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Sportbikes

1999Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja

34 fields on record

The 1999 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja is a middleweight supersport designed for experienced riders seeking thrilling performance. Its potent 899cc inline-four engine delivers 143 horsepower with aggressive acceleration and responsive handling. Known for its sharp styling and track-capable dynamics, the ZX-9R excels as an accessible yet serious sportbike for both road and circuit use.

Capacity: 899.0 ccm
Engine: In-line four, four-stroke
Gearbox: 6-speed
Dry weight: 184.0 kg
Seat height: 815 mm
Power: 143.0 HP (105.2 kW) @ 11000 RPM

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years ⚠ Recalls listed (1)

What’s new for the 1999 Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja

vs the 1998

Spec	1998	1999
Torque	101.0 Nm (10.3 kgf-m or 74.5 ft.lbs) @ 9000 RPM	101.0 Nm (10.3 kgf-m or 74.5 ft.lbs)
Top speed	290.0 km/h (180.2 mph)	272.0 km/h (169.0 mph)

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?

Worked out in your browser - nothing is sent to us

Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 815mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1999 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

Safety recalls

⚠ 1 recall may apply

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLYDec 1999 · 99V337000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES. THE BACK TORQUE LIMITER IN THE CLUTCH COULD MALFUNCTION AND ALLOW THE CLUTCH TO SLIP EXCESSIVELY, OR NOT RE-ENGAGE AFTER A SHIFT.

Risk: THIS SUDDEN NON-ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH COULD CAUSE THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CLUTCH.

These recalls cover some 1999 bikes of this model. Whether one applies to a specific bike, and whether the repair has already been done, depends on its VIN — check your VIN with NHTSA, use gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall in the UK, or ask a dealer.

Source: NHTSA. View all Kawasaki recalls →

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Average

The Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 80.3% of the time, 0.2 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 47% of models.

Bikes first registered in 1999 have 39 tests, too few for their own score, so this covers every year.

80.3%Passed first time

12.3%Failed outright

7.4%Fixed during test

22,000Typical miles

45,555Tests

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 5 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Honda CBR 900 RR Fireblade	63 Good	48,368
2	Triumph Daytona 955I	63 Good	22,679
3	Yamaha YZF-R1	61 Good	206,988
4	Ducati SS 900 Supersport	56 Average	253
5	Kawasaki ZX-9R Ninja	47 Average	45,555
6	Honda CBR 1000 F	46 Average	30,332

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)
Engine type: In-line four, four-stroke
Power/weight ratio: 0.7772 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: 272.0 km/h (169.0 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1415 mm
Overall length: 2058 mm
Overall width: 747 mm
Overall height: 1152 mm
Seat height: 815 mm
Dry weight: 184.0 kg
Wet weight: 213.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 19.00 litres
Ground clearance: 158 mm
Front percentage of weight: 50.5

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

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