I know the bike was mainly built as a drag racer but I feel it handles pretty well. Anyone do a track day on it. Just kinda go out have some fun. I've tracked a lot of my bikes the biggest being my old BMW R1100S. Just curious on how the beast does with some tight turns. I'm figuring set power to L and crank up the TC to keep it manageable and from powering out from under you on corner exits.

Thoughts?

interestingly enough, it wasnt marketed in europe as a drag racer at all, more sports tourer, with track ability, i reckon it will do pretty good on track, havent got my pegs down yet but dragging toe sometimes , so will defo get it to a trackday
we got a grab rail and i think extra tie hooks on euro model

I have done a couple of track days on my ZX-14. Works OK -- not so well in the tighter corners. You will be passed by the smaller bikes in the corners. I "upgraded" to a CBR600RR for track use and it is a lot more fun on the track.

-bg

Yep - I do as well track days on my Kermit (ZZR1400 2012).
It's feeling somehow much better than Gen2 Busa which I had previously.
ABS+KTRC just works and clock likes too.

Again ;)

No track time here but I wouldn't want to compete against a 400 pound liter bike at the track. I am on my second ZX-14 because I wanted a comfy powerful sport touring bike that handled well in most every situation. I found that in the 14.

No track time here but I wouldn't want to compete against a 400 pound liter bike at the track.

track time is for contemplation
racing is for competition

just sayin'

In the 8 (or so) track days I've done this year, I've seen 2 zx14's and 1 14r out there... Dude's was all havin' a ball!

I've done 2 trackdays both on my 08 ZX-14. You can do it.

No track time here but I wouldn't want to compete against a 400 pound liter bike at the track.

The 14's size is the biggest limiting factor. The 600s must be a lot easier to manage in a corner. I guess if you are really skilled you could deal with the bike's size but one thing that will always hold any rider back is the lean angle limitations. You look at the liter bikes and SS and they are designed to NEVER drag a hard part unless the bike crashes. YOu lean as far as you can and you are free and clear. Not so on the 14. Many say the lower fairings will drag. I have dragged my exhaust a few times and I haven't even ever touched a knee.

long and short: if you really get into track riding you will soon discover that the extra power mean nothing on a road course and all you will really want is something that will get up to speed and not ever have to slow down. A used 600 is the way to go. It's you that will go faster or slower on a track. All the bikes are fast as hell.

The Euro version has ABS!!! Dammit!

As for track days the idea wasn't to out and race someone else, but to go out and be able to ride hard in the corners without fear of a car coming around the bend and killing me or worry about sand or a car pulling out. It's more for the sport of riding and no speed limit that I love about track days. My BMWR1100 was no corner carver but fun as hell at the track, it was a pretty big and heavy bike and if you weren't careful it would drag cyl heads lol.

Yea not looking to go outrun 600's (I've had to CBR600RR's including a new one, yea it's a scalpel in the corners) just looking to go have some hard cornering fun without the nanny state pulling me over. Just wanted to see what others experience was...

But we all know a well-ridden ZX10R will coast past your fat ZX14R on any road race track in the world with ease.

Let's alter the meaning of the term "road race" for a moment.
Let's envision something more along the lines of IOM or the Nurburgring.
Starting line is the south junction of interstate 70/79. The course follows 70 east to Uniontown, then onto Rt 40 all the way to interstate 68. From there its 68 west to 79 north bringing us back to the start line.

Projections?

I have tracked mine a few times and had a blast. Good sticky tires and properly set suspension make all the difference.

Also, a good rider on a ZX14 will overcome an average rider on a literbike or 600cc - it is all about rider skill.

Here are a few pictures from Grattan raceway near Grand Rapids, Michigan.

My bike weighs about 485 pounds, so that helps out alot on the track too.

* Last updated by: zxrider11 on 6/24/2012 @ 12:25 PM *

Cool pics mang! Must've been pretty early in the spring... trees are bare.
What was #973 riding... looks vintage.

This was last April. I was mixed in with the intermediate group, lots of supermotards, SV650's, cafe racers, 250-450 singles, 600cc sportbikes, naked bikes, etc.

But we all know a well-ridden ZX10R will coast past your fat ZX14R on any road race track in the world with ease.

maybe the newer bikes. most of the bikes at the track are less identifiable because of race fairings and embellishments but i presume they are older bikes. they can't keep up on the straightaway. they don't have the acceleration of the 14.

Awesome pictures! I love track days and now that I have a bike that can do it again I may have to do a couple. Like I said not out to chase down 600's and 1000's just out to have some fun...

thats the right attitude phantom!
start chasing 600s and you end up in the gravel! (dont ask how i know this! )

Rook, since 2010, the ZX10R has had, just based on simple roll-on tests, at least equal acceleration to the ZX14 and even ZX14R on a race track coming out of a corner. Sure, starting down in 1st gear the mighty ZX14R is king, but starting in 2nd or 3rd gear coming out of the corner where the ZX10R (if ridden by a good rider) will be carrying more exit speed, the ZX14R will get left in the dust.

The ZX14R is not a twisty track bike, even if you can ride on a road race track and have great fun with it.

I used to have Hyabusas and early ZX14s try to catch me in WV when I had my ZX10R. Not a chance. They'd get back within sight on long straight sections, but I could carry a lot of speed getting to those sections that the bigger, fatter, heavier bikes could not.

Its just they have different purposes. What the ZX14R does well, it does extremely well.

The ZX10R has road race traction control and they don't even mess with it much when they turn one into a Superbike entry.

Rook, since 2010, the ZX10R has had, just based on simple roll-on tests, at least equal acceleration to the ZX14 and even ZX14R on a race track coming out of a corner.

No doubt. I would def go back a year or two earlier than that to round out the set of Ninjas 1Ks that will out run a 14 from a roll on at least up to 160 mph. Still, Those bikes are not being ridden on the track much in novice class whicj is where I have ridden my 14. If they are, the riders are not going for lap times cuz I roll past them without even going WOT. Have video of me pulling ahead of some guy and he had his bike all wound up, Me, I shifted at about 4K just as he was taking off and I still was able to pull ahead of him. I'm sure he was on an older bike. Had to admire the way he hopped into the corner on the brakes but if it weren't for the bike directly in front of me, I might have beat him into the corner even with a braking disadvantage I have with a heavier bike.

Had to admire the way he hopped into the corner on the brakes but if it weren't for the bike directly in front of me, I might have beat him into the corner even with a braking disadvantage I have with a heavier bike.

BUT...

track time is for contemplation
racing is for competition

yep, narrowly beating someone into a corner with other bikes around is total racing. I don't think that is the point in novice class. Someone might as they say, "collect you and have a discussion offtrack."

You could be very close to some race bikes such as 10r, but I think them couldn't passed.
A 10r run best 1:50 in the circuit, a 14r would be around 1:52 I think.
But such race performance difference do not important.
It's a 590 pound bike and less lean angle also no IMU to assist you in the corner, and just about 2-4% slower in the circuit comare with true race oriented bikes.
Which you raise wheel hp until 220ps, change final drive ratio, upgrade suspensions and brakes, the difference would even smaller.
But a race bike couldn't bring you a easy long distance trip and always try to burn your legs.

Ive done about 2-3 track days on the '06 ZX14 and 5-6 on the 14R. What a blast. sure many of the 1L bukes passed me bit it didn't change the big smile after each session

Fans of top gear might remember an ep where they did some racing and found it was just as much or more fun racing non-track cars because pushing 90% in those was more thrilling than their ability to really use a high performance track oriented car.

I think there's definitely that aspect of it. 14s aren't too vastly different than yesterdays liter superbikes, as far as weight and size (probably remarkably more capable). So no, they aren't light weight supersports but unless you're absolutely concerned with having the lowest lap times out there a 14 should be quite capable of being reasonably fast and satisfying track experience.

https://youtu.be/weuKOzkPVA4

Let's watch some good running on the track.

Video posted by Eswat:

Awesome!
This is the first track day video I ever saw where the guy heads off the track to the pits before the session ends. 2:27 Was he going for an outside pass and decided he didn't have room?
I have video of my two track days. That was a long time ago and nothing like that one.