By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Supersport
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R (ZXT00J) vs Honda CBR1000RR (SC59)
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R vs Honda CBR1000RR: one garage spot. Here's what should decide it.
Over broken pavement at speed, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R's front end stays settled, and you don't add a thing at the bars. The Honda CBR1000RR's front doesn't shake loose there, and the whole bike stays balanced across the hit. It tracks dead straight as the speed climbs.
So which one do you buy?
The Ninja ZX-10R has the edge if…
Racetrack use
Narrow edge: Ninja ZX-10R
For a day at the track, the Ninja ZX-10R makes slightly more sense. Tires and suspension setup can easily flip a gap like that.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
By a nose: Ninja ZX-10R
On a twisty road, the Ninja ZX-10R edges ahead. Not by enough to settle it alone.
Daily commuting & city riding
Small edge: Ninja ZX-10R
For the ride to work, the Ninja ZX-10R noses ahead. Don't let that alone make the call.
What makes each one tick
Ninja ZX-10R
Through a chicane or a tight S-bend, the Ninja ZX-10R doesn't fight the pegs as it snaps from one lean to the next. An Öhlins steering damper comes standard, developed specifically for the ZX-10R rather than shared across the lineup. Push hard for more than a handful of laps and the braking performance drops off sharply. Off a slow road corner, there's thin pull at the throttle until the revs build. At every corner exit the rear suspension tightens in a split second, and the shift from lean to drive doesn't go vague. The bike squats, hooks up and drives.
Nils rode the Ninja ZX-10R in Slovakia in 2011, and in Hungary in 2013 (NastyNils Testride).
CBR1000RR
Into a corner, the CBR1000RR's steering turns in sharp and exact while the fork keeps feeding back what the tire's doing. The chassis doesn't get nervous. With the lever squeezed for a stop, each downshift slips through the clutch and the rear tire doesn't step out. Up top, the inline-four's pull keeps building toward redline.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Ninja ZX-10R makes more peak power: 200 hp (147 kW) vs 178 hp (131 kW).
- Traction Control: standard on the Ninja ZX-10R, not offered on the CBR1000RR.
- Ride Modes: standard on the Ninja ZX-10R, not offered on the CBR1000RR.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Neither one fits
Both of these get tiring on a long day. A proper tourer will treat you better on big miles.
These two run dead level on running costs. Sit on both in the showroom and trust what your body says.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Ninja ZX-10R
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Best chassis in the Japanese field
- Traction control every tester trusts
- Bespoke Öhlins steering damper
- Rear hooks up instantly
- Radical without the punishment
Trade-offs
- Thin off slow corners
- Brakes fade on track
- ABS not built for the limit
- Suspension punishes rough roads
CBR1000RR
What owners say
Strengths
- Exceptionally balanced and stable chassis
- Renowned Honda build quality and reliability
- Smooth, top-end-focused engine
Known problems to check before you buy
Ninja ZX-10R
- Rectifier/voltage regulator recall Recall 12V064000 Early production ran recall for the voltage regulator, which could fail and leave the bike stranded.
CBR1000RR
- Fuel pump impeller stalling (safety recall) Recall 24V864000 A manufacturing defect in the fuel pump can cause the rubber impeller to swell and lock, cutting off fuel flow and causing the engine to stall without warning. Honda issued a safety recall for affected 2008–2016 CBR1000RR models to inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly.
What they share
- Engine
- Inline-four
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Torque
- 83 lb-ft (112 Nm)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Ninja ZX-10R | CBR1000RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 32.0 in (813 mm) | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 437 lb (198 kg) | 439 lb (199 kg) |
| Ninja ZX-10R | CBR1000RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 998 cc | 999 cc |
| Power | 200 hp (147 kW) | 178 hp (131 kW) |
| Ninja ZX-10R | CBR1000RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 US gal (17 L) | 4.7 US gal (17.7 L) |
| Ninja ZX-10R | CBR1000RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 310 mm | 320 mm |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 | 190/50-17 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Ninja ZX-10R | CBR1000RR | |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Option | Option (from 2009) |
| Traction Control | Standard | Not offered |
| Ride Modes | Standard | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
