2012 KAWASAKI NINJA® 1000 & 1000 ABS Max Street Performance Meets Max Rideability and Control From the earliest days of Japan Inc.’s legendary chokehold on the open-class streetbike category, Kawasaki has been right there, building motorcycles that have blown away the press, the public and nearly every performance record of note. From the original Z-1 to the ZZR®1200, these do-it-all motorcycles combined the power, handling, comfort and aesthetic appeal that repeatedly dominated their categories. And in the case of the ultra-capable 2012 Ninja® 1000, little has changed. Like the original and highly acclaimed Ninja 1000 of 1986, the 2012 version delivers a dominating mix of power, handling, looks, technology and rideability. Here’s a sportbike that delivers an aesthetic uppercut the instant you lay eyes on it and then follows up the punch with brilliant all-around performance you’ll quickly learn to love. And for those who want the ultimate in braking technology and performance, Kawasaki offers an ABS version of the Ninja 1000 for 2012. This system offers confidence-inspiring braking action on all types of surfaces. The Ninja is blessed with rideability an incredible blend of ability on the street and extreme ease of operation. The source of all this two-wheeled goodness is Kawasaki’s own and now legendary Z1000 super standard, the engine and chassis platform upon which the Ninja 1000 is based. The Z1000 has earned some of motorcycling’s highest accolades, including a slot in Cycle World’s Ten Best collection as Best Standard for 2010 and 2011. With guts like that, it’s easy to see where the big Ninja’s impressive chops come from. With the Z1000’s new-tech engine and chassis package as a starting point, Kawasaki engineers added beautifully swooping bodywork and a handful of brilliant features (including optional ABS this year), all of which combine to make the 2012 Ninja 1000 an amazingly capable all-around sporting machine. Power comes by way of a highly advanced inline-four a 1,043cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 16-valve engine featuring a long-stroke design for instantaneous power, a smooth-shifting six-speed gearbox with ideal ratios, and no-fuss electronic fuel injection for absolutely seamless throttle response warm or cold. There’s plenty of power, too way over 100 rear wheel horses. But this engine’s magic is more about flexible and easy-to-use oomph than simply peak horsepower numbers. This dead-reliable inline-four produces the sort of power that launches you out of corners and away from stops in a way that’ll keep you entertained and your riding buddies impressed for years to come. At seemingly every rpm level, the Ninja 1000 engine produces smooth, instant-on thrust many hardcore sportbikes simply can’t match. Kawasaki’s perfectly calibrated electronic fuel injection helps make this so. The four 38mm Keihin downdraft throttle bodies inject a perfect mix of fuel and air into each combustion chamber with help from an advanced ECU, oval sub-throttles and a cool air intake system that routes fresh air to the airbox via ducts at the front of the bike. A balance shaft driven off the crankshaft keeps the solidly mounted engine operating smoothly, while a beautifully styled 4-into-2-into-2 catalyzer-equipped exhaust system offers a pleasing growl without being overly loud. It’s a perfect engine for a road-going sportbike smooth, powerful, flexible and blessed with the legendary reliability Kawasakis are known for. Like the superb-handling Z1000, the Ninja 1000 features an advanced aluminum frame similar in design to the Ninja ZX™-10R’s. The lightweight assembly curves over the engine, cradling it from above and bolting solidly to it in three places, with a rubber-backed fourth mount provided for added vibration isolation and torsional rigidity. This design allowed engineers to keep the bike’s waist narrow for superb rider interface and maximum comfort and control. The main frame and swingarm pivot pieces are cast as a single unit, with welds eliminated wherever possible for seamless aesthetics. The wheels, brakes and suspension bits that allow the Ninja to move so gracefully and swiftly are truly state-of-the-art. Suspension is handled by a fully adjustable 41mm inverted fork up front and a preload- and rebound-adjustable single-shock system in back, the ideal scenario for dialing in the perfect settings for your weight and riding style. The single-shock system features a damper mounted nearly horizontally above the swingarm for optimal mass centralization and heat resistance. The gas/oil shock offers superb wheel control whether you’re hammering along some deserted backroad or bopping along a pothole-infested city street. On the Ninja 1000, you’ll always know what’s happening at the contact patches. Stopping power is provided by race-spec brakes 300mm petal-type rotors up front squeezed by ultra-rigid radially mounted calipers fed hydraulic pressure by an equally race-spec radial pump master cylinder. In back is another tech-savvy disc. Braking power and feel at both ends is amazing, giving rookies, pros and everyone in between a feeling of supreme confidence. And new for 2012, the Ninja 1000 is available with confidence-inspiring optional anti-lock brake system (ABS). The wheels working with those brakes lightweight six-spoke supersport-style units are also the latest in lightweight production technology. They not only reduce unsprung weight, which allows the suspension to function optimally, but carry the latest in radial tire technology. The result is superb grip, precise handling and reasonably long tread life. But easily the most stunning aspect of the Ninja 1000 is its sleek, wraparound bodywork. Designed with an eye on Kawasaki’s race-ready ZX-6R and ZX-10R, the Ninja offers a thoroughly radical look, but one that’s unique and memorable. Despite the edgy, rakish look, the bodywork carves a surprisingly large hole in the atmosphere, giving riders a quiet cocoon in which to work. A manually adjustable, 3-position windscreen helps, allowing riders to pick just the right setting for their height and riding style. Faired-in front turn signals, a ZX-6R-spec front fender, a stylish tail-section and a full-featured instrument panel right off the Ninja ZX-6R (with custom graphics, of course) complete the look. And despite its radical look, the Ninja 1000 offers surprisingly comfortable ergonomics. The handlebars are mounted higher than on a true supersport machine, the pegs a touch lower, all of which makes the Ninja 1000 a capable short-haul tourer, and certainly a sportbike you can spend the day aboard without undue strain. To sweeten the day- or weekend-trekking deal even more, Kawasaki offers a line of optional touring-oriented accessories, including hard-case saddlebags and top trunk, heated grips and more. It’s rare to find such all-around functionality in a sporting motorcycle today. But the 2012 Ninja 1000 is a different beast one with wide-ranging talent in sport, sport-touring and commuting roles. As Motorcyclist magazine wrote recently: “In the real world we ride through every day, it doesn’t get much better than the Ninja 1000.” Authentic Kawasaki Accessories are available through Kawasaki dealers. Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, utility vehicles and recreation utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,350 independent retailers, with an additional 8,000 retailers specializing in Kawasaki power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 3,100 people in the United States, with 300 of them located at KMC’s Irvine, California headquarters. Kawasaki’s tagline, “Let the good times roll.™”, is recognized worldwide. The Kawasaki brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.