VOL. 53 ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 2, 2016 P89
ENGINE: ...................... DOHC, four-stroke,
four-cylinder, 16-valve, liquid-cooled
DISPLACEMENT: ............................. 998cc
BORE X STROKE: ................... 76 x 55mm
HORSEPOWER: ...........................Not given
TORQUE: .....................................Not given
COMPRESSION RATIO: .....................13.0:1
TRANSMISSION: ........................Six-speed
ELECTRONICS: ........... Kawasaki Launch
Control Mode (KLCM), Sport Kawasaki
TRaction Control (S-KTRC), Kawasaki
Engine Braking Control, Electronic
Throttle Valve (ETV) Kawasaki Quick
Shifter (KQS), Kawasaki Intelligent
Braking (KIBS)
CHASSIS: ................. Twin-spar aluminum
FRONT SUSPENSION: ........ 43mm Showa
Balance Free Fork, fully adjustable
REAR SUSPENSION: ...........Single Showa
shock absorber, fully adjustable
FRONT BRAKE: .........Twin 330mm discs,
Brembo M50 four-piston Monobloc
calipers, ABS
REAR BRAKE: .......... Single 220mm disc,
Brembo single-piston caliper, ABS
FRONT TIRE: ........................ 120/70 ZR17
REAR TIRE: ........................... 190/55 ZR17
RAKE: .................................................... 25°
TRAIL: ...............................................4.2 in.
WHEELBASE: ..................................56.7 in.
SEAT HEIGHT: ............................... 32.9 in.
OVERALL HEIGHT: .......................... 45.1 in.
OVERALL WIDTH: ........................... 29.1 in.
OVERALL LENGTH: ........................ 82.3 in.
FUEL CAPACITY: .............................4.5 gal
WEIGHT: ............. 454 lbs (wet, claimed).
COLOR: .................................... Red/Black
MSRP: ... $15,999/$16,299 (KRT Edition)
S P E C I F I C A T I O N S
straight didn't give the overall
speed reduction I was hoping for
– odd, considering the similar
system on the Panigale feels
much more powerful.
One area that feels similar to
the old 10R is the engine's pref-
erence for sky-high revving. This
is not an engine that you can
happily leave a gear higher and
expect it to pull you around the
track like a BMW. In this case
the 2016 version is a true Ninja,
and it retains that wanton lust
for big revs that's been a trade-
mark ever since the iconic 2004
master-blaster.
The lack of lowdown torque
was evident in turns four (uphill
right), 14 (back straight/Rossi and
Marquez's war zone) and 15 (front
straight). In each of those cor-
ners I'd expect to be able to carry
second gear on a 1000cc super-
bike, but the 10R would fall flat
unless the revs were past 9000 in
second, so first gear it was.
The final gearing didn't help,
either (I suspect it was standard
road gearing), as fifth gear was
the last one seen on the dash
before hitting the stoppers for the
fast approaching turn 15 or the
proceeding turn one. Sixth gear
should have been attainable on
straights as long as Sepang's.
