The Ninja ZX-RR was Kawasaki"s first MotoGP machine equipped with a 4-stroke engine, and
after overcoming initial teething problems, began to show its potential. With the addition of rider
Shinya Nakano in 2004, the team kept improving and became capable of challenging the top
teams for race honors. Nakano rode the lime-green, 990cc-engined machine to a second place
podium finish at Round 8 in the Netherlands for his best finish of the 2006 MotoGP season.