2006 Kawasaki ZX-10R

By Sean Alexander, Mar. 22, 2007, Photography by Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Page 2

Naysayers complain that rapid new-model development and resultant short market lifespan are skyrocketing both prices and land speed capabilities while decreasing average-Joe usability. These are the price of the so-called sportbike wars. There's truth to that, but me, personally? I dig it. In fact, some would say live for it. I think every mechanized device should get the old "more horsepower, less weight, better handling" treatment, every year. And I, like many of you, am willing to pay for that progress. But here's the kicker -- we don't have to. At $11,199, Kawasaki is only asking $200 more than last year's model. Under two percent, not even keeping pace with inflationary pressures. Ninja fans, sportbike enthusiasts, Kawasaki's hit their stride with this bike -- fair price point, overwhelming power, stable handling, cool looks (in black at least), the 2006 ZX-10R should make its owners proud and its competition nervous.

** Specs provided by Kawasaki Motor Corp. **

Engine Type:

4-Stroke, 4-Cylinder, Liquid-Cooled, DOHC, 4 Valve Cylinder Head

Displacement:

998 cc

Bore & Stroke:

76.0 x 55.0 mm

*Claimed* Maximum Torque:

84.6 lb-ft / 9,500 rpm

Compression Ratio:

12.7:1

Fuel Injection:

DFI with Mikuni 43mm Throttle Bodies (4)

Ignition:

TCBI with Digital Advance

Transmission:

6-Speed

Final Drive:

X-Ring Chain

Rake/Trail:

24.5 degrees / 102mm

Front Wheel Travel:

4.7 in.

Rear Wheel Travel:

4.9 in.

Front Tire Size:

120/70 ZR17

Rear Tire Size:

190/55 ZR17

Wheelbase:

54.7 in.

Front Suspension:

43mm Inverted Cartridge Fork with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound and Compression Damping

Rear Suspension:

Uni-Trak with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound and Compression Damping, Ride Height

Front Brake Type:

Dual Floating 300mm Petal Discs with 4-Piston Radial-Mount Calipers

Rear Brake Type:

Single 220mm Petal Disc

Fuel Tank Capacity:

4.5 gal.

Seat Height:

32.5 in.

*Claimed* Dry Weight:

385 lbs.

Color:

Lime Green/Flat Sonic Black, Ebony, Pearl Solar Yellow

MSRP:

$11,199

* Price and specifications subject to change

Key Features According to Kawasaki:

Incredible Power-to-Weight Ratio
Race-Oriented Performance
Track-Tuned Handling
Aggressive New Aerodynamic Styling

998cc 4-Cylinder, DOHC Engine

Very compact, narrow and lightweight design.
The upper crankcase and cylinder are a one-piece casting, which is more than two pounds lighter than using a separate cylinder and offers increased rigidity. A slanted casting process rotates the piece during casting to eliminate imperfections and excess casting material.
Channels in the case mounting surfaces route oil to various parts of the engine, eliminating oil lines and saving weight.
Crank axis, input shaft and output shaft create a stacked triangular layout that is compact, reduces engine length and lowers the center of gravity.
Specially-shaped breathing passageways between the chrome composite plated aluminum cylinders reduce pumping loss to help increase power.
A high-efficiency, liquid-cooled aluminum oil cooler uses specially designed internal fins to dissipate heat and cool the oil.

4-Valve Cylinder Head(KP)

Compact valve train reduces cylinder head height.
Intake ports and coolant passages developed using flow analysis for efficient cylinder filling and more power, and maximum cooling efficiency.
Camshafts are carved from forged chromoly billet, which is more than one-half pound lighter than cast cams. The cams and tappets are treated with soft nitriding to prevent galling and seizing with the aggressive, high lift profiles.
Single valve springs with oval cross sections are light and lower to reduce overall cylinder head height.
Forged sintered aluminum spring retainers are half the weight of steel retainers and allow higher rpm.

Piston

Forged Pistons(KP) are lighter, stronger and more heat resistant than cast versions. Flat-top design matches the compact combustion chamber and improves combustion efficiency.

Ram Air Induction(KP)

Central ram air duct produces a straighter path to the airbox for maximum intake efficiency and provides the mounting surface for the instrument panel, eliminating brackets and weight.
Flow analysis used to design efficient ducts to the airbox that also prevent water from reaching the air filter.
Compact airbox and air cleaner are highly efficient and contribute to the compact riding position.
High speed 32-bit ECU provides precise engine management.

TCBI Ignition with Digital Advance(KP)

High-speed processor provides precise engine management.
Spark plug-mounted ignition coils are compact and help reduce weight.

Titanium Exhaust With Butterfly Valve

All-titanium exhaust provides the ultimate in light weight.
Butterfly valve, located before the exhaust splits to the mufflers, is controlled by rpm, throttle position and gear position to improve low-end response and help smooth overall power. Optimum exhaust tuning is attained at all engine speeds to prevent blowback that can occur with high speed overlapping valve timing.

6-Speed Transmission

The splines on the transmission shafts are barrel ground so the gears slide smoothly for improved shift action.
Close ratio transmission increases circuit performance.
A back-torque limiting clutch(KP) automatically disengages the clutch under hard braking and deceleration to prevent rear wheel hop during corner entry. Optional springs, spring retainers and shims are available to fine-tune the clutch for specific conditions.

Aluminum Twin Spar Backbone Frame

Combination of pressed and cast aluminum components are welded to form the twin-spar backbone-type frame. By combining cast and pressed pieces frame weight is kept to a minimum while still providing high strength and stability with responsive handling.
Twin-spar backbone design provides 600cc class width.

Uni-Track® Rear Suspension(KP)

Short, compact frame allows the swingarm to be longer, which makes it easier to control rear wheel powerslides.
Rear shock is fully adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping. Ride height can be adjusted by adding /removing optional 1mm shims at the upper shock mount.
Equipped with top-out spring that allows the rear wheel to better follow the road surface when the rear end is light due to hard braking.
Small piggyback shock reservoir is designed to save weight.

43mm Inverted Cartridge Front Fork(KP)

Kayaba 43mm inverted cartridge fork provides exceptional rigidity.
Equipped with top-out springs which allow the front wheel to better follow the road surface when the front end is light due to hard acceleration.
Stiff settings suitable for track use.
Fully adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.

Aluminum Wheels

Six-spoke cast aluminum wheels are practically as light as race-specific wheels. The six-spoke design requires much less material between spokes so that rim thickness is thinner and lighter.

Radial Mounted Front Disc Brakes

Radial mounted 4-piston front brake calipers. Instead of mounting the calipers with threaded tabs cast near the top of the caliper, the radial design utilizes integrated mounting points at both the top and bottom of the caliper, with the mounting bolts inserted through the rear of the caliper instead of the side/front. This makes the caliper more rigid, which improves brake feel over a wider range of operation.
A separate brake pad is used for each piston. One large pad tends to deform with the heat generated by hard track style riding, resulting in a loss of brake feel at the lever. Individual pads provide increased cooling efficiency and can absorb more heat without deforming so they maintain consistent brake feel lap after lap.

Petal Design Brake Discs

Improved cooling and warp resistance.
First petal-type discs to come standard on a supersport machine.

Aerodynamic Bodywork

The fuel tank has a unique concave top that allows the rider to tuck in further and improve aerodynamics.
Three-piece front fender designed for aero efficiency.
Different color panels create a sporty, aggressive image.

Advanced Electronic Instrumentation