Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R

Manufacturer	Kawasaki
Production	2000-2006
Successor	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14
Class	Hyper sport
Engine	1,199 cc Inline four
Top speed	185.8 mph (299.0 km/h)
Power	161.2 hp (120.2 kW) (rear wheel)
Torque	91.2 ft·lb (123.7 N·m) (rear wheel)
Weight	545 lb (247 kg) (wet)
Fuel consumption	32.1 mpg-US (7.33 L/100 km; 38.6 mpg-imp)

The ZX-12R is a sport bike that was made from 2000 to 2006 by Kawasaki. It was known as a contender to be the fastest production motorcycle, and for its role in bringing to a truce the escalating competition to build a faster motorcycle.

Before the introduction of the ZX-14 (ZZR1400), the ZX-12R was Kawasaki's flagship sport bike and a competitor to the Suzuki Hayabusa. The ZX-12R was a fuel injected (four 46 mm throttle bodies) 1,199 cc hyper sport motorcycle, generating around 161.2 horsepower (120.2 kW) at the rear wheel. Handling and braking match the power of the engine resulting in a motorcycle that was docile at low speeds and very easy to handle in heavy traffic, but has strong acceleration and a top speed limited to 186 miles per hour (300 km/h) by a motorcycle manufacturer gentlemen's agreement.

Pre-production models of the ZX-12R revealed a motorcycle that was indeed faster and more powerful than Suzuki's Hayabusa. Several notable motorcycle publications tested the pre-production ZX-12R and found it to be superior to the Hayabusa in terms of straight-line performance.^{[citation needed]} In Japan, pre-production tests revealed a top speed near 200 mph.^{[citation needed]} However, the 2000 release of the ZX-12R proved to be somewhat of a disappointment, as the production version of the ZX-12R was delayed for weeks without notice. Many in the industry reported that European governments had threatened to ban the ZX-12R altogether due to its top speed and outlandish acceleration. These threats were apparently taken seriously, and Kawasaki released the bike with a slightly de-tuned engine which failed to knock that Hayabusa from its throne (in terms of top speed and acceleration tests). Starting with 2001 models, speed limiters were included to reduce the ZX-12R's top speed to 186 miles per hour (300 km/h). This was because governments mainly in Europe were concerned with the ongoing pursuit among Japanese manufacturers of ever higher maximum speeds, which were seen as a powerful marketing tool in most markets around the world.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R was discontinued in 2006. While not nearly as popular in terms of sales as the Suzuki Hayabusa, the ZX-12R enjoys a strong following among its riders and fans. Many sport bike magazines praised the ZX-12R for its overall sportbike performance.