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Finally, I was able to experience this Kawasaki. For a long time I was waiting for a meeting with him, and he did not disappoint. On straight lines, the most powerful of the "classmates" bike rushed forward with even more assertiveness than its predecessor before, the engine spun up to 15, 000 rpm - and I, laying down on the gas tank, developed 250 km / h. And he listened to what was going on in him, how he behaved …
The chassis could be used to full, at least in most cases. Tires Bridgestone BT-014 perfectly adhered to any surface (on wet - worse), the motorcycle clearly and accurately passed corners. Equally important for this stability is a new, softer suspension that “swallows” all the bumps on which the previous “six” would bounce like an angry monkey.
Two years ago, the ZX-6R did a lot to restore Kawasaki's reputation. And the current one, if for achievements in the "Supersport 600" class they gave a prize to the best motorcycle, no doubt, would have received it. Involuntarily asking for comparisons. Yamaha designers made fewer changes to the YZF-R6, on Honda they only reduced the weight of the CBR600RR, on Triumph they limited themselves to changes in the engine, and Suzuki engineers generally improved the GSX-R only in even years … At Kawasaki they upgraded the ZX-6R thoroughly.
In addition to external transformations (a high-muffled silencer appeared at the rear of the motorcycle), work was carried out in three directions: power, chassis controllability, and aerodynamics. At a press conference, they said that the task was to expand the capabilities of the 636 cc “four”, and project manager Yukikazi Sumitomo clarified that the new ZX-6R was designed to demonstrate the outstanding technical capabilities of a sports bike on the track, and not on city roads.
Even a short test session on the wet Almeria proved that the advanced Kawasaki engine turned the ZX-6R into a machine that raises the bar for technical requirements in the six hundred market: maximum power 128 hp at 14, 000 rpm (134 hp with inertial boost). I will clarify: ZX-6R added 12 hp Compared with last year’s model and, at least on paper, it outperformed its rivals by 10 horses.
The upgraded Kawasaki motor benefited from the new twin nozzles, more “humped” camshafts, enlarged valves and increased compression ratio. There is no doubt: in his class, he will select all the awards for the highest speed, and she approached 270 km / h. At the same time, the 16-valve engine runs smoothly. The 9000 rpm pickup is quite strong, but the response to gas and in the middle range is also excellent, and at low revs the engine with the new exhaust valves did not work worse. This confirmed Kawasaki's information: the engine is a bit more powerful over the entire rev range.
But then I was disappointed: when I tilted my head forward and opened the gas, I realized that from the air filter housing ZX-6R … I could not hear the roar that the predecessor emitted. No, it sounds good, but for some reason it’s much quieter … I figured it out - because there is a thicker air filter. Kawasaki developers explained that this is to increase driver comfort. Do not consider me an overly emotional adrenaline rimmer, but, in my opinion, if the bike is capable of incredible speeds, I would prefer it to amaze all the senses. Even more doubtful is the attempt of designers to increase maximum speed through the use of racing aerodynamics.
