Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
| Production | 1995-present |
| Class | Sport bike |
| Related | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6RR Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R |
| Similar | Ducati 749 Honda CBR600RR Suzuki GSX-R600 Triumph Daytona 675 Yamaha YZF-R6 |
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is a Kawasaki middleweight sport bike. It was introduced in 1995 and has been constantly updated throughout the years in response to new products from Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha. The ZX series is what was known as the Ninja line of Kawasaki motorcycles in the 1980s and still carries the moniker in North America today.
Contents |
[edit] History
When Kawasaki introduced the ZX-6R in 1995, it was the industry's first middleweight sport bike with an aluminum frame. It had a dry weight of 401.2 lb (454 lb wet) and was capable of accelerating 0-60 mph in only 3.6 seconds.
With competition from Honda's CBR600F4i, Suzuki's GSX-R600, and Yamaha's YZF-R6 getting more aggressive, Kawasaki decided to make an unusual move for the 2002 model year. They increased the capacity of the traditional 600 cc motor to 636 cc. For riders who needed bikes for displacement-restricted racing, Kawasaki also made available a limited production 599 cc version called the Ninja ZX-6RR, but the 636 cc ZX-6R would be their main mass production middleweight sport bike.
2003 brought many new changes to the ZX-6R. The engine was now fuel injected and engine speed was raised around 500@nbsp;rpm which resulted in a slight gain in horsepower. Radial-mounted 4-piston brakes replaced the previous 6-piston brakes and the front forks were not inverted. Chassis improvements resulted in higher rigidity and less weight. An all digital instrument panel was also introduced and a larger ram air inlet moved to the center over the headlight. The bike carried over to the 2004 model year with just color scheme changes. The ZX-6R won the Supersport category award for Masterbike 2004 and placed 3rd overall. MSRP for the 2003/2004 models were $7999 USD.
In 2005, Kawasaki again revamped the ZX-6R. Engine speed increased again by 1,000 rpm resulting in 105 hp at 12,250 rpm.[1] The frame and swingarm were updated, but the main changes from its predecessor lay in the design. The aluminum frame was now painted flat black, fairings were more round, and integrated turn signals were used. The exhaust was now centrically under the seat (a configuration commonly referred to as an undertail exhaust). Most of these changes were mirrored in the 599 cc ZX-6RR. For the second year in a row, the ZX-6R again won the Supersport category award for Masterbike 2005 and placed 3rd overall. The bike carried over to the 2006 model year with minor suspension changes and new color schemes. The 2005/2006 ZX-6Rs had an increased MSRP of $8,699 USD.
After several years of offering their 636 cc ZX-6R for street use and an entirely separate 599 cc ZX-6RR for displacement-restricted racing classes, Kawasaki offers only one ZX-6R for 2007, and it displaces 599 cc. Previous years of the ZX-6R's engines were all built from the same basic design, but the all-new engine for 2007 was redesigned from the crankcase up. In following with what their competitors had already been doing, Kawasaki's new engine features a stacked gear arrangement in which the crankshaft, primary drive and countershaft are placed in a triangular format for a shorter, more compact powerplant. It's now about 40 mm smaller in both length and width, said to yield greater cornering clearance. By using a former 250 cc Grand Prix racer as the ZX-6R’s chief development rider, Kawasaki claims a focus has been put on track usage. Frame, swingarm, suspension, brakes, and body are completely redesigned and the bike shares very little parts from the previous model. MSRP was increased to $8,999 USD and the ZX-6R expected to carry over to the 2008 model year with just color scheme changes.
[edit] Specifications
All specifications are manufacturer claimed.
| 2003/2004 ZX-6R |
2005/2006 ZX-6R[2] |
2005/2006 ZX-6RR[3] |
2007[4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Type | 4-Stroke, Liquid-Cooled, DOHC, 4 Valve Cylinder Head, Transverse In-Line 4-Cylinder | Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four | ||
| Displacement | 636 cc | 599 cc | ||
| Bore/Stroke | 68.0 mm x 43.8 mm | 67.0 mm x 42.5 mm | ||
| Maximum Torque | 52.0 lb-ft @ 11,500 rpm | 0.8 lb-ft @ 12,000 rpm | TBD | |
| Compression Ratio | 12.8:1 | 12.9:1 | 13.3:1 | 13.9:1 |
| Fuel Injection | EFI with Keihin 38 mm Throttle Bodies | DFI with Keihin 38 mm Throttle Bodies (4) | DFI with four 38 mm Keihin throttle bodies, oval sub-throttles, two injectors per throttle body | |
| Transmission | 6-speed | |||
| Final Drive | X-ring Chain | |||
| Rake/Trail | 24.5 deg/3.7 in | 25 deg/4.2 in | 25.5 deg/4.3 in | 25 deg/4.3 in |
| Front Wheel Travel | 4.7 in | TBD | ||
| Rear Wheel Travel | 5.3 in | TBD | ||
| Front Tire Size | 120/65-ZR17 | |||
| Rear Tire Size | 180/55-ZR17 | |||
| Wheelbase | 55.1 in | 54.7 in | 55.1 in | 55.3 in |
| Front Suspension | 41 mm Inverted Cartridge Fork with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound and Compression Damping | 41 mm Inverted Cartridge Fork with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound and Compression Damping, TiSiCN Coating | 41 mm inverted cartridge fork with top-out springs, stepless rebound damping, stepless compression damping, fully-adjustable spring preload | |
| Rear Suspension | Bottom-link Uni-Trak system with gas-charged shock, stepless rebound and compression adjustability | Uni-Trak with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound and Compression Damping | Uni-Trak with Adjustable Preload, Stepless Rebound, High and Low Speed Compression Damping, and Ride Height | Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with gas-charged shock, top-out spring and pillow ball upper mount, dual-range (high/low-speed) stepless compression damping, 25-way Adjustable rebound damping, fully-adjustable spring preload |
| Front Brake Type | Dual 280 mm Discs with 4-Piston Calipers | Dual 300 mm Floating Discs with Radial Mount, Opposed 4-Piston Calipers | Dual 300 mm petal-type rotors with four-piston, four-pad calipers | |
| Rear Brake Type | Single 220 mm Disc | Single 210 mm petal-type rotor with single-piston caliper | ||
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 4.8 gal | 4.5 gal | ||
| Seat Height | 32.5 in | 32.3 in | ||
| Dry Weight | 354.9 lb | 362 lb | 368 lb | |
| Colors | 2003: Black Pearl, Candy Lightning Blue, Passion Red, Galaxy Silver 2004: Lime Green, Candy Thunder Blue, Pearl Blazing Orange, Galaxy Silver |
2005: Lime Green/Flat Stoic Black, Metallic Raw Titanium/Flat Stoic Black, Candy Plasma Blue/Flat Stoic Black, Pearl Magma Red/Flat Stoic Black 2006: Lime Green/Flat Sonic Black, Ebony, Candy Flat Raw Plasma Blue/Flat Sonic Black, Titanium Silver with Tribal Graphics |
2005: Lime Green 2006: Lime Green |
Lime Green, Lime Green / Flat Stoic Black, Ebony, Passion Red |
| Warranty | 12 months | |||
| MSRP | $7999 USD | $8699 USD | $8899 USD | $8999 USD |
[edit] References
- ^ Kawasaki Weight and Measurments specifications from Sport Rider, accessed 16 December 2006
- ^ 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Specifications article from Kawasaki.com
- ^ 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6RR Specifications article from Kawasaki.com
- ^ 2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Specifications article from Kawasaki.com
[edit] External links
- 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R from Kawasaki's official site
- 2007 ZX-6R preview from Motorcycle Daily
- 2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R - First Ride from Motorcycle USA
- First Ride: Year 2000 Kawasaki ZX-6R from Motorcycle.com
 |
This motorcycle, scooter, or moped-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
