I need more power

[katata1100]

I would love more power, my bike can't lift the front wheel at all where I live (altitude 5000') and I can really feel the difference in power at sea level. 

[Pokey]

One can only dream...  If I knew this were for real I would have already pre-odered mine

Hmmmmmmm......now you need a clutch I see.   

[katata1100]

Am looking for Kawaski to come out with the 14R motor in the C-14 next year....it would be stupid to make two engines the same block size for the two flagship bikes that they make...


So, I am looking for the 14r motor coming out maybe next year in the C-14.....then I won't be able to sleep at night!

Ninja

People were hoping that the '13's would have the 14 motor- it didn't. It is very, very smart to make two different engines, one lower power one for the C14.
Why?
Insurance- increase power enough and the premiums will go up. Higher insurance costs will scare away potential customers. And, how many years did the C10 sell, with no power upgrades?

[Murph]

KAWASAKI cannot make the C-14 with the same basic configuration it has now for the next 5 years...they need to do something major to increase sales for this bike...

 They made the C10 with the same engine for 20 years, and kept sales up by lowering the price 

Murph

[wildnphx]

Hmmmmmmm......now you need a clutch I see. 

Yep, I work hard and I play hard and I don't mind paying a little for the clutch for the 50k miles of smiles it has brought me

[Pokey]

Yep, I work hard and I play hard and I don't mind paying a little for the clutch for the 50k miles of smiles it has brought me

That is a good outlook. 

[stevewfl]

Buy one of these and be done with the problem.

While you could also give pause to an executive with the new, hand-built replica of the Tomahawk--a motorcycle with Art Deco styling and a Viper engine--chances are you already are an executive if you can afford the $555,000 sticker price. With 500 horsepower, the four-wheeled Tomahawk promises to rocket a single rider into almost certain death.

[wildnphx]

Buy one of these and be done with the problem.

Yes I do believe you would be right about being "done" with the problem - "promises to rocket a single rider into almost certain death"   

[ninjawarrior1400]

WE have a different economy today than we did 10 years ago.......more compeition in the motorcycle industry.....if you are going to sell bikes....you must keep the public interested......if the C-14 stays unchanged for 10 years it will be a real dull also ran bike.....so sales will falter.

You must keep the public interested in new products...changing the paint each year won't do it....especially with these bland colors they keep coming out with each year.....

So....performance and safety are the primary things a buyer is looking for in a nice bike......if his buddy has a 2008 C-14 with standard brakes....and he can upgrade and get ABS for 300.00 more....he will probably buy it.

If he can get the same bike with a bigger engine and more HP, he will buy it.....

Yes I have the ZX14r, and love it.........but knowing my tricked out C-14 has the monster engine, with electric windshield, removable bags, higher handlebars, shaft drive, glove box, 12 volt accessory plug, ABS, and a 3 year warranty make it more interesting to purchase than what Yamaha has in their Sport Tourer...they still have only 5 speeds!!

Kawasaki has always been on point for making more horsepower, and they can't afford to get lazy and not be innovative....bigger engine is more exciting.......

If all owners were satisfied with their C-14's now, they would not be worried about Muzzy Pipes, power commanders, dyno figures etc......to get more power than stock......look at all the exhaust systems that have been developed for this bike since 2008...why?  Everyone wants more power.....

The F-16 was a nice jet and still is for rookies.....but the real warriors want to fly the YF12A, or the the FA18, or the F-35......they won't be building any new F-16's.......they are in the distant past ....never to return.....we sell them to smaller countries trying to get a fighter fleet operational.

Murph says the C-14 was around for 10 years ...that is true...but no one wants to buy one now when they have access to a C-14.....that is called progress and innovation.....we are going to be making history....not trying to repeat it.

Time will tell....and the ZX-14 R engine will fit very nicely into the C-14 without lots of modifications.....It is easier for Kawasaki to make one engine for two different bikes than two different engines for two different bikes...especially with the same block.

We can always start a poll here and see who would like to have the ZX-14r engine in the C-14 chassis...even if it is detuned a bit....or stay with 1344 cc's forever....and hope to squeeze more power out of it by spending another 1000.00 for a pipe and a  PC.....That tells me lots of owners want more power......

The .44 Magnum came out...cause it was a big upgrade over the .357 magnum...that was around since 1935, and it is a great caliber.....then someone said.....what about a .44 Magnum....don't need it all the time....but nice to know it is there, and a hell of a lot of fun shooting it!!

I would rather have it and not need it all the time, than need it and not have it at all...!!

Ninja

[Bourne2Ride]

Buy one of these and be done with the problem.

Isn't the tomahawk technically a roadster? it has four wheels and a car motor. 

[gPink]

Even if kaw puts the 14r engine in the c, they'll still put a bazooka on it. Folks will still spend that 1k for looks and more power. Have you got a Brock's on your 14r yet? 

[ninjawarrior1400]

Brock CT dual Titanium and PC went on the bike the day I got it home from the dealer....absolutely...those were the two heaviest and ugliest exhaust pipes I have ever seen on any performance bike.....

Also, powder coated all the pipes to make them run cooler...waiting for the BMC high performance air cleaner too...
Now it has about 212 HP at the wheel....

Has HID, PIAA 1100x on each front wheel, zero gravity tall windscreen, 9500i radar detector, Mix-It Amplifier, Zumo 550 in the center, and Apex risers with ISO Goldwing black grips to make it more comfy.

It arrived a Model T.......hours later it was the Space Shuttle on Steroids...and I never looked back....

Would like the increase in power in the C-14 too.....it won't have 212 hp....but 175 would be great!

And I will pipe it with either Muzzy duals, or AreaP immediately after arrival at home.

NInja

[Pokey]

C14 debuted in 2008, made some pretty major changes for 2010......that seems very significant to me, takes most 10 years or more to make changes like that, perfect example is the FJR and the ST. Hell yes the economy has changed, it sucks bigtime and motorcycle sales are down for all the manufacturers. If Kawasaki makes the C14 much more expensive they will lose customers, it aint all about horsepower and speed, for most riders that is the least of their concerns. Kind of like macking out an AR15 rifle with the best and most expensive of everything, huge waste of money for something that you can never truly appreciate what it is capable of. The C14 in its current form is the absolute best sport touring machine on the road, it absolutely needs no more sport to it for the overwhelmingly majority of owners. Multiple bikes help scratch the itch, the rest just bitch bitch bitch.

[ZG]

Multiple bikes help scratch the itch

 

[ninjawarrior1400]

If you have EVERYTHING in one bike...there is NO need for multiple bikes!  Look at me...had the 2008 C-14 tricked it out...drove it 36,000 miles with no problems......sold it got the 2010 tricked it out with some parts off the 2008...then waited for the 14r......got one of the first ones.....and had the parts pre-ordered to trick it out......bike rolls in the garage...tools come out.....stock stuff comes off and the high performance stuff goes on to make it, safer, more comfortable, stronger, lighter, more attractive, and a marvel of motorcycle engineering.....

So some of this stuff is pride of ownership.....just like a Rolex.....a timex will tell just as good a time as a Rolex....but who wants a $15.00 watch?

Lots of guys just want stock or status quo.....there is nothing wrong with that...but I would estimate that at least 75% of the members here have gone to an upgraded exhaust system.......why would they do that?  They usually like upgraded lights too.....why what is wrong with stock?  Everyone wants the best performing tires too....why not just stick with what comes out of the crate? 

Because everyone wants more comfort, power, safety, performance....and price in their bikes....

Bigger is always better....just ask your girlfriend or wife...!

Ninja

[jamiemac]

^^ Good post. If I could afford a ZX and a Wing along with the C14, I'd have 3...Make that 4 bikes, cause I'd get a Wee Strom too.

[maxtog]

but I would estimate that at least 75% of the members here have gone to an upgraded exhaust system.......

Upgraded muffler, not exhaust system.  And I use your word, "upgraded," loosely.  The word "different" would be more accurate.  Probably less than 1% with an upgraded exhaust system.

why would they do that?

One or more of the following:

1) They don't like the look of the stock (stock is certainly large)
2) They don't like the sound of the stock (because quiet is somehow bad) 
3) Trying to shed some weight (a drop in the bucket)
4) They mistakenly believe it, alone, will change performance in some meaningful way
5) As part of a real exhaust system upgrade for meaningful performance gains
6) Because they want to be different than stock (or similarly: want to be the same as everyone else who changed)
7) The stock is damaged and too expensive to replace OEM

Because everyone wants more comfort, power, safety, performance....

None of which just swapping a muffler accomplishes (just saying...).  But yes, most of the mods are exactly for what you list.  Pretty much all of mine are for comfort, convenience, protection (of bike), and safety.

[Pokey]

If you have EVERYTHING in one bike...there is NO need for multiple bikes!  Look at me...had the 2008 C-14 tricked it out...drove it 36,000 miles with no problems......sold it got the 2010 tricked it out with some parts off the 2008...then waited for the 14r......got one of the first ones.....and had the parts pre-ordered to trick it out......bike rolls in the garage...tools come out.....stock stuff comes off and the high performance stuff goes on to make it, safer, more comfortable, stronger, lighter, more attractive, and a marvel of motorcycle engineering.....

So some of this stuff is pride of ownership.....just like a Rolex.....a timex will tell just as good a time as a Rolex....but who wants a $15.00 watch?

Lots of guys just want stock or status quo.....there is nothing wrong with that...but I would estimate that at least 75% of the members here have gone to an upgraded exhaust system.......why would they do that?  They usually like upgraded lights too.....why what is wrong with stock?  Everyone wants the best performing tires too....why not just stick with what comes out of the crate? 

Because everyone wants more comfort, power, safety, performance....and price in their bikes....

Bigger is always better....just ask your girlfriend or wife...!

Ninja

Most in this riding category are not power whores like you are, and comfort and safety is always subjective and different for each rider. Add 1 single thing to a motorcycle and it is no longer considered stock, so most owners dont have a 100% stock motorcycle. To just throw endless money into something to say "looky what I got" isnt the majority, especially now a days in this economy "except for ZG".    I have a friend just like you, buys something and ends up spending a fortune for what he considers upgrading "and typically loses his ass" especially when it comes to cars, motorcycles, guns....etc. As for upgrading the exhaust, most of us do it for looks and a bit more of a nice tone from that big engine. As for safety, all the new C14's come standard with ABS, linked brakes, traction control, and hand mounted controls, so really shouldnt even compare the 2nd gen to the 1st gen. And no my wife isnt a believer in bigger is always better, she is more of a use what ya got to its full potential kind of woman. I am more of a minimalist sometimes I guess, and like to get the most bang for my buck, not keep spending my hard earned bucks. So I hope Kawasaki doesnt dick around much if any with this engine, but by all means make it more comfy and safe. The older I get I actually think that less and lighter is sometimes more, so I will probably go back down to a sub 1000cc bike next. I dont see my bikes as hobbies or ongoing projects, but can see how that easily happens for some. So if Kawasaki does go with the ZX14 motor next, really makes no difference to me because I won't be buying one anyways.

[Pokey]

By the way.....the closest bike that has everything has got to be the new Multistrada, none are closer in my opinion.

[ZG]

"except for ZG".     

   Not sure if that is a jab or compliment Brian?   
 
 
Either way.... I found a hat for ya bro!