Photo: Kawasaki
Believe it or not, the Kawasaki Ninja is turning 40 years old next year. No longer a bunch of models, but a motorcycle family in its own right, the breed will get some anniversary clothing in the form of the 40th Anniversary Edition bikes.
The Japanese bike maker birthed the Ninja moniker back in 1984 as a sort of rebranding for the bike initially introduced as the GPZ900R. The range quickly proved its worth not only on the road, but also where all motorcycles should prove their worth: on the racetracks.
As soon as they hit the market in the 1980s, Ninjas became a dominant force in motorsport, and they continued to be so in the years that followed. They won races, podium positions, and titles in the FIM Endurance World Championship (ZX-7), AMA Superbike, and WorldSBK (ZX-7R).
The bikes also became a force to be reckoned with in the hands of civilian riders, and its success has ensured its survival in a very competitive world ever since.
To keep the hype going Kawasaki announced this week special additions to several bikes in the range as a means to celebrate the moniker's anniversary. All will be a sort of celebration of the name's impact on the race track, as they'll wear a special coating of paint on several of the most important body parts.
A total of four models have been subject to the visual upgrades, the first of the bunch being the ZX-4RR in ABS configuration. The 399cc supersport has been dressed to impress with a shade of lime green on the wheels and silver on the frame and swingarm.
The same treatment is reserved for the ZX-6R, ZX-10R and ZX-14R (which makes a comeback to the range as part of the Anniversary Edition), and they both top the upgraded visuals with extensive use of green and blue on the bodywork. The ZX-10R, however, adds a touch of exclusivity by deploying gold-wrapped front fork outer tubes.
All four motorcycles wearing this special livery will become available sometime in the winter of this year, but they will be sold as 2024 bikes. Pricing is slightly different than the usual range (you should read that as higher), and goes as follows:
All four motorcycles are already listed on the Kawasaki website and can be ordered. True, they may not bring to the table a wealth of changes, but they do mark an important moment in the company's history, and they will probably get some of the many fans all worked up.
As soon as they hit the market in the 1980s, Ninjas became a dominant force in motorsport, and they continued to be so in the years that followed. They won races, podium positions, and titles in the FIM Endurance World Championship (ZX-7), AMA Superbike, and WorldSBK (ZX-7R).
The bikes also became a force to be reckoned with in the hands of civilian riders, and its success has ensured its survival in a very competitive world ever since.
To keep the hype going Kawasaki announced this week special additions to several bikes in the range as a means to celebrate the moniker's anniversary. All will be a sort of celebration of the name's impact on the race track, as they'll wear a special coating of paint on several of the most important body parts.
A total of four models have been subject to the visual upgrades, the first of the bunch being the ZX-4RR in ABS configuration. The 399cc supersport has been dressed to impress with a shade of lime green on the wheels and silver on the frame and swingarm.
The same treatment is reserved for the ZX-6R, ZX-10R and ZX-14R (which makes a comeback to the range as part of the Anniversary Edition), and they both top the upgraded visuals with extensive use of green and blue on the bodywork. The ZX-10R, however, adds a touch of exclusivity by deploying gold-wrapped front fork outer tubes.
All four motorcycles wearing this special livery will become available sometime in the winter of this year, but they will be sold as 2024 bikes. Pricing is slightly different than the usual range (you should read that as higher), and goes as follows:
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR 40th Anniversary Edition ABS - $10,299
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 40th Anniversary Edition ABS - $12,649
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R 40th Anniversary Edition ABS - $19,149
- 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R 40th Anniversary Edition ABS - $19,149
All four motorcycles are already listed on the Kawasaki website and can be ordered. True, they may not bring to the table a wealth of changes, but they do mark an important moment in the company's history, and they will probably get some of the many fans all worked up.
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