Kawasaki Zx-9r
KAWASAKI ZX-9R
NINJA MOST NIMBLE
EVER SINCE ITS FIRST 900cc STREETbike, the 1973 Z-1, Kawasaki has been renowned for its powerful engines. And with 127 horsepower on tap at the rear wheel, the $9999 ZX-9R is no exception. But what is newsworthy this year is that after decades of using brute force to net a favorable power-to-weight ratio, Mean Green's engineering team has finally seen fit to refocus its efforts on weight reduction. As a result, the totally redesigned ZX9R tips the scales at just 434 pounds with an empty fuel tank. That's a whopping 77 pounds lighter than its porcine predecessor!
The engine is all-new this year, and substantially smaller and lighter than before. A bigger bore provides room for larger valves and a flatter combus tion chamber, while a shorter stroke reduces piston speeds. Direct shim under-bucket valve actuation replaces the previous model's outdated rockerarm setup, allowing straighter intake tracts for the ram-air-fed carbs, which are now linked to a mapped ignition via a throttle-position sensor. A lighter crankshaft and generator reduce recip rocating mass, while a beefed-up, ZX 6R-style clutch and physically wider (yet closer-ratio) transmission gears handle the extra power. Magnesium engine covers and a titanium muffler canister make substantial contributions to weight savings.
Kawasaki didn't neglect the ZX-9's twin-spar aluminum frame, either. It's now shorter, lighter and slightly less stiff than before, and employs the engine as a stressed member with no need for front downtubes. A less-rigid right-side-up fork provides a measure of tuned flex.
From the test notes: "The ZX-9's Power Service Depat. is at wark even down low,with a midrange grunt that sparks the rear tire with the slightest wrist twist."
In spite of the ZX-9's recent diet, our testers found the new bike to feel remarkably similar to the old one in most riding conditions. CW Contrib uting Editor Nick Ienatsch called the Kawi, "Amazingly stable and solid-feel ing, though fairly wide, and not particularly light feeling. Very ZX-9-like, but with improved traction feedback, lighter steering and
slightly better suspension."
The new ZX-9R even looks like the old one, which was a bone of con tention amongst our testers. Some found the solid-color (red or green) paint scheme classy, while others thought it was unimaginative. But no one appreciated the cobby welds on the frame and swingarm, or the matteblack lower fairing and front fender skirts, which might be impervious to stone chips, but look unfinished.
In keeping with tradition, the new ZX-9R is a stellar street mount, with an ultra-stable chassis and a fairly upright seating position that makes it the best sport-tourer in this group. Reinforcing that position is the engine's strong midrange power, which literally lets you pick a gear and leave it there, even in the twisties. And it's fast, topping our top-speed testing with a 172.7-mph pass. That's only 3 mph slower than CW's all-time Speed King, the 176-mph 1989 ZX-11! The only things hurting the 9R's
street ride are too-harsh compression damping in the fork and shock, and a bit of engine vibration that seeps through the handgrips; rubber-covered footpegs prevent the vibes from reaching the rider's feet.
To our pleasant surprise, the 9er worked well on the racetrack, too. While the lack of weight wasn't that apparent on the street, you could
really feel it (or rather, the lack there of) when snapping the bike back and forth through tight esses. In a bizarre reversal of the norm, the Kawasaki seems smaller and lighter on the race track than on the street. Unfortunately, two obstacles stand in
the way of smoldering lap times: 1) The bottom-heavy power delivery some times causes the rear tire to spin up at low revs, hindering drives; and 2) the suspension needs stiffer springs in the front and more rebound damping in the rear. The fork springs are the worst offenders, because they let the front end plummet under hard braking, which can cause the tire to skip over bumps at a most inopportune moment. But at least the company is headed in the right direc tion: The fork legs are now topped with conventional spring-pre load adj usters, instead of Kawasaki's familiar (and arguably pointless) ride-height adjusters.
Despite the shortcomings, Canet managed to circulate the Streets in 59.53 seconds, ranking the ZX-9R third-quickest, a mere .04 of a second behind the CBR. With better sus penders, it easily would have been sec ond-quickest, and may even have been in contention for the track win.
KAWASAKI ZX-9R
Price $9999 Dryweight 434 lb. Wheelbase . 55.6 in. Seat height 31.2 in. Fuel mileage . . . 38.2 mpg 0-60 mph 2.9 sec. 1/4-mile 10.51 sec. @ 135.78 mph Horsepower . . 1 26~5 bhp @ 10,500 rpm Torque 67.4 11.-lbs. @ 9000 rpm lop speed 172.7 mph
A Best street manners of the lot A Killer low-end and midrange power A Stable even deep into triple digits owns V B-b-buzzy engine n-n-numbs fingers V Sacked-out suspension bottoms easily ` Would have been a winner last year
