High speed touring - Busa, ZX14, K1300S etc. - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

Gixxerman · 06-18-2009, 05:50 PM

I know many of you don't like these discussions, but I won't focus mainly on the sheer power.

Because I work at a dealer, I have certain benefits of taking out a bike, now and again, for a testrun. I just want to share MY experience of these bikes, and get som feedback from other riders who own, or have tried any of these.

BMW K1300S:

Pro's: Very nice to have the ability to change suspensionsettings on the fly(Comf, Normal, Sport) Quickshifter is a nice gadget. The main difference between this and the "old" K1200S is the engine. It's not just the 100cc and some horsepower. The whole feel is much more direct, more agression, it just is more hungry. Still feel like an inline-four carengine in a sportbikechassie though. The feel and sound reminds me that I'm riding a Beamer, and not a japanese inline-four.
Brakes are sublime. Beamer is top notch on the brakes.

Con's: Riding position: I want to place my toeballs on the pegs and ride it like a sportbike, but the bike itself just won't let me. In that case, at least I, won't feel at home on this bike. It looks like IT, but it wants me to sit upright and so on. I can't do that on such a bike, so that's a big minus.
I don't know about this one, but here goes. For me it feels like the chassie and suspension together won't give me any feedback. When I ride it hard, I won't get the feedback that I get from other bikes. I'd like to get a feedback from the bike if I ride it too hard, but on this one I suppose I could ride it with uncertain confidence till the very end. That bothered me a lot. I don't like to trust it too much, because I know there is an end to everything. It's kind of scary that one.

Kawasaki ZX14:

Pro's: An incredible machine first of all. From the get-go the ridingposition felt like I sat down, and I was glued to the thingie. That is a very nice feeling when you sit down at a bike. I felt at home from the very start.
Power like no other, light brakes but powerful, steady chassie, ok suspension etc.

Con's: Feels bigger than a new busa in the corners.

Zuki Hayabusa K9(not the old one):

Pro's: The best of them all. Fast as hell, feels like a much smaller bike in the turns, and like turns very well. Ridingposition is very good, more sportier than the ZX14 so I feel like right at home on it.
Chassie and suspension works together and feels very tight but on the other hand, gives me feedback on what's going on. Nice and steady, and won't fool me into doing something I shouldn't do.
Brakes are nice and crisp. Not on the level as BMW, but very well to be honest.
The best thing about the (new) busa is its agility. It's capable of so many things compared to the others. It will do trackdays(I can vouch for that), it will do commuting, it will do the alps, it will do the autobahn, and so on.
That's why I love the new busa so much, and the engine is just a story of it self.

Con's: The original windscreen is a joke. I can see up to 80kmph, so I would change this immediately.

The Busa is my favourite as it is what it is, but still feels like a nimble smaller racebike.