After releasing a couple of teaser photos two weeks ago, Kawasaki today provided full details on its redesigned 2008 ZX-10R. The 10R did not receive a mild facelift, this is essentially an all-new motorcycle.
With a form of traction control stock (Kawasaki refers to it as “torque management”), a thoroughly redesigned engine and chassis, larger brakes, lighter wheels and new bodywork, the 2008 ZX-10R indicates Kawasaki is more serious than ever about its open-class flagship.
Here is some of the information we received from Kawasaki about the 2008 ZX-10R.
2008 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R Features and Benefits*
Key Features
- Race-Ready Engine
- Track-Tuned Handling
- Advanced Digital Ignition with Torque Management
- Compact Package with Massive Presence
- Aggressive Aerodynamic Styling
Four-Cylinder, DOHC Engine
- Very compact, narrow and lightweight design
- One-piece upper crankcase and cylinder casting saves more than two pounds and offers increased rigidity
- Channels in the case route oil to various parts of the engine, eliminating oil lines and saving weight
- About two pounds cut from the engine with a lighter crankshaft that maintains the same inertial moment
- Oil pump reduction ratio refined for lower friction
- Lightweight Denso radiator with tightly packed cores
- Reshaped intake ports, exhaust ports and combustion chambers improve flow efficiency and top-end power
- Exhaust ports are narrower at the midpoint and larger at the opening
- Exhaust valves reduced in diameter from 25.5 to 24.5mm
- Cam profiles feature higher lift to deliver more power at high rpm and make it easier to tune the engine for racing
Fuel Injection
- New secondary injectors improve top-end power output and power characteristics
- Oval cross-sectioned throttle bodies replace the earlier round units, improve throttle response and allow more precise throttle control
- Compact flat-type fuel pump from the ’07 ZX-6R takes up less fuel tank space and permits the same tank volume despite the additional space required for the secondary injectors
Air intake
- Ram air intake duct was reshaped to reduce intake noise and further improve intake efficiency
- New larger airbox with improved accessibility and ease of maintenance
- New oval shaped velocity stacks deliver improved flow efficiency
Ignition
- Advanced ignition management system helps curtail sudden spikes in engine speed, enhancing the rider’s control of torque delivery
- Sophisticated ECU logic based on extensive rider testing
- Monitors throttle position, gear position and rate of RPM change, then adjusts ignition advance to help regulate torque production
Exhaust system
- New exhaust system features a pre-chamber under the engine to reduce exhaust noise, and minimize silencer volume
- Palladium catalyzer ensures the ZX-10R meets Euro-III exhaust emissions standards
- Single orthogonal, titanium silencer, along with the pre-chamber, lowers the bike’s center of gravity and improves exhaust efficiency
Six-Speed Transmission
- Lower 1st, 4th and 5th gear ratios to suit the new power characteristics, giving improved power feel in the low and high-rpm ranges
- Harder acceleration with an one tooth larger rear sprocket – final reduction ratio of 17/41
Chassis
- Optimized stiffness balance of the unique twin-spar frame achieved by reshaping the frame’s pressed parts, replacing concave pieces with convex pieces to alleviate stress concentrations
- Wall thickness around the swingarm pivot was changed to increase rigidity
- Ribbing added on the interior of the pivot plate where it joins the frame’s upper cross member to slightly slow down the frame feedback for a more accurate feel
- Steering tube moved 10mm forward and length changed
- Relocated swingarm pivot for a slight front-rear weight balance change
Sub-frame
- Two-piece, aluminum die-casting with lightweight construction
- New narrow sub-frame layout contributes to the compact and slim rear of the bike
- Mounted to the frame’s upper cross member, so rear suspension feedback is transmitted more directly to the rider
Swingarm
- Pressed beam swingarm delivers a level of feel and feedback unobtainable with a cast swingarm
- New swingarm features a top-mounted stabilizer that contributes to the superb high-speed stability of the new chassis
Suspension
- DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) fork tube coating on the fully adjustable 43mm inverted fork improves fork action with less friction, smoother action and better road holding
- Bottom mounted springs completely submerged in oil, offer reduced frothing and improving damping performance, fork action and road-following ability
- New mounting location for the Uni-Trak® rear suspension linkage
- Fully adjustable shock now features dual (low- and high-speed) compression damping, providing the fine-tuning needed for racing
Brakes
- New Tokico radial mount brake calipers fitted with dual pads for superb initial bite, increased control and a progressive feel
- New 310mm petal discs with a 5.5mm disc thickness provide better heat dispersion so the brake feel remains constant and responsive during extended periods of heavy use
- 220mm rear petal disc is gripped by a single-piston caliper
Wheels
- New lighter yet stiffer squeeze-cast wheels feature more precise dimensions with less wall thickness than the previous gravity-cast units
Ergonomics
- Redesigned rear frame, tank and seat offer increased contact with the bike and provide the rider very accurate feedback regarding chassis performance and road surface
- More flared around its top, the new tank makes it easier for the rider to rest the inside of their arm on the tank when leaning into a turn
- New seat is narrower in the front and shorter, front to back, for a slimmer riding position, a shorter reach to the pavement and excellent feedback from the chassis
- Special rib on the end of new throttle under the grip rubber improves grip and feel
Aerodynamic Bodywork
- Top of the front cowl is shorter but has a slight step at the front to reduce wind blast on the rider’s shoulders and generates a laminar flow around the rider’s helmet for less turbulence at higher speeds
- New front fender increases cooling efficiency by directing air toward the radiator
- Recess added to the top of the fuel tank to accommodate the helmet’s chin so it’s easier to tuck in behind the new, flatter windscreen
- Smaller fairing sides reduce the influence of side winds on the bike
- Redesigned mirrors with integrated turn signals and Talbot-type reflecting surfaces are easily removable, for easy track riding prep
- High mounting position of mirrors provides excellent rearward visibility and helps to minimize damage if the bike falls over
- Flush-surface of the tail’s underside reduces turbulence at the rear of the bike and ensures laminar airflow around the seat
- Larger rear inner fender keeps the bike cleaner and allows the mud flap to be smaller and less obtrusive, further improving aerodynamic qualities around the rear of the machine
- New license plate holder and rear turn signals are quickly detachable for racing
- New LED tail light makes the bike more visible to motorists and provides the final styling flourish to the evocative Ninja design
Race-quality steering damper
- Adjustable Öhlins steering damper with relief valve and twin-tube design, developed specifically for the Ninja ZX-10R is fitted as standard equipment to ensure stable damping performance even under racing conditions
Advanced Electronic Instrumentation
- Instrument cluster uses UV-blocking glass, so the LED displays are brighter and easier to read
- Multifunction odometer, tripmeter, clock and lap timer/stopwatch
*Features and Specifications Subject to Change.
2008 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R Specifications*
- Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four
- Displacement: 998cc
- Bore x stroke: 76.0 x 55.0mm
- Maximum torque: TBD
- Compression ratio: 12.7:1
- Fuel injection: DFI with 43mm Keihin throttle bodies with oval sub-throttles, two injectors per cylinder
- Ignition: TCBI with digital advance and torque management
- Transmission: Six speed
- Final drive: TBD
- Rake / trail: TBD
- Front tire: 120/70 ZR17
- Rear tire: 190/55 ZR17
- Wheelbase: TBD
- Front suspension / wheel travel: 43mm inverted fork with DLC coating, adjustable rebound and compression damping, spring preload adjustability and top-out springs / TBD
- Rear suspension / wheel travel: Uni-Trak® with top-out spring, stepless, dual-range (high/low-speed) compression damping, stepless rebound damping, fully adjustable spring preload / TBD
- Front brakes: Dual semi-floating 310mm petal discs with dual four-piston radial-mount calipers
- Rear brakes: Single 220mm petal disc with aluminum single piston caliper
- Overall length: TBD
- Overall width: TBD
- Overall height: TBD
- Seat height: TBD
- Dry weight: TBD
- Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.
- Color choices: Lime Green / Flat Super Black
- Metallic Diablo Black
- Candy Plasma Blue / Flat Super Black
- MSRP: $11,549
- Warranty: 12 Months
- Wholesale distributor: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
9950 Jeronimo Road
Irvine, California 92618
(949) 770-0400
www.kawasaki.com
*Specifications are subject to change.
