Kawasaki Zrx1200
Kawasaki ZRX1200
More power! Bigger wheelies!
Rejoice, Golden-staters! Kawasaki's award-winning ZRX super-standard is California-bound. What's more, it's coming in bigger, badder form.
While previous models were strictly 49-state-only (nudge, nudge; wink, wink), the much altered year-2001 ZRX1200 will be sold nationwide. Besides reworked cams, clutch, cylinders, crank and shift drum, Kawasaki increased the liquid-cooled inline-Four’s bore by 3mm and lengthened stroke by 1.4mm to give it a stump-pulling displacement of 1164cc, an increase of 112cc. A stainless-steel exhaust system is also standard-issue.
Complementing the engine mods is a smattering of chassis changes that include a more rigid, rectangular-section aluminum swingarm with an altered pivot point, plus a wider rear tire and wheel. Aside from redone mounting points for the piggyback shocks, the double-cradle, steel-tube frame is identical.
A more sport-touring-oriented version of the bike, called the ZRX1200R, will be offered in Europe. Wearing graphics reminiscent of the early-’80s GPz750, the bike boasts a larger, framemounted fairing fitted with projector-beam headlights and larger rear-view mirrors. Don’t look for it here, though, at least anytime soon.
Matthew Miles
