The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K1 was a special limited edition of Kawi’s ZX-7R used in AMA Superbike. Kawasaki enjoyed tremendous success in competitive racing with this bike, and plenty of that tech made it to the ‘civilian’ version. Required to produce 500 examples worldwide for homologation purposes, Kawi packed this bike full of features like 39mm Keihin flat-slide carbs, an aluminum gas tank, and a close ratio six speed transmission with an exceedingly tall first gear. All these goodies nearly doubled the MSRP compared to a base ZX-7R, but for the lucky 142 riders in the US who got to buy one, it was well worth it.
Weighing 10 pounds less than a base ZX-7R, the K1 had a tweaked engine with higher compression and a redline that was 500 rpm higher. This powerplant produced 120 horsepower at the crank, leading to a top speed of just under 160 miles per hour. This was a purpose built solo seater, with a very tall first gear that makes in-town commuting quite a chore. The seller touches upon this in his listing, but gives a crude metaphor describing the joy of going upwards of 5k.
This specific Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K1 is almost entirely stock. The only exception is a great upgrade – a period correct Muzzy full exhaust, which we’d love to hear at full chat. With just over 3,000 miles, this bike is still a baby. All the paint is original, and the seller just had this K1 serviced (plus 2 new tires) at a four figure price.
Find this Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R K1 for sale in Santa Monica, California with an opening bid of $7,000