THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A DEFECT IN THE KAWASAKI ZX-14 WHICH MAY PRESENT A POTENTIAL DANGER TO OWNERS OF THIS MODEL. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY BIKE I WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL CONCERNING AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLTS. WHILE MECHANICS CERTIFIED MY BIKE TO BE WITHIN PROPER GUIDELINES, THEY ALSO NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE MOTOR. AFTER AN AUDITORY INSPECTION, THE MECHANICS DEEMED MY BIKE SAFE TO RIDE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION PROVIDED FOR THE UNUSUAL SOUND FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE PUT OVER 6,000 MILES ON THE BIKE, AND THE LOUD KNOCKING SOUND PERSISTS. EARLIER THIS WEEK I WAS SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON AN AFTER MARKET COOLING FAN FOR MY BIKE, AND DISCOVERED A HOST OF ZX14 FORUMS WHICH ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF THE LOUD KNOCKING OR "CLUNKING" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I LEARNED THAT BOTH MECHANICS AND FACTORY REPS CLAIMED THE ENGINE NOISE WAS NORMAL, BUT IT SEEMS NONE COULD ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO OCCUR. AT LEAST ONE CUSTOMER INDICATED HIS ENGINE ULTIMATELY FAILED WHILE HE WAS RIDING. I HAVE HEARD THEORIES SUCH AS CLUTCH NOISE, THE BALANCER, AND THE CAM CHAIN. I AM CONCERNED THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO MORE ENGINE FAILURES OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF US HAVE EXPIRED WARRANTIES, WHILE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND KAWASAKI'S FACTORY REPS ARE AWARE OF THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM ASKING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM IN ORDER TO DISCOVER A POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND A FAIR SOLUTION, OR DEEM THESE BIKES SAFE FOR US TO RIDE. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, KAWASAKI SHOULD RECTIFY THIS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10457547
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2008
Transmission
Filed Jun 6, 2008
07 ZX-14 SAYS ITS IN NEUTRAL AND COMES UP 1ST GEAR EVEN WITH NEUTRAL LIGHT ON. WHILE AT STOP LIGHT LETTING OFF CLUTCH BIKE'S SUPPOSE TO BE IN 1ST GEAR AND IT'S ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. LATEST INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING, WHILE RIDING BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS BACK AND NO ONE HAS DONE ANYTHING, TO CORRECT IT, CONTACTED TECH SUPPORT AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT IT EITHER... *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10230171
- Incident
- Jun 6, 2008
- Mileage
- 4,216 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 22, 2007
I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 KAWASAKI ZX-14 MOTORCYCLE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 2007. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE MOTORCYCLE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE MANUFACTURE'S GUIDELINES. DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE, ON SMOOTH FLAT PAVEMENT, AT NO MORE THAN 50 MPH, THE REAR END DROPPED ABOUT THREE INCHES WITHOUT WARNING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE REAR TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. AFTER I SAFELY BROUGHT THE BIKE TO A STOP, I LOOKED DOWN AT THE REAR TIRE, IT WAS NOT FLAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I REALIZED THAT THE FRAME OF THE BIKE HAD FAILED. THE FRAME WAS INDEED BROKEN. THE BIKE HAS NEVER CRASHED INTO ANYTHING OR HIT ANY POTHOLES. THERE ISN'T A SCRATCH ON THE BIKE AND IT HAS NEVER HAD ANY STUNTS PERFORMED ON IT. THE BIKE IS AT AN AUTHORIZED KAWASAKI DEALER NOW AND THEY HAVE FOUND NO SIGNS OF ANY ABUSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TECHNICIANS HAVE CONCURRED THAT THE FRAME JUST CRACKED WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ONLY 5 SECONDS EARLIER WHILE THE BIKE WAS LEANED OVER IN A TURN THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. KAWASAKI HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE FRAME UNDER WARRANTY BUT HAS OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. NOR HAVE THEY GUARANTEED THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SEVERAL DEALERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER REBUILDING THIS BIKE ON A NEW FRAME. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THESE DEALERSHIPS IN REGARDS TO THEIR RESERVATION AND DISAGREEABLE POSITION WITH KAWASAKI ON REBUILDING THEIR FLAGSHIP BIKE ON A NEW FRAME HAS NOT BEEN ENCOURAGING TO ME AS A RIDER. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10200444
- Incident
- Aug 11, 2007
- Mileage
- 4,550 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.