The upgrade, ZX6R or 7R?

[outtalive]

Hey there, I'm sure this is a fairly common topic but what the hey. With my restrictions being lifted at the end of this year I'm looking around at what my best upgrade options are. So far the main contenders are either a 97 ZX6R or the same year ZX7R with the average price being $6000 and $7000 respectively.

The question is, is the extra 150cc worth the extra grand? or am I better off taking the 600 for the lower price.

Any comments from anyone with experience in these bikes would be really appreciated.

[kempy]

'97 6R vs 7R. I'd go the 7R all the way.

If you were goin for 02 onwards 6R though, I'd go with the sixxer.

Is the 150cc worth the extra grand? Fuckin oath it is.

Insurance is something you'll have to think about though. Ie, my 2001 7R costs more to insure than a '96 7R. Further, the 600 will always be cheaper to insure.

[outtalive]

Thanks for that, I guess I'll have to start factoring it all in: how much I have to add for insurance etc. But looks like ZX7R's a winner.

[Aussie Ninja]

Try to ride a couple of examples of both before making any decisions if you are not sure which way you want to go. With the 6R go '98 onwards with the 02 being the ultimate developement of the G - J series. I was turned off buy the curb weight of the 7R and have never ridden one but have read that in motion they are a well balanced bike that doesn't make its weight felt. Go with whatever does it for you.

[Mojo67]

There is a lot more difference than 150cc. If you're going to commute or tour, go the 6. If you want to squirt away up the mountains on weekends, the 7 will have more go. It also depends on your size and shape.

In 98 the 6 had a major upgrade, and the price for 98's reflects that. I still believe the 98 ZX6R is one of the sexiest sportsbikes ever made (they come with great accessories, see below). If I could have found one when I was looking I would have one now.

The 7 I rode at the time was awkward at low speed and did not impress me. I'm sure at speed they're a weapon, but didn't suit what I needed.

When I was looking for 6 I found a 96 ZX9R, in great nick for $6400. I wasn't looking for a 9 but it was a good buy, cheap to insure and heaps of go. It was a good choice.

Bottom line is its best to ride them and see what fits. Best of luck.

[outtalive]

Fair advice, I do a bit of commuting around the city so perhaps a newer, slicker 600 is the go..I suppose it's one of those things, closer to the time I'll have to become the dreaded tyre kicker and test ride a bunch of bikes to find the best fit - and buy myself a green jacket and helmet

[ZX-10R_04]

I would go with the ZX-6R more flickable better power to weight ratio

[Cath]

Ride them both and see what fits you better. The ZX6R wasn't even on my list of bikes that I was interested in, then as soon as I threw my leg over I was hooked.

You won't know until you take them both for a spin! And it's a good excuse to try different bikes out.

[MickLC]

..I suppose it's one of those things, closer to the time I'll have to become the dreaded tyre kicker and test ride a bunch of bikes to find the best fit...

Definitely the best thing you can do.

[HemiDuty]

In light of all this great, sensible advice I'd just like to say one thing:


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7



7.

[red_dave]

I'm biased towards the 6 but you need to work out which suits you better...

Ride them both and go from there.

[outtalive]

Something of a development is that I found out my Uncle still has his crash-damaged 97 ZX6R, the bike's a writeoff but apparently the motor wasn't damaged in the accident (just the swingarm, ducktail, rear frame etc). Would it be worth finding a 97 ZX6R with a blown motor and fixing it from that? If it all came together for $4K or less I guess it'd be worth it?

[slojo]

i had a '96 zx6r and just bought a '99 zx6r. was also in a similar situation in trying to decide whether to go with a 7R or a 6R, went with the 6R twice as both times was able to find a cheap example.
as mentioned before the 6R is a good all round bike, plenty of go, reasonably good handling, very comfortablt, cheap to run and insure. the 7R however i've heard is much sportier in the riding position, PM/email ajhutch, he knows a bit about them. but they're supposed to have one of the best front ends ever made.
i reckon you'd be pretty happy with either.

[I-K]

The likelihood of coming across an F-model 6R which has nothing wrong with it apart from a blown engine is pretty slim... back then, Kawasaki built tougher motors than finish on ancillaries.

A thoroughly hammered one which still retains its compliance plate, and whose frame you could swipe is another matter, but people know what frames with valid compliance are worth, so don't be expecting to pick up a bike like that for less than about $1500-$1800.

Just how bad a shape is your uncle's bike in?

Figure you get yourself a bare frame with valid compliance for, say, a grand. Then say your uncle sells you his bike for two grand. At that point, you still need... a ducktail, tail light(?), rear wheel, swingarm, some fottpegs, levers, brackets, maybe a handlebar and a mirror... that's a good few hundred bucks in parts right there.

Provided you ignore minor stuff like a scuffed side fairing (the bike will have ended up on its side, no?) or a slightly bent H-bracket or a mildly rashed tank and you could put this bike on the road for some $4500 or just under...

...but spotless F-model 6R's only fetch five and a bit grand as it is (ignore what they are being advertised for in the classifieds), meaning the only difference between buying one of those and bringing your uncle's bike back from the dead is all the effort and fart-arsing around (you'll easily ring up $50 in phone bills ringing around wreckers to find sanely-priced parts) you'll have to go through. It'll be worth it as an exercise in learning how to fix up crashed bikes, but it'll take a long time (figure on a couple of months); not much use to you when you just want to get on and ride.

[outtalive]

Hehe, I thought about that just after my last posting. I guess with Kwakkas being renowned for having bullet-proof motors any ones I'd be likely to find at the wreckers are probably gonna be like my uncles, any other type of bizarre damage under the sun but pristine motors. For the months of assin' about involved I think I'll just bite the bullet and buy a non-frankenstein bike for the $6K+ required.