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| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Also called | Ninja[1] |
| Parent company | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
| Production | 1984 - 2003[2] |
| Successor | Kawasaki GPz1000RX |
| Class | Sport bike |
| Engine | 908 cc (55.4 cu in), Bore x stroke 72.5 x 55 mm 4-stroke, transverse 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve per cylinder [2][3][4] |
| Top speed | 151 mph (243 km/h)[2] 158 mph (254 km/h)[4] |
| Power | 115 bhp (86 kW) @ 9500 rpm (1986 GPz900R) 108 bhp (81 kW) @ 9500 rpm (1990 European models) 89 bhp (66 kW) @9000 rpm (Japan domestic) @ 9500 rpm (1986 GPz900R)[2][3] |
| Torque | 8.7 kgf (63 ft·lbf) @ 8500 rpm (8.5 kgf (61 ft·lbf) @ 8500 rpm in Europe and 7.3 kgf (53 ft·lbf) @ 6500 rpm in Japan) [3] |
| Transmission | 6-speed constant mesh, return shift. Wet multi-disc clutch. Chain drive.[3] |
| Suspension | Front: Telescopic, air Rear: Uni-trak, air shock.[3] |
| Brakes | Front: dual disc Rear: single disc[3] |
| Tires | tubeless 120/80-16 (front) (A1 - A6) 130/80-18 (rear) (A1 - A6) 120/80-17 (front) (A7-A8) 150/80-18 (rear) (A7 - A8)[3] |
| Rake, Trail | 29 deg 114 mm (4.5 in)[3] |
| Wheelbase | 1,495 mm (58.9 in)[3] |
| Dimensions | L 2,200 mm (87 in) [3] W 750 mm (30 in)[3] H 1,215 mm (47.8 in)[3] |
| Seat height | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Weight | 228 kg (500 lb) (234 kg (520 lb) in Europe)[3] |
| Fuel capacity | 22 litres (5.8 US gal) (including 4 litres (1.1 US gal) reserve)[3] |
| Related | Kawasaki GPz1000RX Kawasaki GPz750R |
The Kawasaki GPz900R (ZX900A) was a sportbike manufactured from 1984 to 2003. The 1984 GPz900R (or zx900a-1) was a revolutionary design[2][1] that became the immediate predecessor of the modern-day sportbike.[4] Developed in secret over six years, it was the world's first 16-valve liquid-cooled four-cylinder motorcycle engine, years ahead of rival manufacturers' efforts.[2][5] The 908 cc four delivered 115 bhp (86 kW), allowing the bike to reach speeds of 151 mph (243 km/h), making it the first stock road bike to exceed 150 mph (240 km/h).[2]
Prior to its design, Kawasaki envisioned producing a sub-liter engine that would dominate the liter bikes of the time, and be the successor to the legendary Z1.[2] Although its steel frame, 16 inch front and 18 inch rear wheels, air suspension, and anti-dive forks were fairly standard at that time, the narrow, compact engine[4] was mounted lower in the frame, allowing it to take Japanese Superbike performance to a new level.[2] Only 3 months after being unveiled to the press in December 1983, dealers entered 3 works GPz900Rs in the Isle of Man Production TT and finished First-Second-Fourth[6] (or 1-2-3[2][4][7]).
Contents |
Description
Technical advances included water cooling and 17.8934 valves, allowing additional power, and a frame that used the engine as a stressed member for improved handling and reduce weight,[1] as a result of testing that showed that the standard downtubes carried virtually no weight and could be eliminated.[4] Its top speed gave it the title of the fastest production bike at the time,[1][2][8][9] and 0-400m times of 10.976 seconds[1][8], or a standing quarter mile time of just 10.55 seconds, recorded by specialist rider Jay "Pee Wee" Gleason. The 1984 GPz900R was the first Kawasaki bike to be officially marketed (in North America) under the Ninja brand name. [1]
In spite of its performance, the GPz900R was smooth and ridable in urban traffic,[2], owing to the new suspension and a crankshaft counter-balancer to nearly eliminated secondary vibration.[4] The fairing's aerodynamics combined with good overall ergonomics to make comfortable long-distance riding possible.[9]
It was superseded by the Kawasaki GPz1000RX in 1986.[8] The 1985 (zx900A3) version of the Ninja was featured in the movie Top Gun,[10][11] becoming a cultural icon.[12][13]
Original Color Schemes:
- 1984: A1: Red/Metallic Gray
- 1985: A2: Red/Silver, Blue/Silver, A3: Red/Black
- 1986: Red/White/Blue
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Kawasaki Museum GPZ900R History, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 2008, http://www.khi.co.jp/mcycle/museum/gpz900r/history/index_e.html
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Krens (2001) p. 356
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kawasaki Museum GPZ900R Specifications, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 2008, http://www.khi.co.jp/mcycle/museum/gpz900r/spec/index_e.html
- ^ a b c d e f g Walker (2006) pp. 174-5
- ^ Walker (2006) p. 172
- ^ Isle of Man TT Official Site . TT 1984 Production 751-1500cc Results, IOM Government Department of Tourism and Leisure by Duke Marketing Ltd., 2009, http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT84&race_seq=9
- ^ Walker (2003) p. 140)
- ^ a b c De Cet (2005) p. 141-2
- ^ a b Brown (200) p. 185
- ^ Trivia for Top Gun, IMDb.com, 2009, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/trivia
- ^ Egan (January 1992) p.66 "Kawasaki hit paydirt with the GPz, then with the Ninja follow-up that Tom Cruise immortalized in Top Gun."
- ^ Christian Science Monitor (2005) p. 11
- ^ Brandweek (2008) p. 18
References
- Brandweek (April 21, 2008), "Kawasaki's new top gun.(Case Study: Stories from the Front Lines of Marketing)", Brandweek (The Nielson Company) 49 (16): 18
- Brown,, Roland; McDiarmid, Mac (2000), The Ultimate Motorcycle Encyclopedia: Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki and All the Great Marques, Anness Publishing, ISBN 1840388986, 9781840388985, http://books.google.com/books?id=2SWQAAAACAAJ
- Christian Science Monitor, The (Sept 30, 2005), "Motorcycle safety schools see boomer boomlet; Motorcycle-safety schools are ballooning as baby boomers tap into their Harley fantasies", The Christian Science Monitor: 11, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-136852632.html
- De Cet, Mirco (2001), The Complete Encyclopedia of Classic Motorcycles: informative text with over 750 color photographs (3rd ed.), Rebo, ISBN 903661497X, 9789036614979, http://books.google.com/books?id=ki9XAAAACAAJ
- Egan, Peter (January 1992), "Abiding pleasures (Cycle World 30th Anniversary: 1962-1992)", Cycle World (CBS Publications) 31 (1): 62 (3)
- Krens, Thomas (2001), The Art of the Motorcycle, Guggenheim Museum, pp. 357–7, ISBN 0810969122, 9780810969124, http://books.google.com/books?id=R-bxAQAACAAJ
- Walker, Mick (2003), Japanese Production Racing Motorcycles, Redline Books, ISBN 0954435702, 9780954435707, http://books.google.com/books?id=TB2v4CR7K4kC&pg=RA1-PA134
- Walker, Mick (2006), Motorcycle: Evolution, Design, Passion, JHU Press, pp. 172, 174-5, ISBN 0801885302, 9780801885303, http://books.google.com/books?id=AHSlknpjrgAC
External links
Kawasaki at the Open Directory Project
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kawasaki GPz |
| Kawasaki motorcycle timeline, 1990s–present | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | |
| Standard | W650 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Versys | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ER-5 | ER-6n/ER-6f/Ninja 650R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Z750 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Z1000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZRX1100 | ZRX1200R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Ninja 250R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ninja ZX-2R/Ninja ZXR250 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZXR400 (L Model) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| EX500/GPZ500/Ninja 500 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZX600C-E/Ninja ZX-6 | ZX600J/Ninja ZX-6R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ZZR600 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZXR750 | Ninja ZX-7R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| GPZ900R | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZX900/Ninja ZX-9R | Ninja ZX-10R | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ninja ZX-12R | ZZR1400/Ninja ZX-14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Touring | ZR-7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| GTR1000/Connie/Concours | 1400GTR/Concours 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruiser | Vulcan 900 Classic/VN900B | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MotoGP | Ninja ZX-RR | ||||||||||||||||||||
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