Kawasaki has a storied reputation of being the nastiest, baddest kid on the block. The H1 500 and H2 750 triple-cylinder two-strokes, the mighty Z1, the ZX-11, the ZX-12R…the company always seemed to offer a bike in its lineup whose rip-snorting, treading-the-limit speed sets them apart from the other Japanese brands. And until the advent of its supercharged H2 series, Kawasaki’s ZX-14R was the company’s flagship horsepower monger.
With the previous ZX-14 already in its third-gen version and getting a little long in the tooth, in 2012 Kawasaki decided to add an “R” suffix along with a host of upgrades. Engine displacement was increased from 1,352cc to 1,441cc via a 4mm additional stroke, with an all-new cylinder head with more aggressive cams, stronger rods, and lighter forged pistons pushing a slightly higher compression ratio through a redesigned exhaust system all combining to boost power significantly over the previous ZX-14. Numerous other components were beefed up to handle the additional power, including improved heat surface treatment for the transmission gears, stronger castings and forgings for the monocoque frame, a 10mm-longer and stiffer swingarm, stiffer springs and damping in front and rear suspension, and a higher-grade steel for the 310mm petal brake discs up front head the long list of upgrades. New 10-spoke cast aluminum wheels drop 3.3 pounds of unsprung weight from the old ZX-14′s wheels.
Keeping the beefy ZX-14R’s power under control is Kawasaki’s KTRC traction control system with three levels of intervention (plus off). Two power modes are available, with Low Power Mode providing 75 percent maximum power and softer throttle response for sketchy road conditions.
It should be noted that it’s not all about pavement-rippling straight-line speed with the ZX-14R. The redesigned seat is nice and supportive for long rides, and despite its humongous power, the engine is smooth as silk due to its twin counterbalancers. Outside of the obvious group of potential buyers who are looking for the baddest, most powerful bike available, someone looking for a sport-touring mount that leans decidedly toward the sportier side of the spectrum might want to look at Kawasaki’s ZX-14R.
The 2024 Kawasaki ZX-14R 40th Anniversary Edition ABS is available in Lime Green/Pearl Crystal White/Blue 40th Anniversary Edition livery model for $17,249.
