I finally got a chance to go test ride the 14 after putting the engine back together. Got out to put 30 miles on it. Here are a few things I noticed, it is very powerfull, it seem's to have more power under 6k then my gen 1 busa had, the steering feels very light, the bike feels lighter then my busa once your moving. Some of this may be due to the tires I have on it right now. I got some take offs for now until I recoup some loot from putting this bike together. The front is a super corsa dragon pro sc1 compound 120-60-17. The rear is a sportsmax gp 190-55-17. Knowing these are a used track day tire I went easy going into any corners with the ground being cold. The transmission is much smoother than the gen 1 busa also.I have to say it a great running bike. I am very happy the way the engine turned out. After an oil change it will be going to the dyno to see how much it puts to the wheel with the port work on the head. I really loved my busa for the 40k miles I put on it. After riding the 14 I don't think I regret selling the busa now. I really think kawasaki did a good job on the 14. This was the fist time since I threw a leg over one since 2009. Not like you can compare it to my gsxr 750 I had last year, but the 750 was an animal when the road got tight and twisty. So I think I will be getting along very well with the 14 once I get a good set of street rubber spooned on there.

Isn't it great to ride again! Glad she makes you feel GOOD! I had my first ride in many months as well. Every spring I have the same excitement I had back in 08 when I got into this. Man, this thing never gets old.

Busa rider sneaks in here and reads the 30 mile summation.

You mean former busa rider.......congrats on getting the bike put back together.

The 55's on the rear may also make it feel lighter to you......of course, you haven't ridden it with factory 50's, so you may not have anything to compare it to......

You will love the bike. It's the most well rounded street bike I can think of. It's great at hyper sport, it's great at touring with just a few minor mods......There are loads of aftermarket parts you can get for it.......just a great bike overall.....14 and 14r.

More to come as the miles add up.

* Last updated by: mrl1300r on 4/6/2014 @ 7:09 PM *

Well, sold the 14. I just really liked the busa alot more. I had the chance so I bought it back. Sorry to disappoint the ninja crowd. I had fun building the 14. But I loved my busa alot.

* Last updated by: mrl1300r on 5/12/2014 @ 7:53 PM *

Thanks for the laughs, that's the funniest thing I've heard since I joined this forum. Does anybody want to hear a joke?

2010 ZX-14 MotoVlog

Having the best isn't for everyone.

Shoulda bought a second gen bro. Your loss.

Glad I could entertain, I have a lot of history with this busa. All the oiling issues I hear about the 14 kinda scared me away. The big reason I picked up the 14 was the price. I made well over a grand on the bike. And got my busa back for short money. Not a bad business decision in my eyes. I can do the engine in the busa if I had to for less money then the 14. But I think it will go well over 100K before tearing into it. I really didn't trust that bike for the long run. It's probb just me but, I have to sleep at night with my decision. I will sleep very well knowing the busa is back home :) Don't get me wrong, the 14 is a nice bike. The suspension felt better no doubt.

Congrats! that IS a nice busa. i couldn't make up my mind so I got both. I agree with Corn that you should give the 14r a try if you get a chance. Look out for the Gen 3 busa some day.

The suspension felt better no doubt.

As far as major oiling problems, I hear stories about busas throwing rods just like the 14.

Well, enjoy the busa and pop back now and then, brother.

Kofla -

+1 on the oiling issue.

Bought my 14R in 2-12; it's got 23,500 miles on the clock as of now. I can't tell you the sleep I've lost thinking about that #3 letting go.

If you sneak up on my scooter you can hear it tick-tick-ticking like a bomb.

If you sneak up on my scooter you can hear it tick-tick-ticking like a bomb.

oh fok, I've been hearing that when I start the bike since day one. It's something other than the cam chain rattle which is easily solved with an APE tensioner. I'm at 43k now. I don't give it a second thought...until someone mentions engine noises.... (ok--I DO give it a second thought sometimes) and my camshaft caps were scored the last time I looked. .. (see, you got me thinking)

I think it will hold just fine. Who says the ticking is an oilling issue? I hope it isn't because I'm about to install NOS.

The busa has a similar tick which is attributed to crankcase screws under-torqued. My busa did it for a while but seems to have stopped without ever tightening the bolts. Other than that, the motor whirs around like a sewing machine. ..yet there are still the stories of rod bearings letting go in busas.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/15/2014 @ 5:54 AM *

I think rod bearings can wear out in any bike that did not have regular oil changes. Bouncing it off the rev limiter a lot also. Well 48K on the busa and we will see how far it goes. The gen 2 busa is nicer than the gen 1 in all the right places. I wanted a gen 2 but this bike came back and it was a lot cheaper, LOL. Good people on this site to mess around with. No reason not to stop in now and then. I just couldn't look at the 14 the same way. Maybe after I get my gen 2 busa then grab a gen 2 14. There's allways room for more bike's.

Suzuki had a truck load of bikes to ride. Guess which one I picked? First time I slammed on the brakes, I was kicking in the clutch basket ramping. Front brakes were not as sharp and crisp as the 14's. The bike sat lower. It felt heavy. The heat was licking me with that fairing directing heat, where I feel nothing with the stripper I have.

The acceleration was expected as if on the 14. I had it at FULL mode. Wheelied sooner in gear. Nice torque but nothing like the R. Seating position was too low, and at the wrists? If I took a longer ride that arm numbness may have crept up is my expectation.

Overall, too hot, too low in torque, arm pump ergonomics, needs better brakes, wheel hop could use a spring change/tightening up?

As for the rod to leak stories, we start with kawi's update the top valve cover. And between owning 2 gen1's and the current genR bike(s), a new top gasket change changing valve shims, out with old, in with the new rubber, and between those 3 bikes, combine their miles: not one leak to address. There were a few that did not make it, however adding a simple washer to press the rubber more stopped the leak. How simple was that? Where are the other leaks? Not many if not this one area.

The rod out the case is more a case for case event. We'll never hear the real story of how the bike was broken in, now you gotta show your buddies the sound of your new pipe and rev the shit out of it once or blip it whatever. And so few have let loose since.

That's a huge production run of 9 years. 6 for interchangeability pretty much. 3 years of the long rods and not many if at all for the gen2? So, was there an oil issue after a 6 year run? How about the new genR oiling design? We have rod out the case threads with the R family?

The gen 2 busa is nicer than the gen 1 in all the right places.

I wanted a gen 2 but this bike came back and it was a lot cheaper, LOL.

Good people on this site to mess around with. No reason not to stop in now and then. I just couldn't look at the 14 the same way.

* Last updated by: Hub on 5/19/2014 @ 11:52 PM *

What oiling issue? My '06 14 is probably my favorite ride, ticks all the right boxes. Leaking rocker cover on the left side is it, a couple bucks to fix it. Where's the problem?

What oiling issue?

Fast bikes, Hayabusas included, are not indestructible. Every bike have some kind of flaw or issue.

2010 ZX-14 MotoVlog

56,000 miles, still waiting for my #3 rod to come flying out the cases. I guess I'll just have to keep putting on the miles until it does....

Mad

Well aware of #3 rod, as you remember my buddy Ghostrider down in San Antonio had one of the first ones to let go but it's a relatively minor number of machines affected, most 14s motor along without issue. 1Bad put 30,000 miles on his original '06 bottom end, most of it 1/4 mile at a time. When he pulled it down it miked within new tolerances. These engines are tough, no one knows what caused the #3 rod problem but it wasn't widespread. Just my .02

56,000 miles, still waiting for my #3 rod to come flying out the cases. I guess I'll just have to keep putting on the miles until it does....

.....and you'll probably go another 56,000 miles without a rod coming through the case.

These engines are tough, no one knows what caused the #3 rod problem but it wasn't widespread. Just my .02

i agree. It's not a common enough problem to worry about.