The other night I installed my Brocks Exhaust and almost every bolt I loosened was loose already so not sure if my bike was put together by a japanese crackhead that was high on the job or Kawi rushed this bike out so quik that they didnt have time to tork everything to proper specs.
Just Something to watch for Guys.

Snuffy

My front fairing bolts (the 2 bolts that connect the fairing to the trees) were loose enough that after the first six hundred miles, one fell out. The whole thing started rattling as I went down the road. It was so bad, I couldn't see with the mirrors.

I noticed my Gen 1 had some bolts very loose and others way too tight.

My front fairing bolts (the 2 bolts that connect the fairing to the trees) were loose enough that after the first six hundred miles, one fell out. The whole thing started rattling as I went down the road. It was so bad, I couldn't see with the mirrors.

I Had the same thing happen to me at around 600 miles myself it made my mirrors vibrate until they where looking into the sky.

Every one with a 14R should check those bolts right away!

Snuffy

(the 2 bolts that connect the fairing to the trees)

Are these bolts accessed from the outside of the fairing? Where do they attach to "the trees"???

I had one fairing bolt loosen on the right side bottom fairing back by the brake. Gen 1 bike had two loosen on the lower fairing (bottom) next to each other and one fell out before I caught it.

Im just over 500
Hearing some sort of noise up front.. Sounds similar to a bad strut mount on a car.. Did u
Guys experience the same??

Yup, may be. The service guy told me it's the two bolts to the fairing bracket. Maybe this'll help, I don't know for sure. They didn't show it to me.

Hello Guys
Here are a Few Photos of the bolts.

Snuffy

Hearing some sort of noise up front.. Sounds similar to a bad strut mount on a car.. Did u
Guys experience the same??

Yeah Leo Sounds Familiar!!! It had my front end shaking so bad my mirrors where looking into the FN Sky!

Check the Bolts I show in the picture.

Snuffy

Thanks for the pics, I wasn't exactly sure either, lol.

No Problem TXBlue....Thats Why We Are Here to HELP each other!!!

Snuffy

The gen1's were notorious for loose bolts as well. I also had the lower front fairing bolts loosen up, and lost one before I caught them. They now get blue locktite every time they come off. I went over my 06 when I first got it and found plenty of loose bolts. When I pulled the stock exhaust header to mount the turbo, several of the header nuts were literally finger tight. Thats one area I have to give my busa props in, it seemed much better put together overall then my 14

* Last updated by: BadinBlack on 4/15/2012 @ 9:18 PM *

Did the dealer use any kind of thread locker?
will apply some Blue LT on mine once I get time
Glad I stopped into Pep Boys today
Thanks for posting this up...any other bolts we should loo out for
my last bike (11 Ninja 1000) had the same issues with loose hardware
think Kawi better calibrate their torque settings on the tools

Ok, thanks for the ID of the offending bolts. I don't think I have an issue there but will check it out for sure.

Sorry to hear that the loosening is so common. These two bolts have loosened up on NY bikes (wonder how close they were made together?) Has anyone else had this particular issue? Sounds like it is not easy to miss it when it happens and it is just too big a co-incidence that they both occurred at about 600 miles!! Especially if the problem is not reported by others around the country and/or at other mileages.

At the least, the similarity seems curious to me.

Oh, wait.......third bike is from Texas at the same mileage. Never mind, maybe......heh,heh.

* Last updated by: PaulAB on 4/15/2012 @ 11:19 PM *

SnuffyZX an the rest of the guys thanks!!

Good Looking out again!!

* Last updated by: Black1 on 4/15/2012 @ 11:19 PM *

Somebody say something about a 600 mile service being 'unnecessary"?J/K....but,guess that proves Kawasaki is telling everyone what 'possibly' could occur at 600 or so miles.Good for them...I always wondered 'why' at 600 miles to have the bike taken to the mech just to change oil.This is reason enough I guess if ya don't intend to check things for yourself.I did check those meter bracket bolts however...and the bottom one tightened up about a 1/4 turn....12mm socket if anyone's wondering.

This may be nothing...maybe just inherent in the new bike..BUT...has anyone noticed that running above 100 or so...on up...the mirrors are not real sharp?It's not a problem really,but I'm just curious if everyone's mirrors are doing this.If they are...I'm also wondering if installing an earlier model mirror would stop this from occurring.Seems my 07 stayed pretty darn clear on up to around 150 at least...but I COULD be mistaken.

@Snuffy...I did the same deal...the exhaust....all the bolts I worked with were nice and snug like factory torques.None loose.Course,there weren't that many grant you.But they were okay with mine.

TXBLUE wrote"(the 2 bolts that connect the fairing to the trees")...I've no idea what those are.But I don't want MINE being loose....which ones are they?Snuffy's pic is showing the METER BRACKET BOLTS.You mean those two?The only other ones that sound like what you may be referring to are the ones that connect the MIRROR BRACKET to the top of the meter bracket frame.The mirrors are bolted into that bracket with two bolts each holding the mirrors on from underneath the fairing there.Do you mean those four mirror bolts?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 4/16/2012 @ 12:15 AM *

Just went out again now...pulled the inner upper covers off...the ram covers.Also removed the windscreen.Checked all bolts and everything was tight.Lower clamp bolts...okay.Horn bolts...okay.Mirror inside bolts...okay.

Was also just recognizing again the fitment of these parts.Geez...so much better than my 07.Bodyparts on this bike and panels and all...just really a lot easier to fit in,and get right.This bike is so friggin nice.Going with that single exhaust...all the swingarm area and all that inside there,by the shock and all...easy to get to and clean.Chain is gonna be a real breeze to work with.Even the underpan is so much easier to get to with that hugger on there and single sided exhaust.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 4/16/2012 @ 1:16 AM *

After reading this last night I pu my bike up on stands and went through ALL the bolts... Glad to report that none were loose! 1 NY bike not loose, number 00000319

When I went to put on my Gen Mar risers one of the bolts was really difficult to get out, the damn thing was bent!

Hello Guys
Here are a Few Photos of the bolts

I was riding down the road today and I noticed that my mirrors were bouncing around. Every time I hit a significant bump the mirrors moved. I looked down at my cowl and it was bouncing up and down. When I pulled over I noticed that one of those fairing mounting nuts was missing.

I posted this in the maintenance section yesterday, if you've got a 14r please do yourself a favor and check them. Oh yea, mine had 535 miles on it when it happened.

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=EA19E511-D56B-84E2-14764AB617E5B08B&page=1

* Last updated by: toledoUPSguy on 8/3/2012 @ 10:18 PM *

Congratulations! we all bought kawi-davidsons. It really kills me that this isnt an isolated event. Lets see. If i were the ceo of Kawasaki. Would I try to pass this bike out my doors thinking...........Well most likely a young kid is going to buy this bike and have nothing to compare it to. or, and correct me if im wrong here. is the buyer of this bike usually going to be a person who has been around the block a few times and has had several bikes to compare his zx14 to. I know i am one of them people. This is my 1st Kawasaki. 13th bike. Had all Hondas and yami's with 2 suzukis too. never had this problem. if Kawasaki was smart they would run a campaign to re call and take care of this before a class action law suit follows from someones fairing popping up and causing an accident. Whats next? will it leak oil on my floor next?

And every bike you have owned so far was perfect the day you rode it off the lot???
Go back to your Suzuki's, Honda's & Hardley Dangerous's
Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out!!!

My 2 cents

Neil

Wheeeeee!I'll just snug mine up(loctited last night)and RIDE the baddest,fastest,most powerful production motorcycle on the planet;)How bout you NeilP?LOL!!!!I'd LOVE to see this 'falling cowl'.Lots of 'loose bolt' instances...ya...but falling frontends?I'm not makin any friends here lately...

wow! did you just tough talk a key board? i would never own a harley. dont like them. your toilet flushed the wrong direction. I dont like it. just my opinion. oh, and no . i never had problems with loose bolts at 600 miles. but dont you threat. i'm not going anywhere. I wont quit on my bike for a few minor problems here and there. i'll fix em as they happen.