Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R

Kawasaki's ZX-7R, which replaced the more race orientated ZXR-750, is the company's most recent 750cc class supersports bike. The ZX-7R was first made available to the public in 1995, and remained largely unchanged through its production, which ended in 2003.

Overview

The ZX-7R was very successful in motorcycle racing, with a total of 9 AMA superbike championship victories, and an impressive record in Kawasaki's Road Racing team with Eric Bostrom riding.

The "ZX-7R" is a 749cc in-line 4 cylinder four-stroke, which in standard guise provided impressive power figures, enough to enable a top speed of 171mph (277km/h).

The frame used on the ZX-7R is a lightweight aluminium twin spar item, designed using computer aided design to optimise strength. The rear subframe was also constructed using aluminium in much the same manner, providing enough strength for a pillion passenger whilst keeping weight to a minimum.

The swingarm used largely the same fabrication techniques to produce a hollow cast and pressed aluminium alloy hybrid swingarm, and the UNI-TRAK® rear suspension system features a predominantly lightweight alloy and aluminium construction. The UNI-TRAK® system was designed to provide a progressively stiffer damping and spring rate under compression. The rear suspension unit is fully adjustable in terms of damping, preload and compression.

The front suspension found on the ZX-7R comprises a fully adjustable 43mm inverted cartridge fork.

The Kawasaki ZX-7R is renowned by owners and enthusiasts for its excellent braking, which is delivered by use of 320mm semi-floating front discs and tokiko 6 piston calipers. Rear brakes feature a 230mm disc with a twin piston opposed caliper.

The motorcycle is largely influenced by technology which Kawasaki developed in its road and circuit racing, which helped them produce a bike that was received with largely positive reviews by the motorcycling press. It is perhaps for this reason that the bike remained largely unchanged mechanically throughout it's production, an attribute which is rare in modern motorcycles where development and new production techniques sees new models released regularly.

The ZX-7RR differs from the road model somewhat, having an adjustable head-stock angle, alloy tank, swing arm and larger capacity flat-slide carburetors. It also has a close ratio gear-box fitted as standard and different front calipers.

[http://www.zx7r.co.uk ZX7R Owners Club]