Drove rental up to Florida Pan Handle 590 miles and then rode bike down. Got home at 7am the next day after leaving at 9am the previous day. Read all the comments from both zx websites and Busa website as well as local peeps on Facebook about zx-14. Still Love Busas too but have new understanding of differences at least from my 06. Busa has much better sound stock. Zx sound like any other bike. Busa does have a vibration but I like to feel the power, there is no vibration no matter how hard you flog a Zx. Still have not grown accustomed to back end of ZX but still not use to newer Busa back end either. The foot pegs are much more aggressive. Busa gets much better gas mileage. Busa feels like it has more low end power but think it is the traction control. The headlights are amazing stock on zx, the bike feels much lighter when moving, especially at low speeds, shifts smoother, less wind on you at speed. Less pain for me in legs on long ride, stock Busa seat was more comfortable though. I feel like it manuvers much easier at slower speeds but feels less flickable at over 80 mph than Busa. LOVE THE BRAKES! Other than foot pegs, which I feel I'll get use to, it is much more comfortable ride and happy I got the ZX and fell in love with it on the long as ride. Was ready to keep riding but my middle aged body was giving me the middle finger. Also uploaded pic of my helmet after first 100 miles. N Florida bugs don't mess around!

Glad you had a good first ride..Great looking machine.Agree about sound tho. Easily fixed...
Heck of an introduction !!..
Those bugs look like are rice fields here in Northern California..

great to hear the comparo. The busa is still an awesome bike. Never road a 14r but I feel the busa handles better than the gen1 at all speeeds. The steering feels more neutral where the 14 needs a to be held onto tighter. Also agree the seat is more comfy on the busa but the shifting was better until the 14 wore in for many thousand miles. I want to know which one feels faster.

That's some riding!

14R is a great bike, probably about as perfect as you can get. Kawasaki does use electronics to limit engine output in lower gears. This might be something where an ECU flash or (Ivan's) TRE that removes these "safety modes". I have an ECU flash that removes these safety modes, take it for what it's worth IMO that I'm not really sure the bike's really any faster.

As far as handling, IMO this bike exhibits great characteristics and will benefit from more sporty profiled tires (V instead of U shaped) such as Q3s, M7RRs, or Rosso IIs. For me, these tires have the lighter steering I prefer compared to M5s or S20 Evos. 55s are popular too and will make a small difference although IMO the basic profile is more profound having had a mix of tires now in both 50 and 55.