More details on the ZZ-R1200

With the ZX-12R now acting as Kawasaki’s high-speed standard-bearer, the firm has decided to soften the ZZ-R1200 into a full-on tourer.

This scoop picture shows it’s clearly a new bike – but peel away the skin and you find plenty of parts have been carried over.

The chassis is virtually identical. It might not be cutting-edge, but the twin-spar alloy beam frame doesn’t exactly lag behind the technology used by its main competitors.

To improve handling, the lazy 26° steering head angle changes to a faster 25°, while the fork offset is cut from 35mm to 30mm.

The frame is wrapped around a revised version of the 1100cc motor – which has long been one of the smoothest and most powerful fours around. It gets a capacity hike from 1052cc to 1164cc thanks to cylinders taken from the half-faired ZRX1200, which itself uses a derivative of the ZZ-R motor detuned to make 120bhp.

Though the technology isn’t new – the new bike still uses carbs rather than injection – there will be plenty of grunt. No official power outputs have been released, but sources close to Kawasaki claim it isn’t far off the 178bhp ZX-12R. We expect the power to be up from 147bhp to 150-160bhp – even though a catalytic converter is fitted to meet new European emissions regulations due in 2003.

Regardless of the mish-mash of components under the fairing, the ZZ-R’s new styling brings it right up to date. Kawasaki was clearly keen to retain much of the classic look – such as the faired-in front and rear indicators – but the design doesn’t look dated.

The decision not to mess with the styling too much was probably influenced by the hordes of hardcore ZZ-R fans worldwide, many of whom were dismayed by the design of its apparent successor, the ZX-12R.

In fact, in Japan it’s even possible to buy aftermarket body kits which convert ZX-12Rs into ZZ-R1100 lookalikes – right down to the built-in indicators and square headlight!

Look closer and there are more key ZZ-R elements to the design. The main air outlets on the fairing sides are the same shape as the old bike’s, and even the beak-like front mudguard, while new, looks familiar.

However, while it might be a close relative, you wouldn’t mistake the new bike for its predecessors. The quadruple headlights are certainly distinctive, though it looks like there’s more than a little inspiration from the Triumph Trophy.

They’re fitted to an impressively clean and aerodynamic nose, which has been designed to offer more wind protection than the old one as well as update the styling.

Handling is one area where the old ZZ-R lags behind thee competition – but the new bike has totally revamped suspension to make up the deficit.

The forks are based on the ZRX1200’s units, but reworked to cope with the demands put on it by the ZZ-R’s much higher performance. At the back, the bike gets a new alloy swingarm derived from the ZX-12R’s design.

Lighter wheels are also likely to significantly boost handling, as well as contributing to a reduction in unsprung weight, which will let the suspension cope with bumps better as well as boost performance.

Kawasaki has yet to let slip any official details about the ZZ-R1200, but it will reveal all when it is launched at this year’s Paris Show at the end of September. Expect the price to be similar to the current bike, which sells for £7595, when it goes on sale at the start of next year.