Purchased secondhand in December 2016 with only 14,000km experience on the clock.

2014 ZX14R

After my old ZX14 was written off I had a good look around at what I want to replace it with.  And honestly there is just nothing else on the market like the 14.  I wasn’t quite ready to go for a for touring bike as a bike like the 14 still makes me giggle.

In 2012 the ZX14 underwent a number of upgrades including: an increase in capacity from 1360cc to 1440cc which brought about a gain in both horsepower and torque; the inclusion of ABS and traction control; suspension improvements; multiple power modes; and a number of cosmetic changes and restyling.  The improvements were immediately noticeable upon the first ride of updated ZX14R .

Accessories Fitted

• LED headlight upgraded – the project lenses of the standard lights make the conversion very effective.   These were purchased ProVision who were excellent to deal with.
• Custom seat – salvaged from my old bike – I loved my old custom seat so I swapped it for one I purchased at a wrecker before my old bike was shipped to the knackery.
• Double bubble screen – one of the issues with a sports bike is that they are designed for ultimate speed so everything is designed with that in mind, including the screen which assumes a very crouched riding position.  For taller riders and for long rides this position can’t be sustained.  When playing with different screens there is always the compromise between airflow, and noise and size.  The trick is finding the right compromise for you.  I tried a number of different shapes and found the double bubble was the best compromise.
• Chain lube system – salvaged from my old bike – one of the issues with touring on a chain drive bike is lubing the chain.  While it isn’t hard, adding a automatic chain lube system makes life on the road easier I have also found that it extends the life of the chain as it is maintained constantly.  I opted for a Cameleon oiler as they are really easy to install and just work.
• Radiator guard – salvaged from my old bike – a RadGuard was deemed essential for the types of roads the bike is often on.  This includes many miles on dirt roads.
• Slip on exhausts – After market pipes are installed for a number of reasons, such as: looks; sound; volume; weight; and performances. For me as I was adding luggage the pipes needed to accommodate panniers, and while I wasn’t chasing horsepower, it needed a nice note and savings in weight to improve handling.  This bike came with an aftermarket set of Yoshimura slip-on pipes.
• Lower foot pegs – on my original ZX14 I installed cheap eBay lower pegs.  For this bike I have found some nice lower pegs from Knight Design in the States.  These are not cheap but I really nice quality foot peg.
• Carbon Fibre front mudguard – salvaged from my old bike – while there are savings in unsprung weight with the addition of the carbon fibre guard, the major motivation is the looks of the guard and toning down the amount of green on the bike.
• Rear hugger – at this stage not installed
• Driving Lights – at this stage not fitted but options are currently being examined. see update for driving lights.
• Heated hand grips – at this stage not installed but as it gets closer to winter a set will be purchased and installed.

Luggage

• Panniers – salvaged from my old bike – Givi V35 profile panniers and Givi racks.
• Top box – when I purchased the original ZX14 there was no option for a top box.  For the ZX14R I have opted for a Givi V47 top box mounted on an Alu-rack which are a very neat functional option.
• Tank bag – Tank bags are a personal preference.  I like a smallish bag that I can throw my wallet, sunnies, camera, and a few other small things. It’s my man bag. I have used a Bags-Connection bag and tank ring.