2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
Earlier last week, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR was spotted at Jerez during WorldSBK winter test. Before that, we came across a few spy shots together with a few details regarding the incoming 2021 Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR with Ninja H2 style facelift. Well, the wait is over, just a few hours ago Kawasaki officially unveiled the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Ninja ZX-10R KRT Edition and Ninja ZX-10RR for Europe and North America. At a glance, you might think the new ZX-10R and ZX-10RR only get design and Euro 5 homologation updates but if you look into the details, everything from the engine to chassis, electronic package and aerodynamics have also been updated. Now, let’s look into these updates in detail!
Starting with the most obvious update, the design, the Ninja ZX-10R/ZX-10RR range get an all-new styling package. In fact, it now looks very similar to its elder brother from the Kawasaki Ninja H2 range. Kawasaki says the new styling package was designed with aerodynamic performance in mind.
The new sleek racy look offers an improved drag resistance and downforce. Specifically, the tall windshield, as well as the new inbuilt winglets within the cowl, reduce drag and improve downforce drastically.
One of the most notable updates is the updated RAM air intake. For 2021, the Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR get a compact and more efficient intake design.
The new LED headlights are now positioned under the upper cowl which also contributes to the improved aerodynamics of the new cowl design. As with the ongoing model, the LED-type turn signals are incorporated into the cowl-mounted mirrors.
If you look closely, you can find the river mark emblem on the upper cowl and upper triple clamp. In fact, this is the first time that the river mark has been used on a non-supercharged mass-production model. Kawasaki says this special permission was granted to the ZX-10R for its achievement in WorldSBK.
On the ergonomics side of things, aside from the front cowl, the revised handlebar, as well as the new seat design and higher up footpegs, offer the best riding position for both track and street use.
In the case of the chassis, Kawasaki has updated the chassis geometry of the new ZX-10R and ZX-10R. This is to improve the front-rear balance further forward and also increases agility while offering light handling capability.
For 2021, the swingarm pivot position has been lowered by 1mm to improve rear suspension operation when exiting corners. As speculated, the wheelbase has been increased by 10mm from 1440mm to 1450mm. This was achieved by increasing the fork offset by 2mm and by extending the swingarm by 8mm. Thanks to the new geometry, the front-rear load balance is 0.2% closer to the front which improves cornering performance.
The 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R gets several updates within the engine. To go hand in hand with the latest Euro 5 homologation regulations and also to offer the best in class performance Kawasaki has tweaked up and added a few things. Powered by the same 998cc in-line four-cylinder 16-valve engine, the maximum output of the engine remains the same as the ongoing model. The 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R pushes 200 hp and the ZX-10RR pushes 201hp.
Both the Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR come with a new air-cooled oil cooler as well as an electronically controlled throttle. Aside from this, Kawasaki says the intake ports and valve train have been redesigned with Kawasaki’s experience and knowledge from WSBK. For 2021, a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating is used on the finger-followers to protect against wear. Speaking of the Euro 5 homologation, besides engine tweaks the optimization was also achieved with a new exhaust setup.
As for the gearbox, Kawasaki has updated the gear ratios of the 6-speed transmission. The final gearing has been revised with shorter ratios for first, second, and third gears. This is to offer a strong low-mid acceleration for quicker corner exits and better off-the-line acceleration.
Suspension duties are handled by a race-derived advanced Showa Balance Free Front Fork [BFF] with adjustable compression and rebound damping. The 43mm Show forks ensure factors such as ride comfort, braking stability as well as front end feel.
The 2021 Ninja ZX-10R feature wider fork clamping area on the lower triple clamp as well a revised rigidity balanced fork outer tubes which ensure handling and turning performance. Furthermore, the fork settings include lower spring rate where the firmer compression damping and softer rebound damping make it easier to weight the front wheel and contribute to lighter handling.
At the back, Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) rear shock with adjustable compression and rebound damping, hold up the rear end. The high spec Showa BFRC ensures traction as well as ride comfort. Similar to the BFF upfront, the circuit focused setting consist of stiffer spring rate, soft compression damping, and softer rebound damping.
Braking is done via radially mounted Brembo M50 monoblock calliper with 330mm double disc up front and a 220 mm disc with single-piston calliper at the rear. As for the wheels, the standard ZX-10R is equipped with a set of a lightweight cast wheel and a Bridgestone RS10 from factory.
As earlier, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R’s electronic package consists of; Cornering Management Function (KCMF), Bosch IMU, Sport-Kawasaki TRaction Control (S-KTRC), Kawasaki Launch Control Mode (KLCM), Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS), Kawasaki Engine Brake Control, Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS), Ohlins Electronic Steering Damper and Power modes. Aside from this, new for 2021, Kawasaki has updated integrated modes to make it more rider-friendly. The Integrated Riding Modes now allow for riders to choose from three pre-determined modes (Sport, Road, Rain) or four manual modes (Rider 1-4).
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R also comes with a new electronic cruise control system and a new 4.3” TFT full-colour instrument cluster with switchable dark mode. Being able to connect with the rider’s smartphone via Bluetooth & Kawasaki’s RIDEOLOGY APP, the rider can set and manage functions such as GPS riding logs, phone notifications and ride management settings.
In the case of the new Ninja ZX-10RR, the model sees many of the engine, suspension and chassis changes just like the ZX-10R. However, the single-seat Ninja ZX-10RR gets several special updates developed with Kawasaki’s racing efforts in WSBK.
In the case of the engine, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR gets newly designed camshafts specific for the RR as well as intake and exhaust valve springs that all match the higher performance of the ZX-10RR. Also, unlike the ZX-10R, the ZX-10RR features no funnels in the airbox. Aside from this, the model also gets lightweight [20g lighter] titanium connecting rods manufactured by Pankl which contributes to the high rev limit [from 14300 rpm to 14700 rpm] as well as smooth climbing revs. The Ninja ZX-10RR uses one less piston ring than the standard ZX-10R pistons. This enables shorter piston height and prevents mechanical loss due to friction. Updated piston pins match the new pistons and also feature a DLC coating that protects against wear. Other than this, the Ninja ZX-10RR comes with Pirelli Diablo Super Corsa SP on Marquezini aluminium forged wheels.
For Europe and America, the 2021 Ninja ZX-10R comes in ABS and Non-ABS variants. The standard ZX-10R comes in MetallicSpark Black and Metallic Matte Carbon Gray. The special ZX-10R KRT Edition comes in Lime Green, Ebony and Pearl Blizzard White.
On the other hand, the top of the range, 2021 Ninja ZX-10R is available in Lime Green.
In the case of the pricing, the Non-ABS 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R & ZX-10R KRT Edition come with a MSRP of $16,399 and $16, 699 respectively. As for the ABS models, the ZX-10R ABS and ZX-10R KRT Edition ABS come with a price tag of $17,399 and $17,699 respectively. The ZX-10RR, on the other hand, comes with a recommended sales price of $28,999.
Other markets: The availability and launch dates for other markets haven’t been announced yet. However, we think the new 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-RR would make their local debut in other markets very soon. In the case of Malaysia, we think the update Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R range would land here within 2021.
So, what do you think? has Kawasaki done a great job with the next-gen Ninja ZX-10R range? Tell us in the comment section below!
Source: Kawasaki , YoungMachine