|
Kawasaki's ZX-6R upped the ante in the middleweight sports bike category when it was launched, setting the standard by which all the other 600s, including Honda's CBR were judged. Motor Cycle News voted it "Best Sports Bike", and while it didn't sell in the sheer numbers that the CBR did, it won a lot of friends amongst the press and public alike. This year it's perhaps overshadowed by the latest ZX-7R, and in fact the spec hasn't changed over the 1995 model - but that isn't necessarily a problem anyway, considering how good it was. But how good is that? First impressions
Looking for all the world like a minature ZX-9R, the ZX-6's styling is perhaps a little dated when compared with the more aggressive stance of the new ZX-7R. But then as the bike was originally designed to fight head-on with the CBR and be more of an all-rounder, then that's not perhaps surprising. The test bike was supplied by Kawasaki UK, and was the red/blue/orange colour scheme. The paintwork looks pretty, though the scheme wasn't to everyone's taste - the classic green version gets most people's votes. Looking around the bike you can see lots of nice detail - adjustable span levers for both brake AND clutch (not seen on the Hondas and Suzuki), black clocks mounted in a silver alloy surround, simple mirrors without the rubber "socks" that many manufacturers seem to add these days. The beam frame is alloy, but painted silver/grey, which is a big shame. First thing I'd do if I owned one would be to get the frame polished - the difference it would make to the looks would be enormous. Sitting on the bike, it was clear that this was an altogether more sporting proposition over Honda's CBR, but the riding position's not that extreme. The clip-ons are fairly narrow, and the pegs high, but the screen is also fairly high which helps on long distance runs (more later) and doesn't obscure the clocks at all. Like all Kawasakis, it had a "dense" feel to it - it wasn't that heavy, but just felt like the bike was hewn from solid metal (Kawasaki owners will know what I mean). I was a little nervous of the tyres, as they were brand new and shiney, which meant the first 100 miles would have to be taken carefully to scrub them in, but at least they were Bridgestone BT50s as opposed to the Michelin Macadams on the CBR, which I just didn't seem to get on with. Full of surprises
First surprise comes on firing the bike up with the choke. Unlike every other Kwacker we've encountered, the ZX-6R just settled into a steady fast tickover - no infamous Kawaski choke screaming here! The engine emits a deep rumbling at low revs, which turns into a really nice snarl as the revs rise and induction roar can be heard through the ram-air intakes. The second surprise was snicking into first gear to pull away; yes I did say snicking! This was the only bike we've ever ridden which didn't clonk into first gear from cold - under ANY circumstances. Hondas clonk in virtually every gear, and even Suzukis clonk in first, yet the ZX-6R just slipped into gear with a quiet click - amazing! Pulling away gently revealed a surprising amount of bottom end for a small engine, and as soon as the bike got into it's stride the mid-range punch was quite a shock - not Fireblade-type power, but substantially more than the the CBR600. Past 8 grand the engine really starts to growl, and at the redline of 14,000 you end up grinning and slickly shifting up for the next gear. That growling gets additive - you find yourself hanging on to a gear just that bit longer 'cos the sounds so good! However to start with, taking it easy because of the fresh tyres was not difficult either. The engine really belies it's capacity, and short-shifting and keeping things smooth was just as much fun as revving the nuts off it. And it's so smooth - noticeably less buzzy than the CBR's engine, for instance. The steering was light and neutral, and the forks firm but compliant - only the rear end caused any complaint; it seemed overly harsh, and in fact very nearly caused serious marital injury after getting pitched out of the seat over a particularly bumpy stretch of country lane. Looking at the owners' manual to find out what adjustment was available, we discovered that Kawasaki recommend you take the bike to a dealer to adjust the preload - they don't supply any tools. Oh well, have to live with that then... Scratch with confidence
It didn't take long to scrub in the Bridgestones; in fact they inspired confidence right from the start. Then the real fun started, and the firm suspension made sense. You really can scream hard into corners on the bike - the Tokico brakes work superbly well, despite "only" being 4-pot jobs - just belt up to the turn in point, hard on the anchors, and pitch it in, only to come out the other side and think that you could have gone in 10mph faster! The engine's mid-range reduces the gearchanging, and I found that it was actually more fun to corner in a slightly higher gear and let the grunt pull the bike out rather than risk a highside by running in the upper rev band. Nevertheless the bike tracked superbly when cranked over, and bumps didn't upset the handling in the slightest - even braking mid-corner is possible without the feeling that you'll disappear into the nearest hedge. The BT50s suit the bike beautifully - they grip right up to the edge of the tread, and even after many laps of our Shellgrip test track didn't cut up too badly. In fact the only slide I had throughout the test was early one morning when I threw the bike into a roundabout a bit too hard on cold tyres; the rear end slid out, but the bike just picked itself up and carried on - no drama. The front forks, despite looking distinctly unglamourous, worked extremely well, and the steep steering angle places a lot of weight over the front, which really helps you to feel what's going on. The rear end, which was harsh and stiff at low speeds, worked much better when you're pushing it - though I can't help feeling that a more expensive shock would do a better job. In fact everything on the bike just encourages you to go faster and harder round every bend, and you find yourself searching out the twistiest route to go anywhere just so you can give some more. If the ZX-6R is a great scratching bike, then the real surprise is that it's also a pretty damn good tourer too. The engine's got plenty of power to cruise all day at 110mph, and the bike is actually very comfortable at speed too, mainly due to the good fairing design with a sensible screen height which fends off the worst of the wind without forcing the rider into a doubled-up crouch. The engine smoothness is the key to the comfort; I can't honestly say I noticed any vibes at all until the speedo registered more than 120. Top whack is a touch over 150, and it gets there fairly easily - obviously the last 20mph shows the bike's lack of capacity, but it's not the struggle you might expect. The bike has bungee hooks and pillion grab handles which make it easy to attach gear to the back, and although the pillion pegs are too high for long distances, short trips two-up are not a problem. Fuel economy is not really the bike's strongest point, though it must be said that it was unmercilessly thrashed for the whole period we had it; a best of 44mpg and a worst of 40 mean that reserve comes up after around 135 miles. This is not too much of a problem because the high footrests meant that after getting through a tankful on a motorway my knees were screaming for a rest anyway! Summary
I must admit to a slight snobbery when it comes to bikes - capacity-wise, that is. Until the ZX-6R, I never really gave middleweights much of a thought; alright for those who can't afford the bigger bikes, or the insurance, or perhaps don't ride as fast. But the kings are always the biggest, surely? Well this beauty has changed all that. Kawasaki have produced a gem of a bike, which is clearly in demand (rumour has it that all this year's allocation has sold out). For everyday riding the Kwacker's a bit more radical than Honda's CBR, but it's still pretty easy to live with. But other features put it in another league - the engine power, smoothness, and above all ability to scratch really hard with the best. It's every bit as good as Suzuki's GSXR750 under most circumstances for instance, and is even better when it comes to long distance work - the fairing works! The ZX-6R fully justifies the "Best Sports Bike" tag - it'll stand up against all comers, of any capacity, and come out pretty near the top. To all those who already own one, I envy you; and to those looking for a sports bike - try one out before you decide on your GSXR/ZX7R/Fireblade; you may get a surprise! Oh and one final note; Kawasaki sell a Thunderbike race kit for £680 - now wouldn't that be interesting... Engine: Liquid-cooled 16-valve DOHC in-line 4
Bore & stroke: 66 x 43.8mm
Displacement: 599cc
Compression ratio: 11.8:1
Carburettor: 4 x Keihin CVKD36
Max power: 105PS (claimed)
Ignition: Digital
Starter: Electric
Transmission: Six-speed
Wheelbase: 1415mm
Seat height: 810mm
Fuel capacity: 18 litres
Wheels: Front/rear3 spoke aluminium cast Tyres: Front - 120/60 x ZRl7
Rear - 160/60 x ZR17
Suspension:
Front - 41mm stepless preload, adjustable rebound damping
Rear - Uni-trak with preload, 4-way rebound and 19-way compression adjustable
Brakes:
Front - 300mm dual disc with -piston calipers
Rear - 230mm single-piston caliper disc
Dry weight: 182kg |
