![]() ![]() The torque was the difference, and the reason I was able to drive past them, despite the weight difference. My friends on the popular race-replica liter bikes could only hit 160 mph before they ran out of track. I was able to reach an indicated 175 mph on the straight before reaching my braking marker, without even hitting the rev limiter in fifth gear. It was also a chance to see how the 14R stacked up against Yamaha YZF-R1s and Ducati Panigales purpose-built for the track. Willow Springs Raceway, “The Fastest Road In The West,” was a perfect testing ground to see how close I could get the bike to the electronically limited 186 mph top speed. There wasn’t much this versatile heavyweight couldn’t handle. I tested the ZX-14R for more than 2,000 miles, which included a day at the track, twisties, a 375-mile trek up to northern California, rush hour in San Francisco, and more twisties. But let’s get to the real important stuff: the riding. I was able to unload the heavy bike solo, and in flip flops, no less. The bulk of the weight is centered and low. The ZX-14R hides its almost 600 pounds nicely. I was shocked how all my worry and stress were for nothing. The morning after I brought the bike home, I stared outside my kitchen window, loading up on protein and coffee, wondering how I was going to unload a 590-pound bike on an uneven driveway by myself without contributing to the next “Epic Fails” YouTube compilation. Rear stopping power comes from a single 250 mm petal disc and a two-piston caliper.Īnd people say this big bike is meant for the drag strip. Individual brake pads for each piston help prevent heat deformity. Dual floating 310 mm petal rotors, complemented by radial-mounted, four-piston calipers, are mounted up front. The rear suspension is equipped with a bottom-link Uni-Trak and gas-charged shock with adjustable preload, stepless rebound and compression damping adjustments, and adjustable ride height.ĪBS front and rear is standard on both models. Keeping the rider one with the road at the front is a 43 mm inverted cartridge fork with adjustable preload, 18-way compression, and 15-way rebound damping. MSRP is $14,999 for the standard model and Kawi offers a limited-edition (300 units in the United States) 14R that comes with special firecracker red and metallic graystone paint and gold calipers for $15,899, to pay homage to the 30th anniversary of the Ninja line.ĭigital fuel injection and four 44 mm Mikuni throttle bodies surge petrol into the 1.4-liter inline-four monster to produce a claimed 189 rear-wheel ponies and a breathtaking 111 foot-pounds of torque. Kawasaki photo.The ZX-14R weighs a lofty 590 pounds wet. Kawasaki photo.ģ0th Anniversary Limited Edition badge. Only 300 of the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition ZX-14Rs are coming to the United States. Before we head off into an “if I won the lottery” tangent, let's focus on the 14R’s specs. But the 14R has the most torque, unless you shell out $50,000 for four more foot-pounds in the H2R. Only the new Ninja H2 has a slight edge in horsepower over the current 14R. The latest overhaul, in 2012, saw an increase in engine displacement from 1,352 cc to a massive 1,441 cc. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 debuted in 2006, replacing the ZX-12R. So which is it? Supersport, tourer, or something else? I got to take the bike home for a month to see if I could come up with a definitive answer. Kawasaki North America puts the 14R in its Supersport category, and offers no such accessories. ![]() In Europe, it's the ZZR1400 and the European Kawasaki website calls it a sport-tourer and lists accessories such as brackets for side cases and GPS. Is it possible to have a little of everything? That brings us to the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R. The Walking Dead, Orange Is the New Black, or The Good Wife? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |