Buyer's Box
2005 Kawasaki ZX-10R
Front end: Dymag aluminum wheel,Braking rim mounted rotor and caliper
Rear end: Marchesini aluminum wheel
Motor: Turbonetics turbo, SARD wastegate, high compression pistons, custom exhaust, Dynojet Power Commander and Ignition Module
Kawasaki obviously calls Japan the motherland, but the home of extreme tuning is right here in the good old US. So how is it that one of the wildest Ninjas we've seen comes straight from Tokyo? Hell, there aren't many sportbikes on Japanese roads to begin with due to exorbitant taxing, insurance and licensing fees, yet this ZX-10R doesn't seem to take those into account.
This bike is clearly "Made in Japan," but the turbo is from California. The charger is a custom unit from Turbonetics, mated to a very sweet SARD external wastegate from Japan. It's a tight fit in there - there's not much room under the fairing, and you have to allow some clearance for the front wheel under braking (some hardcore tuners have even been known to cut the steering lock so they can fit a bigger charger).
The header pipes, radiator coolant hoses and much of the wiring is wrapped in heat-proof tape to try and keep them as cool as possible, and there's an oil return pump slung under the sump to return the red-hot oil from the turbo back into the crankcases.
Inside the engine, you need to fit forged, high-compression pistons to stop the turbo pressure blowing the motor apart, and the fuel injection needs a mighty upgrade to add the extra fuel needed. A heavy duty fuel pump, billet fuel rail, high-pressure fuel pressure regulator and high-flow fuel injectors are all here. Add in a Power Commander to get the air/fuel ratio right, and you can see why turbo kits are a top-dollar, high-maintenance item. But when the 400 hp hits this Ninja's tire it's worth every cent.
The rim-mounted front brake discs are from Italian firm, Braking. There are a few advantages to the system. Firstly, you can use a lighter wheel construction, since the braking forces don't travel through the wheel spokes. The caliper clamps onto the disc, which then transmits the braking force directly to the rim and into the tire. Plus, by applying the braking force so far from the wheel center it's multiplied more than on a smaller disc. And, of course, they look completely outlandish--perfect for this crazy turboed Ninja.