Without going thru the list of 14's I've owned, the latest is the greatest. You'll probably ride the bike more than race it. Between rounds during the season, you'd be wasting your time tuning it. Just set the dash for staging/shifting and call it a day. The latest comes with an 02, so if the flash does not address the dash, you are SOL. Can't toggle the dash anymore, etc.

Stay Stock.

Signed,
NOLTT

Thanks everybody.
What was the first year that came with the O2 sensor in the USA?
All things considered, IMO simpler is better i.e. no O2 sensor...but there may be other factors that could make the later models more attractive...I don't know. I am a retired Engineer so I can comprehend what you guys are talking about just that I don't know which year came with what...I am a little uneducated in that department :).
Hub...You are correct, I will probably ride it on the street 50% of the time and at the track 50% of the time..several other bikes in the garage but if it comes to flashing with a PC, I will pick a setting and leave it there all the time. If it comes to making changes via the dash, I will make changes every time I change from street to strip. At least that is my tentative plan.
Two big things I need to help with:
A. What was the first year that came with O2 sensor or sensors?
B. Is the launch control better for '16-'18 than it was for '12-'15?

2016 and above is closed loop.
2015 on down is open loop.

No. Launch is about the same for most years.
1. 1,200 to 6,000 rpm is 1st gear engaged, rev it to said increment for launch.
2. 7,500 to 11,000 rpm is the upshift selection.
3. The reason I say most years is me trying to recall an increment rpm level which adds 500 more rpm to redline? I don't see that in my '017 owner's manual.

The ECU's are flash-able for any year. Seat of the pants wise, the latest bike feels a bit more responsive performance wise. Hack wise, you could pull the 02 connector off and race it one weekend, ride the bike so the code clears, then race it with zero codes and check the difference.

Maybe I'm having a senior moment, but I didn't think any ZX14's have any kind of launch control?

... besides your own personal control of your hands/wrists

Good point extrapolator...I guess technically it is "Traction Control" and not Launch Control.

Sounds like there isn't a significant difference between the earlier and later versions.

"but I didn't think any ZX14's have any kind of launch control"...they don't.All in the wrist/clutch on these badboys.One MAY be able to find something aftermarket...IDK.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/12/2019 @ 5:17 PM *

Traction control is where the wheel windows or tone wheels are at the axle centers of the wheels on the one side.
1. Rear wheel spins faster than the front: Traction is lost then addressed thru fuel/ign/sub trimming and cuts power so the wheel stops spinning.
2. Wheelie beings to slow the front wheel down, the fuel/ign/subs kicks in, drops power, drops the front wheel back on the ground.

Launch control is where you are about to roll the front wheel and trigger the 2nd yellow light at the tree, you sense the peripheral as you rev up to said rpm, sustain that rpm with the light within that range so you keep the light on, dump the clutch when ready at the tree.

RPM light is where you shift to the next gear and watch the light once again in your peripheral range. The helper light cuts the time to look where the tach is and then look for the needle to hit said rpm.

ABS is where the wheel locks up [either front or rear] wheel, the tone wheel(s) recognize the momentarily stop of the tone wheel, the ABS brain sees this, opens a valve so the wheel becomes unlocked and then almost is locked again, but is not-during this speed event of wheels no longer moving.

Traction control = is all about both tone wheels are sync together until one or the other speeds up or slows down.
Launch = is like setting the am/fm station on a radio.
RPM light = is like setting the radio to said music/news shows.
ABS = is 1000's of slices of one second of input and if a millisecond of the tone wheel breaks that sync of either tone wheel, the ABS's ECU dictates pressure release/apply.

Something like this to said telemetry.

-Edit-
I read somewhere way back, where mother tea addressed the 3amigos (sub added) above as their intervening moment of fun kicking in.

* Last updated by: Hub on 7/29/2022 @ 12:10 PM *

And then you have the "Power Mode" that you can play with as well as the traction control which Kawasaki calls Kawasaki TRaction Control or "KTRC".

The only "Launch Control" is like you both said...the driver :).

Now the big question...is there any difference between the earlier version and the later version of the bike besides O2 sensors on them since '16.

Got an opinion from Woolich...they say go with the '12-'15 because there is more available for them than the '16-'18 as of right now (March 2019).

Soooo I believe it comes down to...do you want an O2 sensor or not...and in my opinion there are advantages to having it as well as not having it.

Think I am going with Woolich's recommendation...and the older bikes should cost a little less too.

Thanks for all of the info, opinions, comments, etc.

I purchased the Woolich Launch Control Key today. I can't wait to try it out.

I think people are talking about the Woolich aftermarket launch control , not mode or traction control settings which come as standard .My launch control is an aftermarket part of the Woolich race package .

* Last updated by: marcusi on 7/29/2022 @ 2:50 AM *

The one I purchased is part of the Woolich race tools and all I had to do is activate it after purchasing the $200 key to unlock it within WRT before flashing it to my ECU. It works as advertised being that I can set various parameters within the software based on RPMs etc. Mine is set at stock 5500 RPM launch and it has been working great for me.

* Last updated by: siroht on 7/29/2022 @ 11:24 AM *

F-1, the back wheel should be shutting on and off. I have a vid that's kicking in and out in the dirt, then smooth once it hits the tarmac.
F-Off is now do a burnout, up to the line, hold throttle steady once the red light is at whatever mode setting you choose to set the red light. Let the clutch out, it's all on you whether it bogs, flips you, etc.

Launch control, is set rpm to raa-tat-tat, spark closing down cylinders with a pinned throttle, like GP bikes at the line. As soon as you let the clutch out, all sparks sing, back to you on the launch from there.

How close am I?

Wow I am still old skule as my launch control is still my left and right hand on the bars.

Lots of electronics in todays' game .