Turbocharged Kawasaki ZX-4RR Hits 263 km/h

Japanese tuner Trick Star pushes Kawasaki’s 400cc screamer to its limits in high-speed quest.

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Japanese performance shop Trick Star is no stranger to breaking speed records with Kawasaki motorcycles. After turbocharging the Ninja ZX-25R to a staggering 250 km/h in 2020, the team has now set its sights on an even more ambitious target: pushing the new Ninja ZX-4RR past 300 km/h (186 mph) with a custom turbo setup.

Trick Star first gained attention in 2015 when it modified a Kawasaki H2R to hit 352 km/h (218 mph), far beyond the bike’s factory capabilities. Then, in 2022, the shop made headlines by turbocharging the tiny ZX-25R, a 250cc inline-four, to a record-breaking 249 km/h (155 mph). Now, with the ZX-4RR’s high-revving 399cc engine as their latest canvas, the team is chasing another milestone.

The modified ZX-4RR made its first public appearance at the 2024 Nagoya Motorcycle Show, drawing crowds with its striking white-and-green livery, a signature Trick Star design. But the real spectacle lies under the custom fairings: a bespoke turbocharger system developed in-house, neatly integrated between the middle and lower sections of the bike.

Paired with a free-flow exhaust, the turbo setup reportedly boosts output to 125+ wheel horsepower (130+ crank HP), nearly double the stock European spec (76 HP) and more than twice the US-restricted version (56 HP).

Initial test runs were promising, with the turbocharged ZX-4RR hitting 163 mph (263 km/h) in fifth gear alone, hinting that the 300 km/h target was within reach. However, disaster struck during the next attempt when the engine let out a cloud of white smoke, forcing an abrupt end to the session.

Trick Star is already diagnosing the issue, likely related to the extreme stress on the small displacement engine. If successful, the ZX-4RR could become the world’s first 400cc production-based motorcycle to touch 300 km/h, rivalling the top speeds of much larger 600cc supersport bikes.

Despite the setback, Trick Star remains determined. The team has a history of overcoming mechanical hurdles in pursuit of speed, and a revised engine setup could soon put the ZX-4RR back on track. For now, the bike stands as a testament to what’s possible when tuners push the limits of engineering, one turbocharged dream at a time. Will the ZX-4RR join Trick Star’s list of record-breakers?