The Kawasaki ZRX1200R is a standard or naked motorcycle that Kawasaki manufactured in Japan from 2001 until 2017. It was sold in the United States until 2005 and in Europe until 2007, and it evolved from the ZRX1100, itself a stylised version of the 1982 Eddie Lawson Replica KZ1000R.
Kawasaki ZRX1200R at a glance
| Maker | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Built in Japan | 2001–2017 |
| USA | until 2005 |
| Europe | until 2007 |
| 2008 update | six-speed transmission and fuel injection |
| Japan-only model | ZRX1200 DAEG, until 2017 as the Final Edition |
| Inspired by | KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica, 1982 |
| Engine | 1,164 cc liquid-cooled inline four |
| Carburettors | four 36 mm Keihin constant velocity |
| Exhaust | 4-into-1 stainless steel |
| Frame | steel tube with removable engine cradle |
| Rear shocks | piggyback reservoir, adjustable preload and damping |
| Styles | ZRX1200S half-faired, ZRX1200R bikini fairing, ZRX1200C unfaired |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the ZRX1200R. The old record carried a dead video, so no video is shown.
History of the Kawasaki ZRX1200R
With the ZRX1200R, Kawasaki set out to build a motorcycle with the performance of a modern machine while keeping a design close to the original Eddie Lawson Replica. The result was a naked four with tubular aluminium handlebars rather than clip-ons, a seat with more than a centimetre of padding, and footpegs placed as on a standard bike, giving the classic Universal Japanese Motorcycle riding position.
Three styles
Worldwide the ZRX1200 came in three forms: the ZRX1200S, partially faired; the ZRX1200R with a bikini fairing; and the ZRX1200C, which had no fairing at all. The frame is a conventional steel tube with the engine in a removable cradle, and the suspension follows the UJM pattern: piggyback rear shocks adjustable for preload and damping, conventional forks adjustable for the same, and a reinforced swingarm designed to mimic the modified aftermarket swingarms of the 1970s.
Engine and updates
The liquid-cooled 1,164 cc inline four breathed through four 36 mm Keihin constant-velocity carburettors and a four-into-one stainless steel exhaust. Up to 2004 the exhaust was painted black apart from the muffler; from 2004 it was polished. The model was updated in 2008 with a six-speed transmission and fuel injection, and continued in Japan as the ZRX1200 DAEG until 2017. The Final Edition had special decals, optional factory paint and accessories such as a steering damper and a motorcycle lock.
Design and features
- Lawson replica style: a modern motorcycle dressed in the colours and shape of the 1982 KZ1000R.
- 1,164 cc inline four: strong, simple and carburetted for most of its life.
- UJM riding position: tubular bars, a padded seat and standard footpeg placement.
- Adjustable suspension: piggyback rear shocks and conventional forks, both adjustable.
- Long life: built from 2001 to 2017, with fuel injection and six speeds from 2008.
Kawasaki ZRX1200R versions
- ZRX1200S: partially faired.
- ZRX1200R: bikini fairing, the best-known version.
- ZRX1200C: no fairing.
- ZRX1200 DAEG (2008–2017): Japanese market model with fuel injection and six speeds.
- Final Edition (2017): special decals and accessories.
The ZRX1200R followed the Zephyr line and honours the KZ1000 that Eddie Lawson raced. More models are in the Kawasaki collection.
Sources
- Kawasaki ZRX1200R, English Wikipedia: history, styles, engine, frame, updates
