The Kawasaki ZX-6, sold as the ZZR600 in Europe, is a 600 cc class motorcycle. The ZX-6 series was Kawasaki’s flagship 600 cc model from 1990 to 1994, after which it was replaced by the ZX-6R race replica.
Kawasaki ZZR600 at a glance
| Maker | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Also called | ZX-6 (other markets), ZZR600 (Europe) |
| Flagship 600 | 1990–1994 |
| Replaced by | ZX-6R in 1995 |
| Engine | 599 cc inline four, liquid-cooled, DOHC |
| 1990–2004 engine | the same 599 cc unit |
| 2005–2008 engine | from the 2004 ZX-6R |
| 1993 update | lighter and larger valves, revised cams, lighter pistons, ram air, one-piece aluminium chassis |
| Instruments | analogue, fuel gauge, temperature gauge |
| Fuel system | carburettors to the end, with a choke by the left grip |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the ZX-6 and ZZR600.
History of the Kawasaki ZZR600
The ZX-6 was Kawasaki’s flagship 600 cc model from 1990 to 1994. In Europe the same motorcycle was introduced in 1990 as the ZZR600, and the 599 cc engine powered it from 1990 to 2004. From 2005 to 2008 the ZZR600 used the engine of the 2004 ZX-6R.
The 1993 update
The first generation was updated in 1993 with lighter and larger valves, revised intake and exhaust ducts, more consistent cam timing, lighter pistons and ram-air intake. The two-part chassis, an aluminium frame with a steel sub-frame, became a one-piece full aluminium chassis, and the styling was revised.
Equipment
The analogue instrumentation had a speedometer on the left reading in single mph steps up to 170, with amber indicator lights rather than the green used by the Suzuki Katana. Owners also had a fuel gauge on the left — missing on D-series models — and a temperature gauge on the right, which many motorcycles in the class lacked at the time. Storage was minimal but better than on most sport bikes: room under the seat for the manual and registration, and a compartment on the left of the fairing that opened with the ignition key.
Later North American models
The ZZR600 sold in North America for 2003 and 2004, and in Canada also 2005, was based on the previous generation Ninja ZX-6: mechanically identical to the earlier bike and different only in paint. The updated 2005 ZZR600 was a reissue of the 2001 ZX-6R, unchanged apart from a new, less invasive fairing stay, with the same 599 cc liquid-cooled DOHC inline four. Notably, the ZZR600 kept carburettors even in its later years, so its choke control sat near the left handlebar grip at a time when most Japanese sport bikes had fuel injection.
Design and features
- Calm alternative: less aggressive than the race replicas that replaced it, with useful equipment.
- Ram air from 1993: part of the first-generation update.
- Full instrumentation: fuel gauge and temperature gauge when rivals often had neither.
- Carburettors to the end: a choke by the left grip even in 2008.
Kawasaki ZZR600 versions
- ZX-6 / ZZR600 (1990–1992): the original, with a two-part chassis.
- 1993 update: new valves, cams, pistons, ram air and a one-piece aluminium chassis.
- North American ZZR600 (2003–2004): the previous ZX-6 in new paint.
- ZZR600 (2005–2008): a reissue of the 2001 ZX-6R with the 2004 ZX-6R engine.
The ZZR600 was replaced as Kawasaki’s 600 cc flagship by the ZX-6R, and it sits below the ZX-9R. More models are in the Kawasaki collection.
Video: Kawasaki ZZR 600 auf der Autobahn, GoPro HD Halter hält auch bei 240 Km/h
Video by Motorradmetre on YouTube.
Sources
- Kawasaki ZX-6 and ZZR600, English Wikipedia: model history, 1993 update, equipment, later models
