2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R: First pics and details

The 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Looks ugly, eh?

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A bit challenged in the looks department, yes, but this is indeed the 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R. The new Ninja is still green and mean as ever, and according to Kawasaki, it’s now ‘The ideal superbike, with engine and chassis performance capable of satisfying professional racers, combined with top-notch streetbike qualities for mainstream riders.’

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The 2008 ZX-10R’s engine is a liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC, 998cc inline-four, with a compression ratio of 12.7:1. Dual fuel injectors are used for each cylinder, with 43mm Keihin throttle bodies. Power output figures have not yet been quoted, but we suppose the 2008 ZX-10R Ninja would be packing about 170 - 175 horsepower, and the power to weight ratio would be around 1:1.

In a few months time, when magazines start doing their litre-class superbike shootouts, it'll be interesting to see how the new Ninja fares, especially against the 2008 Fireblade

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Suspension is 43mm USD forks with DLC coating (to reduce friction) at the front, and Kawasaki’s bottom-link Uni-Trak at the rear. Both ends are fully adjustable, while the rear suspension also gets independently adjustable high- and low-speed compression damping. The brakes, at the front, are semi-floating 310 mm petal discs, with four-piston radial-mount calipers, and a single 220mm petal disc with single-piston aluminum caliper at the rear wheel.

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For us, the 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is a disappointment in terms of styling – it looks gawky and awkward in these first pictures, and the exhaust pipe, which seems to have been borrowed from the Z1000, doesn't work here. But for all we know, performance may have been significantly improved by Kawasaki engineers.

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More details as they become available…

The Ducati 1098 is a strikingly good looking motorcycle...

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Going off on a tangent, just take a minute to think about the Ducati 1098 or the MV Agusta F4 CC. You don't have to pretend to be an 'expert' on motorcycle design and you don't have to try and 'understand' why these bikes look the way they do, to be able to like them. With the 2008 ZX-10R (and also the 2008 Fireblade), Japanese manufacturers have given us bikes that aren't very good looking at all. Why? Why can't we have more Japanese litre-class superbikes that look as good as, say, the 2008 Yamaha R1? Is ugly, the new cool?