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| 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R |
2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R... It’s gotta be ugly competing against the ZX-14 year after year. When it arrived on the big-bore sportbike stage in 2006, the big Ninja blew everyone’s minds – owners, journalists and competitors – with its incredible thrust, sport-tourer comfort, agile handling and aerodynamic full-coverage bodywork. Continuous refinement has kept the 14 a step ahead of the competition, all while filling enthusiasts’ face shields with wild, ear-to-ear grins.
Fortunately for Kawasaki fans (and unfortunately for the competition), there’s no let up for 2012. Not only is the newly R-designated Ninja ZX-14R massively more powerful, it’s also almost entirely new, with more of the character, design excellence, and finesse you’ve come to expect from Team Green™ – the company that’s been building legendary open-class motorcycles for more than 40 years.
Leading off engine updates is a 4.0mm increase in stroke, from 61.0 to 65.0mm, while the 85mm bore remains unchanged. The ZX’s previous 1352cc was a class-leading displacement figure, but with the new 85.0mm x 65.0mm bore and stroke the 14 ensures its place as displacement king with 1441cc. Compression is also up, from 12.0:1 to 12.3:1.
Combustion chamber shapes were optimized for 2012, and they’re now surface-milled now rather than cast. Intake ports are reshaped and polished for improved flow, and new, longer intake valves have better durability, according to Kawasaki.
The camshafts working those valves are more radical, with increased lift and revised profiles, while a stronger cam chain and revised tensioning system maximize reliability at the stratospheric rpm levels this engine is capable of. Newly designed forged pistons with thinner crowns offer increased durability and less weight, and are cooled by a new oil-jet cooling system that pumps a continuous stream of lubricant at the underside of each piston. (Testing shows the engine runs considerably cooler with this system.) There’s more: Compression is up from last year; connecting rods have beefier small ends, and are made of a stronger material; crankshaft main journals are thicker, from 38 to 40mm; a new air-cleaner element is larger and thicker, with 10% more surface area and 40 percent more airflow capability; and transmission gears have been heat- and surface-treated to be even more durable and shift more smoothly.
Manufacturers aren’t always willing to divulge horsepower ratings, and this time is no different, but we can safely speculate crankshaft power above 200 ponies. The previous model claimed 190 hp at the crank with peak torqe at 113.5 ft-lbs at 7500 rpm. The last time Motorcycle.com dyno tested the 14, the big ZX produced 159.5 hp at 9550 rpm and 99 ft-lbs at 7800 rpm.
Kawasaki says engineers modified more than half of the previous frame’s aluminum castings and forgings, all of which have different flex and rigidity characteristics than the parts they replace. A somewhat more obvious change is a 10mm longer swingarm, largely accounting for a longer wheelbase, up 58.3mm from 57.5mm. Rake and trail figures of 23.0 degrees and 4.7 inches remain unchanged.
The Ninja’s 43mm inverted fork with 13-way compression damping adjustment and 11-way rebound damping, as well as the fully adjustable shock, have revised internal settings and are said to better resist bottoming. Spinning at each end of this super sled are all-new 10-spoke machined aluminum wheels that Kawasaki says are a total of 3.3 pounds lighter than the previous wheel set. Attached to the new wheels are reshaped petal-type brake discs made from a more rigid material. The new discs along with new brake pad material are said to increase feel at the lever.
Front and rear suspension revisions help maintain this balancing act of wheel control, ride compliance and maneuverability. Both the 43mm fully adjustable inverted fork and multi-adjustable single shock have improved bottoming resistance and revised internal settings, while new lighter and beautifully machined 10-spoke wheels look great and reduce unsprung weight by a whopping 3.3 pounds, further aiding acceleration, handling and suspension action. The new ZX-14R’s triple disc brakes are updated, as well, with more rigid disc material and revised pads for powerful, fade-free stops and a progressive feel at the lever.
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| 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R |
2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R Specifications/Technical Details
MSRP Price: $14,699.00 USD
ENGINE
- Type 4-stroke, In-Line Four
- Displacement 1,441cc
- Bore and Stroke 84.0 x 65.0 mm
- Cooling Liquid
- Compression Ratio 12.3:1
- Valve System DOHC, 16 valves (4 valves per cylinder)
- Fuel System DFI with 44 mm Mikuni Throttle Bodies (4)
- Ignition Digital
- Lubrication Forced lubrication (wet sump with cooler)
- Transmission 6-speed, return, positive neutral finder
- Final Drive Sealed chain
- Primary Reduction Ratio 1.556 (84/54)
- Gear Ratio: 1st 2.611(47/18)
- Gear Ratio: 2nd 1.947 (37/19)
- Gear Ratio: 3rd 1.545 (34/22)
- Gear Ratio: 4th 1.333 (32/24)
- Gear Ratio: 5th 1.154 (30/26)
- Gear Ratio: 6th 1.036 (29/28)
- Final Reduction Ratio 2.471 (42/17)
- Clutch Wet multi-disc, manual
- Type Monocoque, aluminium
- Wheel Travel: Front 117 mm (4.6 in.)
- Tire: Front 120/70ZR17M/C (58W)
- Wheel Travel: Rear 124 mm (4.9 in.)
- Tire: Rear 190/50ZR17M/C (73W)
- Caster (Rake) 23º
- Trail 93 mm (3.7 in.)
- Steering Angle (Left/Right) 31º / 31º
- Suspension, Front 43 mm inverted cartridge fork. with adjustable preload, stepless rebound and compression damping adjustments
- Suspension, Rear Bottom-Link Uni-Trak and gas-charged shock with adjustable preload, stepless rebound and compression damping adjustments
- Front: Type Dual semi-floating 310 mm petal discs
- Front: Calipers Dual radial-mount, opposed 4-piston, 4-pad
- Rear: Type Single 250 mm petal disc
- Rear: Calipers Opposed, twin-piston
- Overall Length 2,170 mm (85.4 in.)
- Overall Width 770 mm (30.3 in.)
- Overall Height 1,170 mm (46.1 in.)
- Wheelbase 1,480 mm (58.3 in.)
- Ground Clearance 125 mm (4.9 in.)
- Seat Height 800 mm (31.5 in.)
- Curb Mass** 265 kg (584.2 lbs.)
- Fuel Capacity 22 litres (4.8 gal.)
- Fuel Consumption N/A
- Maximum Power‡ N/A
- Maximum Power with Ram Air‡ N/A
- Maximum Torque‡ N/A
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