It came to life in 2006, and after 14 years of thrilling motorcycle enthusiasts, Kawasaki is all set to discontinue the ZX-14R / ZZR1400 motorcycle. The Japanese manufacturer has revealed that the bike will be discontinued in 2020, after the Euro-5 emission norms come in to play and even the arch rival Suzuki Hayabusa might see the same fate. However, we know that Suzuki has been working on a new-generation Hayabusa for a long time.
The ZX-14R was one of the most powerful street-legal motorcycles back in the day with 197 BHP on tap, but now, two-wheeler companies have upped the game with more powerful bikes. Even Kawasaki has models with more than 200 HP on tap. The ZX-14R was updated in 2012 in the engine department which brought in features such as ABS, traction control and ABS. Seems like the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX would be positioned as a replacement to the ZX-14R in the years to come; unless the brand resurrects the iconic ZX-14R / ZZR1400 nameplate.
Before being off the shelves, we expect Kawasaki to introduce limited editions of the Ninja ZX-14R, and this bike is quite popular in the Indian big bike scene as well. As of now, this bike retails for INR 19.70 lakh ex-showroom, which is significantly higher than the Suzuki Hayabusa which has been assembled via the CKD route. However, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R is much more advanced in the kit it offers.
Powering the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R is a 1441cc, liquid-cooled, in-line 4-cylinder motor with DOHC & 16 valves producing 200 PS of power @ 10000 RPM and 210 PS of power with Ram Air assist. The motor makes a peak torque of 158.2 Nm @ 7500 RPM and is matched to a 6-speed gearbox. While the seat height is accessible at 800mm, the ZX-14R has a kerb weight of 269 kg and wheelbase of 1480mm. This makes the bike very heavy to manage in twisty roads / ghat sections but on the contrary, the bike is super stable under hard acceleration and on high speeds.
Nevertheless, a legendary motorcycle is now on its way out. Thank you emission norms. Hope you can bring dinosaurs back.