600 or 636

Last time i went to the PITS i was speaking with dave#3 who suggested i should look at some 600 bikes when i get off restrictions...
Well that moment is still a year away, but i am doing my research now...
basically im set on a ZX-600 or ZX-636... basically i cant see too much different with them apart from the price tag and the engine capacity...
surely the price isnt related to the increase in CC alone...

Can someone who has ridden or knows about both bikes give me some info on their pros and cons? things to be looking out for in particular to these models etc.

My budget will be around the 5 - 6k mark, most 636 are around 7+ but if its justifyable to spend the extra moolah then i just might...

Hey owen speak to red-dave he has the 636.

my 636 is a great bike. that little bit more power is great. it will be sale in about a month to as i am upgrading

From 2002 onwards, the roadbikes were 636's.
You can also get the race-homologated ZX6-RR (which were always race-ready 600cc bikes)

600: The '00 - '01 (I wish I had've kept Charlie!):


636: The '02 was in a similar frame and fairing style to previous models, but the engine was a 636. It also had an awesome sticker kit:


636: Then, there was the '03 - '04, aka The Barra. Totally changed - style, chassis, fairing, everything:


636: Then there's the '05 - '06 (that's the bike I own, if you remember it) - the one on the right (without the ZX9R sticker ):


Hope that helps! I love the 6's - they're so much fun to ride!

Edited to add: I didn't post a pic of the '07 - '08, as it is definitely out of the price range you mentioned.

hey cath but the 07 ,08 looks the best. they are a supermodel in green.

hey cath but the 07 ,08 looks the best. they are a supermodel in green.

What are you smoking? The '06 is obviously the best looking 6 of all time

There slimmer ,smaller, sexier but your 6 does look horn with those two bro's zorst and i also luv the old school 636 .

wow thanks for that post Cath, that really helped me.
So basically when it comes down to it, when comparing an 00 - 01 600 to an 02 636... they are basically identical, with the exception of an extra 36 cc which i would imagine would be several extra ponies, and a sticker on the faring...

hmmm quite a big jump in price for those 2 things

but a question arises... which one is more fun to ride in your opinion Cath? or anyone else who's ridden both.
i know i have to decide this for myself and ride them both, but with restrictions ill find it hard pressed to get a ride on one, so comments and ride reviews are welcome

hmmm quite a big jump in price for those 2 things

but a question arises... which one is more fun to ride in your opinion Cath? or anyone else who's ridden both.
i know i have to decide this for myself and ride them both, but with restrictions ill find it hard pressed to get a ride on one, so comments and ride reviews are welcome

Hi there, when I got back into riding my first bigger road bike was a '97 zx6r, the last of the F models, it was a great bike easy on the back/wrists plenty of power and a good way to ease back in. The bike had way more ability than me and was very forgiving of my ham fisted attempts to go faster. I test rode the 02 a couple of times and did a putty run on one which belonged to a riding buddy, it was a good bike, a little more midrange than the older F (and probably G, though I never rode one) but pretty much the same bike as the F to me. I eventually did buy an '03, an awesome bike which I wish I'd never sold. Murder on the back and wrists unless you were doing upwards of warp 3 and suspension that was way too hard for our roads but fantastic fun on the track (or smoother roads if you can find them). The 03 was definately more fun to ride if you could put up with its ergonomics and harsh suspension for the times you weren't fanging.

I can't comment on the later models as I've never ridden them, but plenty here have and I can only imagine they're better again.

I'd imagine the 03/04 would be close to your price range in a years time ?

Matt

Keep in mind, with no class for a 636, there's little chance it has been on a track and flogged repeatedly, whereas a 600 has it's own class so the chances are higher that it may have been raced.

I went from a ZX-2R A-model to an 06 zx636 (green!!) and i think its an appropriate step up. The 250cc time gives you opportunity to learn throttle control etc etc. The leap in power is huge, i can remember opening the throttle after the first 1000k service and getting it over 7,000 rpm and OMG i had an uncontrollable smile from one side of my face to the other!!

I usually potter around on 1L bikes now days and i even still think sometimes they are a bit wild! and you should definately go the 600cc path first and no better way than the 636cc

It used to handle really well, thru corners i could keep up with my uncle on his 06 R1, striaght line speed with a thou is like comparing the 636 with a 250cc, i used to get stomped, top speed i had mine upto $2.70 which is fast enough seeing as most thou's wont do much more than $3.00. REALLY COMFY, i loved how they didn't design it to be ridden by midgets like the k6 GSXR 600 etc etc, i liked how the bars where spread out.

Overall i loved it, the look, feel even the smell!! so thers bit more info about 05/06 zx636 for ya! Now go buy one.