Brilliant combination of comfort for touring and lightweight for scratching, Kawasaki seems to have created the perfect bike in the ZX-6R. It might get beaten on the track by Yamaha’s R6 or Suzuki’s GSX-R600 but for everyday riding it’s a hands down winner.
Smooth power delivery from its 109bhp engine, which pulls like a train and feels like a 750, allowing wheelies even in third gear as the 14,000rpm redline is touched. Apart from the physical size of the machine, it is almost identical to its bigger brother the ZX-9R.
The 599cc 16-valve, inline 4-cylinder engine can only be described as incredible, pulling the bike to a true 160mph+, while remaining reliable and retaining its legendary bullet-proof name.
The chassis offers incredible handling and spot on steering, just perfect for fast country twisty bits. Suspension is a little stiffer than last years model with firmer springs and damping, making the whole bike more stable and controllable. Brakes are the same as its sibling 900 and are Tokico 6 pots, providing corresponding stopping performance, leaving the rider with no worries when it comes to scrubbing off speed.
The ZX-6R Ninja is a pleasure to live with, it is easy to ride fast, and manages to combine just the right amount of sporting feel to be satisfying with enough comfort for the longer trip as well, it must be one of the best combinations available.
Kawasaki have refrained from going all digital with the instruments, preferring to keep to the analogue clocks, and fitting digital trip meter, odometer and temperature gauges. Both clocks are big and easy to read with a row of idiot lights down the right hand side.
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Last updated 09/03/02
