What Is The Kawasaki ZRX1100's Top Speed & How Much Horsepower Does It Have?

Those of us who remember the late '90s might recall how beloved the Kawasaki ZRX1100 was in its heyday. The sport bike was manufactured between 1997 and 2000, and during that time, a lot of riders wanted to get their hands on one, sometimes making it hard to find. Those who did manage to get in the saddle of one were treated to a lovingly-crafted, reliable vehicle that could reach a top speed of 146 mph and cover a quarter-mile from a standstill in 11.6 seconds.

That may not make it one of the fastest motorcycles ever built, but the ZRX1100 was no slouch, either, and excelled at midrange. Its four-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled 1,052 cc engine could deliver 106 horsepower (77.3 kW/h) at 8,700 rpm and torque producing 60 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm and 72.2 lb-ft at 7,000 rpm. When Motorweek ran the ZRX100 through a test dyno, it confirmed that the real-world specs of the bike came close to what Kawasaki claimed, finding that it could deliver 93.2 horsepower and 67.7 lb-ft with "a near perfect power curve." The bike, which had a 20-liter (5.3 gallon) fuel tank and weighed a little over 487 pounds, could get 34 miles to the gallon.

[Featured image by Andrew Butitta via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]

The Kawasaki ZRX1100 has its roots in the KZ1000R, one of the most eye-catching Kawasaki motorcycles ever made – which was built to commemorate the stunning win by Eddie Lawson at Daytona when he was riding for the underdog Kawasaki team — as well as its successor, the KZ1000S, which was a powerful superbike. The ZRX1100 shares many design elements with the KZ1000S, which had a very limited production run in 1982, including its distinct black, three-spoke wheels and braced aluminum swingarm. The forward-sloping seat and wide handlebars of the ZRX1100 mean you could expect to be mostly upright — if you get the chance to ride one.

That ride may be smooth or bumpy, depending on what surface is underneath you. The bike's suspension included 43 mm forks at the front and twin remote-reservoir gas shocks in the back. Cycle World says its "fork is fine for smooth city streets or freeways, but it could use thicker oil and heavier springs to better tackle" the rougher roads you'll find in both urban areas and the countryside.

While it may not be the fastest, smoothest, or most powerful sport bike, its vintage look and nostalgic roots make it easy to see why the Kawasaki ZRX1100 was one of the most beloved sportbikes of its time. One other reason may have been its affordability — in 1999, it sold for just $7,199. That may not be as cheap as the most affordable Kawasakis for beginners, but it was a relatively solid deal at the time.

[Image by Markus Perdrizat via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled |CC BY-SA 2.0]