Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R

Manufacturer	Kawasaki Motorcycle & Engine Company
Also called	ZXR-750 - ZX-7
Parent company	Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Production	1989-2003
Predecessor	GPX750R
Class	Sport bike
Engine	748 cc (45.6 cu in) liquid-cooled dohc 16 valve in-line four-cylinder four-stroke
Bore / stroke	73.0 mm × 44.7 mm (2.87 in × 1.76 in)
Compression ratio	11.5:1
Top speed	150–163 mph (241–262 km/h)[1][2][3][4]
Power	104.0–109.2 hp (77.6–81.4 kW) (rear wheel) @ 11,500 rpm[4]
Torque	52.4–56.4 lb·ft (71.0–76.5 N·m) (rear wheel) @ 9,000 rpm[4]
Frame type	Aluminum twin-spar
Suspension	Front: adjustable 43 mm inverted cartridge fork Rear: Uni-Trak (monoshock) swingarm
Brakes	Front: twin 320 mm (13 in) semi-floating front discs with Tokico six-piston calipers Rear: 230 mm (9.1 in) disc with twin-piston opposed caliper.
Tires	120/70ZR17, 190/50ZR17
Rake, trail	25.0°, 3.9 in (99 mm)
Wheelbase	56.5 in (1,440 mm)
Seat height	780 mm (30.9 in)
Weight	460 lb (210 kg)[2] (dry) 518–527 lb (235–239 kg)[4][5] (wet)
Fuel capacity	18 l; 4.0 imp gal (4.8 US gal)
Oil capacity	3,600 ml (3.8 US qt)
Related	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R was a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki produced from 1989 until 2003. It remained largely unchanged through its production. 1991 saw updates with inverted forks added, and 1993 got updates with ram air just a single tube, then in 1996 more updates with twin tube ram air and Tokico six piston brakes and fully adjustable suspension.

Between 1989 and 1995 in the US market the ZXR-750 and ZXR-750R were known as ZX-7 and ZX-7R respectively. Starting from 1996 Kawasaki dropped the ZXR name worldwide and the former ZXR-750 was now ZX-7R and the limited edition homologation special ZXR-750R started in 1991 was now ZX-7RR.^[6][1]

Overview

The ZX-7RR was raced, gaining 12 AMA superbike championship victories. Kawasaki's Road Racing team riders were Eric Bostrom, Doug Chandler and Scott Russell. Doug Toland won the 1993 Endurance FIM World Championship. Andreas Hofmann won the 1997 Macau Grand Prix.

The ZX-7R has a 749 cc in-line four-cylinder, four-stroke engine.

The frame used on the ZX-7R is a lightweight aluminum twin-spar item, designed using computer-aided design to optimize strength. The rear subframe was constructed using steel, providing enough strength for a pillion passenger.

The swingarm used largely the same fabrication techniques to produce a hollow cast and pressed aluminum alloy hybrid swingarm, and the Uni-Trak rear suspension system features a predominantly lightweight alloy and aluminum construction. The Uni-Trak system was designed to provide a progressively stiffer damping and spring rate under compression. The rear suspension unit is fully adjustable in terms of damping, preload and compression.

The front suspension found on the ZX-7R comprises a fully adjustable 8-way compression and 12-way rebound 43 mm inverted cartridge fork.

Front brakes are 320 mm semi-floating front discs and Tokico six-piston calipers. Rear brakes feature a 230 mm disc with a twin-piston opposed caliper.

The ZX-7RR differs from the road model with an adjustable head-stock angle, swing arm pivot, additional increased adjustability 28-way compression and 13-way rebound to the front and 14-way rebound for the rear suspension, ten more than the R model, a solo cowl with a different aluminum subframe, and 41 mm flat-slide carburetors versus the 38mm on the base R model. It also has a close ratio gear-box fitted as standard and a crankshaft flywheel that is heavier and Nissin front brake calipers.^[3][7][8]

Cycle World got a tested 1/4 mile time of 10.82 seconds at 129.68 mph (208.70 km/h).^[2]

1989 ZXR-750 tubes that appear to be ram-air, just cooled top of engine.

1991 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7

1992 ZXR-750R

References