(C14) GTR 1400 - really big problem (with VIDEO)

[Nunsky]

Hello, (sorry about my bad English)

I own a Kawasaki GTR 1400 (2007) and I'm not very happy with it.

What I'm about to tell you will make some people happy (because they can anticipate to the thieves) and some people mad because the thieves will know as well about this... But I think is better to prevent then to cry after.


This is my history about my GTR 1400.


Before 300kms – I had problems with the front tire sensor. Called Kawasaki dealer and they said that the tire sensor had to be change by warranty. Done!!

Before 1500kms – Lost one of the buttons that makes lights go up or down in the "cockpit". Tried to see if there was any problem with the other one and he just came off easy if I pull him. Called Kawasaki Dealer they said that they already knew about that problem, but they just replace the buttons if customer reclaim. In my thought, if Kawasaki knew about that problem, they should make a recall about that because if you only see that after the warranty is over you will have to pay for the buttons. Done, but not happy with that!

Before 9.000kms – One day I was driving normally and, from nothing, I realize that had no brakes at all in the front of the bike. The disks look new and the mechanic, after he make some tests to see how warped the disks are, didn't knew what to tell me about how that could happened to a bike with 9.000 kms. Called Kawasaki Dealer that told me that I must have someone trying to still me the bike and ruin the brake disks with the pad locker. I told him that...

1 - I never use the pad locker

2 - Both disks are almost with the same warped (you only use the pad locker in one of the disks)

3 - The brake disks look as new with no marks

Even with all that the Kawasaki dealer just told me that the disks didn't have warranty. I had to buy 2 new front brake disks that cost me well over 500€. A few months later a friend of mine had the same problem with is GTR 1400 with 15.000kms and he complained to Kawasaki. The answer from Kawasaki was that the best they could do was to charge my friend ONE Front disk for TWO (take 2 for the price of one). Called this a worldwide motorbike dealer??

Now, with 30.000kms (20.000kms without nobody trying to still my bike, because I still have the same brake disks with twice the miles that the originals) time for the BIGGEST PROBLEM.

I just knew (in the worst way) that our bikes have the most shitty sides-cases ever made by any one, and I will tell you why I say that.
About 4 months ago I went for a trip of 1.000 kms with a couple of friends. As you can thing, I toke the side cases full of things. Wend we arrive to our destination we went straight to the restaurant to grab a bite to eat and stayed there for about 1 hour. Wend I was walking to my bike I notice that was something missing and then realize that one of my side-cases was gone. Put myself thinking if I didn't lost the case in the middle of the trip, but that was impossible because I was always in the front of the group and all the others told me that wend we arrive to the restaurant the bike had both side-cases on.

I was a bit angry about all that, even more because, despite the clothes and other stuff, I had a wallet with all my documents in that case. A few minutes later I realize that was no damage on the bike, not even a scratch. When I was exploring the other side-case, just to see if it was easy to take it off without the key, it took me about 2 minutes to have the side-case in my hands without breaking anything... The second time I try to take the side-case off the bike it took me an impressive 3 seconds to "still" my side-case (as you can see in the video) without braking anything in the case or in the bike.

Let me tell you again that, as you can see in the video, the side-case is proper locked with the key and after you take the side-case off you just need to change the locker and it can be used in another bike, because you don't break anything on the side case (or in the bike).

Next day i called AGAIN to the Kawasaki dealer that told me that I must have lost the case because I didn't lock it properly. I told the guy that it was impossible because I was in the front of a group of bikes and if that happened for sure one of them would had an accident. Then he told me that was not normal, but, BY COMMERCIAL KINDNESS, he was going to talk with the big boss about that.

3 days later I receive an E-mail that said more or less like this:

"We are going to give you, BY COMMERCIAL KINDNESS, a new side case and all the lockers for your bike, but this is just by commercial kindness as we don't assume that as a manufacturing defect..."

The true is that the Kawasaki Motors Portugal, by commercial kindness or not, give-me the new side-case and all the lockers for the bike (ignition, seat, gas tank and other side-case) and I'm thankful for that, but they didn't do anything about the problem that persists on every bike. The only thing I see them doing is trying to cover up the BIG PROBLEM they have with this bike, because, in the end of all, every side case of a Kawasaki GTR 1400 can be stolen in a blink of an eye, and this is, supposedly, the top of the range of Kawasaki Motorbikes.

What I did to try to stop someone to still me the side cases was an alarm and a wire over the hold of both side cases, passing under the seat and locked with a padlock.

Curiosities:
Kawasaki took more than 2 months to replace the side case, after I send them the video.

Another person I know have been one of the side cases stolen and Kawasaki just say that side cases are not warranty issues (after what happened to me. These guys are funny...)

1 (only ONE) side case (without the locker) cost 1.400€ (ONE THOUSAND AND FOUR HUNDRED EUROS)

The new 2010 GTR1400 have the same problem as the "old" ones.


Here is the video.

http://yfrog.com/9ggtr1400z


PS: The 2010 model got the exact same problem.


Now I hope this knowledge will make you more "yes open for thieves MO", because is really bad if you go on hollydays and someone still the bags from your bike with all your stuff inside... As it happened to me.


If you find a better way to stop this madness please post some videos or photos of your "invention". Thank you.


Cya and I hope you all get some kind of trick to cover your side cases to be stolen, as Kawasaki don't do a thing about this.

[Lonewolf]

 :o
Nunsky, firstly there is absolutely no need to make apologies for your English. I understood perfectly what you were explaining. Well you certainly appear to have had a few issues with your GTR! I also have a 2007 model GTR and touch wood, so far no problems at all.

I am shocked at how easy it is to remove the panniers, I'm going to examine mine tomorrow and see if thats possible on mine also.

[Nunsky]

Thanks for your patience.

I hate to give you bad news but your side-cases came off as easy as mine... Even in the 2010 model (as they all the same side-cases and I already try that) came off as easy as the video shows.

[Lonewolf]

If that is the case I will be contacting Kawasaki myself tomorrow even though my warranty has obviously expired. I would not want to have to replace one of the panniers just because someone fancied helping themselves to it >:(

[Nunsky]

My bike is still in warranty (in Portugal Kawasaki give a 4 years warranty, dont know what for, but I have the warranty paper), and even like this they (Kawasaki) didn't give a sh** about this problem.

I wish you all the luck in the word... And you can take the video as a prove of what you say.

Please leave here a note about what they sayd to you.

[Kwikasfuki]

Hi Nunsky and welcome to the forums.

The warped rotors and TPS is a known problem and Kawasaki should have replaced them under warranty. Did you try approaching another dealer?

As for the panniers, there was a recall which replaced the old red latch with a new orange latch. However, the design of the panniers is poor and it is possible to steal the panniers easily. One the members here, MGvalerio posted a video of pin locks to overcome the issue.

Kawasaki do need to address the issue. The recall they did prevents the panniers falling off whilst driving, but doesn't address someone stealing the panniers.

[Nunsky]

Thank you for the welcome and the fact that you all have the patience to try to understand my bad English.


The video of "how not to have C14 side-bags stolen" its a good idea, but...

I call the Kawasaki dealer a few days ago and they said that they didn't had yet a resolution for this problem and (this is the best part) I would lose the warranty if I drill any hole's in the Side-cases or bike side-cases suport.

My next questions was: "And do I have any type of warranty if tomorrow someone still the bags from my bike?"

The answer to my question was just a "I don't know" before the complete silence.

In my life I had some of the greatest Kawasakis (1xZX7/2xZX9/1xZX10/2XZZR1400 and this "thing") and this is the first time I need to call a warranty, but I tell you something...

I never thought Kawasaki would treat a bike with a construction/conception defect or even a costumer like this, with a stupid "I don't know what you need or can do to secure the side-cases, but I do know that if you drill any hole's in the bags you will lose any type of warranty in the future." as an answer to this conception problem. Because this is a very bad conception problem, even if the Kawasaki dont assume it.

in another way, I wonder what would happen if one of the side cases fly off the bike and provoke some kind of accident... Who do we blame if someone dies (it can happen) in a situation like this.

[Kwikasfuki]

Your English is probably better than mine :)

Let's keep this in context. A determined thief would be able to steal panniers off any bike. I agree that the Kawasaki solution makes it easier for the thief. I'm going to try it with my panniers in front of the dealer