Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 / ZZ-R1100 Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 also known as ZZ-R1100 (or just ZZR1100).
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 is a sportbike in the Ninja series made from 1990 to 2001. It was marketed as the ZX-11 Ninja in North America and the ZZ-R1100 in the rest of the world.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 is powered by a DOHC 1052 CC in-line 4-cylinder carburettor-fed engine that made 108 kW (145 hp) and 108 Nm of torque at peak. With a top speed of 272–283 km/h (169–176 mph), it was the fastest production motorcycle for a while — from its introduction until 1996, when the Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird stole its glory.
The Kawasaki ZX-11 was replaced by two motorcycles, the Kawasaki ZX-12R and the ZZ-R1200.
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Maintenance Schedule for Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11.
The following is the list of maintenance operations and to be done on this motorcycle with a time or distance interval — whichever comes earlier.
The original maintenance schedule for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 was divided into “emission related” and “non-emission-related”, but I’ve combined them as it’s more practical.
Notes:
- For higher odometer readings, repeat at the frequency interval below.
- Kawasaki recommends safety and emissions items “should be serviced by an authorized Kawasaki dealer”
- For items marked “Check”: Replace, adjust, or torque if necessary
- Service air filter, chain, and engine oil/filter more frequently when operation in severe conditions: dusty, wet, muddy, high speed, or frequent starting/stopping
| mi x 1000 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | Every | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
| Spark plug — clean, gap, replace if necessary (NGK CR9E) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Engine oil — change (Mobil 1 Synthetic) | year | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Oil filter — replace (Hiflofiltro HF401) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Carburettor synchronization — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Valve clearances — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Idle speed — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Throttle grip play — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Air cleaner element and air vent filter — clean | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Air cleaner element and air vent filter — replace (KA-1093) | 5 cleanings | ✓ | |||||
| Air suction valve — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fuel system — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Evaporative emission control system (CA only) — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brake light switch — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brake pad wear — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brake/clutch fluid level — check | month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brake/clutch fluid — change (Castrol DOT 4) | 2 years | ✓ | |||||
| Steering — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Drive chain wear — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Nuts, bolts, and fasteners tightness — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Tire wear — check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| General Lubrication — perform (Lithium soap-based grease) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Front fork oil — change | ✓ | ||||||
| Swingarm pivot, uni-trak linkage — lubricate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Coolant — change (Zerex G05) | 2 years | ✓ | |||||
| Radiator hoses, connections — check | year | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Steering stem bearing — lubricate | 2 years | ✓ | |||||
| Fuel filter — replace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Brake/clutch master cylinder cup and dust seal — replace | 2 years | ||||||
| Caliper piston seal and dust seal — replace | 2 years | ||||||
| Clutch slave cylinder piston seal — replace | 3 years | ||||||
| Brake hose/ clutch hose and pipe — replace | 4 years | ||||||
| Fuel hose — replace | 4 years |
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 — Chain Maintenance
It’s important to maintain your chain on the ZX-11, as a high-speed tourer / everyday commuter’s chain is likely to get a lot of abuse.
Kawasaki recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule:
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary (Motul chain paste is a simple and cheap recommendation) | 400 mi / 600 km |
| Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary | 600 mi / 1000 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your Ninja ZX-11 in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 / ZZ-R1100
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 has the following tyre sizes, and the following recommended tyre pressures per the manual.
| Wheel | Tyre size | Tyre pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR17 DUNLOP D204FU | 290 kPa/41 psi |
| Rear | 180/55 ZR17 DUNLOP D204P | 290 kPa/41 psi |
It shipped with Bridgestone Battlax tires of a generation you can’t get today (BT-57), so use more modern ones.
About the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 is arguably the first super high-speed tourer to lead the craze that led to the Honda Blackbird, then the Suzuki Hayabusa, then back to Kawasaki with the ZX-12 (which replaced the ZX-11) and the ZX-14 range, and finally back to Kawasaki again with the high-speed supercharged H2 range.
The Ninja ZX-11 isn’t just a high-speed machine though. It can appeal to riders in various situations. It has suspension, tuning, and an ergonomic layout that give a smooth, comfortable, and extremely competent ride on the highway. It’s adept in other areas too — it handles well for a big machine, and the under-stressed engine doesn’t get too hot when commuting.
The aerodynamically slippery bodywork gives the Ninja ZX-11 a powerful but elegant presence that’s backed up by the power from the big engine. The 1052 cc four-cylinder DOHC liquid-cooled block is surprisingly compact, but still powerful enough to help the ZX-11 beat anything on the road in its time… and most things, these days.
The ZX-11 is an older design so it is carburettor fed. This means that if you do happen to get one, make sure you plan to do a carburettor clean and sync to get it breathing properly. It might also need re-jetting if there are aftermarket intake and exhaust components on it. The good news is that you don’t have to take it to a dyno place to get the EFI reprogrammed!
The ZX-11, like later Ninjas, uses ram air induction to pressurise the airbox. A gear-driven engine balancer smooths engine vibration for increased rider comfort.
Servicing the ZX-11 is like servicing many other liquid-cooled sportbikes, especially those from Kawasaki. The service intervals on the ZX-11 / ZZ-R1100 are every 3000 miles / 35000 km, though the main requirement at that point is a spark plug check and carburetor sync, plus looking over safety and emissions-related parts.
You change the oil every 6000 miles / 10000 km or annually. At that distance interval (6000 mile / 10000 km), you also have to check the valve clearances, which can be quite a job as you have to take off the fairings!
Aside from that, remember to keep the coolant and brake fluid fresh, and maintain the chain with a quality cleaner and lubricant.
Manual for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the 2000-2001 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11, which is available here.
