Ninja ZX-12R

2004 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 2004 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R sport touring motorcycle, Kawasaki features a 1198 cc (73.1 cu in) liquid-cooled in-line four, four-stroke configuration. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 178 HP (129.9 kW) at 10,500 rpm while maximum torque reaches 134 Nm (98.8 lb-ft) at 7,500 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 6-speed gearbox and chain final drive. With a specific output of 148.6 HP per liter and a 3,000 rpm working window between peak torque (7,500 rpm) and peak power (10,500 rpm), the engine character is placing it firmly in high-revving supersport territory where top-end breathing dominates.

On the scales, the Ninja ZX-12R measures 210 kg (463 lbs) dry, translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.85 HP/kg (1.18 kg per horsepower). Rider ergonomics and chassis geometry center around a 818 mm (32.2 in) seat height — resulting in a taller command-style riding posture suited to medium-to-tall inseams, combined with a 1,450 mm (57.1 in) wheelbase engineered for balanced agility and highway composure. The 18.93-liter (5 US gal) fuel tank paired with a rated consumption of 6.76 L/100 km provides an estimated theoretical range of roughly 280 km (174 miles) between fill-ups, while factory top speed is listed at 298 km/h (185 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Kawasaki archive, this model family spans 2 indexed model years from 2004 to 2006, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.