0-60 MPH in 2.7 Sec?

That's just waaaaaaaay too insane. jdogg / whart - what sayeth you?

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NEW YORK TIMES

WHILE 175 horsepower is just adequate in most cars, a 175-horsepower engine in a motorcycle that weighs 560 pounds — the recipe Kawasaki used to create its Ninja ZX-14 — results in performance that is simply over the top: 0-to-60 miles an hour in 2.7 seconds and a maximum speed just shy of 190.

For the moment — these titles can be fleeting — the ZX-14 is the acceleration king among street-legal motorcycles according to those numbers, recorded in a test by Sport Rider magazine. The crown is a comfortable fit for Kawasaki, whose past includes reputation-making models like the H2, an overpowered, evil-handling model from 1972, and the Z-1 from 1973, a bike whose twin-cam engine was a leap forward in mechanical sophistication.

Many contenders have schemed to dethrone Kawasaki through the years. Since 1999, Suzuki has held claim to being quickest with its Hayabusa 1300R, a motorcycle that developed a devoted following among power-hungry riders. Acknowledging its emphasis on brute acceleration, Suzuki classifies the Hayabusa — the name translates to falcon — as a sport-street bike, less hard-edged than its GSX-R family of racetrack-ready machines.

Motorcycle makers generally do not publish specifications for the horsepower and top speed of bikes in this class, but some exaggerated claims — for instance, a 200-mile-an-hour capability for the Hayabusa and now the ZX-14 — are widespread; both are electronically limited to about 186.

Tests by enthusiast magazines can fill in other blanks. Sport Bike measured the output of a 2005 Hayabusa at 163 horsepower at the rear wheel. (The engine is unchanged for ’06.) The ZX-14 produced 175 horsepower to regain supremacy handily, and it reaches its power peak 500 r.p.m. sooner than the Hayabusa, at 9,250 r.p.m.

Kawasaki engineers developed a substantially new engine for the ZX-14, building on the foundation of its predecessor, the ZX-12R. First, they increased the displacement of the in-line four-cylinder to 1,352 cc. Then they designed ducting that at high speed force-feeds fresh air to the intake of the fuel injection system — and called the system Ram Air, borrowing a name from Pontiacs of the muscle-car era.

“At speed, the intake becomes pressurized from the rush of incoming air,” Jeff Herzog, a Kawasaki spokesman, said. “That creates a supercharging effect, good for almost 10 horsepower at top speed.”

Essentially, the faster the bike goes, the more horsepower it makes.

Finally, they improved the aerodynamics of its bodywork. Generally speaking, motorcycles at speed are as aerodynamic as a pallet of cinder blocks being pushed down the road.

“A big part of attaining the high top speed of the ZX-14 is achieved through aerodynamic design,” Mr. Herzog said.

That’s why I was a bit surprised when I noticed rather more wind buffeting than expected as I started my test ride. Then I looked down at the speedometer; it said I was already going 110 miles an hour — in third gear.

Zero to 60 m.p.h. acceleration in less than three seconds — akin to, say, Danica Patrick’s Indy racecar — is matched by the bike’s pull at higher speeds. Experienced test riders have been timed in the mid-nine-second range at 145 m.p.h. on a quarter-mile drag strip.

Climbing on this humped-back rocket for the first time, I felt like a rodeo rider settling in on a Brahma bull, a result of an unusually tall 5.8-gallon fuel tank. Still, the ZX-14’s proportions are similar to the ZX-10R and the ZX-6R in the Ninja line, though when parked next to the baby of the family, the Ninja 250R, the ZX-14 looks like Paul Bunyan standing next to a Boy Scout.

The rider is well positioned in cozy quarters, but not cramped; arms and legs are properly angled to minimize rider fatigue. Many sportbikes have the rider leaning too far forward, with too much weight on the wrists. The handlebars are well-angled and the controls are easily reached.

Gauges are front and center, the readouts are brightly lighted (a welcome touch is an indicator that displays which gear is engaged). The narrow width of the ZX-14’s nicely sculptured seat makes it easier for the rider to place his feet flat to the ground, despite the seat height of 31.5 inches; at speed, the rider can keep his legs closer together, for greater comfort and control.

The chassis is a slim aluminum structure that passes over the top of the engine, rather than wrapping around it, to keep the bike narrow. The engine is mounted without vibration-absorbing rubber bushings; twin balance shafts (the ZX-12R used a single balance shaft) control vibrations that would otherwise be transmitted to the rider through the rigid mounts. It is also positioned farther forward in the frame. This let engineers fine-tune the wheelbase and weight distribution for high-speed stability and responsive handling.

While the ZX-12R’s engine delivered its thrust in raw, unadulterated bursts that could have a rider hanging onto the handlebars and frantically recalling long-forgotten prayers, the ZX-14’s motor purrs into action. Until it hits 6,000 r.p.m., it is as docile as a kitten. Then the road ahead narrows quickly; scenery flashes by like the décor in a video game. Shifting is precise and crisp, and clutch engagement is, mercifully, low-effort and drama-free. Clean takeoffs are a snap every time.

The uninterrupted lines of the bodywork give the entire package a smooth appearance. Four projector-beam headlights provide a brilliant view of the road ahead at night, even if they make the front cowl look like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

The front and rear turn signals are cleanly integrated into the body panels. Unlike sportbikes designed with the exhaust pipes snaking under the seat — giving the passenger an unintended bun warmer — the ZX-14’s twin chrome exhausts are mounted low, making them a bold design feature.

Kawasaki is said to be considering offering this bike with a touring package including a larger windscreen, saddlebags and a more supportive passenger seat — for people who like whirlwind tours, I suppose.

Over all, the ZX-14 is an enjoyable and tractable bike. The boorish manners typical of high-performance bikes — touchy throttles, grabby clutches, jarring suspensions — have been engineered out of the ZX-14. The ZX-14 should send the competition scrambling, if not back to the drawing board, at least into the wind tunnel.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/automobiles/23KAWA.html?_r=1&oref=login