When Kawasaki released the Ninja ZX-25R, folks in the U.S. and Europe were sorely disappointed that the quarter-liter screamer would never make its way to their markets. Indeed, having ridden the ZX-25R on multiple occasions, I can say that this pint-sized sportbike is a gem of machine, and one that exists in a vacuum, as no other manufacturer has had the audacity to keep the inline-four, quarter-liter engine's legacy alive.
Having said that, Kawasaki has yet again outdone itself with the ZX-4RR, and this time, it's coming to the U.S. market, too. Nevertheless, the bike will also still be offered in the Asian market, where it's made, albeit in limited numbers. In the Indonesian market, Kawasaki has announced the launch of the ZX-4RR, making it the second country in Southeast Asia to launch the small-displacement sportbike after Thailand. An article by iMotorbike suggests that the limited-edition Ninja ZX-4RR will have a retail price of INR 239.9 million, or about $16,000 USD – quite a steep hike from the U.S. market's $9,699 retail price.
In case you missed it, the 399cc, four-stroke, DOHC engine of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR is o ne of the few remaining inline-four screamers with this displacement, with a rev limit of over 15,000 rpm. A 6-speed manual gearbox equipped with a quick-shifter transfers power to the back wheel. Overall, the power-to-displacement ratio of the ZX-4RR is really outstanding, with a maximum output of 79.1 horsepower provided by Kawasaki's Ram-Air technology.
Moreover, it sports a Showa BFRC Light monoshock and an adjustable Showa SFF-BP 37-millimeter front fork. The front and rear brake discs measure 290 and 220 millimeters, respectively and are clamped upon by twin radial calipers up front and a single caliper at the rear. Last but certainly not least, the electronics package includes four riding modes and the KTRC traction control system (Sport, Road, Rain and Rider). Riders can also link to the Kawasaki Rideology application on the 4.3-inch full-color TFT display.
