I ordered one. I will be drilling some bolt holes in the top and I don't want to do that to my OEM bracket.

There are a lot of sellers who have this on Ebay with prices ranging from $23 to $63. Doing the research, it appears that this thing is exactly the same as the OEM bracket but some may possibly 3~5 oz lighter and they all are definitely way cheaper than a new OEM bracket. Vortex is the only one that calls it light weight but according to STG's reply to my email, they claimed it to be exactly the same weight as the OEM one I took off my bike. I ordered one that had a "Krator" company logo in the pic. $23. The seller reported the weight to be 16oz, a full 5 oz lighter than OEM.

How much do you think the Krator will weigh when I put it on my scale?

The bolts are M8 x 45mm. I will be replacing those too. Ti will weight the same as aluminum but cost $60 for two bolts and two nuts. Aluminum will cost $25 and I'll have three extra bolts (M8 x 45mm only comes in packs of 5). M8 is a pretty big bolt. The ram air tubes sort of stabilize the top fairing laterally but other than that, it's just those two bolts supporting the bracket and the top fairing. Would you trust aluminum? Headlights will be coming out someday. That will drop a lot of weight.

http://zx1441r.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4223

OEM bracket

* Last updated by: Rook on 3/9/2018 @ 9:43 PM *

same exact damn thing.

oh well, it's cheap enough to drill holes in. The top surface is flat instead of having the slight rib up the middle. That will work better for mounting my switch plate.

Actually,you have the side fairings also supporting the front cowl.It's not going anywhere.Aluminum bolts should be okay...

I'm mulling it over, Grn. The big bolts might be to prevent the front from folding if you hit something. I'm more concerned with wind resistance at high speed. I wonder how many lbs of pressure 200 mph puts on it? Probably not enouh to bend two aluminum M8 bolts...

The big bolts might be to prevent the front from folding if you hit something. I'm more concerned with wind resistance at high speed. I wonder how many lbs of pressure 200 mph puts on it?

I'm trying to determine where to drill the mounting hole for the switch plate. I could drill about an inch forward in the adjoining compartment but I'm thinking the rearmost compartment will be a lot easier for a few reasons.

My question is, do you think it is too risky to drill a 5.5 mm hole here? A hole will weaken the meter bracket. Where I'm planning to drill is near the back where the meter bracket is fixed to the frame so most leverage will be put on this area if it flexes left or right from wind resistance. I'd like to take this baby as fast as it can go. What do you think about the hole?

BTW, I just realized that drill center I have indicated looks rather menacing on FDR's head like that. A dime is the perfect size and also the same diameter as the rubber washers I'm going to use as dampeners. Sorry, I woulda turned the dime over if I would have thought of it earlier.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:41 PM *

ROOK!!!!
I am not fully getting the lay of this part or how you intend to affix a Rook Racing plate to it. My Gen 2 has the same part, yes? Let me go look at it and maybe you can hit me with a few more pix depicting placement or relationship of plate to part?

The meter/upper fairing stay bracket. There's several pics throughout this thread. Both gens have it. Bolts to front of steering neck of frame and supports the ram air tubes and top fairing. It's this part.

Is made of cast aluminum and is 4mm thick --at least the sides are--I have not measured the thickness of the top surface. It is hollow, has no bottom surface but does have a few reinforcing walls on the interior and reinforcing ribs on the sides where it bolts to the frame. The The bolthole in question is proposed to be drilled near the bottom edge of the switch plate as marked by the red X. This is about 1 inch from where the meter bracket bolts to the frame.

I also will need to drill two holes directly below the speedo and tach as marked by the red dots.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:42 PM *

Nope.Too much meat on that bracket to weaken it with two tiny holes.It's not going anywhere.All the 'weight' is being transferred to the two large mount bolts and the frame there.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 4/6/2018 @ 9:14 AM *

ROOK!!!!
Yessir I am w Grn on this one. That will not weaken this part at all. The aluminum Pro Bolts will be hell for stout as well. That plate is uber trick sir. Nice work. Well spent winter this year!

* Last updated by: ironheadmike on 4/6/2018 @ 12:14 PM *

That's what I'm inclined to believe as well, Grn. The two front holes I was planning to drill at the red dots shouldn't be a problem. The one in back at the X had me more concerned but I think it will be okay. It would take a hurricane to bend that bracket. The mirrors don't rip off at 200 mph.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:42 PM *

Sharp design there Daron..Really cool.What about the switch housings?Aren't they gonna interfere with the center rib of the bracket?Perhaps you could cut out their shape from the bracket surface,have em sitting down IN the bracket.Still wouldn't weaken it.But it would be flush.Paint the face of it black like the bracket,it'd look like it's part of it.

Isn't the ignition switch gonna kind of be in the way of toggling those switches?How about making the switches vertical,instead of horizontal?Kinda going up between the Tach and Speedo.There's not much room really.Since the LCD is right there.OR...fixing em into the dash plastics to the sides of the Meter.Two per side.Just a thought.Plenty of room right there.Easy to reach.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 4/6/2018 @ 2:26 PM *

That plate is uber trick sir. Nice work. Well spent winter this year!

Sharp design there Daron..Really cool.

Thanks Grn.

What about the switch housings?Aren't they gonna interfere with the center rib of the bracket?

OR if you mean the meter bracket itself interfering with the switches below the panel, NO there is plenty of clearance for all but the bottom row of switches. The top row of LEDs come very close to the meter unit shell but they won't touch. The bottom two switches would hit the meter bracket but I will make the surface of the plate project up about a half inch at the bottom so the lower switch housings will not hit the meter bracket. Right now, the ignition cylinder is right over that area so there is no way I could put the bottom switches in yet anyway. That will be another project--relocating the ignition switch replacing it with a toggle and button.

Perhaps you could cut out their shape from the bracket surface,have em sitting down IN the bracket.Still wouldn't weaken it.But it would be flush.Paint the face of it black like the bracket,it'd look like it's part of it.

I probably should have just done that for the initial install and worked on the plate and box during summer. Aftermarket meter brackets are cheap. You could buy a few and toss them out as your modification needs changed.

Isn't the ignition switch gonna kind of be in the way of toggling those switches?

Yeah the bottom ones for sure but I will be getting rid of the stock ignition ASAP. It's in the way and it's heavy and I'd rather just have a toggle switch.

Right now, all that matters are the top switches for the Dynojet utilities: Map switch and AutoTune, Launch rev limit and pit lane speed limiter. If mini switches are hefty enough to power my nitrous system, there is room for two or three more switches in the second row. Third and bottom row will be obstructed by the ignition cylinder.

How about making the switches vertical,instead of horizontal?Kinda going up between the Tach and Speedo.There's not much room really.Since the LCD is right there.

I did initaily want to put at least a couple switches on the surface of the meter unit to the sides of the rubber buttons you use for setting the meter. It looks like there is space to do that on the surface but I do not know if there is enough open space inside the meter unit for the switch housings. I will be taking that apart in a week or two so we will see. Maybe there will more switches there in the future. Meter units are expensiO. I'd hate to cut holes in one until I know what the heck I'm definitely doing.

OR...fixing em into the dash plastics to the sides of the Meter.Two per side.Just a thought.Plenty of room right there.Easy to reach.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:43 PM *

Okay...yep.I see how ya have stuff on there now.That switch plate looks real good right there.Good job man...looks totally professional.Yup...sweet cockpit setup....hats off!

The switch plate has a box to cover the switch housings wires, relays and crap under there. The LEDs may have little hoods with lenses someday. There will be a bright-ass flasher for the nitrous armed switch and it's going to go solid while I'm spraying....It's going to be IMPRESSIVE! just you guys wait! Gauges switches lights!!!! I'm putting my Illumiglow faces on soon too...and plan to see it run up to 200 mph someday!!

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:43 PM *

I think you'll be OK, D.

Thanks, Z. You da man!

ROOK!!!
Those gauges look SICK!! I love the white faces. Have not had any luck finding white faced stuff for my Gen 2 gauges. The aftermarket small faces look trick. Very sanitary man. With the Rook Racing switch panel installed it is going to have a proper land rocket cockpit. Nice work sir.

Thanks iron. IDk if there's anything that is readymade for the 14R. This is for the Gen1 and I don't see why it would not work except there's no holes for the warning lights in the tachometer face. IDK if you could cut your own holes, there is a highly corrosive liquid in the wires and it goes into the face too.

https://store.58cycle.com/Kawasaki_ZX14_Ninja_2006_2011_Std_Illumiglo_Gauge_p/srp-pn-0831.htm

Rook, I'm planning/working on carbon front and rear subframes/ fairing stays. Should be around 6 months. Should I ask what the price would be for two sets?

I'd be curious but realistically speaking I doubt I could afford it unless it was about $200 and even that might be hard to cough up.

I'll bet making your own CF is as easy as fiberglassing. You can buy a yard X 50" for $50. I'd love to give it a try. mold some parts and lay some CF with whatever resin they use. Fun project. A lot easier than some of the other stuff I'm up to.

Still dragging along. I've decided not to use any of the blank bolthole bungs. The rear one is not perpendicular to the outside surface of the meter bracket. The fronts are just too far forward by about an inch...I could use them but why put inch long tabs sticking forward. Also the bungs will interfere with my idea of using rubber dampers above and below the mounting surface and who knows if the bungs are centered until you drill them out? Then its too late if they are off center.

I figured out where to place the holes in the internal compartments of the meter bracket so I could fit 18mm OD washers and 3mm x 18mm rubber gaskets as dampeners. I will drill 6 mm holes and use M5 bolts and nuts. For test fitting the cardboard mockup, I RTVed dowels where the bolts will be positioned.

The bottom bolthole is right on the edge of the plate. There's no other way to make a mounting tab than what I have done. The placement interferes with the location of the lower switches but there's no way those switches would clear the ignition cylinder anyway.

I'm planning the mounts to work with a box that will eventually mount under the plate. When I get to that someday, I will have the ignition switch repositioned and I have an idea about how I will include the lower two switches on the plate. They were supposed to be for bottle warmers but I won't have warmers set up for some time.

Time to get this carved out. I'm not rushing it because I know this is going to be on the bike for a long time before I replace it with the switch plate/box. That is going to look very neat and finished but I don't want something that looks like crap on there in the meantime.

For anyone doing research, this project started on p2 of this thread:

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/message_edit.cfm?id=F37E9E87-95D8-4C8F-253BB271077D33A8

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 2:45 PM *

After one thing has lead to another, I decided to create a dedicated thread to the Rook Racing CoffinLid switch panel.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=F9C46103-FF7C-EA03-0FBEB3669CA2C631

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/20/2018 @ 3:18 PM *