2012
Kawasaki Ninja ZX 14R (top speed 300 km/h)
The Ninja ZX-14R's ultra-powerful 1441cm3 inline four-cylinder engine puts it in a class all its own. Add in our most advanced electronics system, including traction control, ABS and power mode selection and with an innovative monocoque frame, and stunning bodywork, and the ZX-14R is a phenomenon that you must experience to believe.
The step up in performance over its rivals is readily apparent, with more available torque across the rev range and substantially higher upper-end power.
Twisting the throttle past 4,000 rpm may result in a sensation not entirely unlike that experienced by astronauts breaking free from the Earth's gravitational pull.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R reinforced the title of "the world's most powerful production motorcycle" by setting a new Australian Land Speed record (Production Class) at Lake Gairdner, SA during DLRA Speed Week 2013.
With only gearing/tyre changes and the speed limiter removed, the Kawasaki Australia supplied Ninja ZX-14R set a phenomenal top speed of 208.153 miles per hour (334.99 km/h). The achieved speed set a new Australian Production Frame-Production Engine (P-P) 1,650cc class record which is also the fastest speed any Production P-P bike has travelled to date.
- Ram Air Induction: A central Ram Air duct feeds cool, high-pressure air from the front of the fairing in a direct path through the air cleaner and into the engine for maximum power output - as speed increases, so does the air pressure, effectively force-feeding the engine.
- Aerodynamics: Sculpted by the wind, the Ninja ZX-14R's bodywork offers high aerodynamic performance that reduces drag, and contributes to stability and wind protection at highway speeds.
- Sport Suspension: Whan compared to the previous model, stiffer springs for both the front fork and rear suspension deliver a firmer, sportier feel. Specially machined fork caps and red adjusters are on the 2015 Special Edition (Öhlins).
- LED Tail light: More aggressive, larger-volume tail maintains the LED taillight and integrated rear turn signals of the predecessor.
- Lightweight Wheels: The lightweight wheels offer significant weight savings over those of the predecessor. The front wheel is 360g lighter and the rear wheel saves 1030g, for a total reduction of 1.39 kg compared to its predecessor.
- Dominant Performance: 4 mm longer stroke increases displacement of the powerful In-Line Four engine to 1,441 cm3. Bore and Stroke are now 84 x 65 mm.
- Series-first Back-torque Limiter: Easily adjustable back-torque limiting clutch facilitates smooth downshifts and helps prevent rear wheel hop, which becomes more likely with the increased back-torque.
- Stronger, Longer Swingarm: Gusseting on the swingarm increases rigidity to match the greater output. Swingarm is 10 mm longer to suit the new final gear ratio. (This also contributes to the slightly longer wheelbase).
- Stronger, Shorter-geared Transmission: While the increased engine performance already delivers significantly increased torque, shorter gearing care of a larger rear sprocket (41T >> 42T) further accentuates the stronger acceleration.
- Attention to Details: Sculpted design of the upper triple clamp complements the high-quality image of the cockpit area. On the special graphics edition, the upper triple clamp features contrasting sections: painted finish vs. hairline finish with a clear coat.
- Fuel tank details: A depression in the fuel tank cover facilitates tucking in behind the screen. Machined finish on the fuel tank cap contributes to the high-quality image.
- Seat: The gunfighter-style seat contributes to both design impact and ergonomics. Its sculpted shape provides hip support during strong acceleration. Slimmer at the front, it also facilitates the reach to the ground when stopped at lights.
- Increased Carrying Convenience: The Ninja ZX-14R features retractable luggage hooks that tuck in neatly at the rear of the front seat. These are complemented by two hooks on the passenger tail grip. Idealised hook placement (not too close together) enables large-sized items to be securely attached to the rear seat.
- Multi-function Instrumentation: Features on the multi-function display include analogue-style speedometer, external air temperature, fuel gauge, gear position indicator, odometer, clock & trip meters. Numerous modes including current and average fuel consumption, range, battery voltage are controlled using a multi-function button located at the left handle.
- Headlamp: More aggressive design for the characteristic quadruple projector beam headlights contributes to the increased impact of the front cowling.
Source: kawasaki.com.au