The Iconic Top Gun Motorcycle Tom Cruise Drives: Kawasaki GPz900R

In 1986, the movie Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, was released and has since been a pop culture favorite. One of the most iconic pieces is the Top Gun motorcycle that Tom Cruise rides in the film: the Kawasaki GPZ900R, or also known as the Ninja 900.

Keeping the Kawasaki GPZ900R a Secret

The Kawasaki GPZ900R was manufactured from 1984 to 2003 and is the earliest member of the Ninja family of sport motorcycles. It took Kawasaki six years to develop the bike, and they did so in secret. That seems far-fetched nowadays, but back then, companies didn’t have to worry about their plans getting leaked online. They were able to keep everything under wraps while they researched and developed (what is known now as) the first modern-day sport bike.

The Kawasaki Ninja 900 Reaches Top Speeds

During its time, the Kawasaki Ninja 900 was the fastest motorcycle, hitting above the 150-mph mark. It is likely that the top speed of 155-mph is the reason it was attractive to Tom Cruise and Top Gun’s production team to use as the motorcycle in Top Gun.

Although the motorcycle production of the legendary Kawasaki GPZ900R was halted in 2003, Kawasaki remains one of the most popular motorcycle manufacturers in the world.