The Best Kawasaki Motorcycles Ever Made

Why We Picked It:

The Kawasaki GPZ900R, unveiled in 1984, stands as a monumental figure in sportbike history. After six years of clandestine development, it introduced the world to the Ninja name, setting unparalleled standards in the sportbike domain. Boasting the first 16-valve engine in a sportbike, its 908cc inline-four engine produced an impressive 115 HP, making it the first street motorcycle to exceed 150 MPH.

What made it particularly impactful was that unlike any other "sport" bike at the time, it wasn't just a hardcore track machine. It was eminently rideable in urban traffic, it would do the weekend canyon carve, and could even be used a commuter motorcycle if you so wished. It was comfortable, communicative, and, when the need arose, fast.

It also helped the marketing department that a small little movie called "Top Gun" came out, where the GPZ900R only had about 3 minutes of total screen time. Yet, after the credits rolled, a lot of motorcycle riders headed straight to the nearest Kawasaki dealership and put down their deposit. Because of this, and the fact that it was a great bike notwithstanding, the Ninja GPZ900R set the standard for what eventually became the supersport and superbike categories.

Why We Picked It:

Kawasaki had an established history in its home country of Japan for providing the police there with scooters and bikes to make it easier to navigate through the sometimes tight and twisting streets. It is only natural, then, that they also brought their know-how to the USA, before Harley-Davidson established themselves as the police bike of choice due to heavy discounts and subsidies for government vehicles.

Starting in 1975 with the K1-P, Kawasaki brought forth many ideas that gained traction with police departments nationwide, but it was the 1982 KZ1000P that brought all of the little things together perfectly. It had 998cc inline four, producing 102 HP and 67 lbs-ft of torque. It was relatively lightweight at 595 lbs fully wet, before any panniers or top boxes were added. It had race-grade disc brakes front and rear. It could also crawl along in first gear with very little power without needing to constantly slip the clutch.

The KZ1000P was so popular, and so just overall good, that it remained in production until 2005, after 50,000 plus were put into service across the USA and Canada. As they were eventually retired out of police service, many have been bought up at government surplus auctions or private sale to be used by VIP protection companies and even some funeral service provides, as escorts for the funeral procession.

In a bit of a side note, for those that grew up watching the police procedurals of the early 1980s, you will probably recognize the KZ1000P and its predecessor, the KZ1000C, from the show "CHiPs," about the California Highway Patrol riding around on Kawasaki police bikes!

Why We Picked It:

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R was in production from 1989 to 2003, and while it had some upgrades in that timeframe, namely inverted forks in 1991 and twin intake ram air in 1996, it is the first version, from 1989, that was truly revolutionary. This is because this is the first example of Kawasaki taking a bike that was primarily designed for racing as the ZX-7RR, and releasing it to the public largely unchanged from the racing version.

This started with a twin-spar aluminum frame, designed in part with computer aided design to optimize stiffness and strength. The bike also had a hollow aluminum alloy swingarm, using lightweight Uni-Trak single suspension for the rear, and a Uni-Trak front fork with adjustable rates to dial in the front. The engine was a 749cc inline four, with 92 HP for the street version.

In fact, the only real difference between the ZX-7R and the ZX-7RR was that the racing bike had an adjustable head stock angle, more variable and adjustable suspension, and 41mm flat side carburetors vs the 38mm ones on the 7R. There were a few minor bits such as stronger Nissin brake calipers to withstand racing temperatures and the like, but for the most part, when you bought a 7R, you bought a racing bike for the road, something that Kawasaki has done a few more times in the following three decades after the ZX-7R was released.

Why We Picked It:

Throughout the lifetime of motorcycles as a whole, there has been a constant game of one-upmanship going on between manufacturers. Indian vs Harley in the USA, Norton vs Vincent in the UK, and the like. The most recent major fight between manufacturers was the Power War of 1996 to 2001. Not one to sit on their laurels, however, Kawasaki released a nuclear weapon in 2015 to show just what they could do when the gloves came off.

That weapon is the Ninja H2R. Superbikes around the world have 150, maybe 200 or 220 HP for limited editions. That pales compared to the 310 HP that the Kawasaki pushes out. This is thanks to its 998cc inline four engine that just happens to have a whacking great supercharger bolted to the front of it. As forced induction also increase grunt, it also has 115 lbs-ft of torque ready to shred the rear tire.

That's not even the cherry on top, either. The H2R currently holds the world record as the fastest production motorcycle. Ever. That record is 400 KPH, or near as makes no difference 250 MPH. It was done in Turkey, across a bridge that had been closed for the attempt, and was ridden by a former superbike racing champion. But what puts the icing on the cake and multiple cherries on top is that it hit that speed in just 26 seconds.

There are very few riders that could push the H2R to its maximum limit on the track, but if you have a spare $60,000 lying around and have a need for speed, Kawasaki is still making the H2R in very limited numbers every year, as well as producing de-powered (if you conside 220 HP to be anemic) bikes such as the H2 superbike, Z-H2 hypernaked, and H2 SX-SE sport tourer.

Why We Picked It:

In 1987, the concept of an ADV bike existed in only a very few specific models, such as BMW's R80 G/S from 1980, and Honda's XRV750 and XRV650 Africa Twin bikes, released in 1987 for the 1988 model year. There was, however, a coincidental demand for a less bulky, less "Adventure-y" off-road capable dual-sport, and Kawasaki answered that call with the KLR650.

It took a year or two to gain traction, but by 1988, the KLR650 was one of the enduro dual-sport bikes to have. It gained its fame from being massively over-engineered, and also due to its nigh-indestructability. You could quite literally throw it off a cliff, climb down to where it landed, stand it upright and push the starter button, and it would fire up as if nothing had happened.

While there were mild upgrades throughout the years, the reputation of the KLR650 of being invincible made the first generation last until 2008. It had the brakes, the suspension, the frame, and the ability to carry damned near 500 lbs of payload to win over even some ADV riders. There have even been attempts to kill a KLR650 on YouTube, with the most famous one having the bike run with a hole in the engine casing, which was plugged with JB Weld and a flattened beer can. If any bike earned its legacy, it's the KLR650.

Why We Picked It:

We get asked one question more than any other, especially with the resurgence in interest about motorcycles: "What is the best beginner bike?" There really is no single right answer, as there are many beginner bikes out there, but one of the best for the taller and slightly heavier crowd is the Ninja 650.

Originally launched as a sport tourer alongside the ZX-6R 636 generation, its ease of riding, forgiving nature, excellent road feel, and Goldilocks "just right" power quickly earned it a spot as a great beginner bike. It is also one of those bikes that can transition from a beginner bike to a "lifelong bike," as the more you ride it, the more it rewards you. There are many veteran riders out there that have a Ninja 650 as their commuter bike, and save the superbike or supersport for the weekend fun around the twisties.

This is mostly due to the 649cc parallel twin being an absolute gem of an engine. It produces 71 HP and about 48.7 lbs-ft of torque, which might sound like a lot, but it has a power curve that can generously be called linear. There have been four distinct generations, the first from 2006 to 2008, the second 2009 to 2011. With the third generations, starting in 2012, the NInja 650 gained ABS and a larger fuel tank for even more touring fun.

The fourth generation started in 2016, which saw the implementation of every type of rider aid they could squeeze in, but had a half-step in 2020 when it moved to a fully digital LCD dash.

Why We Picked It:

Honda beat Kawasaki to the punch in bringing over a proper sport model to the USA, with the 1968's CB750. The Z1 was their answer in 1972, and was, on paper at least, superior in almost every way. It was, however, two very distinct design decisions that elevated it from just a superb motorcycle to legendary status.

The first was that it was the first production motorcycle to use a double overhead camshaft in an inline four engine. This technology had been introduced in the MV Agusta 750 S in 1970, and that bike was ridiculously expensive. The Z1 brought the tech to attainable levels, and was a full production bike. It also didn't hurt that it produced 82 HP and could reach 130 MPH without much fuss.

The second thing that made it legendary was the simple endurance of the bike as a whole. As part of its 1972 launch, a single Kawasaki Z1 was ridden for 24 hours, switching riders during pit stops to refuel, around the Daytona International Speedway oval track. It recorded 2,631 miles in those 24 hours, and the only thing that it needed after that? A wipe down and about 2 fluid ounces of oil. That's all.

It was produced for only 3 short years, but when it finally ceased production in 1975, over 85,000 had been sold, which is a good run for any bike, let alone one of the first true "Super sport" bikes.

Why We Picked It:

Make no mistake, Kawasaki was making cruisers well before 2006, but it was in that year that the Vulcan 900 Classic launched. This one model ended up being the sledgehammer that they needed to make their mark and plant their flag in the cruiser market.

The Vulcan 900 Classic is powered by a 903cc, 55 degree V-twin producing 58 lbs-ft of torque and about 50 HP. This is 98cc bigger than its predecessor, as well as nearly 10 more lbs-ft of torque. Almost immediately, the complaints that had been going on for years about the Vulcan model line feeling underpowered disappeared, and all of a sudden, Kawasaki was noticed. They even beat out Suzuki and their C50 Boulevard model in overall power and torque that year!

In fact, it was such a dramatic shift that many magazines praised just how much more rideable the new Vulcan 900 was. It did catch some flak for having very low floorboards, making its turning lean angles fairly shallow, and the rear disc brake being more a hill-holding device than an actual brake, but it still won many "Cruiser of the year" awards, and continues production, relatively unchanged, to this day.