Kawasaki GPZ900R
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| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Also called | Ninja[1] |
| Parent company | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
| Production | 1984–1996[2] |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | ZZ-R1100 |
| Class | Sport bike |
| Engine | 908 cc (55.4 cu in), 4-stroke, transverse 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve-per-cylinder[3][4][5] |
| Bore / Stroke | 72.5 × 55 mm (2.85 × 2.2 in) |
| Top speed | 151 mph (243 km/h)[3] 158 mph (254 km/h)[5] |
| Power | 115 bhp (86 kW) @ 9,500 rpm (1986)[3][4] 108 bhp (81 kW) @ 9,500 rpm (1990 Europe)[4] 100 bhp (75 kW) @ 9,500 rpm (1990 Europe)[6] 89 bhp (66 kW) @ 9,000 rpm (1986 Japan)[4] |
| Torque | 8.7 kgf (63 ft·lbf) @ 8,500 rpm[4] 8.5 kgf (61 ft·lbf) @ 8,500 rpm (Europe)[4] 7.3 kgf (53 ft·lbf) @ 6,500 rpm (Japan)[4] |
| Transmission | 6-speed constant mesh, return shift. Wet multi-disc clutch. Chain drive.[4] |
| Suspension | Front: telescopic fork, air Rear: Uni-trak, air shock.[4] |
| Brakes | Front: dual disc Rear: single disc[4] |
| 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)[4] |
| Rake, Trail | 29 deg 114 mm (4.5 in)[4] |
| Wheelbase | 1,495 mm (58.9 in)[4] |
| Dimensions | L 2,200 mm (87 in)[4] W 750 mm (30 in)[4] H 1,215 mm (47.8 in)[4] |
| Seat height | 780 mm (31 in) |
| Weight | 228 kg (500 lb)[4] (249 kg (550 lb) (Europe)[6] 234 kg (520 lb) (Europe)[4] (dry) |
| Fuel capacity | 22 L (4.8 imp gal; 5.8 US gal) Reserve: 4 L (0.88 imp gal; 1.1 US gal)[4] |
| Related | GPZ1000RX GPZ750R |
The Kawasaki GPZ900R (ZX900A) was a sport bike manufactured from 1984 to 2003. The 1984 GPZ900R (or ZX900A-1) was a revolutionary design[1][3] that became the immediate predecessor of the modern-day sport bike.[5] Developed in secret over six years, it was the world's first 16-valve liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder motorcycle engine, years ahead of rival manufacturers' efforts.[3][7] The 908 cc four-cylinder engine 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).[3]
Prior to its design, Kawasaki envisioned producing a sub-liter engine that would be the successor to the Z1.[3] 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[5] was mounted lower in the frame, allowing it to take Japanese superbike performance to a new level.[3] Only three months after being unveiled to the press in December 1983, dealers entered three works GPZ900R bikes in the Isle of Man Production TT finishing in first and second place.[3][5][8][9]
[edit] Description
Technical advances included water cooling and 16 valves, allowing additional power, and a frame that used the engine as a stressed member for improved handling and reduced weight,[1] as a result of testing that showed that the standard downtubes carried virtually no weight and could be eliminated.[5] Its top speed gave it the title of the fastest production bike at the time,[1][3][10][11] and standing quarter mile times of 10.976 seconds,[1][10] or 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,[3] owing to the new suspension and a crankshaft counter-balancer to nearly eliminated secondary vibration.[5] The fairing's aerodynamics combined with good overall ergonomics to make comfortable long-distance riding possible.[11]
The GPZ1000RX was to be the replacement for the GPZ900R in 1986, but the Ninja 900 continued alongside the GPZ 1000RX. In 1988 the GPZ 10000RX was replaced by the ZX-10, yet still the GPZ900R remained. With the release of the ZZ-R1100 in 1990, the GPZ900R lost its status as Kawasaki's flagship model,[12][13] but continued, with some revisions of the fork, wheels, brakes and airbox, until 1996.[2][14]
The GPZ900R was featured in the movie Top Gun,[15] becoming a cultural icon.[16][17]
[edit] 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 Walker, Mick (2001), Performance Motorcycles, Amber Books, Ltd. and Chartwell Books (Book Sales, Inc.), pp. 152–153, ISBN 0785813802
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Krens (2001) p. 356
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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
- ^ a b Workshop Manual[clarification needed]
- ^ 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 De Cet (2005) p. 141-2
- ^ a b Brown (2000) p. 185
- ^ Ker, Rod (2007), Classic Japanese Motorcycle Guide, Sparkford, UK: Haynes Publishing, p. 209, ISBN 184425335X
- ^ Dowds, Alan (2007), Superbikes: Street Racers: Design and Technology, Thunder Bay Press, p. 246, ISBN 1592237770
- ^ Brown, Roland (2005), The Ultimate History of Fast Motorcycles, Bath, England: Parragon, pp. 184–185, ISBN 1405454660
- ^ Trivia for Top Gun, IMDb.com, 2009, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/trivia
- ^ Christian Science Monitor (2005) p. 11
- ^ Brandweek (2008) p. 18
[edit] 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 9781840388985, http://books.google.com/?id=2SWQAAAACAAJ
- Christian Science Monitor, The (September 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 9789036614979, http://books.google.com/?id=ki9XAAAACAAJ
- Krens, Thomas (2001), The Art of the Motorcycle, Guggenheim Museum, pp. 357–7, ISBN 9780810969124, http://books.google.com/?id=R-bxAQAACAAJ[dead link]
- Walker, Mick (2003), Japanese Production Racing Motorcycles, Redline Books, ISBN 9780954435707, http://books.google.com/?id=TB2v4CR7K4kC&pg=RA1-PA134
- Walker, Mick (2006), Motorcycle: Evolution, Design, Passion, JHU Press, pp. 172, 174–5, ISBN 9780801885303, http://books.google.com/?id=AHSlknpjrgAC
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| Kawasaki motorcycle timeline, 1990s–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | 1 | |
| Standard | W650 | W800 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Versys | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ER-5 | ER-6n/ER-6f/Ninja 650R | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Zephyr | ZR-7 | Z750 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Z1000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ZRX1100 | ZRX1200R | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dual-sport | Super Sherpa KL250 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| KLR250 | KLX250S | |||||||||||||||||||||
| KLR650 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Ninja 250R | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Ninja 400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ninja ZX-2R/Ninja ZXR250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ZXR400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZX12R/Ninja ZX-12R | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport-Touring | ZZR1100C/Ninja ZX-11C | ZZR1100D/Ninja ZX-11D | ZZR1200/ZX-12C | ZZR1400/Ninja ZX-14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Touring | GTR1000/Connie/Concours | 1400GTR/Concours 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruiser | EL250 | EL125/Eliminator | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 454 LTD | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vulcan EN500A | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vulcan VN500C | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vulcan VN750 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vulcan VN800A/Vulcan Classic VN800B | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vulcan VN900 Classic/VN900B | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| MotoGP | Ninja ZX-RR | |||||||||||||||||||||
