compression ratio gtr vs zx14

[SpazOnaConcours]

A piston designed to see X pressure, X load, and X heat, simply may not be able to handle X*1.5 or X*2.  It is an interesting side-effect of modern quality control.  Manufacturing is so much better now, that they can take advantages of better control to design something that will more closely match the expected "X", where in the past, things would have to be over-engineered just to be sure.  The more modern production results in less waste, less mass, better target performance, lower price, etc.

Ding Ding! It's all about selling the best product to the largest audience you can and the best price (and mark-up) that they will want to pay. Win-win for everybody... except the 1% of loons that want more performance from their not-entirely-performance-oriented comfort bike.

[Gearhead82]

All this talk is making me want to put in a set of 13.5:1 pistons, some mild ZX-14 cams, throttle bodies, and reflash the ECU to raise the rev limiter to 12k.

[SpazOnaConcours]

That would be FUN, no doubt.

[Pokey]

You could.... but I personally don't think that wanting comfort, better passenger accommodations, and luggage means that I have to settle for less-than-standard performance offered on damn-near the same engine from the same manufacturer, or vice versa. The C14 engine has the ability & technology to outperform the Zx14 motor everywhere using parts they already make... but they dumb it down (sorry, "tune for torque") and make it cheaper instead. Frustrating, if one dwells on it it long enough.

Yeah you are right.......a sport touring bike putting down roughly 145hp, will exceed 150mph AND gets pretty kick ass gas mileage, what a total letdown! Don't forget also that a race tuned engine isnt gonna get the same reliability and mileage as a dumbed down less-than-standard performance sport touring bike. So besides a few BMW's and a worthless VFR, what else in this category can outperform and be more reliable than a C14? Hope you find your power and speed fix, but I think your expectations are way off for this bike. It is what it is "damn good", and apparently is the best out there right now. But to those that think outside the box, I reckon I will give you some credit.

[VirginiaJim]

Excellent.  Poke at his best!

[tbanzer]

Im trying to see where the VVT has an advantage over conventional chain and sprocket fixed valve timing. The torque curves I have see show the zx 14 having a significant advantage over the c14 throught the entire rev range. Maybe it helps in fuel economy. From what I have heard zx14s mileage tends to be in the 30s.

[VirginiaJim]

Ours can be in the 30's as well if it's being ridden in a spirited way...

[ZG]

My display always shows average mpg at 32.1, I can't seem to get it to change...

[SpazOnaConcours]

Yeah you are right.......a sport touring bike putting down roughly 145hp, will exceed 150mph AND gets pretty kick ass gas mileage, what a total letdown! Don't forget also that a race tuned engine isnt gonna get the same reliability and mileage as a dumbed down less-than-standard performance sport touring bike. So besides a few BMW's and a worthless VFR, what else in this category can outperform and be more reliable than a C14? Hope you find your power and speed fix, but I think your expectations are way off for this bike. It is what it is "damn good", and apparently is the best out there right now. But to those that think outside the box, I reckon I will give you some credit.

You miss-understand a bit, and I think you took that a bit too personal. The let down lies in the fact that they took the best motor they made, added the best valve technology out there, and made it perform worse on purpose. The reliability is just about the same on a stock ZX14 motor in it's natural state of tune; they're bomb-proof if you take care of them. And it would get just about the same mileage as long as you rode it a consistent manner. I'm not calling the C14 pathetic by any stretch, and it doesn't let me down at all...  I'm just upset at the *manufacturer* for unrealized potential. They gave us "good enough" because it was better than everyone else, but they didn't give us their best even though it didn't require any more effort... I suppose that is just one of my pet peeves. Please don't misinterpret my disappointment in design as an attack on the function; it's just not the case.

[SpazOnaConcours]

Im trying to see where the VVT has an advantage over conventional chain and sprocket fixed valve timing. The torque curves I have see show the zx 14 having a significant advantage over the c14 throught the entire rev range. Maybe it helps in fuel economy. From what I have heard zx14s mileage tends to be in the 30s.

...if the Concours had the same compression and cam profiles as the ZX14, you would see a very noticeable performance increase with the VVT. The fact that it's pretty close missing as much compression, valve lift, and duration as it is should be a good indicator.  And if we wanted to be a little pedantic about the whole thing, some of the difference is also realized in our shaft-type final drive arrangement.

[Pokey]

You miss-understand a bit, and I think you took that a bit too personal. The let down lies in the fact that they took the best motor they made, added the best valve technology out there, and made it perform worse on purpose. The reliability is just about the same on a stock ZX14 motor in it's natural state of tune; they're bomb-proof if you take care of them. And it would get just about the same mileage as long as you rode it a consistent manner. I'm not calling the C14 pathetic by any stretch, and it doesn't let me down at all...  I'm just upset at the *manufacturer* for unrealized potential. They gave us "good enough" because it was better than everyone else, but they didn't give us their best even though it didn't require any more effort... I suppose that is just one of my pet peeves. Please don't misinterpret my disappointment in design as an attack on the function; it's just not the case.

That makes much more sense.......