KAWASAKI Ninja 1000 (2011-2012) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 was a motorcycle in the Ninja series manufactured and sold by Kawasaki since 2011. Other than its name, the bike was not related to the Ninja 1000R manufactured from 1986 to 1989 or any other Ninja motorcycle.

The bike was characterized as a fully faired sibling to the Z1000 Streetfighter, which shared the 1,043cc engine and aluminum backbone frame but with more orientation to the sport touring market.

In 2012, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki Ninja 1000, which came with a high-mounted handlebar and footpegs mounted a touch higher than on a sports bike. This combination transformed the aggressive-looking motorcycle into a surprisingly comfortable short-haul tourer, topped by a line of optional accessories such as hard-case saddlebags and heated grips.

On the other hand, the aesthetics inspired by its bigger and more powerful siblings was carefully detailed for aggressive looks that retained the heritage of the Ninja superbikes, which resulted in a machine with a sporty look and a more comfortable and less intimidating riding style.

In the performance department, the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 took its thrust from a 1,043cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 138 hp with a peak at 9,600 rpm and 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque available at 7,800 rpm.

All that power was converted into speed by a six-speed manual transmission and brought to a complete stop by two 300 mm discs with four-piston calipers on the front wheel and a 250 mm disc squeezed by a single-piston caliper on the rear wheel.