The ZX-14R offers a sporty riding position, although not as radical as on a superbike bike since it is meant for highway touring. In fact, the massive fairing and the tank recess cocoon the rider and protect him/her from windblast while also reducing the aerodynamic drag. Average Indian riders shouldn’t have a problem getting their feet down on this bike as the 800-mm saddle height isn’t very high, but it takes a lot of tiptoeing when taking u-turns due to the wide turning radius.
Beneath all the plastic, the ZX-14R has a 1,441-cc liquid-cooled in-line four engine wrapped in an aluminium monocoque chassis and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. This engine also makes it the most powerful production motorcycle in the world as it churns out a maximum power of 200 PS and the ram air system boosts it further to 210 PS when riding at high speed. The power output equals Kawasaki’s litre-class superbike, the ZX-10R, but is achieved at 10,000 RPM instead of at 13,000 RPM, which makes it much more relaxing to ride. As for the torque, the ZX-14R attains 162.5 Nm at just 7,500 RPM, which gives it lightning fast acceleration in spite of the 268 kg of kerb weight.
Braking power is derived from two 310-mm petal discs with radially mounted Nissin four-piston callipers on the front wheel and a single 250-mm petal disc with an opposed twin-piston calliper on the rear wheel. There is ABS to manage the stopping power and the bike’s 17-inch wheels wear Bridgestone’s super grippy Battlax Hypersport S20 radials (120/70 R17 front, 190/60 R17 rear). Kawasaki have also given a slipper clutch to prevent the rear wheel from locking during downshifts at high engine speeds.
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