Australian Motorcycle News — January 03, 2018

secondhand

AMERICAN ACE EDDIELawson’s stunning
Superbike successes on the Kawasaki GPZ1100
prompted the factory to produce an Eddie
Lawson tribute bike, the Z1000R, in the early
1980s. And the launch of the ZRX1200R in the
new millennium provided ample proof that Fast
Eddie’s fame was still a potent drawcard for
Kawasaki almost 20 years on.
The ZRX1200R really looks the part as a big,
old-school, naked muscle-bike, wearing its
Lawson-tribute green paint job with pride.
A lthough they were also available in red liver y,
the green one had to be quicker. Surely...
Beyond the ZRX’s appealing retro styling,
there’s a heap of eye candy to enjoy once you
start checking out the details – massive six-pot
front brake calipers, handsome piggy-back

traditional twin shocks, and the very sexy

braced swingarm.

ThestandoutfeatureoftheZRXthough,both

in appearance and performance, is its 1164cc

liquid-cooled ‘gruntmeister’ engine. It looks a

treatwithvestigialcoolingfinshighlightingthe

blackenginecastings,anditproducesaclass-

topping output of 91kW. Even more impressive

forday-to-dayridingisitsmusculartorque

curve that just keeps on giving from below

3000rpmallthewaytotheredline.

Theengineandfive-speedgearboxishoused

in a strong welded-steel, double-cradle frame.

The 43mm Showa fork is adjustable, as are the

twin shocks.

An upright riding position behind aluminium

handlebars on a reasonably comfortable seat

The Kawasaki ZRX1200R is a Universal Japanese

Motorcycle with benefits

KAWASAKI ZRX1200R 2001-2009

1

2

3

WORDSROB BLACKBOURN

PHOTOGRAPHY AMCN ARCHIVES

Special K

4

1

The ZRX12’s engine

provided the basic

architecture for the

110kW version in the

super-quick ZZ-R1200

sports-tourer

2

The lovely braced

swingarm was

designed to resemble

aftermarket swingarms

that were popular on

modified roadbikes in

the ’70s

3

While exports ceased

in 2009, an injected

ZRX1200 continued to

be produced for the

domestic Japanese

market until 2016

4

The big Zed’s steering

can be sharpened by

rotating the eccentric

chain adjusters through

180º, to raise the rear

ride height