2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R Review

When it comes to the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R, the old adage rings true: It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Mum used to trot that out in relation to me grabbing a jumper as I headed out the door as a kid, but it can just as easily apply to this big Ninja, and its insane capacity for speed.

Ahh, speed… Speed kills, doesn't it? It's been drummed into us by authorities for years now, and these days those caught infringing our land's laws often make news headlines.

But of course it's inappropriate speed that kills – speed that's inappropriate for the conditions. Even 20km/h can be inappropriate for a motorcycle on an icy road or in a crowded city centre, while 300km/h can be entirely appropriate on a race track (on a straight bit, anyway!).

Which begs the question… is the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R even relevant on today's roads? When the difference between the speed limit and instant loss of licence is a mere few degrees of throttle, why take the risk?

Well, I'll tell you why. Because controlling a bike with this much grunt simply feels great, no matter what the speedo says. Because a bike like this has the grunt to get you out of a dangerous situation in a blink of an eye. And because riding a bike that can outperform virtually anything else on the road brings with it an incredibly smug sense of satisfaction, even if the opportunities to unleash that wrath are rare.

When it comes to speed machines, the 2021 Kawasaki ZX-14R has a proud lineage of iconic high-performance inline four-cylinder machines that stretch back to the Z1 of 1973. To that list add the GPz900R, ZX-10 and ZZ-R1100, and more recently the ZX-12R. The latter was Team Green's main player during the 'top-speed wars' around the turn of the millennium, when Honda's CBR1100XX Super Blackbird set the tone, followed by the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZX-12R, before the Japanese manufacturers set a 'gentleman's agreement' to limit their performance weapons to a top speed of 300km/h.

The Kawasaki ZX-12R moved aside for the ZX-14 in 2006, and then a major update (including a capacity boost) arrived in 2012, when the ZX-14 became the ZX-14R. But the model has remained largely unchanged since.

Technology and the world have changed, however. The Kawasaki ZX-14R doesn’t meet Euro 5 emissions standards, and that saw the model discontinued in Europe in 2020. Add to that the fact the ZX-14R is now overshadowed by Kawasaki's supercharged Ninja H2 and Ninja H2 SX, and the time for Kawasaki to overhaul the ZX-14R or drop it altogether is nigh.

But, whatever its future, the Kawasaki ZX-14R is available here as a 2021 model, and we've just put 1000km beneath its wheels to see how it stacks up today.

Let me say at the outset, it's pretty damn hard to be unimpressed by a package that pumps out up to 200hp, or 210hp with the effect of ram air (when air is rammed down the bike's intake at its snout, accompanied at stratospheric speeds by any passing dogs, cats and small children).

We're talking peak outputs of 210hp (154kW) at 10,000rpm and a stonking 158Nm at 7500rpm from the 1441cc, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder engine, in a package that weighs in at an admittedly not feather-light 269kg (wet).

To put that in perspective, the Kwaka's arch rival, the recently updated next-generation Suzuki Hayabusa, churns out 190hp (140kW) at 9700rpm and 150Nm at 7000rpm, and weighs 264kg (wet).

So it hauls, but fortunately the alloy beam frame and suspension are up to the job. The 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R scores the same running gear once reserved for the previous Special Edition model, which is to say its fully adjustable inverted 43mm fork is complemented by an Ohlins TTX39 rear monoshock at the rear, while up front it scores radial-mount Brembo M50 brake calipers.

As for electronics, it's a fairly rudimentary affair. There non-switchable ABS, two power modes (full or low) and three-level traction control. The power and traction settings can only be changed when stationary.

There's also a basic trip computer, but the instrumentation is decidedly old school – twin analogue dials with a blocky (and busy) LCD digi display in the middle.

The lighting package, however, is quite decent, comprising quad projector beams up front and an LED taillight, but with standard-bulb indictators.

I spent a couple of weeks on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R and took in a mix of riding, and this bike works incredibly well as far as its ergonomics go.

The ride position is pure sportstourer, which is to say there's enough of a forward lean for sporty riding but it's far from extreme – you could easily devour some decent mileage aboard this bike.

The seat is broad and compliant, and pillions get a good deal too with a large and low seat. And for solo sportstouring, luggage tie-down hooks fold out at the front of the pillion seat, making it easy to tie down a bag.

The ride position is roomy, and will happily accommodate larger riders. I'm 6ft 2in (188cm), and I found the legroom was okay, and it was no trouble to hunker down behind the screen when getting amongst it.

And then we come to the ZX-14R's performance, which really does offer a 'best of both worlds' riding experience. It's actually really docile at road-legal speeds and super-refined, with glitch-free fueling and barely a hint of vibration. Power delivery feels linear and there's a towering wave of torque – it's easy to ride this thing at a modest pace, but twist your wrist, even just a little, and hang on as the scenery blurs and your eyeballs flatten to dinner plates…

The handling is impressive too; at this weight it won't flick through a chicane like a ZX-10R, but it gets through the corners respectably well and feels stable and planted at all speeds, taking broken surfaces in its stride.

The suspension delivers a compliant yet still-sporty ride. All the front fork's adjustors are easy to get to and the monoshock has a handy remote wheel for preload, but good luck trying to squeeze a hand in to reach the rear shock’s rebound and compression dials.

There's bulk torque on tap at just about any engine speed – you can be super lazy with the gearbox if you want, and at 100km/h in sixth the big mill is spinning at just 3500rpm. Open the taps though and super-fast overtakes are accomplished in split seconds.

The brakes offer good power and feel without perhaps the super-fine precision of Brembo's latest high-spec Stylema stoppers, although there's very little initial bite (something that could likely be addressed with a different pad compound). Braking power is nice and progressive, in any case.

And the Kawasaki ZX-14R shifts through its six gears well, even if it does involve the tried-and-true manual method (no quickshifter here!).

Fuel economy? It's on the thirsty side, as you'd expect. I got 6.7L/100km in general day-to-day riding, which climbed to 7.5L/100km in the hills. Expect around 300km from the 22lt tank unless you up the pace.

Generally speaking, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R offers a sublime and thoroughly sorted ride, but it does fall short on the tech front. There's no TFT screen, no Bluetooth connectivity, no USB charger and no Inertial Measurement Unit, so the ABS and traction control are relatively 'dumb' systems that don't account for lean angle.

This bike is crying out for electronic cruise control too, even just to help preserve those precious licence points. It's so smooth and refined, it's all too easy for that cruise speed to creep up…

Still, for $22,099 plus ORC, it's a whack cheaper than the new Suzuki Hayabusa (now $25,599 plus ORC) and models like its supercharged sportstouring sibling, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX ($31,000 plus ORC).

Overall, in 2021 the Kawasaki ZX-14R spells decent bang for your bucks, in a nowadays basic but highly competent and capable machine that's comfy yet blisteringly fast.

We're yet to hear if there's an update around the corner, or if it will be put out to pasture – but a ride on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R will still leave you breathless, buzzing, and ready for more.

ENGINE
Type: 1441cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder
Bore x stroke: 84.0mm x 65.0mm
Compression ratio: 12.3:1
Fuel system: Mikuni electronic fuel injection, 4 x 44mm throttle bodies

PERFORMANCE
Maximum power: 200hp/147.2kW (210hp/154.5kW with RAM air) at 10,000rpm
Maximum torque: 158.2Nm at 7500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Monocoque, aluminium
Front suspension: 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: Ohlins TTX39 monoshock, fully adjustable
Front brakes: Dual semi-floating 310mm petal discs with radial-mount, four-piston Brembo M50 calipers, ABS equipped
Rear brake: Single 250mm petal disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper, ABS equipped
Tyres: Front 120/70ZR17; Rear 190/50ZR17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: N/A
Trail: N/A
Claimed kerb weight: 269kg
Seat height: 800mm
Wheelbase: 1480mm
Fuel capacity: 22 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $22,099 plus ORC
Colours: Pearl Storm Gray with Metallic Diablo Black
Test bike supplied by: Kawasaki Motors Australia, www.kawasaki.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres