Faster than the C14

[B.D.F.]

Thanks but really, I owe the whole thing to Yamaha and testosterone. :-)

Nope, she likes it. That's why she keeps getting on the back. Half the miles on my C-14, at nearly 100K, are with her on the back. Hey, she was there, on the back, for the bikes' only crash when a friend, also on an '08 C-14, hit us from behind at an intersection.... and she gracefully hopped off and stood up while I went down with the bike. Then we got back on and rode for the next hour or so to a lunch with other Concours riders. So merely riding fast and dragging pegs does not put her off much.

Brian

Did your wife hit you after you stopped?  Excellent story by the way.

[harry76]

The bike I wonder about is the V-Max. Will the big 1679cc Vmax out run a C14?

The Vmax will run off and leave the C14 anywhere except top speed unless it has the top speed eliminator, they are governed to 137.
If it has the eliminator they will run about 170, and one of the first mods the riders do is get the eliminator.
It beats the Connie by half a second in the quarter, has 40 more horsepower, twenty more foot lbs of torque and has a power to weight ratio of 1 hp to 4 lbs, the Connie has a power to weight ratio of 1 hp to 5.12 lbs.
The Max is a beast in the acceleration department, with the shaft drive it will wheelie and spin the tire at the same time.
I own both bikes and trust me, the Max will smoke the Connie.

[C14lvr]

After looking at the majority of sport bikes featured this month in Cycle World, I was shocked to see how many are now in the 200+ HP range, and weighing in around 500#'s....
Most any of those will take a Connie.

But, I agree with what was said earlier about an experienced and prepared rider...
That can make a lot of difference.

Put that type of rider with a C14 that's been modded and tuned on a good dyno... and that's a tough combination to beat...I don't care how hot the bike you're on is.

[connie14boy]

Has anyone heard what is happening with the H2? Seems like all the hype has gone away, and no follow ups or info?

[B.D.F.]

Just a thought but be wary of any 200 Hp, register-able and insurable motorcycles; they are like unicorn tears. 200 Hp street bikes are usually measured in 'salesman horsepower' which is very different from actual horsepower.

As far as I know the current champ is the RR1000S BMW at 197, and that only because it turns 14,200 RPM. A very snappy little bike indeed but it has good manners due to its very well implemented traction control; given the auto shifter option, an idiot able to see to the end of the drag track can turn in impressive numbers. Otherwise, the 200 Hp arena is pretty open for new vehicles.

Brian

After looking at the majority of sport bikes featured this month in Cycle World, I was shocked to see how many are now in the 200+ HP range, and weighing in around 500#'s....
Most any of those will take a Connie.

But, I agree with what was said earlier about an experienced and prepared rider...
That can make a lot of difference.

Put that type of rider with a C14 that's been modded and tuned on a good dyno... and that's a tough combination to beat...I don't care how hot the bike you're on is.

[Rembrant]

Just a thought but be wary of any 200 Hp, register-able and insurable motorcycles; they are like unicorn tears. 200 Hp street bikes are usually measured in 'salesman horsepower' which is very different from actual horsepower.

As far as I know the current champ is the RR1000S BMW at 197, and that only because it turns 14,200 RPM. A very snappy little bike indeed but it has good manners due to its very well implemented traction control; given the auto shifter option, an idiot able to see to the end of the drag track can turn in impressive numbers. Otherwise, the 200 Hp arena is pretty open for new vehicles.

Brian

That Beemer RR1000S is an impressive machine, and nice looking too.

And yes, be wary of that miracle 200HP mark..."salesman horsepower" will almost always be crank horsepower...not RWHP.

I believe the newest version of the Kawasaki ZX14R dyno's around 205 RWHP no? I seem to recall reading that on Ivan's web page. However, that's fully piped, flashed ECU, with piggyback PC5, etc.

http://www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/12zx14.htm

The newest liter-bikes I have had the opportunity to ride are a couple different 2008 ZX10R Kawasaki's...one fully modified, and one stock. A couple friends have them. I've also ridden a 2008 Hon-duh CBR1000RR, but that was back in 2009 or so. Any of the more "modern" liter-bikes...lets say...from the 2004 Kawasaki ZX10R and up, are very impressive machines. I bought a new ZX10R back in 2005, and there's really nothing like them. Once you get used to the acceleration of those bikes...everything else feels like their brakes are stuck on...lol.

PS: I rented a 2006 Suzuki GSXR-600 in Huntington Beach, CA back in 2006...while at the time, my personal ride was the new ZX10R 1000. I only got a couple blocks away, and I went back to the rental shop because I thought there was something wrong with the bike...it was so gutless I seriously thought the brake pads were dragging...lol. You can park two modern sportbikes side by side...a 600, and a 1000, and they will look almost identical...in fact, they'll even be within a few pounds of each other...but the power difference is shocking;).

Rem

[C14lvr]

Per Cycle World Feb 2015 edition, new for 2015-

Yamaha YZF-R1/ R1M- 200 hp, wet weight 439#. 998 cc inline 4.

Kawasaki H2- 200 hp, wet weight 525#

Ducati 1299 Panigale- 205 hp/ 106.7 lb. ft. torque, dry weight 367#, Superquadro

Aprilia RSV4RR V4- 201 hp

BMW S1000RR- 197 hp

BMW S1000XR- "detuned version" of the S1000RR

These are just a few of the new offerings for this year in the 200 hp ballpark. There light weight is also amazing.

[Rhino]

Rode a GSX600 a few years back. Had to fold myself just to get on it. Gutless up to 9000 rpm then like a switch is thrown and the front wheel starts coming up. But then you have to immediately shift. Pretty quick for a tiny bike but I think my C14 would definitely take it in a straight line. The owner said it would top out at about 130 and I know the C14 has lots more to go above that.

[Cold Streak]

And double points if any of them are police motorcycles!

I did that.     Going to work one morning in the carpool lane, heading right into the sun so I couldn't see any details.  But I could make out a that Harley was about 10 vehicles in front of me and going slower than the traffic on the main section of highway.  Really steams me.  Finally get to the two lane section and I pass everyone and as I'm pulling up to the Harley I can finally see the details. Crap!  Highway patrol.  His lights are already on as I'm going by.  I pull over and he walks up.  Basically yells wtf.  I explain I was pissed that he was going slower than the cars on the regular lanes and I couldn't see he was a cop due to the sun.  He then asked me if I wanted a ticket or an ass chewing.  I chose the ass chewing.   

[VirginiaJim]

 

[Rembrant]

Rode a GSX600 a few years back. Had to fold myself just to get on it. Gutless up to 9000 rpm then like a switch is thrown and the front wheel starts coming up. But then you have to immediately shift. Pretty quick for a tiny bike but I think my C14 would definitely take it in a straight line. The owner said it would top out at about 130 and I know the C14 has lots more to go above that.

Most of the newer fuel injected 600cc RR sport-bikes...from 03/04-up should be able to hit 160+ MPH top end given enough road.
I know the 2005-2006 Kawi ZX6R will do about 165 MPH indicated;).
Most of the new liter-bikes from 2004-up, like the ZX10R, will hit 185 MPH with relative ease.
I had my 2008 C14 up to about 155 MPH indicated top-end...and they will go faster than that. Fully tuned with full exhaust, the C14 will hit 150 surprisingly quick...but the next 20MPH or so after that is a slow climb:).

Back in the old days...circa 1999, the Kawasaki ZX12R had the ability to hit 330 KM/Hr (or about 200 MPH) on the open road (indicated, not necessarily actual). I assume the Hayabusa of the same era would do the same, but I only know of guys doing it on the ZX12R. They were limited at 299 KM/HR after that, so 300 km/hr or 185 MPH top end is all you'll see on street-legal production bikes any more.

Not much has changed in the past couple decades with regards to top end speeds....it's how fast they get there is where the improvements are...lol. At the end of the day, aerodynamics are aerodynamics. As old as the ZX12R looks today, that old girl did cut the wind like a knife back in the day;).

Rem

[Rhino]

Most of the newer fuel injected 600cc RR sport-bikes...from 03/04-up should be able to hit 160+ MPH top end given enough road.
I know the 2005-2006 Kawi ZX6R will do about 165 MPH indicated;).
Most of the new liter-bikes from 2004-up, like the ZX10R, will hit 185 MPH with relative ease.
I had my 2008 C14 up to about 155 MPH indicated top-end...and they will go faster than that. Fully tuned with full exhaust, the C14 will hit 150 surprisingly quick...but the next 20MPH or so after that is a slow climb:).

Back in the old days...circa 1999, the Kawasaki ZX12R had the ability to hit 330 KM/Hr (or about 200 MPH) on the open road (indicated, not necessarily actual). I assume the Hayabusa of the same era would do the same, but I only know of guys doing it on the ZX12R. They were limited at 299 KM/HR after that, so 300 km/hr or 185 MPH top end is all you'll see on street-legal production bikes any more.

Not much has changed in the past couple decades with regards to top end speeds....it's how fast they get there is where the improvements are...lol. At the end of the day, aerodynamics are aerodynamics. As old as the ZX12R looks today, that old girl did cut the wind like a knife back in the day;).

Rem

Maybe the owner said he had only done 130, not that it was the max. Its been a few years.

[stevewfl]

any of the 600 CC bikes i've owned blow my stock C14 away in the 1/4 mile and murders my c14 handling.  Half the weight, 107-110 HP, chain drive, zero wind resistance.....  doesn't take a physics major to figure this one out =)

LOL if anyone wants to go against my current stock 600 or ZX9 with a stock C14 BRING it and a pocket full of cash