Smitty's ZX14 test and review

despite a messed up Saturday, I managed to get that test ride of the ZX14
not for as long as I wanted but 2 hours was all I could fit in
and thanks to Brighton Kwaka for making the bike available

first thoughts.....
FI races engine on cold start up (and it pig roots when you first ride off)
idle speed is too high of course but its fine when warm.
the seating/rider position is pefect for me...at 5'10"
and slightly less sporty than the 12..the foot pegs are lower
I looked at the screen and thought there is not much protection there...and so it turns out
...its a low screen with a bump up in the middle
The screen on the 12 protects the rider better

The seat is comfy but not having any decent pillion grab...is stoopid
Riders must buy the accessory grabs. seat height is surprising low...

riding off...????
clutch is light (hydraulic v cable on the 12) and after adjusting the lever span...very easy to work
throttle..??? exactly the same as the 12 in feel and use
brakes..??the radial fronts on the 14 I found hard to work properly.
It might have been this example but they were either off..and nearly fully on!
It took all the ride and I still did not feel comfortable with them
locking the front wheel on a white line as I tried to slow to
exit the freeway. These front brakes had none of the feel of the Bseries 12 I test rode last year and imo
...are nowhere as good as the 6potters on my 12. The back brake..is nearly useless...like my 12.
Suspension...??? worked a treat for me (weight 83kgs)
over railway crossings, at speed on teh freeway and in the suburbs I rode. The longer wheelbase and small rear tyre
(NO tramlining here) made tipping it into street corners or faster ones (80kmh roads) a breeze
I found the 14 required not a lot of weighting to tip in ...counter steer
and the bike tips over nicely..at low or high speed.
You do become aware of the bikes weight doing feet up u-turns or other low speed manouvers..like footpath parking.

other...???
You do notice the width of the bike (it is wider than the 12..see Pics)
the mirrors are bad....small and difficult to show anything but elbows
it is quiet ..and that is both good and bad. Those mufflers must weight heaps!

and finally...grunt? ample is the saying
seat of the pants..??? will go as hard as a 12..or if you like the 12 is as fast .
The 14 will pull the front wheel up ..on throttle in 1st gear and with its weight..thats sez it goes.
The bloke in the Alfa Selespeed never had a chance.

Summary...
the bike is for those who like ZZR1100s and want a 12 with a bit more comfort or want to take a pillion..to Qld.
It won't satisfy those who have a 10 (too big and not as fast) or a 6 (too big and not nimble enuff even if quicker).
Some wanting to upgrade from a ZX7 will like it.
For what its worth, I do not like the rear end of the bike..its blah...
but overall??..still a bloody good Kawasaki sportsbike!











cheers

jeez smitty, sound like I made the right choice

it is the Busa of Kwacka bikes for cert, it would be great to have both though

hmmm so the "kwakabusamus" is a bit of a pig hey smitty??

geez i like the look of the eyes..i mean lights.... on the 14...

theyd look good on a new 12...

I am guessing someone cooked the brakes on it mate (which may be scarey in itself) becasue the one I rode had better brakes than my 12.
Nice report B+

You could have got a A but you only monoed in 1st

the front end of the 14 is beautiful, but big enuff for a ford or chevy symblol. my kawa guy called me about the bike over a year ago. thought id love it. i waited --- finally international bike shows coming, i traveled at least an hour to go. saw a lot of bikes(best of show, most comfort, just all around winner, and it hurts to say but it was a ducati 999, that hurt, it is an unbelievable machine-19Gs worth) made my way to see the 14.. looked at it, sat on it, asked questions. even asked about a 14R. the bikes a dog, its massive it feels like sitting on a horse its too wide. look at the picts that cheap plastic black piece on the fairings only kinda looks good on the black one, the dual pipes need to be taken off put on ebay separate so two lucky 250 owners could get a new pipe. the rear looks like an old zx11. but your calls right somewhere a 50 year old man can feel young again. the lights are nice but no more 12s hopefully kawa brings them back. i love mine. dont buy the 14 just put a 15 sticker on whatever you ride now. some guy on a busa might want to buy it.

just put a 15 sticker on whatever you ride now. some guy on a busa might want to buy it.

valid point.....

maybe i should put R1 stickers on my cbr 929 & see if i can sell it to sum young buck??

Good report + pics Smitty!

Well Smitty i had the chance for my test ride on sat as well. Took out a nice shiny black one with a set of muzzy cans on it. Well in some previous posts i have bagged the look of the 14 and i still really dont think they look so wonderful. Now for the ride, I found it to be very nimble for a big bike, and actually stops unlike my 12. Comfort factor of course was awesome, and i really didnt notice a power difference until i got back on the 12 and thought gee that 14 did have some grunt. My overall assesment of the 14 was what it lacks in beauty it certainly makes up for in braun. So i am seriously considering selling the 12 and buying a nice Blue 14 .

So i am seriously considering selling the 12 and buying a nice Blue 14 .

That's what we like to see. A nice unbiased review! Unlike Smitty's review where deep down he knows he loves the 14 but is still trying to justify his decision to buy the 12 instead of waiting.

So i am seriously considering selling the 12 and buying a nice Blue 14 .

That's what we like to see. A nice unbiased review! Unlike Smitty's review where deep down he knows he loves the 14 but is still trying to justify his decision to buy the 12 instead of waiting.

Took the words right out of my mouth

I reckon 12 riders hate the 14 even more than the 04/05 10 riders hate the 06 10 did I say that out loud?

Well Smitty i had the chance for my test ride on sat as well. Took out a nice shiny black one with a set of muzzy cans on it. Well in some previous posts i have bagged the look of the 14 and i still really dont think they look so wonderful. Now for the ride, I found it to be very nimble for a big bike, and actually stops unlike my 12. Comfort factor of course was awesome, and i really didnt notice a power difference until i got back on the 12 and thought gee that 14 did have some grunt. My overall assesment of the 14 was what it lacks in beauty it certainly makes up for in braun. So i am seriously considering selling the 12 and buying a nice Blue 14 .

Now this is what I don't understand B12!!! You have already been given the go-ahead by your missus to buy one...............And you havn't put a deposit down yet??????????? C'mon mate, whats wrong with ya!!!!!

...maybe all depends on how you ride em

......... A nice unbiased review! Unlike Smitty's review where deep down he knows he loves the 14 but is still trying to justify his decision to buy the 12 instead of waiting.

Jase

if I had the opportunity to buy new
.... (which I don't) and if I was looking at
a new 12 at $16large on the road
versus the ZX14 at $20large (on the road)
it would be a bloody hard decision !

atm..as I type this, I don't know which way I would go
If I win Lotto...I would have both


oh btw
I have no problems with my 12 purchase even though
I knew the 14 would eventually turn up.
Wanting to buy a newer bike, what turned up??
a 4½ yo ZX12r... just serviced, new tyres VGC with only 10,000klicks
for less than $10,000???? I should be strung up if I didn't buy it


cheers


Smitty

...
I reckon 12 riders hate the 14 even more than the 04/05 10 riders hate the 06 10

Mick
I don't.....

maybe it didn't come across enuff in the review...but the 14 is a different style of bike,
slightly softer than the hard edge a 12 has, it is quick becoz its got a large lump of an engine,
maybe its Kawasaki's version of the 'busa
or as neka said.....kwakabusamus


cheers

Last edited by Smitty on Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Jase

if I had the opportunity to buy new

....

I knew you liked worms.