Kawasaki has revealed the 2021 Ninja ZX-10R and the ZX-10RR with a facelift and many…many upgrades so as to give itself a better chance at winning the WorldSBK championship for the seventh consecutive year.
Mercifully, the changes are much more than power upgrades and before we delve into it, let us look at the design of the motorcycle first.
The front-end of the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R facelift and the RR now sports winglets, and aerodynamic surfaces hidden behind the panels either side of the headlamps, to create 17 percent more downforce and reduce drag.
There are new LED headlights, smaller ram-air intake, a taller windscreen, revised side panels and there are slots in the sides of the tail to further reduce drag.
While these changes are visible, there are plenty of revisions that are not evident immediately. The bars on the bike are straighter and 10 mm further forward, the footpegs are positioned a trifle higher than before, and the rider’s seat has a steeper slant too.
Also, the swingarm is 8 mm longer, swingarm pivot (adjustable in the RR) moved down by 1 mm, front fork offset increased by 2 mm and as a result, the wheelbase has increased by 10 mm. The bike weighs 207 kg now.
Powering the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is a 998cc 4-cylinder motor and while power and torque figures have yet to be released, leaked documents show that the engine continues to make 203 PS, but at 13,200 RPM (300 RPM lower) and the same 115 Nm peak torque.
Now, there is a new oil cooler, revised throttle position sensor setup, new exhaust (to make it Euro 5-compliant), 41-tooth rear sproket (up from 39t), and shorter ratios for the first three gears to improve acceleration.
On the other hand, the ZX-10RR, which is limited to just 500 units, gets more significant changes to the engine. It revs higher (to 14,700 RPM instead of 14,200 RPM), has new camshafts, valve springs, lighter con rods, one fewer piston ring, DLC-coated piston pins, shorter intake funnels and it makes 204 PS max at 14,000 RPM. It also gets Marchesini wheels, and a single-seat setup.
As ever, the bike sports top componentry, an array of rider aids assisted by the 6-axis IMU, 3 preset rides modes (and 4 customisable ones), all controlled via a new 4.3-inch TFT display (supports smartphone connectivity), while there is cruise control, a quickshifter and an electronic Ohlins steering damper as standard.
Prices start from $16,399 (Rs. 12.12 lakhs) for the base-model ZX-10R overseas and goes all the way up to $17,699 (Rs. 13.09 lakhs) for the KRT Edition ABS, while the ZX-10RR costs $28,999 (Rs. 21.44 lakhs).
2021 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Facelift
- Kawasaki has revealed the 2021 Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR
- Both motorcycles come with new look and lots of updates
- The bike is expected to get launched in India by next year
