Motorcycle specifications KawasakiZXR 750 STINGER H2 1990 Interceptor missile

the sun sets on 1988. It's been a few years now since Suzuki put its racing stamp on the road with the 750 GSX-R. On the prestigious sportsbike front, the battle rages between the Honda RC 30, the Yamaha FZR 750 R, the Ducati 851 and the Suz GSX-R 750 R. It's not all good news for Kawasaki. Its ageing GPX 750 has neither the means nor the philosophy to compete (even if it does pretty well in Promosport). Unbearable for the brand from Akashi, with its glorious sporting past (750 H2, 900 Ninja, etc.) and whose ZXR-7 competition bike is highly competitive.

here's the green response, and the birth of a fantasy for all Kawasakists. As Endurance and Superbike regulations limit the displacement of 4-cylinders to 750 cm3, Kawa's new sports bike will be a 3/4 liter. And not just any bike! Kawa took only the engine from the GPX, reworked it seriously, and created an entirely new machine around it. Thus was born the ZXR 750 STINGER. With its ambiguous name, long lines and menacing face, this machine smells like a ground-to-ground missile. Put on a racing helmet, choose the green-white-red color scheme and you'll feel like you're at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory ZXR-7 (it finished 2nd in 88).

in terms of looks, we're not disappointed. Nervous double headlights, long, sporty fairing, triple-spoke wheels painted in the dominant color, reinforced swingarm, and the must: 2 pipes drawing air through fairing gills and plunging directly into the fuel tank. Damned! Are we looking at a prototype? No, a production machine; and even if the role of these ducts is limited to... bringing fresh air to the cylinder head (on the ZXR-7, the blast goes directly to the carburetors), the little magic touch and the racing illusion work.
Let's undress this Stinger and see what it's hiding under its tricolored suit. Bare naked, this sports car can't cheat. Does it tremble? Not at all, as its chassis and innards bear witness to the importance Kawasaki places on its new spearhead. Imposing, the new frame follows the trend of modern sports bikes: a perimeter assembly consisting of two aluminum spars welded to foundry plates. Called E-BOX FRAME, it also uses two removable lower cradles for a dual purpose: a little extra rigidity and support for the fleet and oil radiators.
As for the wheels, there's nothing to worry about. The fork, which has not been encumbered with an anti-dive system of dubious effectiveness, has 2 275 mm discs and 4-piston calipers at the end of its stroke. Braking is good, consistent and powerful, with a certain firmness of control. As for adjustment, the front features hydraulic preload and rebound. The shock absorber is adjustable only for preload. However, the linkage on which it is anchored features a practical trick for competition use. The attachment is mounted on an eccentric, allowing the machine's attitude to be varied without interfering with the settings. There's no doubt about it: this 750 wants to be on the track. A very legitimate sentiment for this revival of the Ninja spirit. But once you're on board, you realize that the beast isn't all that exclusive. The riding position is sporty, but not excessive, the handlebars not too low, and the disconcertingly easy handling makes it almost an everyday sports bike. In town, it's still bearable, although the 230 kg have a hard time being forgotten. Of course, this is not the environment in which a Superbike in the making is going to express itself. It's in the big curves that it lives, where it demonstrates its stability at high speed. Homogeneous and more accessible than its racing design would suggest, it can only be criticized for being a little stiff. A little more agility on the menu and it would be at its best.

a growl, a muscle, teeth escaping lips, punch, needles going to the right all the time: that's what you'd expect from a Kawa. However, there's no question of developing an insane mill like the RC 30's V4 and announcing a suffocating price tag - Kawa wants its Ninja to be accessible, so that you can ride it without taking out a 1,000-year loan. Taking over the 7 and a half GPX block, the engine-makers had to do a great job of making it as exciting as the machine it was to be fitted to. First, it had to breathe. A good 36 mm carburetor manifold (+ 2 mm) is fitted to 45° straightened intake ducts, resulting in a straighter gas flow. The cylinder head is all-new, with valves actuated directly by the cams (ciao linguets). In the cylinders, compression increases a tad from 11.2 to 11.3:1. The bottom end of the engine remains virtually unchanged, but features a lightened vilo and a modified clutch with an automatic disengagement system in the event of too much torque being returned by the rear wheel during deceleration. A new stainless-steel pot takes care of the boiler - in 90, the 4-in-2-in-1 is replaced by a 4-in-1, as in endurance racing. The oil filter is moved from its ambiguous position and attached to the oil sump. The engine gets some of the same parts as the factory kit, with revised camshafts and larger valves. The swingarm changes shape, the carburetors gain 2 mm in diameter, the radiator is larger and, as a little bonus, the mirrors are painted body color. When the throttle is released, the soundtrack retains its score and vocals. And what a song it is! A deep, throaty rumble that bubbles up from the revs. When it comes to pleasure and power, this 750 has nothing to learn. You don't have to wait until 10,000 rpm for it to start showing off. The horses start to come on strong in the mid-range, pulling the cavalry along until 8,000 rpm, when the big potato unloads with a vengeance. It may be civilized, but the engine's unrestrained character will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its 107 hp, the Stinger blasts along at more than 240 km/h. That's enough to calm a lot of people down and forge a reputation for itself.

exciting, with a strong image and a provocative name, efficient, homogeneous and punchy, far more accessible than the fantastic Honda RC 30 or Yamaha FZR/R, the Kawasaki ZXR 750 Stinger combines many qualities. It allows the manufacturer to return to a definition of the essential sportbike: driving pleasure and a character that's as clear-cut as it is sharp.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos