ZX-6R Ninja (2002) review
Updated with a facelift, engine internals and a new swing arm.
Without a back-to-back test of last year's ZX-6R and this 36cc larger one, it's hard to tell. The ZX-6R was always a cracking sportsbike tool anyway, so anyone expecting a midrange-laden super middleweight can walk away now and go buy a 750 instead. However, those wanting a brand new 600 with subtle motor refinements, stick around...
Kawasaki's choice of Circuit Pau to launch their new 636 was smart. Set into a valley it twists and twines its way all over the place. There's fifth-gear kneedown corners, a ridiculous first-gear chicane, third-gear highsiders, everything. Sling in a variable track surface and you have the perfect proofing ground for a sportsbike.
Visually, the ZX-6R hasn't changed one blob apart from the 636 sticker on the side. The new capacity has been arrived at by reaming-out (wahey!) the bores 2mm, to give a bore and stroke of 68x43.8mm, compared to 66x43.8mm on the old model. In essence, the only marketing reason I could gather for Kawasaki doing this was "because there was some space left in the motor, so we could," which is fair enough by me. 600 Supersport racebikes will (naturally) continue to be 599cc in capacity, and will be ordered to be fully stripped-down by suspicious opposition (naturally) every time a ZX-6R wins at a race meeting.
I spoke to a couple of insurance dudes and they both reckoned there would be no premium hike for riders buying a 636 over a 599.
So, let's ride. Small and roomy and dead smart in its new silver livery, the 636 makes you feel right at home straightaway. There's plenty of room to tuck away behind the screen, and the stretch from arse to footpegs is as spacious as it ever was. Pull away and the clutch and gearbox do their thing without cause for comment, which is unsurprising as they're unchanged from every ZX-6 that went before. I spent a couple of hours learning the track before having a proper think about the motor and handling.
Without a back-to-back test of last year's ZX-6R and this 36cc larger one, it's hard to tell. The ZX-6R was always a cracking sportsbike tool anyway, so anyone expecting a midrange-laden super middleweight can walk away now and go buy a 750 instead. However, those wanting a brand new 600 with subtle motor refinements, stick around...
Kawasaki's choice of Circuit Pau to launch their new 636 was smart. Set into a valley it twists and twines its way all over the place. There's fifth-gear kneedown corners, a ridiculous first-gear chicane, third-gear highsiders, everything. Sling in a variable track surface and you have the perfect proofing ground for a sportsbike.
Visually, the ZX-6R hasn't changed one blob apart from the 636 sticker on the side. The new capacity has been arrived at by reaming-out (wahey!) the bores 2mm, to give a bore and stroke of 68x43.8mm, compared to 66x43.8mm on the old model. In essence, the only marketing reason I could gather for Kawasaki doing this was "because there was some space left in the motor, so we could," which is fair enough by me. 600 Supersport racebikes will (naturally) continue to be 599cc in capacity, and will be ordered to be fully stripped-down by suspicious opposition (naturally) every time a ZX-6R wins at a race meeting.
I spoke to a couple of insurance dudes and they both reckoned there would be no premium hike for riders buying a 636 over a 599.
So, let's ride. Small and roomy and dead smart in its new silver livery, the 636 makes you feel right at home straightaway. There's plenty of room to tuck away behind the screen, and the stretch from arse to footpegs is as spacious as it ever was. Pull away and the clutch and gearbox do their thing without cause for comment, which is unsurprising as they're unchanged from every ZX-6 that went before. I spent a couple of hours learning the track before having a proper think about the motor and handling.
