How well does the ZX 14 engine handle a heavy rain? It would seem the ram air intake would quickly drown the engine. My prior ride was a 1200 Bandit, with air intakes fairly well protected from the rain. Just wondering what may happen the next time I'm hundreds of miles from anywhere in a downpour. Thanks.

Sok61,
I had that very same question until it happened to me. I've been caught in the rain several times, sometimes quite heavy. I have had no problems with water getting into the intake and fouling the works. The last time I took my bike down for service and upgrades, I noticed water dripping from one of the intake snorkels. Upon closer inspection I noticed the stem from a small leaf was hanging under the tube, I pulled on it and found that the leaf was plugging the drain hole in the square area along the bottom of both snorkels. So, water (and other things) do get sucked in, but water falls into that depression and out the drain hole. That's something we should all look at when we take our bikes apart as I'm sure too much water getting sucked into the airbox and into the TBs would really make for a very UN-thrilling ride. Hope this helps.

There is so much air going in that pump it is a dryer more than you seeing any water it can't vacuum up; short of sucking the water that runs down that dump-tube. The ram is designed-in to take water ingest. Look to the lower left side by the side stand area. You will see a clear plastic container that collects that rain water [from the ram] in that clear bucket. Drain at periodic schedules/see owner's manual.

Will steam blow off the carbon? You bet. Best thing that could happen is get caught in the rain a little = Helps more than hurts splashing onto painted metal parts?

As Hub said, there is a drain on the left side of the bike. Just tucked inside the bottom fairing and in front of the gear shifter. This drain line runs up to the air box. The design of the air ducts themselves allows for the collection of water. They have a low spot in them right before they enter the airbox.

I have never had any trouble with riding in the rain or washing the inlet area of the bike. Only had a little condensation in the drain cup.

Same here, been though all kinds of rain very heavy to very light. When I was riding, my ZX14 was my only mode of transportation, by choice of course, from late February sometimes through December. Never had anny problems from rain.

Kawasaki solved this way back in the early 1990s. My 91 ZX-11 never had any problem at all in the rain. And I rode it in some monster rain!

When I toured western Europe from Assan on the north coast to Antibe and Nice on the south coast for 24 days, I rode from Calais to Assan for the Assan TT (MotoGP) in the Nederlands, and it rained much of the way up. Then straight south through Belgium to France, on Belgium 10, in a rain that felt like being hit by a hundred nailguns over and over through an Aerostich riding suit (!). And I was probably pushing more water at the front end when I washed it running (now they say wash them "cold", but all my life I had washed my bikes "hot", live and learn).

Never a problem, so I don't expect a problem with the ZX-14 especially since they had 3 model years already with no problems.

well i live in Scotland.. the capital country for rain lol i've never had a problem with the rain no matter how heavy it is, so no worries there :)