With the Kawasaki ZX12R Ninja, Kawasaki plunged into the
high-performance sportbike war raging among the Japanese motorcycle
manufacturers. The Ninja's liquid-cooled, 1199cc DOHC, 16-valve
4-cylinder engine generates a peak power of 178 bhp at 10500 rpm.
The Kawasaki Ninja's revolutionary all-aluminium monocoque frame and
cast steering swingarm pivot areas realise an extremely stiff structure
and contribute to the bike's superb high-speed stability and supersport
handling performance.
The ZX12R's wind-tunnel designed fairing was developed with help from
Kawasaki's aircraft division and the redesigned upper cowl has a shorter
nose for improved aerodynamics and a sportier look. In honour of an
agreement reached among Japanese manufacturers, starting with 2001
models, Kawasaki introduced speed limiters in the ZX-12R to reduce the
bike's top speed to 300 km/h.
Kawasaki ZX12R Ninja Technical Specifications
| Engine |
Four-stroke, DOHC, inline four |
| Displacement |
1,198cc |
| Starting |
Electric |
| Bore x stroke |
83.0 x 55.4mm |
| Compression ratio |
12.2:1 |
| Cooling |
Liquid |
| Carburetion |
Fuel injection with 46mm throttle bodies and sub throttles
|
| Ignition |
Digital |
| Transmission |
Six-speed |
| Frame |
Aluminum monocoque |
| Rake / trail |
23.5° / 3.9 in. |
| Suspension (front) |
43mm inverted hydraulic telescopic fork with adjustable
compression and rebound damping, adjustable spring preload |
| Suspension ( rear) |
UNI-TRAK® system with single shock, adjustable compression
and rebound damping, adjustable ride height, and adjustable preload
|
| Wheel travel (front) |
4.7 in. |
| Wheel travel (rear) |
5.5 in. |
| Tire (front) |
120/70 x 17 tubeless |
| Tire (rear) |
200/50 x 17 tubeless |
| Front brake |
320mm dual hydraulic discs |
| Rear brake |
230 single hydraulic disc |
| Overall length |
82.1 in. |
| Overall width |
29.1 in. |
| Overall height |
47.2 in. |
| Ground clearance |
4.7 in. |
| Seat height |
32.3 in. |
| Dry weight |
463 lbs. |
| Fuel capacity |
5.0 gal. |
| Wheelbase |
57.1 in. |
