problem, ECU re-flash makes a huge difference, almost 25 rear wheel HP at redline, almost 20 HP at peak...Beemer territory without the midrange....and weight.

New 10R is lighter by 20 lbs than the BMW and is capable of getting very close in the power department, how much do you want to spend?

10R has better brakes, better suspension and better TC but U.S. version is neutered and gutless as delivered. 10R flicks better and has better stability at midcorner. Why does it lose then in magazine shootouts? KHI neutered it again, went almost far enough but quit when it had the prize in sight. 163 rear wheel is not enough when BMW brings 180 to the table. Bottom line, BMW is best selling liter for the third year in a row and wins every comparison in sight.

KHI, take note, go all the way or go home?

BTW, remember the Autopolis test teaser video KHI released? Gen 4 was 2 seconds a lap faster than the Gen 3, not true, all Kawi type hype. The new 10R plays second fiddle in lap times to the Honda CBR1000RR for the fourth straight year. New 10R has yet to win a shootout, perenial bridesmaid to a four year old Honda and Teutonic knockoff job.

Old bike actually won a couple shootouts against the Honda, Sport Rider in 2008 and 2009.

How again is the new bike improved?

Dragking, here is your '11 ZX-10R pipe, Graves Motorsports full system in titanium or stainless steel. Look what it does to the torque curve in the low to midrange, 12 lb -ft at 7000, outstanding numbers, that's Fireblade territory midrange, forget the BMW. This is without an ECU reflash or Powercommander, those will shift the torque curve up and further to the right for killer topend hit. Also drop one tooth on the countershaft, bike is way over geared to pass emissions.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/28/2011 @ 12:04 PM *

Kaw wants sales nothing else. Look at the 14 they put flies so the average joe can tell himself: I can do this. Same story with the 10R. Now the s thou wins in mag constests cause those testers are professionals. Give the s thou to a newbie on race mode... Watch him forget about his poty training. no compromise, just like the gixer 1000 was when it came out BRUTAL.

Give the s thou to a newbie on race mode... Watch him forget about his poty training.

LOL! Ain't that the truth. KHI stuck an Ohlins steering damper on the '08 10R and then gutted it so it didn't work. The story was their legal department was afraid some newb would crank it to max and crash trying to leave the parking lot.

Bottom line is Caveat Emptor, buyer beware! If you buy one of these , you should know what you are doing. I like BMW's approach, take no prisoners!

The only deficit that the 2011 10R has to the BMW is in the power depaqrtment...but that's a biggie. In virtually all other areas that matter, suspension, braking, handling, weight and TC it's better. The Beemer just has that monster motor that even the unrestricted Euro model 10R can't compete with. The restricted U.S. version doesn't stand a chance until you reflash the ECU. I think with reflash and the Graves full system, the 10R will stomp Beemer butt!

DO IT!!!!!! doit doit doit.

So I went and checked out the 14R today!!! The bike looks really good in blue. The fins are not as prononced as I thought but the bike looks really fierce. You could get a ticket parked. The suspensions feel better as far as I could tell seating on it, kaw must I found out that a lot of zx 14 riders weight more than 170 lbs! you all know about the performances so I'm going to talk about what I didn't like or wasn't impressed with...
The weight: I tilted that baby back and forth and felt the extra weight but this is due mainly to the fact that my 06 had slip ons when I got it and I switched to ct's therefore I never dealt with the original weight. That being said I would like to see something lighter.The seat like a lot mentionned is really good and though I find my sargeant to be better... the difference is not worth the $$. the pipes...YUCK... humongus... too big for a vessel. Some of u mentionned they could live with it... not me can't wait for for Brock and Aky to make a system for it.

Overall a nice bike perfect for a guy who hasn't modded his prev gen 14 heavily... I like what kaw did but they can do better... ABS, less bulk, moving headlights and I'm all over it. Keeping my 06 though the 99 hayabusa is supposed to gain more value hopefully the 06 14 will as well.

* Last updated by: dragking on 1/4/2012 @ 6:51 PM *

Oh I forgot to mention the windscreen. It is definitely to short for me.

Keeping my 06 though the 99 hayabusa is supposed to gain more value hopefully the 06 14 will as well.

I've been watching used bike prices with interest lately. I was expecting to see used prices soar as the showroom prices on new Japanese bikes goes through the roof but it hasn't happened yet. Only at the dealership are the used prices creeping up, private sellers don't seem to be getting anymore for their old bikes than usual.

The dealers are selling very few new machines, prices are high and going higher as mentioned and folks don't have cash or credit right now to finance them.

Used bikes typically require some type of financing also; unless they're very old and can be bought with cash. Without buyers with cash or credit in hand, a high demand for used is not there yet, although dealers are saying used traffic is up. The dealer has many credit channels open to get the would-be buyer financed that a private seller doesn't have.

This picture could change in the future with less new machines being sold and attrition eating up the reserves of clean used bikes available, they're could be a turn around.

The one area where high prices does not seem to deter buyers is in the Eurobike and exotic market. BMW's S1000RR has been the best selling liter bike for the last few years and they run over $17,000 with TC and ABS. Ducati is selling pretty much everything they can ship over.

We are in a Deflationary/Inflationary recession, thanks to the idiots at the Fed. Wages are going down while the price of everything else is going up. It seems that those who were wealthy are still wealthy, it's the blue collar working stiff that is being left out in the cold and he's the one that traditionally bought the high value Jap machines. For this reason that old bike could be worth it's weight in gold one day...or maybe not!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 1/5/2012 @ 6:52 AM *

Overall a nice bike perfect for a guy who hasn't modded his prev gen 14 heavily... I like what kaw did but they can do better...

Those were pretty much my thoughts, I'm very happy with my modded '06. I quit doing BS a long time ago (acronym for Big Speed)LOOL... so I don't really have any reason to need anymore power than what I have now, in fact, for the type of riding I do nowadays, the extra power might even be a detriment.

The '06 does well on the backroads as long as you keep the speed in check and don't forget that this isn't a literbike. I probably won't take my 14 back into the hardcore twisties anymore as the last few experiences were downright scary. It's like dancing with a fat chick, it can be done but you're never really sure who is in control...LOOL!

"It's like dancing with a fat chick, you can do it but you're never really sure who is in control"

Bwahahahaha!!!!!!

* Last updated by: UKNixter on 1/5/2012 @ 9:30 AM *

sounds to me like you invested too much into your 06 and your a little late to the plate......and you would rather be riding on the new r model.

how come nobody that owns one doesn't knocks it... but ones that don't own one or didn't order one do ?

Green and mark you guys are not getting the point... Green I would assume that before you go buy a bike you'd already made you mind about whether you like it or not so no wonder you aren't going to criticize it. Plus, I never heard you say anything wrong about previous models. So why would you say something negative about the ZX-14R-it's a better bike.

It's a 15 000 dollars expense how can somebody in his right mind go get 1 and say oooh on second thought I don't like it. Furthermore, if you didn't have a quality full system and a good map on your 14... then she wasn't heavily modded. No offense but fenders and gear changes don't count. Now, Seno bring some objective criticism... his 14 had tons of mods and really good power. There was another guy who came over from the BL forum, he bought his 14 before all of you guys and there were things he didn't like about it. You guys should have told him how sad you felt about the comments.
Guys get sensitive like I'm talking about their sister!!!

I'm not a kaw, Suz or BMW guy. I like the 1000RR because it was the best liter last year but they still improved on it. Kaw sells a lot of machines but they take forever to improve them. If the ZX-14 was king of the hyper, the Busa had its throne too. You couldn't tell which one was faster. Actually you could! RG said his best stock time was on 08 Busa. So he took kaw 4 years to produce something better. So now I'm supposed to say thanks Kaw... and draw the checkbook? Nope, I'll wait just like some other guys are going to and when kaw find out they didn't sell as much as they thought they would they are going to step it up. I work retail. Lots of parents come to me and tell me "why are toys so cheap nowadays, when I was a kid I had quality stuff". Toys are cheap because people buy them. You can write to kaw all day about how you want a better 14. Not buying is a more powerful statement. So when Kaw comes out with that real Top Model you can thank me! That or the Suzuki guys will take over and I'm giving my money to the most deserving. Buying a bike is not a fashion statement, new stuff gets old. Another thing is that summer is not here... meaning, nobody can tell me how she runs in 100 degree weather. I'm sure she's going to run cooler with the additional fan and the new grills but how cool? None of you knows so....!

I like the 14R. I'm not mad at kaw because I invested some $$ in my 06 because even if she was stock I wouldn't buy the 14R. Furthermore when I get one I will invest at least as much. I'm 6'5-225lbs they don't make any bike for me at the factory and in my opinion you can't push the limit of a bike without some mods and customization.

I'd like to ride mine for 5 more years before upgrading. I wanna be like Kruz and "collection" bike not trade them in so if I were to hop on every new model that wouldn't work. At the end of the day this is just my opinion I am not forcing it on anybody. I'm happy for and congratulate every guy who made the switch. Just yesterday I told a newbie who was hesitating between the 14 and 14R to get the latter. Mark and Green I have only one word: OBJECTIVITY.

show me one forum where guys on there are tellin other guys the 'faults' of a BRAND NEW MACHINE...like you said...without ever riding one or even seeing one in person.It's not like the new owners are gettin a new Suzuki or somethin.It's a zx14 Ninja.That's like dissin the year models past 07,when Kawasaki redid the mapping and secondaries operation

You can't "diss" a bike because you're on it. looool It's similar to having a trophy wife, or a girl that's with you because of your money and you can't tell her what's wrong with her. Kaw doesn't put food on my table it is the other way around. Step it up Kaw or I' m going to dump you! loool I know they will.

MAYBE TIME TO END THIS THREAD... THEY ARE GNA HANG ME FOR BLASPHEMY

* Last updated by: dragking on 1/5/2012 @ 4:31 PM *

It's like dancing with a fat chick, you can do it but you're never really sure who is in control"
Bwahahahaha!!!!!!

yes but it seems like you guys go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on...you guys start to sound like a broken record.

and on and on and on and on ..... gets old after awhile.

like my grandmother used to say if you don't have any good to say keep to yourself.

and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.....

what a beauty the new beast is.... never cared for the older ones thats why i purchased a busa but the new one rocks big time !!

sorry you guys ( hub dragking kruz ) can't join the party..... maybe you guys can save up your food stamps and buy one in 2018. lol