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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

SPECIFICATIONS:

year: 2012
make: Kawasaki
Model: Ninja
Engine: 16-valve, DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four engine
Displacement: 998 L

The 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is the quintessential finished product when passion and technology merge. Redesigned and retooled a year ago, the 2012 ZX-10R is chalk-full of new technology that elevates the bike above all others in its class.

It’s very hard for a bike to boast such claims, but this one can rightfully do so without even batting an eyelash. The ZX-10R is powered by a potent 998cc, 16-valve, DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four engine. This power plant has been tuned to optimize power delivery, center of gravity, and actual engine placement within the chassis while the steady release of torque allows the bike to eliminate power peaks and valleys that make it difficult for racers and track-day riders to open the throttle with confidence.

On top of the impressive power train, the ZX-10R also comes with new Kawasaki technology: the highly advanced and customizable Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control that allows riders to harness and capitalize on the ZX-10R’s amazing blend of power and responsive handling. The system is called Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control, or S-KTRC, and works by crunching numbers from a variety of parameters and sensors, including wheel speed and slip, engine rpm, throttle position, acceleration, etc. The S-KTRC system also relies on complex software buried in the ZX-10R’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU) working to quickly reduce power at the right time where slippage exceeds the optimal traction zone. This allows the S-KTRC system to maintain the optimum level of tire grip to maximize forward motion, resulting in an improved lap time and better rider confidence across the board. Working on three different modes of operation - Level 1 (Max-Grip), Level 2, (Intermediate), and Level 3 (Slipper Conditions) - the S-KTRC system allows for a fast, smooth, and powerful ride on any condition imaginable.

That’s why the 2012 ZX-10R is considered as being in a class of its own.

Engine


Design is compact, narrow and lightweight
Camshafts, crankshaft and pistons designed to complement the engine’s prodigious power production
Large intake valves, camshaft profiles and port shapes help maximize power production and smooth power delivery
Chromoly camshafts enhance durability
Single-shaft secondary balancer helps reduce vibration; its use allows several vibration-damping parts to be simplified and lightened
Strong connecting rods suit the power potential of this engine
ECU is small enough to be tucked away in a slot in the airbox assembly
One-piece upper crankcase and cylinder casting offers maximum rigidity
Low-friction oil pump reduces parasitic power loss
A lightweight radiator with tightly packed cores provides efficient engine cooling
A liquid-cooled aluminum oil cooler promotes high-efficiency heat dissipation
Intake and exhaust valves are titanium to reduce reciprocating weight and stress at high rpm
Chassis/Suspension


Aluminum-alloy frame offers optimal flex and rigidity characteristics for balanced handling on street or track
Chassis geometry allows sharp steering characteristics and crisp handling with no corresponding tradeoff in chassis stability at speed
Frame is an all-cast construction of only seven pieces, with ideal wall thicknesses that provide adequate strength and optimized rigidity
Front end weight aids aggressive, on-the-gas corner exits
Modifying or removing the exhaust pre-chamber (for racetrack applications only) enables two chain links to be removed, which offers riders the opportunity to alter chassis geometry by shortening the wheelbase by up to 16mm to suit different track layouts.

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