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…
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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 ODI #10200444
Official recalls
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NHTSA investigations
1
PE08021 · Frame Fracture/suspension Collapse
Opened Mar 24, 2008 · Closed Jul 2, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:frame And Members
THIS PE WAS OPENED BASED ON OWNER COMPLAINTS, EWR FIELD REPORTS, AND WEB FORUM DISCUSSIONS ALLEGING THAT SOME MY 2006-2007 KAWASAKI ZX14 HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLES' REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DUE TO CROSSMEMBER FAILURE.IN ITS RECALL FILING, KAWASAKI WROTE, THE LOWER REAR ENGINE MOUNT HAS A THREADED COLLAR DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ENGINE CASES BEFORE THE ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT IS TIGHTENED.ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED UNITS, THE COLLAR WAS TIGHTENED EXCESSIVELY, WHICH CREATED STRESS ACROSS THE LOWER CROSSMEMBER.KAWASAKI DEALERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO INSPECT THE AFFECTED UNITS AND INSTALL A NEW FRAME ON THOSE ZX14'S WITH SUSPECT CROSSMEMBERS.IN ITS OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER, KAWASAKI CAUTIONS THAT A FRAME REPLACEMENT MAY REQUIRE A FEW WEEKS DUE TO THE TIME REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND SHIP THE NEW FRAME AND LABELS WITH THE CORRECT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
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