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Unbridled Excess
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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14
Basem Wasef
09/01/2006
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Photography by Kevin Wing
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As with all bikes manufactured since the dawn of
motorcycling history, Kawasaki’s new Ninja ZX-14 accelerates when the rider
applies throttle. However, unlike any mass-produced bike before it, the ZX-14
produces horsepower that has been measured within a few clicks of the 200 mark
when ram air is in effect, essentially making it the fastest motorcycle on the
market, at the moment. Judging by the thumbs up and approving nods on Southern
California highways, there is an acute public awareness of this bike’s
tremendous capabilities, as well as the well-circulated buzz of it being a
“’Busa Beater”, a not-so-sly reference to the Suzuki Hayabusa
1300.
 RIDING STYLE
Helmet: Shoei RF-1000 Diabolic 2 TC-5
Leathers: Alpinestars
Stage 2-Piece Suit
Gloves: Cortech Scarab R.R.
Boots: Sidi Vertigo Corsa (Click image to enlarge)
Straight-line power alone does not a champion make, so Kawasaki wrapped
the 1,352cc inline-4 with aerodynamically slippery panels intended to reduce
drag and increase high-speed stability. Though its body appears dauntingly long,
wide, and low, the bike is actually comfortable. When straddled by a rider, the
14’s exterior appears less visually extreme, with the human form adding a sense
of proportion to the bike’s otherwise alien shape.
Speaking of alien, a
quadruplet of headlights wrap around the 14’s front end, a la the mothership in
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, while the ram air intake just below the
windscreen is sculpted in the spitting image of a jack-o’-lantern’s smile. Side
slits recall the Ferrari Testarossa’s iconic 1980s visual trademark, and the
overall design seems connected by the theme of bulges interrupted by upswept
linear accents.
 While refueling the ZX-14, a chance meeting with the owner
of a pristinely restored Austin-Healy 100 illustrates the inherently subjective
nature of styling. Personally, I am fascinated with the classic details on his
mid-century roadster, while the car guy is drawn to the extreme styling of my
hypermodern crotch rocket. He points to the Kawasaki’s partially exposed engine,
noting that the black anodized mechanical components accented with shiny
metallic bolts recall the style of improvised hot rod construction from the
1960s. Who knew? Even with the most radically engineered Kawasaki to date,
everything old is new again. (Click image to enlarge)
Riding onward towards California Highway 74, a
serpentine road that connects Orange County to Palm Desert, the ZX-14 finally
has sufficient room to bare its true personality. The first half of the
powerband is unremarkable, though power is adequate enough to enable a
reasonable pace while short shifting. However, spin the engine past 6,000 RPM
and this bike’s raison d’être, the very purpose for which it was put on earth,
is revealed. The eagerness with which the engine winds from 6,000 to 11,000 rpm
is breathtaking, as though the bike’s mechanical well-being were solely
dependent on its capacity to push the tach needle to redline.
Without the
refinements of modern engine metallurgy, tuning, and construction, a bike of
this power would have the untamed characteristics of a MotoGP racer. Instead,
the ZX-14 is remarkably smooth, well behaved, and manageable, never unveiling
its ultimate performance potential until that magical 6,000 rpm mark. Shifting
is precise and the clutch is easily modulated, resulting in power transitions
that are as smooth or aggressive as the left hand dictates. After a ridiculously
quick alternating sequence of redlining and cog swapping, foolhardy riders will
learn that top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph (300 kph), thanks to a
“gentleman’s agreement” among motorcycle manufacturers. Incidentally, those
“gentlemen” must be of a heartier stock than most automakers, who tend to limit
their cars to 155 mph.
Discussing brakes on a bike this fast may seem
tantamount to extolling a supermodel’s personality, but when you’re married to a
living, breathing creature—human or machine—the ability to hold a conversation
is just as important as an exquisite appearance. The ZX-14’s stopping
capabilities are so awesome that they appear to have been created with the same
obsessive attention as the bike’s overachieving powerplant. Minimal effort is
required at the lever, but feedback and stopping power create a sensation almost
as thrilling as acceleration. With the Kawasaki’s drilled, wave pattern rotors
fade is virtually non-existent and the feeling of safety produced by
the radially mounted four-piston four-pad Nissins reinforces the notion that
every bike should have brakes this good.
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