Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Named Best Superbike and Masterbike for Second Straight Year
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Named Cycle World Best Superbike For the past 30 years, the editors at Cycle World have held their annual awards presentation to name the ten best motorcycles of the year. Cycle World is the biggest and one of the most well-respected motorcycle enthusiast magazines in the United States. For the second straight year, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R claimed the most prestigious of the ten categories up for grabs by being named Best Superbike. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Earns Worlds Top Honors Masterbike of 2005 Riders ranging from accomplished moto-journalists to former top level Grand Prix racers put thirteen of the worlds leading sport bikes through an intensive testing session at Valencia, Spains famed Ricardo Tormo circuit. Coordinated by the British publication Motorcycle News, the Ninja ZX-10R entered this years Ultimate Track Test as the returning overall winner. Bikes were initially separated into three categories, Supersport for 600s, Maxisports for 750s and Superbike for 1000s. The winner from each category was then matched up against the other winners to determine the tests overall champion. The all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R came out on top of the Supersport class just as it did in 2004 and would join the ZX-10R in the nal test. Once the four fastest riders turned the last lap and the times were compared, the ZX-10R again stood at the top of the podium to be crowned Masterbike for 2005. Here is sample of what was said:.the ZX-10R is utterly breathtaking.razor, sharp steering, instant and usable power, and stunning brakes. The ZX-10R provides tons of condence. The ability to get in and out of corners in the blink of an eye contributed to the ZX-10Rs scorching lap times as well as its speed down the front straight, eclipsing the new GXR-R1000, which we all thought would win.

Ninja ZX-10R

June 17, 2005
THE LEADING EDGE OF / POWER / PERFORMANCE / EXHILARATION /

ZX-10R Q & A Tech Talk Q & A with Karl Edmondson, Kawasaki Product Manager
The new ZX-10R boasts a plethora of innovative design ideas and a radical makeover in both its look and performance. To get the skinny on all the techno-mumbo-jumbo of this new liter-class machine, we sat down with Kawasaki Product Manager in charge of the sport line, Karl Edmondson.
Karl, can you tell us about the overall performance or design objectives for the new Kawasaki ZX-10R? Sure. The bottom line for the 2008 ZX-10R design was developing a supersport that provided an increased level of feedback to the rider, more rider-to-bike contact for better handling and the ability to hit the race track with a minimum of modifications. What was the first order of business in the ZX-10R makeover? The first of the goals was to develop an ultra-high feedback chassis that provides the rider with previously unheard of levels of feedback for a production motorcycle.
An ultra-high feedback chassis in a production bike? That sounds like a tall order. How did the engineers this off? It was accomplished with a multitude of chassis updates to provide that level of communication and handling attributes racers crave. The long change list can be translated into some intense and long hours put in by the engineers and their factory tester, Kawasaki factory superbike racer Akira Yanagawa, to cultivate and fine tune the design to create a production supersport ready for a racetrack. The new look is obvious, but can you explain what was done under the hood so speak to achieve this goal? Yes, you are correct there are a couple of changes that are not visible The primary or core of the changes to the 2008 ZX-10R revolves around the optimized stiffness balance of its unique backbone twin-tube frame that significantly contributes to the first-rate rider feedback. To do this, the designers had to increase the information transmission. The first area of focus was the stress concentrations that needed to be alleviated. This was done by reshaping the frames pressed parts, replacing concave pieces with convex pieces.
And, yes these changes are not really noticeable to the naked eye. The final fine-tuning was done with a weld added to the side rails behind the side covers.
From there they looked at the sub-frame mounting and moved it to the frames upper cross member, so the rear suspension transmits its loads more directly to the sub-frame, and on to the rider. Its now a lightweight, two-piece aluminum die-casting (a front and rear section) unit that enables a precise layout, and is also very narrow, providing a very compact and slim rear of the bike. Next the wall thickness of the frame around the swingarm pivot area changed to increase its rigidity. Moving up on the frame to where the pivot plate joins the frames upper cross member, ribbing was added on the interior of this section. This was done to slightly slow down the feedback from the frame to the rider, giving the rider a more accurate feel for what the frame is doing. Now dont think it was all just a matter of stiffening the existing frame. Its geometry was altered as well from the new length head pipe being moved 10mm forward to relocating the swingarm pivot. These modifications were made to change the front-rear weight balance and give the frame superb stability. While they were reworking the front of the frame, it was a good time to flow a new Ram Air passageway through the frame to optimize rigidity around the head pipe, with a side benefit of improving Ram Air efficiency (more on that later).
Although some might place the swingarm in the suspension category, in the ZX-10Rs case, it plays a critical role in obtaining the optimized stiffness balance of the new frame? You are correct. We gave the 10R a new swingarm to further refine the chassis. Now the stabilizer is top-mounted it was bottom-mounted before and the swingarm is now constructed with pressed beams. This allows it to deliver a level of feel and feedback unachievable with the cast swingarm and contribute to the outstanding high-speed stability of the new chassis. No kidding Karl, that is a healthy amount of change and we have even touched this new look or the engine underneath. The bike looks like it was shrink wrapped in plastic. Whats story here? Thats an interesting way of putting the slim, minimalist bodywork that wraps the new 10R chassis. Like everything else, the bodywork is all new for 08 from the front fender to the tail cowl. Its now more aerodynamic, so it presents a smaller profile yet offers improved airflow protection to the rider and best of all to the racers its easily configured for racing. So Karl, tell us what are all the new features of this sleek bodywork? As I mentioned earlier, this motorcycle has race blood coursing through its veins, having been basically born on the track. So there were many changes and refinements aimed at increasing its performance in those subtle almost imperceptible ways. A great example of this is right at the front of the machine - a slight step at the edge of the front cowling to reduce windblast on the riders shoulders yet allow an aerodynamically efficient small frontal area. The step let the designers make the top of the front cowl shorter and mount a flatter windscreen to trim down the front profile slicing through the air.

Lowering that windscreen means the rider must tuck down further. A good thing for a more ideal aerodynamic tucked position, but that meant the fuel tank needed a recess in its top to fit the helmets chin area. So this was added in during the redesign as they increased the flare around the top of the tank so the rider can more easily rest the inside of his arm on the tank in a turn. All of this reshaping gave the new ZX-10R a smaller side profile as well, reducing side wind influence as well. However, not everything shrank on this years bike. The rear inner fender grew. But it keeps the bike cleaner in the real world on street so the mud flap could be smaller and thus improve aerodynamic qualities around the rear of the machine. An owner needs fewer tools and less time to convert his 10R to track status now, correct? Thats true. Those redesigned, high-mounted mirrors and minimalist license plate holder are quickly detachable. Youll notice that the turn signals are integrated with the mirrors up front and the license plate holder in the rear. This offers cleaner aerodynamics and much easier removal of the street hardware for the track. And while were talking about the mirrors, note that they sit relatively high. This allows excellent rearward visibility and limited damage in a tip over.
What other kinds of ergonomic changes did the ZX-10R receive? Part of improved feedback to the rider program means addressing the ergonomics, of which the seat is a major factor. In a nutshell, the seat got reshaped for an improved fit. Now its narrower at the front, and is shorter from front to back, so the riding position is slimmer and it allows the rider to rest his tailbone on the rear seat step to get that seat of the pants feedback racers crave.
Whats the story behind the switch to a single big muffler, mounting on the right side? Having two mufflers up high isnt the optimum spot for achieving a low cg. Swapping to a single side muffler lowers the 10Rs cg and enhances its flickability, but it also means the underside the minimalist tail cowl can now be a flush-surface, so the air flowing off the rear of the bike is smooth and laminar for less drag.
The single orthogonal titanium silencer is a mouthful to say and yes, its probably one of the most visual of the engine changes, but it provides a couple of advantages to the new design. Moving to a single element on the right-side with a pre-chamber under the engine instead of the dual under-seat units lowers the bikes center of gravity and centralizes mass for that nice flickable handling.

Between the headers and the muffler is a pre-chamber designed to help reduce exhaust noise and minimize the silencer size.
And since the ZX-10R engine is efficient and clean to start with, it doesnt need an O2 sensor and can use a freer flowing 200-cell palladium catalyzers to meet Euro-III exhaust emissions standards. All of this adds up to less restrictive exhaust for the most power possible. Karl, did the engine get the same makeover treatment as the chassis and body work? It sure did, all of the chassis and body improvements certainly highlight a race-ready engine tuned for greater high-rpm performance that doesnt give up its impressive low and mid-range torque output. Can you shed some light on how the 10Rs 998cc four-cylinder engine was improved even more? Well, leading the list of changes are the new secondary fuel injectors. This was actually a pretty significant addition. The secondary fuel injectors allowed engineers to fine-tune the continuously operating main injectors for an idealized performance at smaller throttle openings of low to mid speed. Then once the throttle hits a certain point, the secondary injectors are set to kick in with additional fuel spray into the mixture for an improved top-end power output. Located higher up in the throttle throat, this extra burst of cooling fuel from the secondary injectors accelerates the
flow into the cylinder for a bigger bang, and it ensures a more evenly spread of atomized fuel for a more accurate fuel/air mixing and efficient burn. This equates to cleaner emissions and therefore less restrictive catalyzers required and ultimately more power. Sounds like a win-win for all. What else was done to the top end? Supplementing these new secondary injectors are oval cross-sectioned throttle bodies in place of the earlier round units. The new shape helps increase the air velocity, improves the throttle response and permits the four intakes to fit easily in the narrow frame. Of course, the new velocity stacks are also oval shaped to match the throttle bodies and deliver improved flow efficiency. Inside the cylinder head, the intake ports and the cam profiles were reshaped to meet the goal of more top-end performance and a quicker response from the engine.
The cams are forged chrome-moly billet and about a half-pound lighter than before and have a higher lift profile with longer duration for that high-rpm delivery goal. And they are designed for easy race tuning. To give this fire breather a more manageable power delivery, the exhaust valves were reduced in diameter from 25.5 to 24.5mm. Making the exhaust ports narrower at the midpoint and larger at the opening improved the flow efficiency. And the combustion chambers were reshaped accordingly to finish out the top-end power improvements of the new engine. (Installing secondary fuel injectors, using oval throttle bodies and reshaping the intake ports gave the new engine a performance potential very similar to Kawasakis factory superbike racing machines, making it essentially a race-ready engine.)

Earlier when you were talking about the frame changes, you mentioned some ducting happened. Can you elaborate on this? Yes, the entire air supply system is new from the Ram Air intake duct to the throttle bodies. Centrally mounted above the headlights, the new Ram Air intake duct was reshaped to reduce intake noise and improve intake efficiency. Its new passageway through the frame on both sides of the steering head gives the air a straight and very efficient path to the new airbox. Then thanks to the new flat-type fuel pump like that used on the ZX-6R, which lets the fuel tank volume stay at 4.5 gallons despite the additional space requirement of the new secondary injectors we were able to also increase the airbox capacity. Mechanics will be happier with the roomier airbox and improved air filter accessibility. What are the other internal changes in this engine? Well, one of the big ones is weight reductions. It was done at both ends, with titanium for the intake and exhaust valves and about two pounds shaved off the crankshafts weight. These add up to less reciprocating mass and faster acceleration (and deceleration) and an even more nimble Ninja ZX-10R. The cooling system also received some tweaks. From the cleaner oil lines in the cases thanks to the new casting method to new pumps, the 2008s cooling system does more with less energy. First off, the oil pumps reduction ratio was refined to reduce its operating friction. Next, the water pump got a new impeller the same type as the ZX-14 with the rpm optimized for the least amount of frictional loss. These more efficient pumps cool better and rob less energy from the engine, so it can run at tighter tolerances and produce more power.
With all of this new power, what changed with the transmission? Basically, to handle to new power characteristics changed, the 1st, 4th and 5th gear ratios were lowered to keep the improved power feel in the low and high-rpm ranges. The final reduction ratio changed from 17/40 to 17/41 with a larger rear sprocket for harder acceleration. Not new for 2008, but like everything on this bike, the 10Rs adjustable back-torque limiting clutch, or slipper clutch as its usually called, needed modifications to best match the new power curve of the engine. Its action can be fine-tuned to the riders preferences with optional spring retainers and shims to be expected on a race-level machine. So weve talked about all of the mechanical changes to the power train, whats the deal on this traction control system? Well for starters, its not really a traction control, but rather an advanced ignition management system, the Kawasaki Ignition Management System (KIMS) that is designed to help the rider control power delivery. The ZX-10R is the first production sportbike to have this system. The way it works is by monitoring engine speed. Should a significant sudden change in engine rpm be detected (rpm - change in engine speed in engineer lingo), the system ECU crosschecks the throttle position, vehicle speed, gear position and feedback from intake air temperature, intake air pressure, engine temperature and O2 sensors with the parameter in its database. Should this complex program (developed using feedback from extensive rider testing) determine the above factors indicate uncontrolled wheel spin; itll retard the ignition timing to curtail the sudden spike in engine speed and provide a smooth throttle response. Kawasaki put it through an extensive testing regimen to prevent the system from denying

power at the wrong time like at a start, where the clutch is dumped and wheel spin is intentional or during a smoky podium victory burn-out. It will kick in at moments like the rear breaking loose in the middle of turn if too much throttle is applied for the conditions. From a reliability perspective, since it ensures smooth, controlled power delivery, KIMS also effectively protects the engine and catalyzers from damage. You cant have a great motor and ignore the suspension. Whats new here? Besides the new swingarm design mentioned earlier, there is a new mounting location for the Uni-Trak rear linkage suspension which corresponds the rest the chassis and swingarm changes. The fully adjustable KYB shock now features dual low- and high-speed compression damping for the fine-tuning. In fact, the new system operates so well that even with the low-speed compression damping backed off, there is no springy feel and road-following ability is excellent.
Up front, the fully adjustable 43mm inverted KYB fork now has the springs bottom mounted, completely submerged them in oil. This cuts out the aeration of the oil frothing - which improves the damping performance, fork action and road-following ability. The fork also got the friction reducing Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) fork tube coating for a livelier and smoother action.
The final touch is an adjustable twin-tube design hlins steering damper with relief valve is fitted as standard equipment. Yes, thats right a race-quality damper from hlins developed specifically for the ZX-10R. It has a second tube, which acts like a reservoir tank helps ensure stable damping performance even under racing conditions - even if the damping fluid in the cylinder gets hot it will not froth.
What kind of changes did the brakes get? Well, continuing with the improved feel theme, the front ends Tokico radial mount brake calipers are now fitted with dual pads instead of the four individual pads of last years model. This switch was done to provide a superb initial bite with increased control via a progressive feel yet keep stopping performance the same. The 310mm front petal shaped rotor is 10mm larger and slimmed down 0.5mm to 5.5mm for better heat dispersion. In the rear, the rotor is now a 220mm disc gripped by a single-piston caliper. Aluminum was used for both front and rear brake calipers and the disc housings to reduce the unsprung weight and again aid the heat dispersion. The housings also more rigidly support the disc with 10 pins vice the previous 7. The net result is a more consistent brake feel that remains responsive during extended periods of heavy use such as during a race or rush hour traffic. Did the wheels change too? Yes they did. The team really left no part untouched on this bike, from the second generation instrument cluster to the new wheels. No we didnt reinvent the wheel, just changed how we make them. Instead of the earlier gravity casting process, they are now squeeze-cast. This method produces more precise wheels with less wall thickness, which means theyre lighter and thus reduce unsprung weight. It also allowed the stiffness of the wheels to be optimized to match the new chassis. In fact, the lateral rigidity of the front wheel was increased to better deal with the cornering forces generated by high-grip tires during high-level track riding. Last question, a second generation what? Ah yes, the 10R has new instrumentation, now in its second generation. The new instrument package is a combination of analog tachometer and digital speedometer under a special UV-blocking glass that makes the LED displays brighter and easier to read. The overall assembly is compact in size yet big on presentation.