Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR to arrive in September

The 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR will arrive in the brand's UK dealers this September, the Akashi marque has announced, following the positive reception the bike received on its recent announcement.

Kawasaki has confirmed today (15 June 2023) that the ZX-4RR will arrive in UK dealers in September 2023 at a price of £8,699 and available only in the "Lime Green/Ebony" colour.

Kawasaki also reports that pre-orders are already open, and already being received, for the bike, and that, due to its demand, the UK will only import its ZX-4RRs.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R, and the RR and SE variants, are set to be the only real super sport machines in the 400cc class when the range launches later this year. Together with a new ZX-6R from Kawasaki, they confirm the Akashi brand's commitment to the middleweight sports bike sector.

This article was originally published on 1 February 2023, and was updated with the above text on 15 June 2023. The original article can be read below.

Kawasaki has announced a new addition to its sports bike line-up, with the Kawasaki ZX-4R range expected to arrive in European dealers by autumn 2023. 

It is important to be clear right off the bat that the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R has nothing to do with the already-existing Kawasaki Ninja 400. Both might be 400cc, but where the Ninja 400 has a twin-cylinder engine, the ZX-4R has four. 

Rumours have been abound for a good while now about a new mid-range four-cylinder sports bike from Kawasaki, and this is their answer. The motorcycle utilises a newly-designed engine which produces 57kW (76.4 horsepower), or 59kW (79.1 horsepower) when the Ram Air system is pressurised.

The engine itself is a 399cc, water-cooled four-stroke unit with a DOHC configuration, and is fed from a 15-litre fuel tank with a generous rev limit of over 15,000rpm.

As for the chassis, the frame is derived from that used in the Asian-marketed Kawasaki ZX-25R, which could in many ways be described as the younger sibling of the ZX-4R.

Unlike the rest of Kawasaki’s ‘ZX’ sports bike range, the new ZX-4R uses a steel trellis chassis which Kawasaki describes as “high tensile”. 
The suspension comes from Showa, with whom Kawasaki works closely in WorldSBK, with SFF-BP front forks and horizontal back-link rear suspension.

 
The suspension is also where we find some difference in the specifications between the the ZX-4R variants. The standard ZX-4R features the aforementioned SFF-BP forks and horizontal back-link rear suspension, but on the ZX-4R SE and ZX-4RR the front forks also have preload adjustment, and the RR also has a Showa BFRC-lite rear shock - the same as the Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Radial-mounted callipers squeeze on dual 290mm front brake discs, while a single 220mm disc operates at the rear wheel. 

Away from the mechanicals, and we find LED lighting all-round, KTRC traction control and power modes (Sport, Road, Rain, and Rider, the latter being a custom map), a two-way quickshifter on the SE and RR models, and a 4.3-inch LCD colour display which has an integrated ‘track mode’. Further, the bike can be connected to the Kawasaki Rideology app.

Pricing and availability is not yet confirmed for the standard ZX-4R or the SE variant, although the expectation is of an autumn release in Europe. Kawasaki also mentions that specifications can differ between markets, and that the 57kW version is the most powerful that will be available.

Visit the Kawasaki website to find your nearest dealer.

Specs comparison between Kawasaki ZX-4R, ZX-4R SE, ZX-4RR

2023 Kawasaki ZX-4R, ZX-4R SE, ZX-4RR General Specifications

Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja and ZX10RR (2021) Review | Jonathan Rea WorldSBK For the Road Tested