Fair and accurate assessment with no hidden bias on ZX6R

125,000 mile test results



The 636cc Kawasaki ZX6R is the best track bike on the planet.

Please don't misunderstand, there isn't a "bad" 600 class bike on the market. But after putting almost 2,000 riders on the new 2005, ZX-6R, at over 12 different tracks; every student who rode them raved about how great they work; many went right out and bought one. If there was never another advancement made in the class I would settle for the pure performance this bike offers to any rider, novice through professional.
That is a bold statement but I'll give you an example. One of our students, Leon Camier, who is a pro; and in fact won the British Supersport championship this year, came within 3 seconds of the absolute race lap record at The Streets of Willow Springs on a box stock ZX6R with DOT tires. Box stock, pump fuel, factory shock: zero modifications, OK, the lights were removed.
Just to put this in perspective: American magazine testers generally log in lap times on 600 class bikes 3 seconds slower than what Leon ran.
Leon, who is used to professionally prepared race bikes, had NO complaints about the 6R, he just rode it, loved it and never asked for a single modification or adjustment. That is quite a statement from both a pro and a champion.
Riding is what the 6R is all about. (Of course one of our staff, Will Eikenberry, is the absolute race lap record holder—guess what he was riding? Hint: it was green and had 636cc)
Red bikes are great, so are yellow ones and blue ones; but, if you are a track day rider, the green one is going to give all the performance you could possibly want.
Break it in, change the tires, go ride it; take a can of chain lube with you, that's all you'll need.

California Superbike School staff.

Gotta luv the 6r's...

That's right, not the 9's... THE 6R's

Apart from the obvious sponsorship plug, the article is pretty right. But I reckon any modern 600 these days, would have lapped around the same pace. I am sure they are all pretty good.

But....... I must say....On saturday at Broadford, it was pretty funny seeing my fully road equiped 636 rounding up other 600's and 1000's in the racer practice session. When I was able to hang with a guy who is usually quicker than me on my racer, for four laps comfortably, it made me really appreciate just how far modern machines have come.

I adjusted a couple of clickers, turned in a little more pre-load front and rear, about a week after I got it, and have left it like that. It had a race DOT front and a road rear, and was just sublime to lap broadford on.

The difference is amazing between my racer and my roadie. The racer at the same pace, is all over the place. Not that it won't do it, it just walks around more at the same pace is all. You tip the racer in and have to balance it immediately on the throttle before it tucks. Whereas the 636 is just a dream no matter what you do. Tip in, and it turns. At full lean, you are not having the frame flex you get on the racer. But spose ten years is a long time.

Horsepower wise they are not lacking either with none of the 600SS racers up there on saturday, being able to pass me down any of the straights. It was only under brakes that they could pass.

GO THE 6'S!

DONT DIS THE 6'S

RIDE EM!

I think its fair to say that someone really loves their 636

I have only had a short blast on my mates old ZX6R, its a 97 model, went really good ( above 7,000rpm ), but I found it a bit *small* for me.......otherwise it went like a scalded cat once you got into the *powerband* as such

Ok, Steph (my lovely, beautifull wife) wants a new bike....

We have been shopping for bikes around the 600cc class... We have tried several bikes, Several GSXR's several R6's.... and 1 ZX6R... of different years, from 99 to 2003

And I can tell you that my 03,636 beats every single one of those bikes hands down... in acceleration, in braking, in cornering... (although the 2001 636 equals my bike in acceleration, I didnt feel it was as good in the corners or braking)

Thats the way I see it... and I wont take it back...

(p.s... she takes ownership of her new bike on Saturday and no... its not a kwaka... but I love her anyway).

I think its fair to say that someone really loves their 636

I have only had a short blast on my mates old ZX6R, its a 97 model, went really good ( above 7,000rpm ), but I found it a bit *small* for me.......otherwise it went like a scalded cat once you got into the *powerband* as such

I didn't write the review, thats from Cal SBK School. That is why it is so balanced and bipartisan.

600 hey !! so wheres the rest of the engine???

600 hey !! so wheres the rest of the engine???

It's all a gumby wobbler like me can handle. I wanna race a big bike like Simmo does when I grow up.

600 hey !! so wheres the rest of the engine???

if you cant corner fast enough... buy a bigger bike to make up for it in the straights

Strika I have to disagree there, I think that the other 600s, whilst not as fast, just will not catch a 636 round a track. They really are noticably quicker in every test I have ever seen. If only the extra cubes were allowed in Supersport........

Strika I have to disagree there, I think that the other 600s, whilst not as fast, just will not catch a 636 round a track. They really are noticably quicker in every test I have ever seen. If only the extra cubes were allowed in Supersport........

I am talking a track prepped genuine 600cc Supersport Bike not a stock standard roadie.

600 hey !! so wheres the rest of the engine???

For you and Recycled, they hid the other half of the engine... I hear you 12 boys are only good in straight lines anyway

*runs and hides*

Strika I have to disagree there, I think that the other 600s, whilst not as fast, just will not catch a 636 round a track. They really are noticably quicker in every test I have ever seen. If only the extra cubes were allowed in Supersport........

Which begs the question:

If the ZX6R (636) can't be caught regardless of the engine capacity difference, is the ZX6RR (599) faster than all the competition?

[... I hear you 12 boys are really good in straight lines and even better through the twisties

why thank's Dan,

So what is faster afterall, a *stock* 636 ZX-R or a *stock* 600 ZX-RR ??? I always thought that the track-only specials *must* have been better, otherwise there would seem little point in releasing 2 models ??