Kawasaki ZZR 1400 Performance Sport 2014 — Specifications

Who said that a motorcycle weighing over 260 kg fully fueled and equipped with a 1441 cm3 engine couldn’t be a sharp sportbike? With the ZZR 1400 Performance Sport, Kawasaki throws a stone into the pond of hyper-GTs by equipping this black production missile with an Öhlins TTX mono-shock and an Akrapovic exhaust system as standard. This is far from simple cosmetic trim; it's a genuine performance kit for the road, grafted onto an already titanic engine.

At the heart of the matter is, of course, the inline four-cylinder engine that delivers 202 horsepower at 9900 rpm and 163.8 Nm of torque, figures that place the beast in a category of its own. But the magic really happens with the arrival of the TTX Öhlins at the rear, an equipment that radically transforms the character of the motorcycle. It’s no longer just an autobahnfähig locomotive capable of swallowing tarmac at 300 km/h; it gains precision and feedback. The aluminum monocoque frame, already rigid, finally finds a suspension worthy of it, with 22 settings for compression and rebound. Comfort and handling are enhanced, even if the imposing weight remains a parameter to contend with, especially at low speed.

The Akrapovic titanium silencers are not just for style. They lighten the rear and offer a deeper, more authoritative sound that perfectly matches the sporty spirit. Combined with a tall screen and new seat covering, they complete a coherent package for the demanding touring rider who doesn't want to compromise on the intensity of sensations. The seat height of 800 mm remains accessible for a machine of this size, even if its dimensions and 22-liter fuel tank make it more of a travel companion than an urban one.

Facing competitors like the Suzuki Hayabusa or the BMW K 1600 GT, the Kawasaki ZZR 1400 Performance Sport clearly plays the card of raw performance and high-end standard equipment. Its price of €18,599 in 2014 positioned it as a premium option, justified by the presence of the Öhlins and Akrapovic. For a rider seeking the quintessence of a hyper-GT without going through the customization box, it made sense. Today, an enthusiast looking for a Kawasaki ZZR 1400 Performance Sport 2018 or 2019, or even a 2020 model, will find this philosophy intact: a motorcycle designed to push the limits of sporty grand touring, where every detail, like a headstock fairing already painted as standard, contributes to a complete overall image. It’s an engaging proposition, both civilized and wild, which simply asks the rider to tame its mass to extract all of its quintessence.