The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10, also called the ZX-10 Tomcat, is a sports motorcycle that Kawasaki Heavy Industries built from 1988 to 1990 as part of the Ninja line. With a top speed of 266 km/h it was the fastest production motorcycle of 1988.
Kawasaki ZX-10 at a glance
| Maker | Kawasaki Heavy Industries Motorcycle & Engine |
|---|---|
| Produced | 1988–1990 |
| Type code | ZXT00B |
| Class | sports motorcycle, Ninja line |
| Top speed | 266 km/h (165 mph) |
| Replaced | GPZ 1000 RX as Kawasaki’s flagship |
| Carburettors | 36 mm constant velocity |
| Compression | 11.0:1 |
| Engine changes | lighter pistons, larger valves, narrower valve angle |
| Frame | aluminium perimeter frame, a Kawasaki first |
| Front brakes | twin 310 mm floating discs, a Kawasaki first |
| Successor | ZX-10R |
Based on two short articles, the German and Italian Wikipedia pages on the ZX-10; there is no English article. No free photo of this model was found among the candidates.
History of the Kawasaki ZX-10
The ZX-10 replaced the GPZ 1000 RX as Kawasaki’s flagship sports bike. Its engine was developed from the previous model with the same displacement but 36 mm constant-velocity carburettors and a narrower valve angle, a higher compression ratio of 11.0:1, lighter pistons and larger valves. The result, with a top speed of about 165 mph (266 km/h), made it one of the fastest road-legal production motorcycles of its time.
A chassis first
The ZX-10 was Kawasaki’s first motorcycle with an aluminium perimeter frame, a layout that later became standard for sports bikes. It was also the first Kawasaki road bike with a front braking system built around twin 310 mm floating discs, and its aerodynamics were judged better than those of the GPZ 1000 RX it replaced.
Legacy
The model was built for three years only. Within Kawasaki’s model line its successor is the ZX-10R, type ZXT00C, which reused the name.
Design and features
- 266 km/h top speed: the fastest production motorcycle of 1988.
- Aluminium perimeter frame: Kawasaki’s first, and a layout that became the industry standard.
- Twin 310 mm floating front discs: another first for a Kawasaki road bike.
- Revised engine: higher compression, lighter pistons and larger valves with a narrower included angle.
Kawasaki ZX-10 versions
- ZX-10 Tomcat (1988–1990): the only version, type ZXT00B.
- ZX-10R (type ZXT00C): the later model that reused the name.
The ZX-10 replaced the GPZ 1000 RX, and the later ZX-10R belongs to the same Ninja line as the ZX-6R. More models are in the Kawasaki collection.
Video: KAWASAKI ZX-10 1988 (Tomcat) on board
Video by birdfire com on YouTube.
Sources
- Kawasaki ZX-10 Tomcat, German Wikipedia: top speed, engine, frame
- Kawasaki ZX-10, Italian Wikipedia: brakes, engine changes, place in the range
