Merely that there is power to the bike (the main battery). It will shut down automatically after 24 hours with the bike untouched. You can also set the bike to not display that light at all.
As someone already said, it is in your owner's manual.
I like the red light and I don't understand why anyone would disable it. It may have some security value in that simply by blinking it may discourage someone from messing with it, and hopefully it says" better go mess with a different bike". My favorite feature is when I wander out of the motel with coffee in hand and slippers on feet and see that the rest of the group is all geared up and ready to go, that red blinking light says my battery is charged and I don't have to quickly beg a jump from them before they take off. If it's blinking, I just do the
"I'll catch up later wave" and go back in for that second cup and a quick shower.
As for the California bike thing, it could be that Kawasaki is now shipping all the bikes to California spec, but I purchased mine new (2010 new in the crate as I signed the papers) further east in Texas and it had the California specs as well, so some get sent to other places still in the crates. The extra 2 lbs could be coming from the new catalytic converter, as the canister just doesn't weigh that much. Until you need the space for farkles (cruise control, horn compressor, etc) there is no need nor performance to be gained by removing it. (if/when you do remove it, plug the Green line and filter the Blue line)
For the seat, I make sure that it is well forward in the tank clips by grabbing the rear of the seat and push and wiggle it forward (not hard enough to push it off the centerstand) and then push down on the rear until it clicks in. Sometimes the middle hooks are already "in" and sometimes they just need me to sit on the seat and they pop in place. I really like the ZX14 center pins better and I have a used set that I have yet to install.
I dislike the lack of a handle for the center stand. The passenger grab handle is just too far backward to help; at least in my case.
I maybe wrong in this elp_jc for your personal build (I'm 5'6"), but there is a technique to the center stand that works for most of (all sizes) us. Your right arm grabs the passenger grab rail and remains straight and locked at the elbow. Think not of lifting the bike onto the center stand, but rather
pushing the center stand down under the bike, almost all of the pressure
(seems like about 90% of the total effort, and my left foot comes off the ground as it happens) should be coming from the ball of your right foot. I have to wear my riding or hiking boots to do it, because tennis shoes just let too much pressure through for me. Yeah, I'm a yankee tenderfoot livin' in Texas.
elp_jc, Congrats on the new bike!
