Which motorcycle was the first production Kawasaki to use the Ninja name?

The Kawasaki GPZ900R was the first production Kawasaki motorcycle to use the Ninja name.

Kawasaki introduced the GPZ900R in 1984. In North America it was marketed as the Ninja 900, while other markets commonly used the GPZ900R designation. Its liquid-cooled, 16-valve inline-four engine and aerodynamic styling made it a major step forward for Kawasaki’s sport motorcycles.

The model became especially famous after appearing in the 1986 film Top Gun, where it was ridden by Tom Cruise’s character. That screen appearance helped make the Ninja name recognizable well beyond motorcycle circles.

Later Kawasaki sportbikes carried Ninja branding, including the ZX-6R, ZX-10R and ZX-14R. Those later models are often remembered more readily, but the GPZ900R was the name’s original production starting point.