07zx14blk
Expert Class
ZX6R, ZX9R,ZX12R,ZX14
Posts: 252
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posted June 24, 2008 06:08 AM
I hate to post again on this thread because I don’t want to bash Kawasaki and I believe this recal is being blown way out of proportion. I am a Huge Kawasaki fan... Why am I a Kawi Fan (thanks for asking)… I have owned the following 3 x Honda 2 x Yam 1 x Suzuki 1 x Norton and have purchased a new Kawasaki at least every two years for the last 15 years (I currently down to two in my Garage). I will not go into the litany of problems I have had with other brands but I will tell you that I have found Kawasaki to be the best built bike I have ever owned (with Honda as a close second). I have now been riding Kawasaki bikes almost exclusively for the last 40 years.
I brought my bike into the dealership two week ago and received a clean bill of health.
The reason for my post is that… This week I got a phone call (from the mechanic “a stand up guy”) to tell me that he had screwed up and over torque the collar.
The problem was my bike was the first one (and possibly the only one my little dealership got in to check), and the original instructions “while correct” confused him. This past week there was a clarification sent out to all dealerships on how to correctly tighten the nuts & bolts.
After marking and checking the upper and lower frame bolt’s and nut’s for tightness you should re torque the bolts first to 11lb’s and then while holding the bolts so they don’t spin tighten the nuts to 44lb. The difference here is huge from what he tells me (and from what I observed) the collar that the bolt is attached to is used as a spreader for the frame… and if it is incorrectly torqued at 44lb it is not only putting constant stress on your frame but if ridden hard (or by a large rider) can under stress cause your frame to crack.
Now the Mechanic did tell me that even if the frame did crack it would not cause the frame to fail or some form of cataclysmic event to happen but the rigidity of the bike would be effected (i.e. it would not ride as nice, but would not fall apart). Also after the frame cracked the stress would be relieved and no more problem (with the exception of your cracked frame J). I don’t believe there is a problem with the weld quality, but that someone on the assembly line (as well as his supervisor), should be sent in for remedial training if they haven’t already been fired (and are now working at Suzuki).
So my point is if you had your bike checked at the beginning of the recall you may want to check it again yourself (or bring it back into the dealership), just for your own peace of mind. The bolt tightening is easy and takes 5 minutes, and if you nowhere to look (and there are already a lot of pictures), visually inspecting for a frame crack is easy. Because the problem is with the collar spreading the frame if it does crack it is obvious to the naked eye. I honestly don’t know why they would need to pull the engine (I guess better safe than sorry).
Am I pised at Kawasaki… I am not pleased but I realize “shit happens” and I must admit I like the way they have handled this so far (thou giving everyone a new bike would have been nice).
Will I purchase another Kawasaki… dame straight, I am looking at a 2007 10R black special edition to put a 3rd bike in the garage (I understand why they got away from the under tail exhaust, but I love the look). Will I be trading in the ZX14 probably, but not until 2009-10, I just love that bike and even with the Recall (and the drama) I think they had it right when they proclaimed the 2007 ZX14 the Open Class Bike of the year.
P.S. sorry for being so long winded
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ZX14 - Flies out,Full Yosh CF,PCIII,Dark Smoke, Thottlemister, Fender Eliminator, CF Hugger, BMC Race Fillter
  
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BlueLIghtning
Expert Class
Posts: 227
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posted June 24, 2008 06:27 AM
UPDATE: Well finally got my bike back and I'm not happy and the shop is not happy!! I went in with a perfect Brock's Gen 3 exhaust can and came out with a dented one. Apart from my bike being there for 2 weeks and the shop saying it took way longer than kawi allows for them to take the motor out (mine being the first bike they had to pull the motor) they now are buying me a new exhaust cannister. The smiles quickly dissappeared from the shop manager and I honestly hated doing that but I'm a perfectionist and there is not a scratch on this bike. With all the plastic hard to tell how everything was put back together properly, time will tell.
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D-ZX14
Parking Attendant
Posts: 5
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posted June 24, 2008 03:21 PM
Sticks_n_Stones
I understand what you are saying, but there is no price tag on my life and the life of fellow riders. I would wait the extra weeks for a new frame knowing my life is a little more safer with a new frame.
D-ZX14
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zx trouble
Novice Class
Posts: 56
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posted June 24, 2008 04:19 PM
got the notice last week on the recall glanced at the frame before saturdays ride then went to track sunday n drooped the bike off today he will check it in the morning n call me if ok ill pick it up tomorrow he hasent found a broken one yet
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Rideharder
Zone Head
Posts: 821
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posted June 24, 2008 04:38 PM
 Edited By: Rideharder on 24 Jun 2008 17:42
FAILURE OF THE FRAME COULD RESULT IN THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE COLLAPSING CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Whooa, I guess the crew at honda who welded the goldwing frames went to work for Kwacka?
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted June 24, 2008 05:27 PM
just ride it and enjoy
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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Rideharder
Zone Head
Posts: 821
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posted June 24, 2008 07:09 PM
Edited By: Rideharder on 24 Jun 2008 20:23
INJURY OR DEATH YOUR PICK!
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jeff martin
Pro (closed)
jamming
Posts: 1168
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posted June 24, 2008 07:17 PM
14blk, To prevent the long repost, i just want to thank you for your story and agree Kawasaki has always made a very high if not the best quaility bike i have owned.
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted June 24, 2008 08:30 PM
I still like Kawi and I personally happen to think the 14 is an amazing machine! 
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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zx14mike
Zone Head
Posts: 891
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posted June 24, 2008 08:52 PM
The 14 is an awesome do everything bike!
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zel777
Parking Attendant
Posts: 22
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posted June 24, 2008 08:55 PM
taking mine in at 10am today, hope all goes well, wish me luck guys
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Zel
'07 Ninja ZX14 Special Edition
43 tooth Vortex Rear
16 tooth Vortex Front
More upgrades coming sometime....stupid
economy!
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted June 25, 2008 05:38 AM
What I've done since the recall came out
I performed the visual check myself, will hold off on the torque check until my dealer gets his backlog caught up. The bike was meant to ride, and ride hard! Which I am happy to comply with. Since I hate getting flat spots in my tires (110 miles daily commute to work) I decided to see how bad I could rip the stockers up before I install my Pilot Power 2CT's. Haven't done that much slippin and sliding since I sold my CR500 dirtbike!
And keep this in mind fellas: I'm 320 lbs, which means I'm beating this bike probably harder than any other owner out there, all things considered.  "WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE"
 
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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lowcel
Expert Class
Happy on 2 wheels.
Posts: 157
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posted June 25, 2008 06:28 AM
Taking mine in tomorrow so hopefully all goes well. With that said, if there is a problem I sure as hell hope they catch it.
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2007 Z14 SE - Yoshimura TRC full race exhaust w/ carbon can - PCiii w/ map from HPC - Flies removed - Pipercross air filter - Speedohealer - Puig Double Bubble - Fender Eliminator - GPR Steering Damper - Puig Frame Sliders - HID's - Halo's
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ZREXER
Expert Class
Posts: 492
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posted June 26, 2008 06:31 PM
Well, did my weekly quick check of my frame and guess what? It is showing a very faint hair line crack on the right side of the cross member like picture at the front of this thread, The crack is on the inside edge of the weld, very close to the area where the collar is. I needed a small mirror to see it as it is close to the front side of the cross member that you really can't see either from the top or bottom. It would be very easy to miss with a quick glance.
It is only about 1/2" long, but obviously it is not going to go away on it's own.
My bike has not been 'officially' inspected, but I guess it will be now.
I've looked at it 2 or 3 times tonight and as much as I want to think it is nothing, it is there. Tried to take some pictures, but they are no clear enough to show anything. I have caught it just as it started.
I checked my own collar torque a couple of weeks ago, found they were below the threshold limit and my frame looked 100% at the time.
I am thinking with less torque on this area now, the frame has 'relaxed' a little with the riding I have done since.
My bike has been ridden very easily. I have never drag raced it, never had the front wheel more than 6" off the ground. Sure it has been wound out a few times, but all in all, my bike is babied pretty much most of the time.
I guess I am fortunate I have a back up bike in my SV 650 so I will not miss most of the summer riding.
I am resigned to having my bike totally torn apart. This makes me cringe and feel kind of sick, but what other option do I have?
Certainly can't sell it knowing what I know or trading it in to another non Kawasaki dealer.
If the rebuild looks good, I'll keep it, if it looks iffy, I will sell it. At least I will have done my due diligence.
No way I will get another '14
I love the bike, but as long as the frame is designed as it currently is, no way I will take the chance of taking a big financial hit again.
Absolutely no idea what I would replace it with.
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slates
Expert Class
Posts: 377
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posted June 27, 2008 06:03 AM
ZREXER,
Please be sure to vote in the frame poll.
Your situation is what I feared the most. So far mine looks ok...I'm going to do a second inspection tonight. I sure wish I hadn't invested so much over the winter in wheels, rearsets, and levers. Those items might be for sale soon in the classified section.
Good luck with your situation.
____________
black zx14 - Brock's Gen3 Carbon, PCIII, no secondaries, Carrozzeria wheels, Sato rearsets, Pazzo levers, GPR V4 steering damper, Puig windscreen, Tiger Racing chain guard
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tigerp7147
Parking Attendant
M4 drag pipes
Posts: 15
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posted June 27, 2008 06:21 AM
well got mine back from the dealer yesterday after having the frame replaced... total time three weeks.... ou tside of the fairing bolts missing a couple of the dreaded plastic washers i think every thing is back in order.... still concerning though.
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Which way did he go
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Bluelightning
Expert Class
Posts: 227
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posted June 27, 2008 07:19 AM
ZREXER I agree with you, I think there is more to this than a few over torqued bolts, the design maybe to weak in that area.
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butta4hc
Expert Class
Posts: 313
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posted June 27, 2008 08:11 PM
quote:
well got mine back from the dealer yesterday after having the frame replaced... total time three weeks.... ou tside of the fairing bolts missing a couple of the dreaded plastic washers i think every thing is back in order.... still concerning though.
Rumor has it that I will be getting my bike back tomorrow after being in the shop since 4/23. I gotta funny feeling it will be next week with my luck. I plan to take my time and go through my bike as much as humanly possible before I leave with it. Hell! I'm bringing the common sockets & allens to make sure the thing I installed prior to the rebuild were put back at least close to the way I had them. I gotta feeling I'm gonna have my nosed turned up when I start popping plastics.
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Butta
Hot Commodities MC
Paterson, NJ
2006 Black ZX-14 - Recall Frame Swap, Full Muzzy GP Exhaust, PCIII, BMC Race Filter, Flies Out, Braided Front Brake & Cutch Lines, Muzzy's Radiator Fan, Engine Ice Coolant, Frame Sliders, SubFrame Sliders, Puig Dark Smoke Windscreen, Powerbronze Hugger, Cox Radiator Guard, Unswitched Powerlet Outlet under seat, Switched Powerlet Outlet On Right Duct Panel, Intergrated Tail Light, HID lights high and low beam, Blue corner marker lights, Eclipse License Plate Blackout Kit, Black Pazzo Levers, Scorpio Alarm, Lojack Theft Recovery System, Rapid Transit Triple Tree Bag, Cortech Tank, Tail & Saddle Bags and the bragging rights for being "The Fastest 14 In The Country" for a few weeks when the 14 made it's debut here in the states.
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ZREXER
Expert Class
Posts: 492
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posted June 27, 2008 11:09 PM
I am pretty sure (99%) that my frame is cracked. It will be officially inspected next week, but looking at it, I am sure I have the early stages of a crack forming on the right side of the cross member, right by where the collar is.
I talked to a local dealer, actually the owner. He is very frustrated by this recall. He would hire three mechanics tomorrow if he could get them. All the best mechanics are in the oilfield here in Alberta making big bucks. Kawaski is hanging this major problem on their dealer net work and is not even giving them near enough hours to do a proper rebuild. Why should dealers have to lose money on a rebuild? Very unfair!
He said if their inspection confirmed what I was seeing the best he could do is send me home with the bike and I could bring it back in late October (before the snow flys up here) and it would be a winter project. He says he simply does not have the man power or shop time to do a complete bike rebuild during the heart of the riding season. I expect more or less the same situation at all the dealers in my area.
I think Kawasaki is being very unfair that they expect dealers to be rebuilding bikes, most shops simply do not have the manpower to be able to do this in a reasonable time frame.
So what do I think Kawaski should do?
If your bike fails, Kawaski should send out crating materials so the bike can be crated up and shipped to a central depot, where they are properly setup and trained to do a complete rebuild of your bike. Kawaski would have factory people on site to insure the rebuild is done to factory spec's.
There is simply no way the average dealer can cope with a project this large in their shop. The build quality will be all over the map having multiple dealers all over the place attempting to rebuild a bike from the ground up. There is simply so many little things that can be done wrong in a rebuild that can be potentially as serious as the frame failing.
Come on Kawasaki.........are you listening? Do you care about loyal customers? Most of us are pretty passionate about our bikes and want to keep them, provided they are properly fixed.
So far the numbers with cracks seem low, but I expect this problem will snow ball over time. My bike has been treated extremely gently over all. No wheelies, no burnouts, more sport touring type riding then anything else.
I don't want to sue Kawaski, I just want them to step up and admit they have a serious problem.
I would be totally ok with a rebuilt bike if it was done by factory trained people where each step was being monitored and double checked.
Anyone agree?
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slates
Expert Class
Posts: 377
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posted June 28, 2008 04:09 AM
I'm with you on that ZREXER...no cracks for me...yet...but like you I fear this is a bigger problem than just the over torqued bolts. Kawasaki may take further steps after all the dealersips start sending in there reports. I also think the members on this board represent such a small fraction of the zx-14 owners out there, it's still hard to get a true picture of the issue.
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black zx14 - Brock's Gen3 Carbon, PCIII, no secondaries, Carrozzeria wheels, Sato rearsets, Pazzo levers, GPR V4 steering damper, Puig windscreen, Tiger Racing chain guard
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted June 28, 2008 12:24 PM
i talked to two dealers, one said i could wait about an hour if everything went all right(but not today, maybe monday). they had done three bikes and had one that needed frame replacement. i told them that was not very good odds. they said it cracked on the retorque, which i don't understand because it should have been a lesser value. i don't trust these guys.
the second dealer i talked to had done lots of zx-14 inspections(whatever that means) and had found one with a crack, a dark blue 14. they want me to drop it off late in the afternoon and pick it up the next day if everything is good. i guess they don't want to work on a hot bike. they couldn't take it in until next week sometime, wed or thursday.
so as far as it being a short trip to the dealer and done, that has not been my experience.
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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Suzukiguy
Parking Attendant
Posts: 16
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posted June 28, 2008 02:08 PM
quote:
I would be totally ok with a rebuilt bike if it was done by factory trained people where each step was being monitored and double checked.
Remember it was factory trained people that assembled it the first time and overtorqued the collars.
We have inspected 1 more since my last post and it checked out OK.
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Suzukiguy
Parking Attendant
Posts: 16
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posted June 28, 2008 02:10 PM
ZREXER, but I do understand your concern. I have met several dealer technicians that I wouldn't let within 100ft of my bike with a wrench.
I just haven't ever hired one of them, don't ever plan to.
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FasterThanStink
Pro
Posts: 1218
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posted June 28, 2008 02:56 PM
I was missing 3 or 4 fairing bolts after 1st service oil change. The thought of them building my bike is not pleasant.
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Speed has never killed anyone,
suddenly becoming stationary...
That's what gets you.
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted June 28, 2008 05:36 PM
i seemed to know more about the recall than thry did
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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