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In recent times there has been considerable debate as to which manufacturer will go down in history as building the most superlative production motorcycle of the 20th Century. Kawasaki’s response: the Ninja ZX-12R.
In building the Ninja ZX-12R, the Kawasaki engineering team set themselves the following fundamental goals:
The lightest weight and highest power-to-weight ratio of any machine in its category.
High speed stability and supersport handling performance.
Chassis geometry and suspension settings developed for the high performance sport riding associated with the Ninja name.
The build quality and level of fit and finish that customers expect of a flagship model.
In essence, the Ninja ZX-12R combines an extraordinarily high output engine, a revolutionary chassis and advanced aerodynamics from the world of high performance aircraft. Designed to be quite clearly the most nimble, stable and powerful in its category, the Ninja ZX-12R should prove a winner!
But ultimately, the Ninja ZX-12R is not about impressing through ratings and performance figures. It is really about providing potential. For real riders to explore, responsibly and with all new dynamics at their fingertips, the excitement of supersport motorcycling in the new millenium.
The Ninja ZX-12R. Serious potential for the serious rider.
THE ENGINE
The Ninja ZX-12R’s all new, 1199cm³ liquid cooled, 4-cylinder, DOHC fuel injected powerplant is simply the most powerful production motorcycle engine Kawasaki, or anyone else, has ever produced. But the development of this engine was not founded merely on the pursuit of power statistics. The emphasis was on balance – on striking an optimum configuration.
The engine features the same bore / stroke ratio as the Ninja ZX-9R – exhaustive examination of permutations revealed that the ratio already determined to be optimum for the ZX-9R engine was in fact also ideal for the larger ZX-12R powerplant. For efficient heat dispersion and long wear, the ZX-12R runs will all aluminium-electroplated cylinders. Beyond lower weight, high cooling efficiency and long wear characteristics, these thinner cylinders also allow a reduction in the distance between bore centres, for a narrower more compact engine and a shorter, stiffer crank.
Increasing the ZX-12R’s output even further is Kawasaki’s most advanced Ram Air system yet, an entirely new frame-integrated configuration with the air intake duct positioned centrally and forward, in an area determined in wind-tunnel testing to be the optimal region of pressure.
The Ninja ZX-12R’s electronically controlled fuel injection system combines hard-hitting instantaneous throttle response with environmentally friendly exhaust emissions. Lighting off the mixture in its high-compression 4 valve combustion chambers are lightweight plug mounted ignition coils. The ignition system delivers independent timing control for each cylinder pair (1-4, 2-3) based on a variety of information supplied to the ignition computer including crank angle, throttle opening, cam position and rpm.
THE FRAME
With the Ninja ZX-12R, Kawasaki has succeeded in achieving the, until now, mutually exclusive qualities of high-speed stability and nimble, supersport handling. This was accomplished by developing a revolutionary new monocoque chassis, the first ever on a production machine.
Why monocoque? Like all breakthrough innovations, the choice appears quite obvious after the fact. When large-section aluminium spars are wrapped around an already wide, large-displacement in-line four engine, the resulting package must be wide. The ZX-12R’s all-aluminium box section monocoque chassis eliminates these perimeter spars in favour of a large box section running over the top of the engine.
This frame design surpasses the levels of chassis stiffness and strength associated with conventional aluminium twin-beam frames, but with considerably less breadth. Without the twin beams or other frame elements running around the side of the engine, the fairing can be much narrower, resulting in a much slimmer overall package and significantly better aerodynamics. Further, in a radical departure, the hollow structure also doubles as an airbox for the Ram Air system, eliminating the need for a space consuming, conventional airbox.
And ultimately, it is the synergy of combining a compact, massively powerful engine with this super stiff and slim chassis structure that explains much of the ZX-12R’s superlative high-speed performance.
For more detailed specifications, including aerodynamics, suspension, and brakes, view the ad for the Kawasaki ZX12R on Silver-Bullet today.
