The Ninja ZX-4R, Kawasaki’s all-new in-line 4 supersport, will be unveiled globally very soon, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s VIN decoder.
According to the decoder, Kawasaki will release the motorcycle as a first-generation model in 2023. It will most likely retain the styling of the currently available Ninja ZX-25R. There will be two variants available, codenamed ZX400PP and ZX400SP.
The letters ‘ZX’ denote super sport, ‘400’ denote engine displacement, and the final letter ‘P’ denotes the 2023 model year. According to Kawasaki’s model code structure, the letter preceding ‘P’ is unique to the variant.
The decoder was released on March 22nd, which means that everything has been finalised for at least 5 months and the only thing left is the global unveiling and launch in target markets. While the bike’s specifications are not yet known, expect incredible performance.
For comparison, the Ninja ZX-25R, the younger brother of the upcoming Ninja ZX-4R, produces 51 HP at 15,500 RPM, which is nearly equivalent to the power figures of the twin-cylinder Ninja 400. The 4R might be able to match the performance of the Ninja 650.
The super sport will most likely share the Ninja ZX-25R’s chassis, suspension, brakes, and body panels, albeit with new stickers. When it is released, the ZX-4R will be a good alternative for those looking for something less intimidating than the 636.
It should be noted that the patent image for the upcoming Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R has already been leaked. It focuses on the fairing design, which incorporates an air duct to direct air to the engine. According to the application, additional cooling is required due to the high-revving nature of the motor.