The first Kawasaki ZX-10R was the closest thing to a race-bike that money could buy in 2004, and the brutally quick litre-class superbike rewarded with numerous accolades worldwide.
Yet Kawasaki doesn't believe that what ain't broken needs no fixing and the bike maker has completely reinvented it for 2011. The second-generation ZX-10R carries nothing forward from the old except the name and the pedigree.
The new engine was carefully developed to ensure linear power delivery and ideal manageability both during cornering and on the throttle down straights. The maximum torque of 114.3Nm has been moved higher up the rev range to eliminate the peaks and troughs that so often catch racers out as they get on the gas while still leaned over.
The new engine uses a completely revised crank/transmission shaft layout with the input transmission shaft located above the other two, and the crankshaft now placed substantially further north of the output shaft to provide a higher centre of gravity and a more centralised mass.
Great attention to detail was applied in squeezing every little bit of power out of the new engine, which now produces 148kW (or 155kW with Ram Air).
The engine has, like the rest of the bike, been carefully pared of weight wherever possible. In fact, work your way through every component on this bike and you'll find it to be smaller, lighter or more effective than that of the older model.
The race-style cassette transmission of the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R offers revised primary and final reduction ratios to minimise rear end squatting and lifting in response to throttle input, and the top three gears now enjoy closer ratios to enhance racetrack performance.
Both front and rear suspension units that hang on the all-new aluminium twin-spar frame of the 2011 Ninja are totally different to those of its predecessor.
The new fully adjustable Big Piston Front forks feature a main piston almost twice the size of that on the older bike, allowing the oil inside to act on a far greater surface area, thus affording the rider much greater and a very subdued attitude change as the bike's weight shifts forward under braking. In the all-new rear suspension, the shock absorber and linkage are now mounted near-horizontally above the swing arm, and this greatly benefits handling.
The all-cast frame is made from fewer sections and is lighter. The seat height is lower by 17mm and the rider's foot pegs are adjustable for track or street use. The front and rear three-spoke wheels are 330g and 490g lighter respectively, and the new instrumentation now features self-adjusting LED brightness, a shift indicator, and a Race Mode display for track riding.
At such times you'll appreciate the quickly detachable indicator lights, taillight and mirrors, as well as the adjustable foot pegs that can be raised for track use and lowered for comfort around town.
The Ninja also now offers three Power Modes - Full, Middle and Low - that allow the rider to select a power delivery style compatible with his or her preference and track conditions.
Safety was also a big priority when developing this new bike and to that end, the Ninja has the Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System, which is the world's first mass-production motorcycle ABS system that monitors wheel speed and front calliper hydraulic pressure, as well as information from the ECU.
By monitoring back-torque, the system recognises rear wheel slip due to engine braking and doesn't trigger the ABS, allowing the rider to maintain full control of the rear brake on the racetrack.
The new Kawasaki also comes with Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control, which is based on MotoGP racing technology and is purpose-built to retain forward drive and allow riding on the very limit of traction by constantly measuring slippage, allowing a certain amount to occur, and then intervening when it senses that things are about to get ugly.
According to Kawasaki, the system can distinguish between smooth, well controlled torque wheelies, and abrupt uncontrolled front wheel elevation caused by ham-handed use of the throttle and clutch.
The new Ninja arrives in local showrooms in January 2011 and pricing will be announced in early January.