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 was 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.

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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 established here.
• K: Kawasaki says “Should be serviced by an authorized Kawasaki dealer” (but just do it yourself)
• †: Replace, adjust, or torque if necessary
• #: Service more frequently when operation in severe conditions: dusty, wet, muddy, high speed, or frequent starting/stopping

	Operation	Every	800 km (500 mi)	5000 km (3000 mi)	10000 km (6000 mi)	15000 km (9000 mi)	20000 km (12000 mi)	25000 km (15000 mi)	30000 km (18000 mi)
	Carburetor synchronization — check †		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	Idle speed — check †		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	Throttle grip play — check †		•		•		•		•
	Spark plug — clean, gap, replace if necessary (NGK CR9E)			•	•	•	•	•	•
	Valve clearance — check †		•		•		•		•
	Air suction valve — check			•	•	•	•	•	•
	Air cleaner element and air vent filter — clean		•		•		•		•
	Air cleaner element and air vent filter — replace (KA-1093)	5 cleanings					•
	Fuel system — check				•		•		•
	Evaporative emission control system (CA only) — check †		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
K	Brake light switch — check †		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	Brake pad wear– check †			•	•	•	•	•	•
	Brake/clutch fluid level — check †	month	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
K	Brake/clutch fluid — change (Castrol DOT 4)	2 years					•
K	Steering — check †		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	Drive chain wear — check † #			•	•	•	•	•	•
	Nuts, bolts, and fasteners tightness — check †		•		•		•		•
	Tire wear–check †			•	•	•	•	•	•
	Engine oil — change (Mobil 1 Synthetic, Shell Rotella T6, Motul 7100)	year	•		•		•		•
	Oil filter — replace (Hiflofiltro HF401)		•		•		•		•
	General Lubrication — perform (Lithium soap-based grease)			•	•	•	•	•	•
K	Front fork oil — change								•
K	Swingarm pivot, uni-trak linkage — lubricate				•		•		•
K	Coolant — change (Zerex G05)	2 years							•
	Radiator hoses, connections–check †	year	•		•		•		•
K	Steering stem bearing–lubricate	2 years					•
K	Fuel filter – replace			•		•		•
K	Brake/clutch master cylinder cup and dust seal — replace	2 years
K	Caliper piston seal and dust seal — replace	2 years
K	Clutch slave cylinder piston seal — replace	3 years
K	Brake hose/ clutch hose and pipe — replace	4 years
K	Fuel hos e— replace	4 years
	Drive chain–lubricate # (Motul chain paste)	Every 600 km (400 mi)
	Dive chain slack — check † #	Every 1000 km (600 mi)

Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11

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.

General information 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 understressed 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 smoothes engine vibration for increased rider comfort.

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.