Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 delivers impressive power, speed
In May of 2006 I had an opportunity to ride the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 just after it came out. I must admit I was more than a little intimidated, as this was the fastest production motorcycle ever built, with about 175 to 180 rear-wheel horsepower, and capable of eclipsing the 300 kilometer per hour (186 mph) top speed gentleman's agreement that the Japanese manufacturers agreed to.
Also, word had spread like wildfire that at the initial press launch a few weeks earlier, some journalists were posting sub-10-second-drag strip times, with top speeds for the quarter-mile hitting 144 mph on stock bikes!
Yeah, that stuff caught my attention. Making matters worse, the day I was supposed to ride the big Kawi on the curvy central California roads, it was raining. So, uncommon sense (or unabashed cowardice) took over, and I decided to ride a cruiser that day, to ensure that both the new ZX, and the pilot made it back to the hotel with no broken bodywork.
Fast forward a year to this May when the same opportunity arose to ride the big Ninja around Sonoma, only this year the weather was perfect, and I'd had a season of riding my own sport bike under my belt. Well, I'm not sorry for my decision last year, and I'm certainly delighted I rode the big bore Kawi this time around. I'm sure it was at least an hour after I got off the ZX-14 before I stopped grinning, and I can say without fear of hyperbole that this is the fastest and coolest motorcycle I've ever ridden. But it's not just the power that's so impressive; it's the way it delivers the power that is so impressive.
The power delivery of the Ninja ZX-14 is incredibly fast, yet without the ferocious feeling of acceleration that you get from the ZX-6R or 10R sport bikes. The weight of the ZX-14, plus the longer wheelbase keeps the front wheel planted firmly on the pavement, and as the bike approaches triple digits, the engine just continues to pull yet remains uncannily smooth and free of vibration. And the suspension soaks up bumps and pavement irregularities as if it were a hovercraft. Again, it is the most unusual motorcycle I have ever ridden. The only bike that comes close to the sensation of power and smoothness is a Honda Rune. But the Honda wasn't designed for the same kind of speed or handling in turns.
The ZX-14 was designed to trump the Suzuki Hayabusa, and return the "King of the Hill" title to Kawasaki. The liquid-cooled 1352 cc inline four has the standard fare double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder architecture. A 32-bit ECU meters the fuel/air mixture and controls the ignition and the upper butterflies of each cylinders dual throttle valves.
The result is a broad power curve that puts abundant amounts of power and torque at your wrist in every gear. But what is so impressive about the motor is the lengths to which Kawasaki went to employ anti-vibration measures. They fitted dual gear-driven contra-rotating counterbalancers that virtually eliminate any vibrations regardless of engine rpm, even up to the 11,000 redline. And since the engine runs so smoothly it can be rigidly mounted to the frame to provide an even stiffer platform. A hydraulic cam chain tensioner works to reduce engine noise.
The light weight, yet rigid monocoque chassis, first used on the ZX-12, has been tuned for more torsional flexibility but more rigid laterally. I don't understand the physics, but I can appreciate the ride quality on the road. The 43 mm Kayaba inverted front fork is adjustable for preload, and has 13 compression damping settings and 11 rebound damping settings.
The rear Uni-Trak unit is suspended by a Kayaba monoshock and is adjustable for rebound damping, compression damping and preload as well. With so many variables, it would take a week to dial in a custom setup. Fortunately, the stock setting worked just fine for me, so I didn't want to risk screwing it up.
Sitting next to the other sport bikes, the ZX-14 looks huge. Always my first consideration is seat height. At 31 inches it is a bit tall for me, especially since the front part of the very comfortable seat is a bit wide. But because so much of the bike's weight is carried low, it is quite well-balanced when lifting it off the sidestand, and even on the tips of my toes, I felt I could handle it. And once under way, the big Ninja was easy to handle.
The clutch has a light feel, and engages easily making first gear launches much easier than I expected. And the clutch lever (like the brake lever) has six position adjustments for small or large hands. Dialing up the power in first -- or any gear for that matter -- is breathtaking. The fuel injection mapping is spot on, with no hesitation or hiccups along the way. Crank your right wrist and the thrust can peel your eyelids back (even with your full face helmet on). And yet if you choose, you can ride the ZX-14 as docilely as if it were my lowly 650R, with no drama or fear. And as I mentioned earlier, the power delivery is always silky smooth.
Silky smooth is another way to describe the six-speed gearbox, with each shift feeling sure and well damped. Of course, with all the power you really don't need to do too much shifting. I mean, cruising at 70 mph in second gear is only turning the motor at 7,000 rpm, with 4,000 more rounds before you hit the rev limiter. If you decide to shift up to sixth at that speed, the motor will be turning only a yawning 3,300 rpm and won't feel much different than it did in second. And believe it or not, you can still crank the throttle in sixth and pass a slower vehicle on a two-lane road before he'll know what zipped by him.
And when you're forced to slow down, just a light pull with two fingers will bring you to a stop quickly courtesy of a pair of 310 mm petal cut front discs grabbed by dual four-piston radial mounted Nissin calipers. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I forgot to even try the rear stopper, since the fronts were so powerful and easy to modulate.
Don't get the impression that since this mega-Ninja is so fast, that it's only good for straight-line stoplight racing. This bike is a pleasure to ride through twisties. Broad sweepers can be gobbled up like mealtime at a sumo wrestler's training table. The bike leans easily into a turn, and while it can't be described as flickable, it is no chore to maneuver in quick side-to-side transitions. And the suspension is implacable over bumps, potholes or acne pavement.
Instrumentation is extensive with a large LED screen in an easy sightline revealing engine temperature, dual trip meters, a fuel gauge, odometer and clock, and a gear indicator. A trip computer toggles between average mpg, instant mpg, fuel range and battery charge condition. On the downside, the screen is often difficult to see in bright sunlight due to reflections off the little hood that was designed to prevent glare. Flanking the LED screen are two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer. The pegs are placed high, which was fine for me, but taller riders might feel cramped. The reach to the handlebars was a bit too long for me, and I really wished they were set another inch or two higher, especially since the gas tank is fairly tall and wide. Other than that, this bike can easily encourage some long days in the saddle. I can see taking this bike out in the morning, riding to Iowa for lunch, and getting home for dinner.
The $11,599 list price gets you a ticket to own one of the most amazing motorcycles on the market today. Performance, comfort and excitement in one beautiful package. If you're in the market for an exciting Super Sport, go beg your nearest Kawasaki dealer for a test ride.
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14
Engine: Liquid-cooled, inline 4
Displacement: 352 cc
Transmission: 6-speed
Final drive: 530 X-ring chain
Length: 85.4 inches
Wheelbase: 57.48 inches
Seat height: 31 inches
Fuel capacity: 5.81 gallons
Cruising range: 200 miles (approx.)
List price: $11,599 (add $300 for special edition paint)
Warranty: 12 months
Web: www.kawasaki.com