ZX1002

Introduced for the 2004 model year, this liter-class supersport arrived as Kawasaki’s new flagship in the inline-four superbike category and quickly became the brand’s primary road and race-oriented literbike. It was launched as a successor-era machine for riders seeking a full-size, track-focused street motorcycle, and it soon became closely associated with the company’s World Superbike efforts. Over time, the nameplate evolved through several major generations, with the styling, chassis, electronics, and engine tuning repeatedly updated to keep it competitive on both the street and the circuit. Despite those revisions, it has remained an uninterrupted production line rather than a discontinued-and-returned nameplate. The model’s racing success has been a defining part of its identity, and Kawasaki has continued to develop it as the core of its supersport lineup for riders who want a production motorcycle with direct ties to factory racing. It remains in production today.