When the bike was introduced in 1990, the nearest production bike top speed was   slower and it belonged to the ZX-10, the bike that Kawasaki was replacing with the ZX-11. The ZX-11 also had a ram air induction system.
When the bike debuted in 1990, it had a slower top speed than other production bikes, such as the ZX-10, which Kawasaki was replacing with the more advanced ZX-11. The latter also boasted a ram air induction system.