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When you think of a fast sports bike most people stop at the 1,000 cc range, but there are faster bikes and today we talk about two of the bikes who have been competing for that top spot. The Hayabusa and the zx14r. 

Hayabusa

1340cc in line four engine that produces 195 hp

155 nm of torque

0-60 in 2.6 seconds

586 pounds wet

Zx14r

1441cc in line four engine that produces 207hp

158nm of torque

0-60 in 2.6 seconds

589 pounds wet

Going by specs alone the kawasaki zx14r topples the Hayabusa by having more ccs, an extra 12 horsepower, and 3 pounds of  torque to have the more powerful bike.The stock exhaust on the Hayabusa is a mid range rumble upon starting the bike and once it gets up to the higher rpm it gives that whine that you know and love when you hearing it passing you on a track. And while when you start up the zx14r it gives that same mid range rumble, however when it gets up high in rpms it is less whine and keeps more of that mid range rumble that I tend to love with a slight tinge of it getting higher up on the whine scale but not as high up as the Hayabusa. While the bikes are both fairly heavy for the average rider the zx14r is only 3 pounds heavier for an extra 100cc engine.

According to rider reviews even though both of the bikes are quite heavy to accommodate for the large engine and super fast quarter mile times they both steer exceptionally well. Now don’t expect the same handling you can find on the nimble and much smaller zx6r or gsxr 600 but for how big they are they do really well. 

A lot of the time comparing bikes can come down to the flashy extras put on each bike, but with these two focusing more on power than anything else, they come with just a small list of extras on them. The Hayabusa comes in three rider modes, abs, adjustable suspension, and considering most dashes are digital it takes you back to the beginning of bikes or perhaps in the seat of a cockpit flying a plane. The list of features not on the bike is actually a lot longer than the list of features on it. Coming in with no traction control, quick shifter, led lighting, tft dash, or bluetooth. This is where the zx14r peaks its head above the Hayabusa with just a few more extras on the bike. It has the same abs, rider modes, and adjustable suspension as the Hayabusa with the differences being traction control, adjustable clutch, a slipper clutch, and luggage hooks. And while its dash is mostly analog like the Hayabusa it has a small lcd cluster. Let me take you down one more lane with the price points, I think it is what everyone is waiting on. This is where the Hayabusa beats the zx14r.  One sad note to take away from all of it is that it seems the zx14r is going to be discontinued after this year with Kawasaki going the h2 route for their main focus on sports bikes. After hearing all the specs and general information on the bike, the question we are trying to answer is, which is the true beast. I think if you’re going for the best of the best with no price point in mind the Kawasaki zx14r is ultimately the way to go. But thinking of the brand, price, and the hype surrounding it, Hayabusa definitely sneaks its way in there. I can’t decide on which one is the true beast, can you?

To see our current selection of Hayabusa’s click here

To see our current selection of ZX14R click here