Modern classic: Kawasaki Ninja ZX9R

When Honda launched the CBR900RR FireBlade in 1992, Kawasaki could hardly leave it unchallenged. The 900cc class wasn’t new to Kawasaki, but by the time the ‘Blade arrived it was a market they, like most manufacturers, had left behind. To get back in the game, their solution was to cherry-pick the best bits from the popular ZXR750 and the big-bore ZZR1100 to create a new member of the Ninja family: the ZX-9R of 1994.

Some parts were carried over wholesale – the ZXR’s three-spoke cast aluminium wheels, the adjustable upside-down KYB front forks, and the aluminium box-section rear swingarm, for example – while others were redeveloped as an amalgamation of existing ideas.

The 899cc engine shared the crankcases, clutch and gearbox with its 750cc brethren, while a crankshaft with a longer throw spinning in a taller cylinder block with a bigger bore gave it the new, larger capacity. The cylinder head appeared similar to that of the 750 bike, but internally it made use of the ZZR1100’s rocker valve actuation. It breathed through an airbox fed by dual ram-air intakes, a concept that had made its debut on the ZZR1100.

The result was 139hp – 14hp more than the Honda. In normal circumstances, that might have been enough to allow the ZX9R to beat the FireBlade at its own game, but there was a problem. It was nearly 30kg heavier.

The ‘Blade was an obsessive and meticulous exercise in weight reduction and mass centralisation, the idea of moving components closer to the centre of gravity to create a bike that was extremely agile and quick to respond. The ZX9R, by contrast, was a pick-and-mix of parts and philosophies.

While that meant a well-ridden FireBlade would have the measure of the Kawasaki on a track, the bigger, more powerful and stable Ninja excelled where it mattered most to real-world buyers: on the road. And when they realised it would easily howl its way to nearly 170mph, they were sold.

Kawasaki spent the next few years gradually refining the ZX9R’s formula. Power increased to 141hp in 1996 while handling, braking and comfort were all improved, too. In 1998, the ‘9R was comprehensively overhauled, with a new frame, swingarm, suspension, revised engine internals, and a new, sleeker design. Crucially, it was much lighter, shedding almost 32kg over the original bike. A twin headlight design arrived for 2000, together with a stiffer frame, while a heavier crankshaft and new brake calipers were the final changes for 2002 before the ZX10R replaced it in 2004.

Although history often records the ZX9R as a failed ‘Blade-beater, in many respects it was actually the more usable bike.

If you had the option to buy a ZX9R or a FireBlade, which would you pick? Let us know in the comments!