Neil's Kawasaki ZX-6R 2007

January 2007 SuperBike Magazine long-termer entry

Well I succumbed. I made the decision to take the ZX-6R back to Kawasaki and get it checked over for the noisy engine. I couldn't help but think something might go wrong and either throw me off or just do some major damage to the bike that Kawasaki has kindly lent me this year. When I dropped it off the technician started it up and, sod's law, the engine sounded fine. Although with the Akrapovic barking away from the back it was hard to hear. The weird noise comes and goes and as luck would have it, it had gone when I took it in. But for peace of mind we thought it was best to get it checked over anyway. It sounds like it could be the cam chain rattling about but as it has an automatic hydraulic tensioner it should keep itself in proper order. I'll leave it to the technicians to look as I am no mechanical whizz. The cold snap of the last few weeks had me donning my thickest winter clothing which is always a pain in the arse. I'm a jeans and light jacket man for the summer (it's only a short commute to work) and wrapping up in winter clothing is such a drag. On a small bike like the ZX-6R, the riding position feels more cramped. Tucking my thick trouserclad legs up to the pegs just feels uncomfortable and rigid and the lack of movement on the bike makes me feel like an awkward newbie rider. I spent a couple of days riding the B-King and Hayabusa we had in for test and stepping back on the ZX-6R was an unpleasant surprise. It's amazing how you can get used to 190bhp in such a short space of time. After a few miles of wringing its neck to gain some speed I reacquainted myself with the baby Kwak and started enjoying its sweet ride. The Power Commander has really sorted the fuelling and pulling away is effortless. Gone is the slipping of the clutch and revving it hard to get past the fl at spot at 2,000 revs, now there's smooth tractable power. It desperately needs a clean and when it arrives back from the big K I can see what the winter weather is doing to the finish. So far it's stood up well to this summer's rain and has come up like new after a soapy wash. As it's due back to Kawasaki by January, it'll avoid the corrosive salt that will inevitably be strewn over our highways. So with only a few weeks left and a Handley junior due any day now it's been disappointing to not be out on it more. I blame the weather/wife/ baby/God/work. Basically anyone other than my lazy ass. Hopefully by next week the ZX will be returned, the baby will have been born, the sun will be shining and I will do my damnedest to get out and give it a final hurrah.

Tidy Rear End
Top accessory firm Evotech (01507 466729, www.evotech-performance.com) has supplied me with a tail tidy to fit to the ZX-6R. Gone is the usual lump of plastic which spoils the sleek rear ends of many a bike. Most of the major manufacturers have sorted this issue and quick-release number plate brackets are commonplace on standard machines. But for those bikes that haven't been blessed with a Kate Moss derriere, Evotech can supply something for around £50. Simple wires attach the indicators and brake light, while a couple of brackets fit it to the seat unit. The hardest part is deciding how small a number plate you can get away with fitting for the road…

Apologies guys and girls for lack of reporting but we have a wanky computer system here that deleted all my words back in September and it's taken me all this time to get over it and do it all again.
The ZX-6R has been overhauled the past few months with some top bolt on goodies to make it faster and more responsive to my slack handed input.
Firstly it was on with the Akrapovic full system for mucho noise (and power), a Power Commander sorted out the fuelling and the usual screen, bling and tyres have all had the once over.
Skidmarx supplied me with a clear double bubble screen. Looked ace at first with its TT tall look and it certainly took the resistance from my aching neck. But I now hate the look of it. The ZX isn't the smallest 600 out there and the screen doesn't help so off it came to be replaced by the original low slung neck breaker.
I haven't had to make use of the R+G crash protectors but give me peace of mind if it was to go over. Still, we have winter to contend with so maybe they will come in handy.
The ZX-6R has been thrashed mercilessly around Oulton Park and Cadwell since my last blog to see how the pre launch hype of it being track orientated lived up.
It's not as agile as an R6 or CBR but the chassis is spot on and really made me giggle chucking it about. Dressed in Pirelli Super Corsa tyres (the best tyre in the world according to me) I managed to improve my speed and general riding around these funny shaped big roundabouts. It bought the best out of me after a year on the bonkers and frankly scary FireBlade. Getting on the gas earlier and the superb brakes later was always going to make me faster and with the extra two teeth on the rear sprocket had the ZX accelerating as it should be of the crate.
The Akrapovic exhaust and Power Commander added a not so disrespectful six extra horses throughout the rev range and has smoothed out the power delivery. No flat spots or bogging down in the low rev range and increased fuel consumption makes the Power Commander a winner in all areas. Check out the video footage of the ZX-6 having the tits wringed off it!

I've tried to keep the bolt ons at a minimum and get some good miles on the bike as it seems so good as standard. Like I have said before, the new 599cc engine isn't as strong as the old 636 and it won't wheelie off the throttle even with the bigger rear sprocket. This makes it less fun and I had to do the obligatory exhaust and Power Commander just to get the extra power out of it. After this comes expensive engine work which isn't really necessary unless you want to race it.
I suppose it is now in a best of both worlds state. Great for the track but still useful for the road. I don't know how many of you have a pop at track days (if you don't you should) so I have to think about everyday riding for most people as I could spend every day on the track!
Change gearing for better acceleration, new exhaust to unleash some power (and a Power Commander obviously) and really that is it. Personalise it to your own taste but it is a cracking motorcycle for everyday use. Comfort and reliability, oh yeah reliability….
I have been sent forums with some readers ZX-6R's going pop. At around 1500 miles apparently they have awful sounding loud engine ticking noises. This has caused the cams to grind and totally fucks the engine. Kawasaki have kept quiet and not issued a recall but there seems to be a good few owners it has happened to. Admittedly the sites I have seen have been in the USA so different bikes to us. Also when I spoke to Kawasaki they hadn't heard of it so maybe nothing to get in a flap about. But if you do think it sounds unusually loud, make a call to your dealer and see what they suggest. Apparently there is a two month wait for new cams from Kawasaki so check it out before it's too late.
Mine has just passed the 2000 mile mark and sounds, well very noisy. Doh!

December 2007 SuperBike magazine long-termer entry
I've had a couple of e-mails from owners of ZX-6R's warning of possible engine failures. Apparently there have been a few reported seized engines with cams scratching and damaging the internals. I have spoken to Kawasaki and they haven't heard of any problems and they certainly haven't issued a recall. To be fair, the forums I have been on have been mostly from the USA, but one or two are from our shores. The alleged symptom is a ticking noise after around 1,500 miles that gets louder. If yours sounds noisier than usual, it's worth a call to Kawasaki or your dealer for advice. Keep an eye on the oil level too. Good job mine doesn't sound overly noisy. Oh yeah, it does. Bollocks. Fair weather rider I have broken the 2,000- mile barrier now which is bugger all for six months of ownership. But as I look out of my office window the skies are grey, the rain is falling and the temperature is the wrong side of warm. Sums up our summer really. I've taken off the GPR steering damper as the steering has been too heavy, and GPR still hasn't got its arse into gear and sent out replacements. I mean, it's been four months of waiting and empty promises but still no sign. The ZX is flighty without one but I'm starting to resemble a fat Popeye, which I could do without. I'm also considering removing the Skidmarx double bubble screen. Its bulbous shape makes the front end look like a GTR1400 and not the sharp sporty 600 it is. It's been great for motorway and trackdays, but now winter is here I'll be doing fewer miles (yes it is possible) and I'll revert back to the standard item. The Pirelli SuperCorsas are looking worse for wear and I'm reluctantly going to have to change them for some wet weather gear. They have been fantastic in the dry, but I might as well run it on the rims for the amount of grip they give in the wet. I used Michelin Pilot Powers on my GSXR1000 a couple of years' back and they seem to still offer the best allround performance. Now, should I send the ZX-6 back to Kawasaki to get that engine noise checked out and be bikeless? Or hold on till December when it goes back and hope it doesn't go pop in the meantime? Tough call...

Dyno Time
Those ever helpful chaps at Surrey's premier bike shack Carbontek fitted the Power Commander and set it up with the correct mapping for the Akrapovic system. A big thank you to Dan and the guys as we always seem to descend on them last minute to do pitiful jobs for us lazy buggers and countless dyno runs. Standard bhp was a slightly disappointing 106 at the back wheel when I ran it a few months' back. Admittedly it was fresh out of the box and needed some breaking in. Now, with more miles on the clock and the Power Commander in place, it is knocking out a respectable 112.5bhp at the wheel. Not a massive increase, but I'll take six extra horses any day on a 600cc. The fuelling is crisper and revs are smooth throughout the range. A Power Commander is well worth the money even if you don't intend changing the exhaust. More power, smoother throttle response and better fuel economy. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, a decent summer...


November 2007 SuperBike magazine long-termer entry
I've been on a much-needed holiday since my last long-termer diary. Actually, I've been on a few little trips away including a weekend to Madrid. A few of my mates were in tow and it ended in the usual stories of pissing in wardrobes in our hotel whilst drunk, vomiting San Miguel in the flower pots of the Spanish equivalent of Buckingham Palace, but best of all was seeing Dave the Goat's face when we took off in our Sleazyjet plane coming home. A bit of a wobble mid-air and sweatypalmed Smithy looked like he was having a heart attack. Not a fan of flying, obviously. The lads in the office played him plane crash videos on their Macs before his flight to Milan this week. He is airborne as we speak. It seems odd – for someone who can race an R1 round a track at 180mph – but flying turns him into a whimpering fool. Hilarious. Leon's approval Back in Blighty, we were straight off to Oulton Park for our latest track day with MSV. The sun shone and everything was perfect. I had a chat with Leon Haslam (who was guest of honour) about suspension set-up for the ZX-6R. He reckoned it was OK on the standard settings having had a bit of a bounce up and down on the handlebars. (I knew it wasn't rocket science, the suspension game.) Stable 'n' grippy After some sound advice, I went out in the next session to get to grips with where it was good or bad. Basically, it was running a little wide exiting corners, and on the brakes the forks were diving too much. I wound the compression on three-quarters of a turn from standard settings, half a turn on rebound and had the rear set at one turn in from fully hard after three sessions. It improved considerably. I could fire it out of the turns earlier with more feeling from the rear Braking was much better because, with less dive at the front, I could point it where I wanted to go earlier and get round the corners faster. The Pirelli Super Corsas are the best tyres I have used bar none. I ground the rear brake lever down on some of the turns which I thought was beyond me. They never let go and you get great feel from what they are doing. If you want to go faster on a track-day, then invest in some top sticky tyres like these. They will make you faster and give you so much more feedback from your bike. Next up, a Power Commander to get rid of the fl at-spot in the mid-range. Dyno time beckons.

Cool Levers
I've only had some Pazzo levers fitted this month, because I'm a slack git. They are shorter than standard, suiting two-finger brakers but give a little more stopping power and have a roller click adjuster. It's a damn sight easier adjusting the brake or clutch whilst on the move. They come in a variety of colours but I chose anodised black with gold adjusters to add the smallest touch of bling! A bit of news on the GPR Stabilizer steering damper I fitted: basically, the oil thickened during the flight from the States making it very heavy. I have it on number one all the time and this is too stiff for the road. I spoke with the guys at GPR and they are sending me a newer version with lighter oil and reworked internals. They should be available in the UK very soon from GPR Stabilizer UK and will have all the pre-production problems sorted.



October 2007 SuperBike magazine long-termer entry

I have a real psychological barrier at times when I am riding. In my mind, the tyres aren't gripping and the suspension is too hard or soft for me to push it. Sometimes the brakes feel wooden or spongy. It's all the excuses under the sun when your mates are stuffing you on a trackday, but it really does have an effect on how I and some of you will ride. The ZX-6R is the first bike in ages that has changed that for me. It's not perfect by all means, especially in the engine department. But the suspension and chassis work so well together, and coupled with some stonkingly grippy tyres from Pirelli, I am riding a bike that I feel totally at ease with. One for the road On the road where I ride most of the time, I have been chucking it about like I want to crash it. But it won't. In my head. I can gas it hard on a roundabout or fast sweepy corners and it simply drives in the most svelte, unsettling way only a well prepped race bike should. I have total confidence in the bike, and this is a good thing for me. I even look for drain covers and gravel in the road (as it's been raining, in case you haven't noticed), to push the bike further and get it moving around in some sick-in the- head, I-want-to-die kind of way. But it's fun and it's making my time with the ZX all the more rewarding. Rubber delight The Pirelli Supercorsas have contributed in a big way. They grip like shit on a blanket from the off and this is contributing to the confidence factor. All I need now is a hot sunny trackday to put all this to the test. Rossi you loser, I'll 'ave ya!


Akrapovic pipe fitted!
So the Akrapovic has at last been fitted. It was a bugger and no mistake taking the stock one off. You have to strip down most of the bike to get at it, but follow the instructions and it's not that bad. I mean I did it meself fercrissakes! It's a two-man job to fit the Akky tho and the ever helpful, although slightly stagnant, Dave Smith was on hand. It looks good and weighs six kilos less than the stocker. And it's loud. 109db to be exact. Too much for our trackday so a quick fix with the supplied baffle had it down to a totally respectable 103db. Time has been against me so the Power Commander is still waiting to be fitted, which means the ZX is running slightly rich. Next month some power figures to see the benefits of fitting a full race system. The Renthal chain and sprocket kit has helped the acceleration although not to what I was hoping for. It goes like it should out of the crate now, but maybe one tooth less on the front would have been better than two on the rear. Coupled with the Akky going on at the same time, the ZX-6R is a more exciting ride with better low and midrange power. And the extra noise makes you ride faster for some reason…


September 2007 SuperBike magazine entry

I'm not going to mention the weather. It pisses me off too much. My last proper ride was at our Snetterton track day when it was slightly sunny and warm, and that was more than three weeks ago. Since then, it has been raining and raining and fucking raining some more. So I decided it was best for Kawasaki to take it in for its first service and a quick once over while I robbed the car back from the Missus. Sticky stuff Pre-service, I gave the ZX-6R a run up to Snetterton to get some miles on it before the track day. Fuel economy is on the poor side with the fuel light coming on after 110 miles. A good 20 or so miles less than Kenny's CBR600RR and Dave's R1 who accompanied me there. Unfortunately, the tyre man didn't show up at Snetterton, so I didn't get to try out the Pirelli Super Corsa tyres that Jim Worland at Pirelli gave me. They are super-sticky race compound (not recommended for road use) tyres that look like slicks with a couple of score marks down the middle! They will have been fitted in time for our Cadwell track day though. The ZX-6R was fantastic around Snet. Handling and braking were confidence boostingly spot-on even on the standard Bridgestone BT-015 rubber. The slipper clutch helped keep the wheels in line, and the built-in gear shift indicator certainly helped me to remember the gears for each corner. A nifty little tool. Missing the cubes I've been hooning about on Ducati's Hypermotard and KTM Adventure the past few days, and the stonking 1000cc engines smacked me back to reality. The ZX-6R's engine is just poor. It may be newly built from the ground up, but it feels so underpowered compared with last year's 636cc. That had plenty of midrange, and endless power. I can close my eyes, count to 10 and make a cup of tea while pinning the throttle to the stop waiting for something good to happen on this thing. Now the bike is back from Kawasaki HQ, I will set about fitting the goodies under my desk to see if I can get some proper acceleration out of it.

Akrapovic exhaust system
I have one of the first Akrapovic exhaust systems in the country for the ZX, and I'm gagging to fit it. It weighs a full 6kg lighter than the catalytic-riddled standard item, and should boast another 6-10bhp with a Power Commander and filter on. I'll get it dyno'd soon as. It is stunning and will aesthetically please the eye from passing admirers. Should be fuck-off loud too. I have banged on about the excellent standard brake set-up on the ZX-6R but couldn't help noticing some pimp, white brake lines from HEL which had to go on! They will also help braking performance as the standard rubber hoses bulge and flex, losing consistency.

June 15th

After a quick oil and filter change on the ZX-6R we headed off to Norfolk for our first track day of the year at Snetterton.
It was a damp and misty start at the track. Kenny obviously decided he wanted an early lunch and launched his CBR600 down the track. Cold tyres. First session. Second lap. Twat.
Not wanting to make the same schoolboy error I piddled around for a good three laps to warm the tyres properly then started to quicken the pace to see what the baby Kwak could do.
Losing ground to the litre bikes out of corners showed how much I need to get the Renthal lower gearing sprockets on. The standard gearing was wrong for the chicane and slow corners where I spent the first session figuring out if I should be in second or third gear. The rev happy engine was much better on the straights and I could see 160mph on the clock down Revitts.
It was the brakes which really shone through though. As standard they are simply awesome. I could brake later than on any other bike I have ridden on track with confidence. The spot on, track focused chassis set up also let me ride through the fast corners without any fuss or objections on its ear flat out. The oe Bridgestone BT-015 tyres have to take some credit for this too. I did have some new Pirelli Super Corsa's to try but our tyre man didn't show meaning they had to stay in the van. Boo.
A nice touch which came in handy was the gear indicator on the dashboard. Instantanious change meant I could see which gear I was in going into each corner which made me more consistent throughout the day.
The slipper clutch was also a massive help keeping the rear wheel spinning smoothly and in line when jumping down the gears for the chicane.
After each session I got off the ZX-6R feeling fresh as a daisy. On the Blade last year I would have been sweating like a rapist in a dark alley and my body would have been crying for a rest. The ZX-6R is easy to ride fast with the minimum of effort. It certainly has the credentials to make me a better rider which is exactly what I was after this year. I have some aftermarket parts on my desk that are going to better the bike further in the shape of an Akrapovic exhaust system, HEL stainless brake lines and a GPR Stabilizer steering damper.
For now the ZX-6R has been whisked off to Kawasaki HQ for its first service.
I can't wait to get the green machine back as there is plenty more to come and I'm loving every minute of it.


May 25th


I've been given by Kawasaki it's recommended chassis set up for the ZX-6R.
The suspension settings are for road and track use for optimum performance.
They are as follow:

Front fork

Spring preload 5 turns from fully open position. 5 turns in

Fork protrude 8.5mm above upper fork bridge

Compression damping (bottom of fork adjuster) 1.5 turns open

Rebound damping (top of fork adjuster) 1.25 turns open (1.5 for road use)

Rear suspension

Height adjustment 6mm spacer

Spring preload 178.5mm

Compression damper for high speed (hexagon screw on rear shock)
2.5 turns open
Compression damping for low speed (screw on the rear shock) 2 turns open

Rebound damping (adjuster at the lower end of shock) start with 19 clicks open and adjust to suit closing up to 17 clicks open or if really necessary close to a maximum 14 clicks open.

Settings are for an average rider of between 75 – 80kg.

Right, now I'm off on holiday to get the bike run in properly before the Snetterton track day on June 11th. I have a Renthal sprocket and Tsubaki chain to fit before then too, with two extra teeth on the rear for better acceleration. Should perk her up a little…


May 15
Howdy folks! After a year away from long-term web reporting (due to technical faults rather than being a slack handed fool, actually it is the other way round) I am now the proud recipient of Kawasaki's latest ZX-6R and here to share my thoughts and advice on how to get the best out of it.

First impressions are that it is green, it looks a bit lardy for a 600 (heavier and bigger overall than the 2006 model) and the 86mph first gear is ridiculous.
An initial test run on the way to work this morning threw up the tall first gear issue straight away. The gearing has to be sorted to get it off the line a bit sharpish. You have to slip the clutch or rev it to pull away cleanly like a two-stroke 125. A couple of stalls at the lights suddenly make you feel vulnerable with a truck up your arse. Not something I am used to after the Blade last year. It only has 50 miles on the clock so once I run it in it will loosen up and be quicker but it needs a bigger rear sprocket for sure. I'm not bothered about the186 mph top speed and for track days the extra grunt out of the corners will be more beneficial.

The brakes are superb and one finger tugs are enough to bring the rear end skyward at fairly decent speeds even on number six setting. I will change the lines for stainless and fit some aftermarket pads just to give myself even more confidence on the track but as standard they are really good. On the track is where the ZX-6R plays its trump card and where I want to play mostly. Reading through the various launch reports and group tests show the ZX-6R to be more at home here than on the road which suits me fine.

On the road though in the first 20 miles I have ridden it, it feels sharp and the initial 'big bike feel' are soon forgotten when throwing it around in corners. It goes where you point it and once revving gets a shift on. The chassis seems a big improvement from the '06 model but engine capacity has reduced from 636 to 599cc to comply with racing rules. This is noticeable although like I say it is only 50 miles new!