We were brimming with jealousy when Kawasaki updated its Ninja ZX-25R for the Indonesian market. But now, our craving for a baby Green monster has finally been fulfilled with the all-new 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR.
This is officially the smallest inline-4 Kawasaki motorcycle in the US and is made from the ground up with the help of the Kawasaki Racing Team. This small sportsbike gets a souped-up four-cylinder engine that screams above its class. The amount of precision and technology used to create this monster makes it ever so special.
The ZX-4RR also gets an impressive electronic suite so that the rider stays in full control! The 2023 Ninja ZX-4RR is not a sensible nor a value-for-money motorcycle. It is for those who are addicted to racetracks and want to squeeze every last ouch of performance from their machines.
The Ninja ZX-4RR Packs An Angry Little 15,000-RPM Inline-Four
The most exciting part of this small monster is its violent engine. Kawasaki has packed in a hugely oversquare 16-valve four-cylinder engine with a red-line of over just over 15,000 RPM. This is possible because of the unbelievably short-stroke design. It uses 57mm aluminum pistons, and the stroke is just over half an inch long. This makes it a guaranteed screamer. But there is a slight issue.
The European press release states that this small Kawasaki superbike pumps out up to 80 hp. But things are not quite clear for the US market. But the guys at Motorcycle.com managed to get hold of a VIN information list submitted by Kawasaki to the NHTSA. And that lists the ZX-4RR (listed with the model code ZX400SP) with 43 kW (56.3 hp) of peak power. This is quite disheartening when compared to the Euro-spec ZX-4RR.
Kawasaki USA has confirmed that the Ninja ZX-4RR will churn out 26.55 lb-ft @ 11,000 RPM. This baby ZX uses a six-speed manual gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch as well as an up-down quickshifter as standard. While the power figures will take a hit in the US, the fact that it has an insane redline and weighs only 414.5 pounds is going to balance the scales out.
Kawasaki Racing Team Has A Hand In Building This Baby Ninja
The 2023 Ninja ZX-4RR has been worked upon by the Kawasaki Racing Team and gets a lot of inspired and scaled-down components from its big bad brother. The tiny pistons that take the wraith of 15,000+ RPM are made from cast aluminum and coated with a molybdenum coating for better durability.
An engine as "hot" as this ZX-4RR needs an aggressive dose of air. And that's why Team Green has given its baby monster a Ram Air intake system (we hope it comes as standard to the US). The air intakes are neatly integrated into the top and bottom of the headlights and pressurized the air. This is a feature found in all high-performance street Kawasaki motorcycles.
Now going inside the engine, the ZX-4RR gets lightweight forged camshafts and triple-rate valve springs, a lightweight flywheel, and four ride-by-wire 34mm throttle bodies. The inside of the intake ports gets a fine-sand casting for smoother airflow. This technique is also used for the intake ports in the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.
Kawasaki's World Superbike expertise is used to create the backbone of this Green monster. The trellis frame is made from high-tensile steel, which provides rigidity but also saves a lot of weight. The swingarm angle and lower center of gravity are inspired by the construction formula of the Ninja ZX-10RR.
Kawasaki has packed this lightweight hooligan with a capable set of rubber, handling, and biting power. It gets Dunlop GPR300 tires wrapped around a pair of 17-inch star-pattern lightweight wheels. Suspension duties are taken care of by Showa with preload-adjustable inverted front forks. The rear gets a fully adjustable cantilevered piggyback rear monoshock.
Braking looks to be on point with dual 290 mm semi-floating discs with four-piston monoblocs up front. The rear gets a 220 mm disc with a single-piston Nissin caliper. ABS is standard here.
Strong Electronics To Tame This Track-Focused Baby Ninja
Kawasaki has packed in all the necessary magic portion of electronics to keep this monster controlled when necessary. It comes with four standard ride modes: Sport, Rain, Road, and Rider (custom mode). The Rider mode unlocks power mode (full and low). This lets the rider use just 80% of the madness and smoothens the throttle response (low mode). And the Full Mode unleashes the beast! It is a no-brainer that this lightweight monster will take flight easily! So Kawasaki gives it a three-mode traction control to cleverly intervene and provide a smooth wheelie.
The ZX-4RR gets a 4.3-inch TFT display that provides all the information that a rider will need on the roads or racetracks. It even gets a Circuit Mode which displays the lap timer prominently. This cockpit also allows the rider to connect a smartphone using Kawasaki's "Rideology The App Motorcycle". This also offers Bluetooth connectivity.
Here's Why The 2023 Ninja ZX-4RR Is Strictly For Enthusiasts
The wild all-new Ninja ZX-4RR is a proper race-bred motorcycle that starts with an MSRP of $9,699. And, so it makes little sense to newbies or people who want motorcycles for road use only. Mellow riders in the market for an entry-level sports bike will be content with the much-cheaper 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 400. And if an adrenaline rush is what one demands, then the 127-HP Kawasaki ZX-6R makes all the more sense.
The ZX-4RR is purely for those who live and breathe on the racetracks. But yes, the power loss is a bummer in an otherwise wild motorcycle. But then again, over time, tuners will crack the ECU and bring the ZX-4RR to its full potential and beyond! So, the 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition is the baby four-banger dream come true for all track-addicted enthusiasts.
Sources: Kawasaki, Motorcycle.com