Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

And before i get the response i would give... no i don't mean 300cc's difference

Just curious about the physical size difference of the two bikes? Is the 6 smaller than the 9? (mainly in relation to height and width?). I know weight difference isn't all that different. I know the 9's are a large bike, just not sure how big the 6's are.

from what ive seen of dave#3 on the 9 andthe little he's told me about it, he said the tank and body panels are very much wider than the later model ZX6...

seat height for the ZX9 says 810 mm but im guessing its not a very wide seat....

in essence it seems tey are "different" kinds of bikes...

fWIW I had a 6 as a loan bike from B Kwaka and found the 9 easier to ride height wise. I have a 98 zx9, this was a 00 6 (I think).

That's an interesting comment there mick... i did read that on paper the 9 had a lower seat height, but to be honest i thought it was just a misprint. I am discussing the earlier models here (98-00) so it seems like you are talking about bikes right in the era i am talking about.

The 6 is certainly an easier bike for a shorter and less confident rider to manoeuvre - it's lighter, *much* narrower and effectively lower (even if the seat height is technically slightly higher than some of the 9r's). Incidentally, it's also a much better bike for a novice rider to ride - I know 9's are old, fat and slow by today's litre bike standards but they demand a heap more respect than a 6 does, and respect isn't something a ham-fisted novice necessarily has in spades.

Keep searching for a nice 6, the effort will be worthwhile.

Thanks for the info dave. I love my 9 to death, comfortable rider position, but still nice looking. And as a reasonably sized guy (6', 100kg), i love the fact that the bike is that bit bigger - only bike i've owned that doesn't look too small for me.

I never rode the 6, but i was hoping it was similar to the 9, just smaller. The idea of my wife (who is 5'10") riding a 9 just scares the living daylights out of me. Don't get me wrong, she is probably the most sensible rider the world has ever seen, but its mainly the size issue that concerns me. I know she would be fine, but i also think she would be a lot more comfortable on something smaller. At the same time, from a purely selfish point of view, having a smaller bike to rider around the city sounds like a fantastic idea to me as well.

In all in all, its going to be awhile before i actually buy the bike. I just want to get a good idea on what im after so i can keep an eye out for a good one.

I have had my 98 ZX6R for a few months now and loving it.
Some specs from the workshop manual are:
ZX600 G1-G2
Overall length : 2025mm
Overall width : 715mm
Wheelbase : 1400mm
Seat Height : 815mm
Dry Mass : 176kg

[quote="maraach"] The idea of my wife (who is 5'10") riding a 9 " just scares the living daylights out of me., but its mainly the size issue that concerns me.think she would be a lot more comfortable on something smaller.

Shouldnt worry about size it all relative

*sigh* i'll translate a bit better... my wife cant have the same size or bigger bike as me...... i have no reason....... just because

Harden Up Pussies and throw your leg over a Sports Barge !!

ah the voice of reason speaks again!!!!

A lot will depend on your physical dimensions. I stepped off a ZZR 250 (which I hated) and onto a '99 ZX9 and it fitted like a glove, but I'm 182cm and 120kg. A 600 for me would feel like the 250 which was uncomfortably small. After owning the Z for a while, it too feels small but the upright riding position makes it bearable. I have ridden a ZX12 and if I was to go back to a sports bike that would definitely get the nod as the size suits me better than any other sports bike. My advise is for you to ride them both as close as possible to each other and decide for yourself what feels better.