1998 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R
Miles: 22,800
Clean Title
Listed Price: $5,200
Listing Ends: June 19th, 2025
Literbikes live at the top of the sportbike food chain these days. Other bikes might claim to make more power, have a higher top speed, or handle with more agility, but 1000cc machines balance all of those elements in a way that others can’t match. But back in the 80s and 90s, literbikes were more gran turismo than outright track weapons and generally not favored by racing classes, with comfortable-ish ergos, wind protection, massive midrange and somewhat portly curb weights. During that era, the 750cc class was king in Superbike racing, with Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-7R, Suzuki’s GSX-R750, Honda’s VFR750R [RC30], and Yamaha’s FZR-750 battling for supremacy on tracks all over the world. The Kawi followed the standard formula for the class: liquid-cooled, 750cc engine, backed by a six-speed gearbox, and suspended from an aluminum beam frame. By the time the second-generation ZX-7R seen here rolled around, the bike was a bit heavy and outdated, compared to the razor-sharp GSX-R, but it offered famously stable handling, especially under hard braking provided by the six-piston Tokico calipers.
1998 Kawasaki ZX-7R, not Barber Museum quality but pretty pretty nice bike here, not too many in this condition left. 22k miles, runs good, serviced with new oil change, new fork seals, new battery, new air filter, plugs, carbs cleaned and synchronized
Rear brake caliper rebuild, new seat covers, clean title, 1 key.
I’m generally more of a Euro-bike geek, but I really like these second-gen Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7Rs. I certainly didn’t when I was younger, but the look is classic superbike, and the outrageous, non-metallic green paint really sells it for me, an in-your-face aesthetic, combined with timeless good looks. This obviously isn’t a perfect time capsule collectible or a desirable homologation special like the RR, but who could afford one of those nowadays? Miles are relatively low and, a few blemishes aside, it appears to have been well kept, so the $5,200 being asked seems very reasonable. Buy it, perform some period-appropriate updates to improve performance, fit a more subtle exhaust [D&D tend to be pretty loud, I understand] and ride it. Or maybe convert it into the coolest track day bike you’re likely to come across?
-tad
