2009 Kawasaki Zx-6r

2009 KAWASAKI ZX-6R

Greener pastures for Kaws

DON CANET

KAWASAKI IS A PROUD COMPANY with a rich performance heritage. Whenever the green machines fall behind the curve in a sportbike category, you could safely bet the farm that the drought will soon pass. As predicted, the heavens have opened up and delivered the new-for-2009 ZX-6R Ninja, putting Kawasaki back in the 600 supersport limelight.

Since its introduction 14 years ago, the ZX-6R has claimed its fair share of accolades from this magazine and others. Remaining in the hunt within the highly competitive middleweight class has seen the 6R undergo a half-dozen significant revisions or wholesale redesigns during that time. The latest model represents an evolutionary revision: It comes just two years after Kawasaki reassessed its middleweight strategy, abandoning a twopronged attack of offering both a streetoriented 636cc along with limited numbers of race-legal 599cc RR models. While the move has effectively streamlined ZX-6R production and marketing, the midrange muscle of the previous 600 on steroids was duly missed-albeit an asterisk next to its name is no longer required in 600 sportbike comparison tests.

Reclaiming the meaty midrange torque that characterized the 636 was a key engineering goal behind the latest Ninja. So, too, was a substantial weight reduction for improved acceleration and handling agility. The press materials claim 6.5 pounds has been pared from the engine and another 15.5 from the chassis for a 22-pound savings, putting the 6R in the running for "The Biggest Loser" of the year. Kawasaki USA rolled a pre-production unit onto its own scales, sharing with us that the factory's figure is about 2 pounds optimis tic, though declining to divulge the bike's outright weight. Okay, subtracting 20 pounds from the weight we ourselves obtained with an ’08 model suggests the new machine should weigh-in at 394 pounds without fuel-about 10 more than last year’s benchmark-setting Honda CBR600RR but easily leapfrogging both the Suzuki GSX-R and Yamaha R6 in the weight game.

CW RIDING IMPRESSION

At a glance, it’s readily apparent that the 6R is now styled in the image of its ZX-10R sibling. The fuel-tank cover is actually a genuine 10R item, and the twin projector-beam headlamps now each have integral position lamps, lending the nose of the bike a somewhat cross-eyed stare that has some critics rolling their eyes. No under-tail exhaust plumbing and a slightly lower subframe have reduced seat

height to 32.0 inches; this, along with the flat saddle now narrower at the front, will appeal to shorter riders. The seat step is also closer to the rear of the tank, helping lock the rider in position while driving hard off corners. The clip-on bars have also been moved slightly rearward along with a more downward angle for a compact and aggressive trackattack riding posture.

The international press launch for the ZX-6R took place in Japan at the Autopolis Circuit, a Kawasaki-owned race facility used extensively throughout the bike’s development. “We didn’t bring you guys halfway around the world to introduce new styling,” assured a Kawasaki spokesman conducting the preride technical brief. His claim was soon backed by an image that appeared in the PowerPoint slide presentation: a dyno graph comparing output of the new engine with its predecessor. Not only is there a significant power increase throughout the midrange, but an equally impressive boost on top.

How does 132 peak horsepower (with ram air) blow your skirt up? Aside from the longstanding joke that such numbers must be measured at the wristpin clip, more telling is a claimed 8 peak horsepower gain. Applying that to the 101 rear-wheel ponies of last year’s testbike suggests the new Ninja will be a brute. U.S.-spec bikes now offer unrestricted “Euro” output, unlike the ’07-’08 bikes that were tempered to pass our EPA sound emissions.

Even though I logged seven 20-minute sessions over two days aboard the new bike, due to the test venue resting at nearly 3000 feet above sea level, I have yet to experience the new ZX-6R running at full breath. But I like what Eve felt thus far, a very roadworthy spread of power that builds in smooth, linear fashion from basement revs to the 16,600-rpm limiter. In the lower gears, a subtle hit could be detected at 10,000 rpm and again at 12,000 with modest over-rev roll-off beyond 15,000 rpm. I adjusted the dash’s effectively visible shift light to illuminate at 15,500. Making clutchless upshifts on the light’s cue kept the engine singing in its sweet spot.

I dedicated one entire session to lapping at a street paceshort-shifting, freeway cruise speeds, lugging the engine in the upper gears. Maintaining 7000 rpm in sixth gear registers 77 mph on the digital speedometer, with very little vibration noticeable through the grips. Although the engine felt impressively smooth throughout the rev range, past experience dictates a lengthy street ride is needed to fully validate impressions regarding real-world comfort.

When it comes to assessing chassis upgrades, however, there’s no place quite like a race circuit. Looking to showcase the bike’s improved handling, Kawasaki ditched the stock-fitment Bridgestone Battlax BT-016 street radiais to make way for BT-003 DOT race tires in the softest compound available, resulting in superb cornering grip. It should be noted that these tires are not suited for street use, requiring tire-warmers to be fitted between sessions.

Highlighting the chassis package is a first-in-class use of Showa’s Big Piston Fork design that debuted in roadracing competition less than two years ago. A BPF benefit in racing is quick and easy servicing on pit road. While that offers no apparent value to street-going sport riders, the design is also claimed to provide improved damping control in the initial part of the stroke due to its larger piston having four times the surface area of a conventional cartridge-fork piston.

We were encouraged to pay particular attention to the fork during braking and look for improved chassis control when weight is suddenly transferred to the front. Although I overheard a few riders claim they felt little to no dive under braking, my own observation was that the BPF was not unlike any properly set-up fork I’ve raced on in the past, using nearly all of its available travel under hard braking. The bike did settle nicely into corners, maintaining steadfast composure while braking load transitioned into cornering load as I turned-in and reached full lean. I also gained great trust in the fork while trailing the front brake deep into a few of the circuit's medium-speed bends.

Steering effort felt notably lighter than that of the previous 6R, a trait I would suspect is owed to the revised exhaust system’s more centralized mass and also the steeper steering geometry-a rake reduction from 25 to 24 degrees has also shortened trail. An Öhlins steering damper like that used on the ZX-10R has been added this year, and although

it offers l 8 clicks of adjustment, there’s not a great deal of difference between its minimum and maximum settings. Chassis stability never gave me any cause for concern while lapping at a heated pace around the relatively smooth 2.9mile circuit.

So, does the competition have cause for alarm?

Let’s hope so, as it’s been more than half a decade since Kawasaki has had a true 600 that in stock form was a legitimate contender for best in class. We’ll soon have a chance to gather our own numbers, but at the moment it looks as though the latest Ninja may have raised the performance bar with a superior power-toweight ratio and the handling prowess to put this newfound acceleration to good use.