In the recent past, I have owned a Kawasaki Ninja 650 (ridden ~32k kms) and a KTM 390 Adventure (barely ridden - sold due to relocation).

BHPian OmV recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello Folks,

I am currently based in Massachusetts and I am looking to scratch the itch to get a motorcycle again. After a brief consideration of other brands, I settled on Kawasaki again due to my previous ownership. I had almost made up my mind to play it safe and get a current-gen Ninja 1000SX which does it all. At the dealership, I spied a ZX-14R and a long-time dream resurfaced. Mind you, I have never ridden a 14R but always salivated at the idea of owning it someday whenever I have seen it in the flesh. The dealership did not have the bike ready for a TD, but just sitting on it I did not find it overly intimidating or very heavy. The ergonomics also felt very comfortable.

I initially did not pursue it due to the cost differential between the 1000SX and the ZX14R. I scourged dealerships within 500 miles and found one that was offering a decent (15%) discount on the MSRP. My local dealership has offered to match the discount making the ZX14R almost on par with the 1000SX financially. There are no discounts on the 1000SX due to the demand.

The ZX14R is not a dinosaur yet but is definitely long in the tooth. The only real piece of equipment I (think I) will miss compared to the 1000SX is the 6-axis IMU. Bluetooth connectivity, riding modes, display screens etc do not matter that much to me. I am not planning to drag race or do insane speeds. The only draw the 14R has for me is a long-time pull towards it and limited availability. The replacement for this bike may probably have a supercharger and will be even more expensive.

Use Case

Mostly B roads, some interstate, no ungodly speeds due to fear of tickets. I understand this is too much bike for my needs, but it is more of an emotional need. Admiring it in the garage over the winter is also rewarding for me (even if it may sound ridiculous to others). The main question is does the ZX14R make sense in 2023 at this price point?

Background

In the recent past, I have owned a Ninja 650 (ridden ~32k kms) and an ADV 390 (Barely ridden - sold due to relocation). My wife and I both love riding and have been missing being on 2 wheels. (We actually met on a ride in Mumbai and ended up getting married!). My wife has made up her mind on a Ninja 400 (she has owned a Ninja 400 before and does not want to change).

Any comments will be highly appreciated.

Here's what BHPian Xaos636 had to say about the matter:

Considering you get the 14R for the price of 1000SX, I would pick up the 14R if I were in your place. You have enough experience with the 650s and I feel you have your heart set on the 14R too after reading the above lines. A few years down the line on the 1000SX (assuming you pick one up), the upgrade itch could eventually take you to the ZX-14R mothership. I love how the console and less intrusive electronics on the 14R work, and loved it every bit riding back to back with its real rival, the Suzuki Hayabusa. I would definitely suggest you pick something like the ZX-14R and call it a day, keep in mind that it won't be as high as a sitting posture on the 1000SX, but everything else works in the 14R’s favor.

Please note that this is completely my thought and I know people who vouch for the Ninja 1000SX. But a 14R at N1000’s price point seals the deal for me. Do consider others’ opinions, and more importantly try to get a test ride which can finalise the perfect ride for you.

Here's what BHPian no_fear had to say about the matter:

Have you considered the insurance for the ZX14R? MA insurance rates can be quite insane, especially for the higher cc bikes. Progressive / Geico charges even upto 4k USD for annual insurance. Having read your post, I am guessing you have only ridden in India before and not ridden in the US. Check the insurance premiums of both the Ninja 1000 vs ZX 14R and then decide on your purchase.

Here's what BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR had to say about the matter:

Reason enough to go for that 14R, IMHO.

Motorcycles are never going to be safe decisions, these purchases should be from the heart or else the itch will keep coming back.

Here's what BHPian 46TheDoctor had to say about the matter:

My perspective as I own a 14R since 2016 and have done 39k kms so far:

Get the 14R for the following reasons:

• 14R is the best combination of Speed, Comfort, and Reliability among all the other bikes across multiple segments. As fast as the Supersports category on the public streets. More comfortable than any other bike except the Adv Tourers and Goldwings. Extremely reliable as expected from Kawasaki.
• 14R is extremely powerful and torquey, no other Touring bike comes close to it.
• Excellent for riding with a pillion also given the comfy and spacious seat for both.
• Basic essential electronic safety net is there but no unnecessary electronics, making the ride very engaging and reliable.
• Even though it's heavy, CG and seat is low making it very manageable and it's surprisingly nimble through twisties also.
• Inline four symphony sounds great, the bike is very smooth and refined both in terms of NVH and power delivery.

Avoid 14R in the following cases:

• If the rider is tall, say more than 5'10". Ergonomics aren't suitable for tall riders for long distances. So not applicable at your height.
• If most of the riding is expected at slow speeds. 14R starts giving all the thrills as you start exploring its power which is seemingly unending for public streets. Even beyond 200 kmph it keeps pulling very strongly. Inline fours don't create much excitement at low revs, only mid-range and Top End are enjoyable. High-engine capacity Twin-cylinder bikes are always more fun at low and mid-range due to their torquey natures.

Some other tips:

• Stock seat is very comfortable so don't change it. I am around 5'5" and I can manage the bike perfectly.
• I like the sound of Akrapovic, it is great - my favourite, but the stock exhaust is too silent in 14R, N1000 sounds much better.

But, for your use case, I would have gone for some 1000+ cc twin-cylinder options with more upright seating like T120, Speed Twin 1200, Africa Twin, V-strom, GS, etc.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

In India, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R is priced at Rs 8.49 lakh (ex-showroom).

Kawasaki launched the Ninja ZX-4R in India last month. The newest inline 4-cylinder supersport model is priced at Rs 8.49 lakh (ex-showroom). Kawasaki has now commenced deliveries of the first batch of bikes.

In India, the ZX-4R is available in a single variant. It comes with a 4.3-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity and has four riding modes: Sport, Road, Rain and Rider.

The ZX-4R is powered by a 399cc 4-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that revs to 15,000 rpm and produces 79 BHP @ 14,500 rpm with RAM air assistance and 37.6 Nm @ 12,500 rpm. The engine is mated with a 6-speed gearbox.

The ZX-4R features an upside-down fork from Showa at the front and an adjustable mono-shock at the rear, while braking is handled by dual 290 mm discs at the front paired with Nissin 4-piston calipers and a 220 mm disc at the rear with dual-channel ABS.

Although my original plan was to keep the motorcycle with the original decals, I am more biased toward the decals from the KB 4S Champion.

BHPian v12 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Here is a humble & sympathetic restoration of my 88 KB100 RTZ. This is the first iteration with a new cherry red tank / panels. The bike is originally wine red, but just thought of playing it with cherry red and I love it. The new tank has a lot of leaks and paint defects, so will be fixing and repainting my old tank.

Although my original plan was to keep the bike with the original decals, I am more biased toward the decals from the KB 4S Champion. What are your thoughts?

Will be starting a new thread soon to share updates and costs and the story behind this purchase.

The original color

The cherry red color

KB 4S Champion

Here's what BHPian condor had to say about the matter:

Please keep the original decal style. The decals from the 4S will remove the aura of the KB100. I have a '87 and am glad that @SChakravarthy managed to put the same style of decals when he restored it. Though the decal doesn't have the golden border on the colors, it still looks like the original KB100.

Here's what BHPian wangdu had to say about the matter:

Oh dear! The pictures in this thread time travelled me to that era and made it alive.

I can see it transform into a Cheetah, my '89 model KB, this color only and on the way to and fro school racing my friends on their IND-Suzuki & RX-100.

Please for the love of 80s kids do not change the decal, sir! It just won't look and make us reminisce about the iconic KB. Please!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The 2024 Ninja ZX-6R is powered by the same 636cc in-line 4-cylinder engine as before.

According to a media report, Kawasaki is likely to launch the updated ZX-6R in India by the end of this year.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R was discontinued after the BS6 emission norms came into effect. With the Euro5 version already on sale globally, Kawasaki is expected to bring the updated bike to India.

The 2024 Ninja ZX-6R is powered by the same 636cc in-line 4-cylinder engine as before. However, it now complies with the BS6.2 norms, with peak output rated at 127 BHP and 69 Nm, slightly lower than the old version. The engine gets revised cam profiles, re-tuned injectors, molybdenum-coated pistons, a revised intake system and a new header & collector pipe.

The new ZX-6R features an adjustable Showa front fork and an adjustable Showa mono-shock at the rear. Braking is handled by twin 320 mm discs paired with new Nissin 4-piston calipers at the front and a 220 mm rear disc.

The bike gets a quick-shifter, 4.3-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth and three riding modes: Sport, Road and Rain, while safety features include traction control and Kawasaki Intelligent Anti-lock Brake System.

Source: Autocar India

Both motorcycles also have a top speed of 104 km/h.

Kawasaki has launched its electric motorcycle line-up in the US market. The Kawasaki Z e-1 and Ninja e-1 models come priced at $7,299 (Rs 6.07 lakh) and $7,599 (Rs 6.32 lakh), respectively.

Both the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 use the same powertrain and also feature the same set of features. However, as the name suggests, the Ninja e-1 is a fully-faired offering while the Z e-1 is a naked streetfighter. The Ninja e-1 comes with split headlights, a large visor up front, a large side fairing and a tall tail, while the Z e-1 gets a single-pod headlight and small tank extensions. Both electric motorcycles feature a split seat.

Both, the Kawasaki Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 feature telescopic forks at the front and a pre-load adjustable mono-shock at the rear. Braking is handled by 290 mm and 220 mm front and rear discs, respectively. The electric motorcycles ride on 17-inch alloys shod with 100/80 front and 130/70 rear profile tyres.

Powering the two electric motorcycles is a pair of removable 1.5 kWh batteries, paired with a 9 kW motor. Kawasaki claims a range of 65 km for both motorcycles, however, the bikemaker is yet to confirm if this range is with single or dual batteries. Both motorcycles also have a top speed of 104 km/h. Feature-wise, the bikes get two riding modes: Eco & Road, ABS, TFT screen with smartphone connectivity and a bunch of others.

Source: BikeWale

Globally, the Ninja ZX-4R comes in three trims: Standard, SE and ZX-4RR. Kawasaki is offering the base variant in India.

Kawasaki has introduced its newest inline 4-cylinder supersport model, the Ninja ZX-4R, in India. It is priced at Rs 8.49 lakh (ex-showroom).

Globally, the Ninja ZX-4R comes in three trims: Standard, SE and ZX-4RR. Kawasaki is offering the base variant in India. The bike is equipped with a 4.3-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity and has four riding modes: Sport, Road, Rain and Rider.

The ZX-4R is powered by a 399cc 4-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that revs to 15,000 rpm and produces 79 BHP @ 14,500 rpm with RAM air assistance and 37.6 Nm @ 12,500 rpm. The engine is mated with a 6-speed gearbox.

The ZX-4R features an upside-down fork from Showa at the front and an adjustable mono-shock at the rear, while braking is handled by dual 290 mm discs at the front paired with Nissin 4-piston calipers and a 220 mm disc at the rear. The bike rides on 17-inch wheels shod with 120/70 section front and 160/60 section rear tyres, while dual-channel ABS is offered as standard.

With the new carburettor installed, I was able to catch up with 300cc Jawas despite being 200cc and 15 HP short.

BHPian TorqueMonster recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The last update on this bike was more than a year ago, and within this year, a lot of things happened. The first being me shifting an entire state now for studies. The second being the entry of another bike into the garage, in the form of the Super Meteor. And when the question came to decide what bike to bring to the university, there was only one option that was considered. Bringing the KB100 all the way from Kerala.

Now, over the past year, the bike has undergone a lot of changes, be it physically or mechanically. Physically, the bike had not been ridden for a while, the Kawasaki Lime Green vinyl faded, and the spokes were broken. There was also an onset of rust here and there.

Bringing the bike back to running condition for the 3rd time in 33 years, this time did not take much effort. Major changes were made, however. The first was regarding the engine. The engine earlier was lethargic, struggling till 40 and saturating at 60. A new carburettor being fitted along with some engine tuning has now totally fixed this bike. Now it runs a KB125 carb, with necessary engine tuning. And this has totally changed the characteristics of the engine.

The vehicle is back to its rev-happy self, and it is the smoothest it has ever been. Secondly, the bike now easily picks up speed until 60, and saturates at an 85, with a top speed being up to 100 easily with enough straight road. The speed is adequate enough that for a recent ride, I was catching up with 300cc Jawas despite being 200 cc and 15hp short. I now have the classic 2-stroke performance with enough usability of a 150cc. I now get decent mileage too, anywhere between a 35 to 40 easily. Considering the fact that I contemplated selling this bike for a 150cc commuter, now I have the best of all worlds, be it looks, old-school charm or sheer performance. It is the one bike that is now finally making me feel like all the effort I had put in earlier was worth it.

Moving on to the looks, the Lime Green vinyl have been replaced with newer vinyl, bringing back its shiny look again, back to how I had restored it last year. And this is of massive importance, as the 2-stroke sound and the looks make it one massive attention-seeking motorcycle. It is fun to see the looks of confusion, of a bike that says Kawasaki, but sounds and rides similar to the RX. This bike commands attention, from both curious onlookers unaware of the existence of such a bike, and also 2-stroke enthusiasts and bike enthusiasts in general.

As of now, this bike has been part of multiple long rides, and it has effortlessly cruised at 65 - 70. Sharing a few recent images of the motorcycle below.

Now there aren't any major changes to be made to the bike. If the budget permits, the next upgrade will be a disc brake in the front to deal with the recent highway rides of which this bike has been a daily fixture.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The report states that Kawasaki is unlikely to offer the ZX-4RR and SE models in India.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R was unveiled earlier this year. It is the brand's newest 4-cylinder sportbike and if the latest reports are anything to go by, it could be launched in India soon.

The ZX-4R is powered by a 399cc 4-cylinder engine that revs to 15,000 rpm and produces 76 BHP @ 14,500 rpm and 37.6 Nm @ 12,500 rpm. The engine is mated with a 6-speed gearbox.

The ZX-4R features an upside-down fork at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, while braking is handled by dual 290 mm discs at the front paired with Nissin 4-piston calipers and a 220 mm disc at the rear. The bike comes with dual-channel ABS.

The ZX-4R comes equipped with a 4.3-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity and has four riding modes: Sport, Road, Rain and Rider. A bidirectional quick-shifter is available as an option on the base model.

The report states that Kawasaki is unlikely to offer the ZX-4RR and SE models in India.

Powering the Z H2 and Z H2 SE is a supercharged 998cc inline-4 engine.

Kawasaki has launched the 2024 Z H2 and Z H2 SE in India. The bikes are priced at Rs 23.48 lakh and Rs 27.76 lakh, respectively (ex-showroom).

The 2024 Kawasaki Z H2 and Z H2 SE look similar to the outgoing version. The Z H2 is known for its aggressive styling. It features an exposed trellis frame with a sporty headlamp at the front and a narrow tail section with a split seat. The bikes ride on 17-inch alloy wheels.

Powering the Z H2 and Z H2 SE is a 998cc supercharged inline-4 engine that makes 197.2 BHP @ 11,000 rpm and 137 Nm @ 8,500 rpm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox. The bikes are equipped with a USD fork at the front and a mono-shock at the rear. The SE version gets Showa Skyhook technology.

The Z H2 is available in a single Metallic Carbon Grey with Ebony paint colour scheme, while the Z H2 SE gets Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Grey with Ebony colour.

The Ninja 650 now complies with the latest emission norms and can run on E20 fuel.

Kawasaki has launched the 2024 Ninja 650 in India. The bike is priced at Rs 7.16 lakh (ex-showroom), which is slightly higher than the outgoing model.

The Ninja 650 now complies with the latest emission norms. The bike retains its 649cc, parallel-twin engine that makes 67.3 BHP @ 8,000 rpm and 64 Nm @ 6,700 rpm. The engine has been updated to run on E20 fuel.

In terms of design, the 2024 Ninja 650 looks identical to the outgoing model. It features dual-LED headlamps at the front, a step-up seat, and an underbelly exhaust. The bike is available in a Lime Green colour scheme with Kawasaki Racing Team graphics.

The Ninja 650 comes equipped with a telescopic front fork and a mono-shock at the rear. The bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and gets disc brakes at both ends supported by dual-channel ABS.