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Sportbikes

1998Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja

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The 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja is a middleweight sport bike designed for aggressive riders seeking raw power and performance. Known for its potent 899cc inline-four engine delivering 143 horsepower, this machine excels in acceleration and top-end speed. Its lightweight chassis and responsive handling make it ideal for both track enthusiasts and spirited street riders.

Capacity: 899.0 ccm
Engine: In-line four, four-stroke
Gearbox: 6-speed
Dry weight: 183.0 kg
Seat height: 810 mm
Power: 143.0 HP (105.2 kW) @ 11000 RPM

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years

What’s new for the 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja

vs the 1997

Spec	1997	1998
Power	141.0 HP (103.7 kW) @ 10500 RPM	143.0 HP (105.2 kW) @ 11000 RPM
Torque	96.0 Nm (9.8 kgf-m or 70.8 ft.lbs) @ 9000 RPM	101.0 Nm (10.3 kgf-m or 74.5 ft.lbs) @ 9000 RPM
Top speed	280.0 km/h (174.0 mph)	290.0 km/h (180.2 mph)
Dry weight	216.0 kg (476.2 pounds)	183.0 kg (403.4 pounds)
Wet weight	218.0 kg (480.6 pounds)	213.0 kg (469.6 pounds)
Seat height	800 mm (31.5 inches)	810 mm (31.9 inches)

Other years 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail5%

Cornering85%

City riding45%

Daily riding42%

Touring35%

Two-up35%

Track85%

Best for: Built primarily for fast road riding and track days, blending litre-bike power with a slightly more manageable 900cc package.
Built for: A raw, aggressive superbike with a strong mid-range punch and a chassis that rewards confident, assertive inputs.
Not ideal for: This is not the right choice for new riders, commuters seeking comfort, or anyone planning long-distance touring or off-road use.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

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Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 810mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja, with a cramped knee angle of around 70 degrees and a forward-leaning riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 751-820 mm — Middle Ground →

Find bikes that fit your height →

Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Average

The 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 78.7% of the time, 1.5 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 42% of models.

All years of this model: 47 / 100 (average) from 45,555 tests.

78.7%Passed first time

13.3%Failed outright

8.0%Fixed during test

25,000Typical miles

16,768Tests

Pass rate by miles ridden

0-10k

87.2%

10-20k

83.9%

20-30k

79%

30-40k

76.3%

40-50k

73.6%

50k+

75%

All years of this model.

Score by year first registered

199419951996199719982001200220032004

Against its rivals · ranks 4 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Ducati 900 SS	67 Good	2,720
2	Honda CBR 900 RR Fireblade	63 Good	48,368
3	Yamaha YZF-R1	61 Good	206,988
4	Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja	47 Average	45,555
5	Honda CBR 1000 F	46 Average	30,332
6	Suzuki RF 900 R	43 Average	12,586

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.

Full specifications

Engine

Capacity: 899.0 ccm
Power: 143.0 HP (105.2 kW) @ 11000 RPM
Torque: 101.0 Nm (10.3 kgf-m) @ 9000 RPM
Engine type: In-line four, four-stroke
Power/weight ratio: 0.7814 HP/kg (dry)
Bore x stroke: 75.0 x 50.9 mm
Compression: 11.5:1
Cooling system: Liquid
Fuel system: Carburettor
Starting: Electric
Valves per cylinder: 4

Transmission

Gearbox: 6-speed
Transmission type: Manual
Final drive: Chain

Performance

Top speed: 290.0 km/h (180.2 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1415 mm
Overall length: 2058 mm
Overall width: 747 mm
Overall height: 1152 mm
Seat height: 810 mm
Dry weight: 183.0 kg
Wet weight: 213.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 19.00 litres
Ground clearance: 158 mm

Chassis & suspension

Front wheel travel: 120 mm
Rear wheel travel: 130 mm

Brakes & wheels

Front brakes: Dual disc
Front brakes diameter: 296 mm
Rear brakes: Single disc
Rear brakes diameter: 220 mm
Front tyre: 120/70-ZR17
Rear tyre: 180/55-ZR17

Specs last verified against published sources: November 2026.

Compiled from manufacturer documentation and user contributions, corrected on an ongoing basis. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

What changed, year to year

Differences highlighted

Specification	1994	1996	1998	1999	2001	2003
Capacity	899 cc	899 cc	899 cc	899 cc	899 cc	899 cc
Dry weight	215 kg	215 kg	183 kg	184 kg	185 kg	186 kg
Seat height	800 mm	800 mm	810 mm	815 mm	825 mm	827 mm
Fuel capacity	20 L	20 L	19 L	19 L	19 L	18 L
Bike Reliability ⓘ	31 Below average	33 Below average	42 Average	Too few tests	55 Average	66 Good