I am new to my 2008 ZX14 but I did own a ZX12R for 10 years. I did also own a Concours 14 for a short period of time that kept it's cool as well.

I have noticed that in stop and go traffic my ZX14 gets hot very quickly. My ZX12R never got that hot that fast. The fan (I think there were two) came on and kept the bike cool (half the bars). Also, when I shut the bike off, the fans would continue to work for 30 seconds.

The ZX14 has only one fan that I can see. Gets hot (full bars but not flashing) very quickly and the only thing that keeps it cool is moving along at 30 MPH or more (half bars). Is a second fan an option? Do others in hot climates have other methods of keeping things cool?

So far it is not a problem but I don't like the way things get 6 bar hot so quickly.

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I'm pretty sure you can install a second fan on there.You'd need to wire it yourself..or get someone to do it.The fitments for the bolts MAY already be on that radiator.Not sure how it connects...up on top I think.Been a while since I looked.But you could by another fan unit...maybe off a 2012 R and up?Possibly even upgrade your current one to the 14R model's.Two of em.That should definitely help.I also had a 12r for a few years.Yeah,I never got much heat from that bird.Nice fast bike.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/14/2017 @ 3:45 PM *

The stock exhaust holds in a lot of heat. Slipons might not be a lot better beacause there is a cat in the collector pipe as well as the midpipes. Mine runs almost a bar cooler with a full system. 3 bars n cool weather, 4 or 5 in hot. I almost never see 6 anymore.

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Have you done the full maintenance/flush process? I would do a very good flush with motorcycle safe stuff and then go with a wetter or engine ice and if that doesn't get you back to spec performance then add the 2nd fan. I would track my '06 on a 100 F day on SoCal and only see 4 bars.

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heres what I did. I got on ebay and got a concours 14 radiator and the second fan. The radiator was a direct bolt in and already has the mounting tabs for the 2nd fan. I just wired it into the harness for the stock fan and both come on. I think I got about 180 buck tied up in the set up.

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Common sense tells me: Take the first year it came out = No overheating issues.
That was all single fan vs. pick the hottest day = No overheating issues.
Formula built that bike. Hot house met all heats = No overheating issues.
How about you spend smarter money towards tires, maintenance, btw, what's the air cleaner looking like?

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I'm with Hub.It's a big motor,but well designed for heat transfer.Your heating deal is normal.Add a fan?yeah,won't hurt.Watterwetter?Yeah,may help a bit.My 07 on a couple of occasions got to right below the 'too hot' area.Soon as I started moving...maybe 10mph,it cooled back down.As for leg heat,normal.They all have that to some degree(no pun intended;) )

I'd just ride it..and not worry.Kawasaki KNOWS what they're doing.If the earlier models needed two fans or whatever,they would have put em on there,like the late model ones.1352 vs 1441...big difference.IDK if you blip the throttle while moving slow in traffic.If you do,I'd stop doing that.

Good point on that airfilter Hub.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/15/2017 @ 8:54 AM *

I would track my '06 on a 100 F day on SoCal and only see 4 bars.

If the bike's only running for 5 minutes and then you do a burnout and go, it might never get as hot as it would putting along slow for 15 minutes at a time. Starting the bike at 3 bars on a hot day, I revved mine slowly up to 6000 rpm while standing still. That brought the temp right up to 6 bars. No overheat but I smelled rubber. This was for tuning purposes. I wouldn't do that without a fan in front of the bike again. Actually, I do it in Neutral on the roadside now and quicker then get going so it cools off.

Common sense tells me: Take the first year it came out = No overheating issues

The 06-07 model did not have the cat in the collector, just the mid pipes.

I'd just ride it..and not worry.Kawasaki KNOWS what they're doing.If the earlier models needed two fans or whatever,they would have put em on there,like the late model ones.

I think the heat is acceptable because they have always been that way but my busa is a lot cooler and the oil never gets dark in color. I don't think that makes it run any better but it's nice to see clear oil every time I change at 2500 miles. Busa people complain about the heat too though...obviously they have not ridden a 14.

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"it's nice to see clear oil every time I change at 2500 miles"...well,YEAH!!LOL

My bike never gets hot like mentioned.IDK...maybe I got a lemon?No...I take that back...it has a couple of times...fans come on,no problem.Take off,right back down to normal range.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/15/2017 @ 6:01 PM *

I will start with flushing the cooling system. I don't trust the dealer did any proper prep work on the bike except for changing oil and filter. Even that, I prefer synthetic and it probably has dino oil.

If that does not help, a secondary fan is in order. What bothers me is how fast it goes from normal to six bar hot in traffic (with the fan working). No other water cooled bike I owned did that. BTW, I do not squid blip my throttle in traffic... for the past 25 years anyways...

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I run Engine Ice in mine and usually see consistant 3 bars and maybe 4 if i sit at a light and i live in Texas where its nice and toasty...

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"What bothers me is how fast it goes from normal to six bar hot in traffic (with the fan working). No other water cooled bike I owned did that"...does it boil over?Stop running?Idle oddly?Stall out?So exactly what is it that bothers you about a normal running zx14R in your riding conditions?Just curious,that's all.;)

I have to remember...you have a 2nd gen model.Hey,get another fan.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/15/2017 @ 6:09 PM *

I will start with flushing the cooling system.

It can't hurt but if you just check the strength and it floats as many balls as it should, I doubt flushing alone will do much. I've done it a couple times and it runs the same as before. Flushing will get as much of the old coolant out as possible. There's probably 8~10 oz that sits in the hoses if you don't take them off. Also coolant gets trapped in certain pockets no matter how far you tip it. If you flush a few times with distilled water, that will dilute whatever is left in the engine to almost pure water. Make sure you don't get premixed coolant. You can't get your coolant to the right strength after flushing with distilled water unless you have the option of adding a few oz of undiluted coolant to balance that off. Remove some and add water wetter if you you need to.

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You look in the reservoir FIRST.If you see any 'fluffs' floating in there...you need to replace that coolant.That's the first sign,and very easy to do.I take it your motor is all stock?Put some synthetic in there.Engine Ice is a good swap for factory coolant.(or watterwetter);)

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/15/2017 @ 6:07 PM *

...but I think it's the pipes that are the main problem. water wetter will not get the heat to flow through the exhaust faster. Water wetter lowers the boiling point so you don't have any isolated spots in your engine boiling off the coolant.

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Good to know...THX!

...then again, if the engine runs cooler, the pipes will also be cooler. I just think the stock pipes have to be the main source of the heat issue since I noticed a pretty big difference going to a full system. I had the stock pipes backfire a couple times on really hot days while I was on the throttle. This even seemed to make the engine stumble for a half second. A little disconcerting.

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"What bothers me is how fast it goes from normal to six bar hot in traffic (with the fan working). No other water cooled bike I owned did that"...does it boil over?Stop running?Idle oddly?Stall out?So exactly what is it that bothers you about a normal running zx14R in your riding conditions?Just curious,that's all.;)"

When it jumps from Three bars to six in traffic, you can tell the engine is hot by that hot rubber smell you get from an over heated engine.

A "normal running ZX14" should heat up to three or 4 bars in traffic. Then the fan should kick in and the temp should not go over 4 bars (5 at most). That's what all the water cooled bikes I have owned have done.

To clarify, I have an 08 ZX14. I would assume that would be considered a modified first gen as there were some minor changes introduced in 08. Major changes were not introduced until 2012.

I am planning to replace the exhaust with a 4-2-1 yoshi pipe next year. Flush and engine ice is next.

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"What bothers me is how fast it goes from normal to six bar hot in traffic (with the fan working). No other water cooled bike I owned did that"...does it boil over?Stop running?Idle oddly?Stall out?So exactly what is it that bothers you about a normal running zx14R in your riding conditions?Just curious,that's all.;)"

When it jumps from Three bars to six in traffic, you can tell the engine is hot by that hot rubber smell you get from an over heated engine.

A "normal running ZX14" should heat up to three or 4 bars in traffic. Then the fan should kick in and the temp should not go over 4 bars (5 at most). That's what all the water cooled bikes I have owned have done.

To clarify, I have an 08 ZX14. I would assume that would be considered a modified first gen as there were some minor changes introduced in 08. Major changes were not introduced until 2012.

I am planning to replace the exhaust with a 4-2-1 yoshi pipe next year. Flush and engine ice is next.

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Yep...that'll probably help.

My experience for what it's worth.

I commute on my 14 and in summer in Sydney it is regularly over 30c and sometimes over 40C (108 F). When I first got the machine i thought it ran hot as in slow traffic on a warm day over 30 C (86F) it ran at 5 bars. Then we had a heat wave up to 44C (114F) and in slow traffic it ran at ........ 5 bars. Figure that it is normal to go above 3 bars as soon as it is over 30C but even at 44C it goes no higher than 5 bars. No second fan and no waterwetter. All I have done to the cooling system is flush each 20,000 km.

Cheers TH

Thanks TrashHauler for the information.

Around here it rarely gets over 25C. Sometimes 30C (East Coast Canada). I would expect 3 or 4 bars in traffic.

As the bike jump to six bars in 25C, I know something is not quite right. Just have to find out what...

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Have you considered that the thermostat may not be opening fully? Restricted coolant flow, low air flow....bingo.

Yes, thermostat may be the culprit or even maybe water pump for that mater. Also, it is an older bike (9 years old with low mileage). Depending on what was used/or not used as coolant, it could be a corrosion issue.

Reminds me of my wife's fist car (a Bobcat). Never changed the coolant before I met her. I did a reverse flush and brown rusty water came out of it for over half an hour...

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Hey Ahhlou,

I'm from Grand Falls, NB. Just purchased a 2010 and it goes to 5 bars when it's hot and i am stopped. I never get 6 bars. Goes back to 3 bars after a few minutes of rolling.

Previously, i had a ZZR1200 (for sale still) that always ran cool

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