LOCAL SPINS
KAWASAKI NINJA ZX 6R
SHADOW OF THE NINJA
IT’ S DEFINITELY FASTER AND MORE AGILE THAN ITS COUSINS, THE ER-6N AND THE NAKED SPORTS Z800
By pHiLip CHOng
B ehold the 2013 edition of the
famed Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. It’ s also known by its other name, the Ninja 636, due to its higher engine capacity as opposed to the 599cc used by Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha for their respective Supersports category of sportsbikes.
The additional 37cc is made possible by the use of a bigger bore in the engine design.
However, despite being a middleweight sportsbike, the Ninja looks huge, akin to a 1,000cc bike from rival makes. Despite the large fuel tank appearance, it is designed to accommodate 17 litres of petrol( RON95 or 97 is OK) only.
Kawasaki introduced the ZX-6R in 1995, sharing very similar looks and features to the ZX-9R which was introduced in 1994 as well as the ram-air intake found on the 1990 edition of the ZX-11. The first ZX-6R had a dry weight of 182kg, a wet weight of 206 kg, and was capable of accelerating 0 to 100km / h in 3.7 seconds.
One of the advantages offered by the new Ninja ZX-6R’ s 37cc displacement increase is significant real world riding exhilaration, which makes it ideal to ride around even in the city’ s traffic. With its enhanced engine performance across the rpm range, the Ninja is well mannered when it comes to leisure sport riding, whether in the city, suburbs, hilly terrain( like going up to Genting Highlands) or on the racetrack.
The Ninja’ s revised low and mid-range torque also offers the rider increased usability in daily street riding, thanks to its aerodynamic design, which appears to flow from front to rear. Its revised front cowl with its dragon-like sharp nose, coupled with the new fairings with large openings, provide increased airflow for a well-balanced ride. And the new headlamps and LED tail-light contribute to the Ninja ZX-6R’ s aggressive image.
However, at 192kg and with an overall length that rivals the Honda CBR1000RR, the new Ninja is a bit off the scale despite its 636cc package.
It is definitely faster and more agile than its own cousins, the ER-6N and the naked sports Z800, and holds a slight advantage over the CBR600RR and Yamaha’ s YZR-R6, but it will
Riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.
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