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Article: Nine lives: the 2002 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R. (Ridden & Rated).(Evaluation)
- Article from:
- Rider
- Article date:
- September 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Ehlert Publishing Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When Kawasaki introduced the 1984 Ninja 900R almost two decades ago, it forever raised the buying public's expectations of what a sportbike could do--and be. That milestone machine was the world's first production 16-valve, liquid-cooled, inline-four motorcycle, and in many ways set the stage for modem, fully faked sporting machines. It was also the first stock bike to break the 150-mph barrier, when it was tested under timed track conditions. In fact, even the Ninja name has caught on so well that it has become synonymous with sportbikes to the general public, much like Kleenex has become a generic term for facial tissue.
Over the years the Ninja 900 has evolved ...