Kawasaki ZX-7R

. The popularity of superbike racing proved to be a powerful marketing tool for motorcycle manufacturers, and due to the homologation rules, many manufacturers began to produce and sell models especially suited for superbike racing. Kawasaki's only 750cc sport bike offering was the GPX 750R which was unable to compete with competitors such as the Honda RC30, Suzuki GSX-R750 and Yamaha FZR-750. Developed from the prototype ZXR7 endurance race bike, the Kawasaki ZX‑7 was first introduced

. The ZX-7 received continuous updates throughout the 1990s, and racing versions would go on to win four AMA Superbike Championships and one Superbike World Championship.

The ZX-7 received a host of changes. An entirely new shorter-stroke engine was introduced with a bore of 71mm and a stroke of 47.3mm.

Kawasaki changed the U.S. naming convention for its 750cc sport bikes. The ZX-7 was now to be known as the ZX-7R and the ZX-7R became the ZX-7RR.