KAWASAKI Ninja ZX-12R (2004-2005) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2005, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer released the Ninja ZX-12R, a motorcycle that packed all the features of the previous model and the 1,199cc powerplant that delivered massive power and torque at all rpm ranges.

As Cycle World magazine wrote about the Ninja ZX-12R: “Kawasaki’s open-class sportbike combines brute muscle with a responsive, solid-handling chassis. Whether you’re staring down a dragstrip or carving along a twisty mountain road, the big Ninja’s tractable power and raw acceleration can blur the landscape like few other machines can.”

For suspension, on the front end, the model packed a 43 mm 12-way adjustable rebound and 12-way adjustable damping upside-down cartridge fork that provided 120 mm of wheel travel and a piggyback shock absorber on the rear with adjustable spring preload, 18-way adjustable rebound, and 20-way adjustable damping that offered 123 mm of wheel travel.

As for braking performance, the Ninja ZX-12R packed two 320 mm discs squeezed by two six-piston calipers on the front and a 230 mm disc with a two-piston caliper on the rear wheel.

The bike featured an aerodynamic bodywork with a wide design and high bubble windscreen that provided extra wind protection for the rider, small and triangular-shaped mirrors mounted low for improved aerodynamic efficiency, and a cover near the front brake lever that reduced turbulence behind the windscreen.

In the power department, the bike was powered by the same 1,199cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine as its predecessors and delivered an output power of 178 hp at 10,500 rpm and 134 Nm (99 lb-ft) of torque at 7,500 rpm.