With the Kawasaki ZX12R Ninja, Kawasaki plunged into the high-performance sportbike war raging among the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. The Ninja's liquid-cooled, 1199cc DOHC, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine generates a peak power of 178 bhp at 10500 rpm. The Kawasaki Ninja's revolutionary all-aluminium monocoque frame and cast steering swingarm pivot areas realise an extremely stiff structure and contribute to the bike's superb high-speed stability and supersport handling performance. The ZX12R's wind-tunnel designed fairing was developed with help from Kawasaki's aircraft division and the redesigned upper cowl has a shorter nose for improved aerodynamics and a sportier look. In honour of an agreement reached among Japanese manufacturers, starting with 2001 models, Kawasaki introduced speed limiters in the ZX-12R to reduce the bike's top speed to 300