What Are the Specifications of a 1986 Kawasaki Ninja 1000cc Engine?
by James Rutter
Kawasaki first introduced the GPz1000RX sport bike in 1985 for the 1986 model year. This bike, known in North America as the "Ninja 1000R," used the largest-displacement engine that Kawasaki had installed in the Ninja class at that time. Like other models in the GPZ sport lineup, the 1000R featured a full fairing.
Engine
Kawasaki outfitted the Ninja 1000R with a transverse mounted, 997 cc, four-stroke, in-line four cylinder engine. This engine utilized a carburetor and a dual overhead cam (DOHC) configuration with four valves per cylinder. Each cylinder got its charge from a single spark plug. The engine's bore measured 2.91 inches and its stroke measured 2.28 inches.
The 1000R's wet sump system used 10W/40 oil to lubricate the engine. The engine had Kawasaki's TCI, or transistor-controlled, ignition.
Kawasaki equipped the 1000R with a wet clutch and a six-speed manual transmission that transferred power to the rear wheels via a chain drive.
Performance
The Ninja 1000R's engine cranked out 125 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 66.4 foot-pounds of torque at 7,000 rpm. The engine had a compression ratio of 10.2 to 1.
The Ninja 1000R could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and could pass the quarter mile mark in 10.7 seconds with a speed of 128.5 mph.Top speed was 143 mph.
Dimensions
The seat of the 1986 Ninja 1000R sat 31.1 inches above the curb. This bike's wheel base spanned 59.3 inches. It had a dry weight of 533 lb. When fully oiled and with a full tank of gas in its 5.5-gallon fuel tank, the 1986 Ninja 1000R weighed 588 lb.
Kawasaki fitted both the front and rear wheels with disc brakes. The front wheels took a pair of 280 mm discs that used Two-piston calipers and the back wheels sported a single disc that had a diameter of 260 mm. This bike rode on a 120/80-16 front tire and a 150/80-16 rear tire.
References
Writer Bio
Since 2005, James Rutter has worked as a freelance journalist for print and Internet publications, including the “News of Delaware County,” “Main Line Times” and Broad Street Review. As a former chemist, college professor and competitive weightlifter, he writes about science, education and exercise. Rutter earned a B.A. in philosophy and biology from Albright College and studied philosophy and cognitive science at Temple University.
