1996 Kawasaki ZX-6R Road Test—From The Archives

This article was originally published in the August 1996 issue of Sport Rider.

Kawasaki wasn't happy at the AMA races last year (1995). Team Green's new ZX-6R took a second-row seat in '95 as these annoying little purple-and-yellow motorcycles with talented purple-and-yellow– clad riders rolled out of a huge purple-and-yellow transporter at every 600 SuperSport race—and systematically beat the competition black and blue. Smokin' Joe's and its Honda CBR600F3s took the win in every 600 SuperSport race of '95, and Kawasaki saw red. Firecracker Red, to be exact.

After getting input on the ’96 model from its fastest racers, Kawasaki strengthened the 6R’s front end by increasing the thickness of the fork tubes and the inner wall of the twin-spar aluminum frame. Under extreme conditions, the ZX-6R’s front end was prone to flex, and these changes were aimed at rectifying the problem.

But what does all this mean to you and me? Just that the ZX-6R is the same monster-motored 600cc sport bike that nearly took away Honda’s 600 crown a year and a half ago—only now its even stronger.

This time, Kawasaki wants to win, and the only colors they want to see are black and white. Preferably checkered.

The modifications Kawasaki made to the ’96 ZX-6R affected four areas of the already-strong 600: engine, trans­mission, frame spars and front fork. The changes are relatively minor but as we discovered last year, this machine doesn’t need much.

Power output from the 6R’s 599cc in-line four remains the same. The only alteration comes in the form of a more heavily insulated cam-chain tunnel, designed to reduce noise levels. Further down the powertrain, the sixth gear output shaft has been strengthened; fourth gear’s output slots offer better engagement into the next gear. Like we said, minor stuff.

One of the more significant changes was the strengthening of the twin-spar aluminum frame. The 6R’s chassis is similar to the Japanese- and European-market ZXR400, and, as Kawasaki states in its original press kit for the ’95 ZX-6R, “Each part of the frame has only the material required to provide the rigidity necessary to cope with the stress in that area.” Whereas this saved weight, the frame also suffered from a lack of rigidity that showed up in AMA competition. During the ’95 racing season, several racers had problems with the 6R’s frame bending when the front end took a hit during a crash, even a relatively minor one.

To increase the frame’s torsional rigidity, Kawasaki increased the wall thickness of the inner main frame by 0.5mm. To complement the change to the frame, the wall thickness of the 41mm fork was increased by 0.4mm. Of course, the only riders able to discern the difference these changes make would have to be talented enough to have found the problems in the first place. The average rider probably never realized there was anything wrong, so the changes simply mean that the 6R is now stronger and more crash-durable.

Early morning wake-up calls take a half-choke setting for about a minute before the little Ninja is ready to mosey through the daily grind, a task at which it excels. The ergonomic layout on the ZX-6R is near-perfect: Everything from bar angle and placement to the somewhat high but reasonably placed footpegs and flat, comfortable 31.9-inch-high seat makes the ZX a perfect place to spend time. The mirrors are well-placed and provide a clear—if some­what shaky—view of your past. Combine all this with an average 36 mpg and the ability to go nearly 175 miles between fill-ups, and the Ninja makes a stellar everyday workhorse.

An engine as good as the 6R’s can make even such annoying tasks as point-and-shoot traffic navigation fun. A light-pull clutch and slick-shifting six-speed transmission makes using the Ninja’s bottom-end power simple, and getting off the line quickly and smoothly is a no-brainer.

Following the healthy bottom end is a midrange and top-end rush no other 600cc sport bike can match. Starting just after 7500 rpm, the four 36mm Keihin semi-downdraft carburetors really breathe, and a near turbo-like rush of power accompanies them. Like its bigger brethren, the 6R doesn’t rev particularly quickly, but as the tach­ometer rises, power is produced in a deceptively strong, steady manner.

It wasn’t until we climbed high into the San Gabriel Mountains and watched the congestion of Los Angeles disappear beneath us that we were able to truly appreciate the 6R. The rider must first get used to how quickly the bike turns. After jumping off the Moto Guzzi Sport 1100 we had along for testing, our test riders found themselves nearly running off the inside of the first few corners with the ZX-6R. Steering is light and exact, though the suspension action isn’t as precise, masking front-tire traction with a vagueness reminiscent of the ZX-9R. The suspension does a good job of controlling the bike’s weight, but isn’t as “tight” feeling as some of our testers would have liked.

The damping imprecision makes the ZX’s front end feel like there is some slack in the suspension’s action, with the fork traveling through its initial range of motion too quickly. This is especially apparent through quick transitions, where a rider’s confidence in traction feedback must be 100 percent. High-speed compression damping is calibrated well; sharp-edged bumps are dealt with easily—that’s a welcome change from a com­pany that normally builds in too much high-speed compression damp­ing, especially in the fork.

An extra downshift is needed to keep the ZX running strong once above 4000-foot elevation, where the meat of the powerband shifts from 7500 to 9000 rpm and up. Even so, the ZX-6R retains its ability to pull hard out of corners with some simple manipulation of the right wrist.

The comfortable ergonomics that placated everyone in town made one staffer less comfortable during quick street riding. Ienatsch’s notes read, “I feel the seat’s too low; I don’t feel like I’m over the front end enough.” Our other two staffers weren’t bothered by it and liked the comfort the 6R offered, though when compared to the F3—a bike that places the rider high and over the front—the Kawasaki feels decidedly bigger and more relaxed. The ZX-6R strikes a balance with an ergonomic package that feels sporty but is still extremely comfortable.

Kawasaki seems to stick to the age-old adage of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The ZX-6R certainly wasn’t broken, though it did need a small amount of mending. With a few changes that can’t even be seen by the naked eye, Kawasaki looks poised to even the score in the closely contested 600cc sport-bike battle and challenge Honda’s CBR600F3 as class champion.