 | |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Production | 2002–2009 |
| Predecessor | Kawasaki KR500 |
| Class | MotoGP |
| Engine | 798cc four-stroke inline-four DOHC (2007–2008) |
The Ninja ZX-RR is a race bike from Kawasaki, which raced in the MotoGP world championship until 2009. [1] [2] The bike made its debut towards the end of the 2002 MotoGP season with riders Andrew Pitt (Australia) and Akira Yanagawa (Japan). [3] [4]
In 2004, Shinya Nakano joined the Kawasaki team and got the ZX-RR's first podium with a third place at the Japanese Grand Prix. [5] [6] The bike earned second place over the next three years: in 2005 with Olivier Jacque at the Chinese Grand Prix; [7] in 2006 with Nakano at the Dutch TT; [8] and in 2007 with Randy de Puniet at the Japanese Grand Prix. [9] The ZX-RR struggled in 2008, with the best results[ citation needed ] being two fifth-place finishes from John Hopkins in Portugal and Anthony West in Brno. [10] [11] Hopkins and West blamed both a lack of feeling in the front end and rear traction on corner exit, a complaint Marco Melandri also had in 2009. [12] [13] During the 2008 season, Kawasaki announced its retirement from the MotoGP world championship. [14] Forward Racing took over the ZX-RR as the Hayate racing team and recruited Marco Melandri to ride during the 2009 season; Melandri won fourth place. [15] [1] [13] [16] At the end of the season, Hayate withdrew from MotoGP. [17] The bike, with some changes, has been ridden a few times since its last official appearance in 2014 under the name Avintia GP14. [18]
| Year | Rider | Rider | Rider | Rider | Rider | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 |  Andrew Pitt |  Akira Yanagawa | [3] [4] [19] | |||
| 2003 |  Alex Hofmann | Garry McCoy | Andrew Pitt | Akira Yanagawa | [20] [21] | |
| 2004 | Alex Hofmann | Shinya Nakano | [19] | |||
| 2005 | Alex Hofmann |  Olivier Jacque | Shinya Nakano | [19] [22] [23] | ||
| 2006 | Randy de Puniet | Shinya Nakano | [19] [14] | |||
| 2007 | Randy de Puniet | Olivier Jacque |  Fonsi Nieto | Anthony West | Akira Yanagawa | [14] [24] [25] [26] |
| 2008 |  /  Jamie Hacking | John Hopkins | Anthony West | [27] [28] | ||
| 2009 |  Marco Melandri | [1] |
| Year | Rider | Rider | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Héctor Barberá | [18] | |
| 2014 | Héctor Barberá | Mike Di Meglio | [29] [30] |
| 2002-2006 [31] | 2007–2008 | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | ||
| Type | Kawasaki four-stroke | |
| Configuration | Inline four-cylinder | |
| Induction System | DOHC, four valves per cylinder | DOHC Pneumatic system, four valves per cylinder |
| Displacement | 988 cc | 798 cc |
| Bore x stroke | 79mm x 50.4mm/ 81mm x 47.94mm | 74mm x 46.4mm |
| Fuel | Elf Moto 4S GP 102 RON unleaded | |
| Lubricants | Elf Vent Vert Saeryoku 冴強 10W-50 Kawasaki genuine racing oil | |
| Lubrication | Wet sump | |
| Fuel System | Electronic Fuel Injection | |
| Exhaust System | Four-into-two-into-one | Titanium, four-into-two-into-one |
| Maximum Power | In excess of 240 bhp (180 kW) | In excess of 200 bhp (150 kW) |
| Maximum Speed | In excess of 320 km/h (200 mph) | In excess of 300 km/h (190 mph) |
| Transmission | ||
| Gearbox | Six speed, cassette type | |
| Primary Drive | Gear | |
| Clutch | Dry multi-plate slipper clutch | |
| Final Drive | Chain | |
| Chassis | ||
| Frame | Aluminium twin-spar | |
| Front Suspension | Inverted telescopic forks | |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock | Unit-trak Monoshock |
| Steering Damper | Hydraulic Adjustable | |
| Bodywork | Carbon Fibre | |
| Wheels | Front: 16.5 inch Rear: 16.5 inch | |
| Tires | Bridgestone | |
| Brakes | ||
| Front | 2 x 314 mm carbon discs, 2 x radial mount, monoblock, four piston calipers | |
| Rear | 1 x 203 mm ventilated steel disc, 1 x four piston caliper | 1 x 200 mm ventilated steel disc, 1 x two piston caliper |
| Dimensions | ||
| Wheelbase | Variable | 1,460 mm (57 in) |
| Overall Length | 2,090 mm (82 in) | 2,080 mm (82 in) |
| Castor (Rake/Trail) | Variable | |
| Seat Height | 850 mm (33 in) | |
| Dry Weight | Over 145 kg (320 lb) | Over 148 kg (326 lb) |
| Fuel Capacity | 22 L (4.8 imp gal; 5.8 US gal) | 21 L (4.6 imp gal; 5.5 US gal) |
| Key Suppliers | ||
| Fuel: Elf Lubricants: Elf Tires: Bridgestone Brakes: Brembo Exhaust System: Akrapovic Data Acquisition System: 2D Datarecording Suspension: Öhlins Clutch: FCC Spark Plugs: NGK Sprockets: AFAM Chain: EK | ||
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