It may be basically unchanged from last year’s model, but the 2008 Kawasaki ZX-6R supersport bike was yet another completely new ride for me on the road. Bold new graphics aren’t the most exciting updates for a new year, but considering the fact that the ’07 Kawasaki middleweight was all new, we can look past that for now.
You see, since upgrading from my provisional motorcycle riding licence late last year, almost every new bike I have ridden on the street has been a whole new experience — apart from the various lighter or less powerful bikes that are LAMS approved, of course.
First things first — what’s new? Not much. The familiar lime-green colour now has black decals on the fairing (love them or hate them), while the orange has been replaced by a funky yellow colour — haven’t seen it in real life, though. Black, as always, is still black — although now with a touch of red.
I like the Kawasaki’s styling — it has nice, clean lines and those headlights look trick. The integrated front indicators in the fairing are a good thing, too. After taking a liking to the Kawasaki supersport bike at Masterbike last year, I was looking forward to seeing how its racetrack-focused performance would translate to the real world of street riding.
A few hundred kays later and it has won me over. That broad powerband of the 599cc liquid-cooled, four-valve, four-stroke engine works a treat out on the open road, with its range of power allowing me to concentrate more on the enjoyment of riding rather than focusing my mind on selecting the right gear.
Whether I was riding through sweeping roads on grippy hot-mix asphalt or banging along on rough old roads, the engine’s response would meet my every command. From first gear to top, the engine reacts with a solid midrange of power and the gearbox shifts seamlessly.
Compared to the Yamaha YZF-R6, I’d say the Kawasaki’s power is a little easier to use, although still not as meaty down low as the Suzuki GSX-R600. It is comparable to the Honda CBR600RR, though. We will have to wait to confirm that in our comparo.
Chassis-wise, the ZX-6R’s stability on the race track is obvious in the real world, too. My only complaint is that it would be better with a steering damper, but we can’t be too spoilt.
Apart from that miss, the steering prowess of the Kawasaki is confidence-inspiring. It doesn’t have the fast turning and flickable feel of the R6, but it does give feedback on a variety of different surfaces. It steers slower, but very precisely.
The suspension is very forgiving, with a soft feel that rides the bumps without a hitch. For a racing supersport bike, the ZX-6R is quite good on both track and open-road riding. A roomy seating position could be a plus for larger riders.
Overall, the Kawasaki ZX-6R is just the same as last year’s model, but that doesn’t matter. It does its job well and hasn’t been outdated one bit. As Kawasaki’s slogan says, “Let the good times roll”.
ENGINE
Engine type Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve,
inline four-cylinder
Bore x stroke 87 x 42.5mm
Displacement 599cc
Compression ratio 13.3:1
Ignition Digital
Fuel system EFI, 4 x 38mm Keihin throttle bodies
Fuel type 95+RON
TRANSMISSION
Type Six-speed, cassette
Primary drive Gear
Clutch Wet, multiplate, slipper-type
Final drive Chain
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type Pressed-aluminium perimeter
Rake 25°
Trail 110mm
Wheelbase 1405mm
Suspension Showa
Front: 41mm inverted telescopic fork,
adjustable compression, preload and rebound, 120mm travel
Rear: Uni-Trak monoshock, adjustable
compression, preload and rebound, 133mm travel
Wheels Cast-aluminium alloy
Front: 3.5 x 17 Rear: 5.5 x 17
Tyres Bridgestone Battlax BT-015
Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W)
Rear: 180/55ZR17 (73W)
Brakes Nissin/Tokico
Front: Twin semi-floating 300mm petal
discs, four-piston radial-mounted calipers
Rear: 220mm petal disc, single-piston caliper
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Weight 167kg (dry, claimed)
Seat height 820mm
Fuel capacity 17L
HOWSITGO?
Power 92kW @ 14,000 rpm (claimed)
Torque 66Nm @ 11,700rpm (claimed)
