MCRIDER007
Well-known member
I really got lucky the past 2 days when we were blessed with some 60 degree weather and I got a chance to put a few more miles on the C14, enough that I think I have a pretty good handle on its engine performance. Comparing the C14 engine to the FJR is not straight forward because they have a much different "feel". I think of the FJR engine as a throwback to the big bore, in your face, V-8 muscle cars, pretty smooth with torque everywhere, especially in the low end, but with a tendency to run out of breath at the top end. Down shifting on the FJR to pass slow moving traffic is usually optional but the engine has a tendency to feel a bit "busy" at high cruising speeds and many have expressed a desire for a sixth gear. I like it the way it is.
The C14 engine is very smooth in some rpm ranges and even smoother in others. It has been criticized as being soft in the low end and this is the result of Kawasaki's use of secondary butterflies (opened by an electric motor controlled by the ECM) to mute the power output, especially below 4k rpms. The result is a somewhat docile power output that doesn't respond nearly as quickly as the FJR when you wack the throttle open but it accelerates faster than it feels. However, at 4K to 6.5K rpms, the engine response and available torque seems almost identical to the FJR. After 6.5K rpms the engine shifts into warp drive with a smoothness that feels more like a turbine and a power output that feels like a turbo. If you are running in any of the lower gears at this point then you better know where you are going because you are going to get there very quickly.
The transmission has very smooth shifting, up or down, but the thing that is most noteworthy is that it has very wide gear ratios and the gearing is very tall, especially when you factor in the C14's 10,500 rpm redline. My previous 6 speed transmissions had gearing differences of about 20 percent between 3rd and 4th, 16 percent between 4th and 5th, and 12 percent between 5th and 6th. Those numbers are 23, 19.6, and 20.2 percent for the C14. The result at 4K rpms is an indicated speed of 59 mph in 4th, 72 in 5th, and 87 in 6th. If you do the math, 4.6K rpms translates to an indicated 100 mph in 6th. What the numbers do not show is how relaxed the engine feels at speed and 6th gear often seems like an unnecessary shift.
When you combine the 3 levels of engine performance with the wide ratio and tall geared transmission you have really have multiple riding options. In a low traction environment you can run very slow or at freeway speeds and never exceed 4K rpms, the torque output is very smooth and forgiving of any rider throttle errors. At the other extreme, if you want to tempt fate and chase sportbikes, the top end in 3rd gear is about 125 mph, and the power output at the rear wheel (in 3rd gear) above 6.5K rpms is probably more than the traction available on most sport touring tires. The C14 obviously is not a match for a liter sportbike, the Hayabusa, or ZX-14 but it has more than enough HP for any street riding environment. Horsepower junkies also have the option of removing the secondary butterflies, adding a PC, and getting some dramatic increases in the torque curve, especially between 3-4K rpms -- and at that point you better have a very gentle throttle hand. Its tempting to pull the butterflies but first I need to find out if I can handle what I already have. Yes, I like the C14 engine even though it has a much different feel than the FJR. Which one do I like the best? It will probably be the one I am riding when you ask the question.
I have been lusting for a sportbike (or something close to sportbike performance) for over a year but also wanted something that was actually comfortable to ride and the C14 seems to fit my needs. Its not going to replace the FJR as a touring bike or all around ride but it sure is a nice addition to my garage.
The C14 engine is very smooth in some rpm ranges and even smoother in others. It has been criticized as being soft in the low end and this is the result of Kawasaki's use of secondary butterflies (opened by an electric motor controlled by the ECM) to mute the power output, especially below 4k rpms. The result is a somewhat docile power output that doesn't respond nearly as quickly as the FJR when you wack the throttle open but it accelerates faster than it feels. However, at 4K to 6.5K rpms, the engine response and available torque seems almost identical to the FJR. After 6.5K rpms the engine shifts into warp drive with a smoothness that feels more like a turbine and a power output that feels like a turbo. If you are running in any of the lower gears at this point then you better know where you are going because you are going to get there very quickly.
The transmission has very smooth shifting, up or down, but the thing that is most noteworthy is that it has very wide gear ratios and the gearing is very tall, especially when you factor in the C14's 10,500 rpm redline. My previous 6 speed transmissions had gearing differences of about 20 percent between 3rd and 4th, 16 percent between 4th and 5th, and 12 percent between 5th and 6th. Those numbers are 23, 19.6, and 20.2 percent for the C14. The result at 4K rpms is an indicated speed of 59 mph in 4th, 72 in 5th, and 87 in 6th. If you do the math, 4.6K rpms translates to an indicated 100 mph in 6th. What the numbers do not show is how relaxed the engine feels at speed and 6th gear often seems like an unnecessary shift.
When you combine the 3 levels of engine performance with the wide ratio and tall geared transmission you have really have multiple riding options. In a low traction environment you can run very slow or at freeway speeds and never exceed 4K rpms, the torque output is very smooth and forgiving of any rider throttle errors. At the other extreme, if you want to tempt fate and chase sportbikes, the top end in 3rd gear is about 125 mph, and the power output at the rear wheel (in 3rd gear) above 6.5K rpms is probably more than the traction available on most sport touring tires. The C14 obviously is not a match for a liter sportbike, the Hayabusa, or ZX-14 but it has more than enough HP for any street riding environment. Horsepower junkies also have the option of removing the secondary butterflies, adding a PC, and getting some dramatic increases in the torque curve, especially between 3-4K rpms -- and at that point you better have a very gentle throttle hand. Its tempting to pull the butterflies but first I need to find out if I can handle what I already have. Yes, I like the C14 engine even though it has a much different feel than the FJR. Which one do I like the best? It will probably be the one I am riding when you ask the question.
I have been lusting for a sportbike (or something close to sportbike performance) for over a year but also wanted something that was actually comfortable to ride and the C14 seems to fit my needs. Its not going to replace the FJR as a touring bike or all around ride but it sure is a nice addition to my garage.
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