For the Brave or the Crazy

I have owned my ZX14 for just on 3 years now. It is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for the inexperienced rider. The ZX14 is equally at home on the drag strip, the race track, or churning out countless miles with ease and comfort on a long tour ride.

Its power is almost unrivalled. A tweak of the throttle and things are quickly a blur with everything disappearing behind you like specks of dirt in the side mirrors. The bike is big at 220kg (480lb), but handles surprisingly well. It is well balanced and soaks up the bends and rolling country curves with ease for such a large bike. It may not be as nimble in corners as some smaller 1000cc bikes I have owned, but it is no slouch on the windy roads. On the straight open road it is unparalleled.

The seating position is super comfortable even for tall riders. A set of 1" handle bar raisers and I find this bike is great for long distance touring with minimal fatigue. Although it has no ABS or traction control (I call this the "no frills all thrills" package), the ZX14 with all its might feels solid on the road. The dual brake discs are massive and Kawasaki have done an excellent job to make this rocket ship stop.

Maintenance and running costs are more than reasonable compared to several European brands. 

The big, powerful 1400cc engine averages about 38-40 smiles per gallon. The fun factor of this bike is 10/10. I have not had the adrenalin rush from any other bike. Nearest thing was a 2015 Yamaha R1 I rode, but I felt I was ringing the engines neck to rpm redline whereas the Ninja with its superior torque I can launch this bike at any rev range and get the job done all under 10k rpm.

If you have not ridden a ZX14, put it on your bucket list.... probably best you put it last spot on your bucket list though !