KAWASAKI ZX-9R Ninja (1998-1999) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1998, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja, a sports machine that featured significant modifications, including an all-new engine that retained only the bore, stroke, and rpm's redline.

It also received chassis modifications, dropping the steel engine cradles and bolt-on rear subframe and packing a new unbraced rectangular-section swingarm. The bike's wheel sizes were the same but made with a new design and weighing less.

It used the same brake calipers as the previous model but with smaller and lighter discs without affecting the braking performance. Also, the rear shock was changed with a more lightweight piggyback unit.

On the front, the upside-down fork was replaced with a traditional one by Kayaba. The earlier fork was criticized by European testers for fluttering during hard driving, a flaw that was resolved with the 2002 model.

In the visual department, the bike packed standard features, such as a full fairing with a medium-sized windscreen, a two-piece dual seat with passenger grab handles, a right-side-mounted exhaust system, and lightweight three-spoke aluminum wheels.

Underneath its fuel tank, the 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja had installed an 899cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that delivered 143 hp at 11,000 rpm and 100 Nm (74 lb-ft) torque at 9,000 rpm.

The engine was tied to a six-speed manual transmission with a cable-operated clutch instead of the hydraulic previously used, linked to the rear wheel through a final chain drive, pushing the motorcycle to 280 kph (174 mph).