picking up a 80's zx600

[dange]

hello im about to pick up a late 80s ninja zx600 i think either r or rr for near nothing, literally, now im pretty sure it was a 88 but dont quote me on that
honestly i know near nothing about bikes so i figured this would be a good learner so i was going to see if anyone could teach me anything about them

now is anythign swapable between the years? like can i get a 94 engine in the 80s frame?
the previous owner didnt take great care of the bike so i was hoping to somewhat restore it (i buy, restore, and modify cars) before getting a newer ninja/r6/ducati

[Lawn Masters]

Its not an RR, it'd be a 600R, the RR wasnt available till either the mid to late 90's or turn of the century.

if its an 88, it'd be a ZX600C probably. good starter bikes if you asked me.

Dont know on parts interchangability. I know if you want something to fit, you could ALWAYS fabricate the mountings, and MAKE it fit. like an R6 motor in a ZX6 frame or something nuts like that.

[dange]

oh ok, i thought he said zx600r but he could very well be exagerating (hes been known to do that lol)

is there anything special you can tell me?

[z987k]

zx600c and 600r are the same thing.

[dange]

oh lol well that helps to know that! so does anyone know which year parts are interchangeable?

[Superfly]

The zx600r was from 88-97. I think the parts are interchangable through out the years.

[diablo13346]

Originally Posted by z987k

zx600c and 600r are the same thing.

not true there are minor diffrences between the zx6 and zx6r all i know is that if its a zx6.... then theres teh zx6 parts for it and the newer models teh zzx6 thats teh new name for teh zx6 mines a 95 (e)

[z987k]

Originally Posted by diablo13346

not true there are minor diffrences between the zx6 and zx6r all i know is that if its a zx6.... then theres teh zx6 parts for it and the newer models teh zzx6 thats teh new name for teh zx6 mines a 95 (e)

Well I know that my title and my vin say I have a zx600C and it says Ninja 600R all over the bike. It's an 88.
There may have been a 600 without the R, I don't know but I know the zx600c is the 600R. For late 80's anyways.

[Superfly]

Originally Posted by diablo13346

not true there are minor diffrences between the zx6 and zx6r all i know is that if its a zx6.... then theres teh zx6 parts for it and the newer models teh zzx6 thats teh new name for teh zx6 mines a 95 (e)

???

[Superfly]

The ZX6R is a completely different animal, it is not a ZX600r. It has a different body, engine, etc... The first statement of the ZX600R & 600R being the same, is true.

[diablo13346]

well teh zx6 i know for a fact and the zzx6 are identical, the zx6r and zx6r are diffrent with very few interchangables

[Bhavesh]

this is the worst discrepancy discussion ever

[diablo13346]

Originally Posted by Bhavesh

this is the worst discrepancy discussion ever

explain cuz u jsut cant make a little b----- comment and run off

[itjstagame]

Diablo, we're saying ZX600, not ZX6, they're different. If I recall, the first ZX6 was actually a ZX600E ? Or was the D the first? Basically, there is a model number for that year, and a line name.

I mean to say, from 1988-1997 you could buy a 600R, model numbers: ZX600C1-ZX600C10, later you could buy a ZX6R, model number ZX600E1- whatever.

As to the original question, the 600R is the ZX600C, parts should be fully compatible from 1988-1997, but you have to watch out, because you need ZX600C; ZX600D and ZX600E are different bikes.

If you want to know more about your bike there's a great thread out there that's about 20 pages long that's SOLELY for the 600R. We've talked about the limited tire choices, rebuilding the carbs, etc etc. http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/fo...r-88-97-a.html Btw, I have an '88, I love it, great learner bike. I hope it's an '88, the 600R was a very nice bike, many differences over the '85-'87 ZX600A.

As for swapping an engine, the ZX600C engine from '94 would fit, but I don't think there'd be much point. I'm pretty sure it was the same engine with the same design and same power all through the years. Unless of course you want to fabricate in another engine (like an R6 ), but with the older suspension and frame design... it's probably not a good idea.

Actually, wasn't the engine a stressed member? ie. basically part of the frames rigidity?

[diablo13346]

well its ok that your talking about diff models its just confusing how kawi did numbers cuz theres zx6, zx600 zx6r, 600r it jsut confuses me cuz its the first 809's motorcycle ive seen a question about on here well i like tehres beena few

[flame220]

Hi, here's a heads up on the ZX600

The original ZX600 ....Ninja 600R (ZX600A... also known as the GPZ600R in other parts of the world) had a perimeter frame that was either steel painted silver (ZX600A) or aluminium (ZX600B).
The 'B' was replaced in '88 ( there will be a few '89 registered) by the ZX600C, this model was sold until approx '94 as the Ninja 600R in the US / Canada & as the GPX600R in the rest of the world.

I have a '88 UK spec ZX600C & a '89 US spec ZX600C so if I can be of any help please ask

The motor from a ZX600A will go straight into a C & the other way round too ( early A motors were bucket & shim under the camshafts, they were approx 70BHP, the '88 onwards motors got a different cylinder head with rockers & screw/ locknut adjustment, that motor is 85 BHP).
A lot of the parts are interchangable between the different models ( A forks will swop with C forks etc. etc. but there are a few detail differences, the igniters, regulator/rectifiers etc. will all swop over).

To identify the bike is easy.... if you can see the carbs from the side of the bike its an A (painted steel frame) or B (aluminium frame) , if it has black vinyl panels on both sides of the gas tank its a C.

The ZX600E (ZZR600) is a different beast (approx 100BHP) & I do not think much is interchangable... it has 17" wheels ( both the others have 16" wheels), the motor is different ( the inlet is a lot straighter than on the A/B/C so the carbs may be higher under the tank so possibly not fit under the tank ( A or B) or inside the frame (C). Hope that explains things for you)

They are a real good bike & when they were new they were serious competition for the Honda CBR600.


This is a ZX600A or ZX600B


http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2005/05/...359617-800.jpg



This is a ZX600C


http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2005/06/...383792-800.jpg


This is the ZX600E

http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2001/07/...-4545-full.jpg

[carlriddle]

I bought a zx600 motor out of bike and was told it was a '94, but now I'm confused. The number on the motor is ZX600AE095354, anyone know for sure as I still need some more electrical parts to get this thing running. Also need a better idea of the wiring harness as to where the major pieces really plug too? I hope the the parts I've bought really are for this motor. Thanks.

[Bhavesh]

Originally Posted by diablo13346

explain cuz u jsut cant make a little b----- comment and run off

*sigh*

do I really have to??

you want an explanation? look for a 26 page thread I started called "anyone have a zx600c? Ninja 600R 88-97", and read my responses...you can trust that I KNOW the correct model designation and marketing names when it comes to that bike.

The debate has been brought up on MULTIPLE occasions, and I've tried clearing up the confusion each time. But this time, this thread is beyond saving, and beyond the effort I want to put into it trying to save it.

The problems are:
-I know which bike the original poster has.
-Some people also know which bike the original poster has.
-Other people THINK they know which bike the original poster has, and are posting conflicting information.
-Some people are bringing in outside information, which is being confused with the original information.
-People are responding to the "wrong information"
-Some people are trying to straighten out the wrong information with the right information...but for other people following the thread, who can they trust to be right?

So in essence, trying to clear up the confusion will NOT work. There are too many people to correct, and too many discrepancies to straighten out.

Unless you want me to explain EVERY one of those minisculine issues, then trust me when I say that this is the "worst discrepancy discussion ever".

Ok, so yes...I do agree that the way I said it was a pretty harsh statement, so let me rephrase it:

"This thread has too many conflicting sources of incorrect information. Any attempt to straighten it all out would be futile."

Someone want to back me up here?

[danallen636]

diablo, no offince dude but i cant figure out what the **** your trying to say in most of your posts. try to work on the spelling and grammer or my headache might never go away.
thanks

[SlowNinja]

Originally Posted by carlriddle

I bought a zx600 motor out of bike and was told it was a '94, but now I'm confused. The number on the motor is ZX600AE095354, anyone know for sure as I still need some more electrical parts to get this thing running. Also need a better idea of the wiring harness as to where the major pieces really plug too? I hope the the parts I've bought really are for this motor. Thanks.

The number on my engine is ZX600AE104446. My bike is a '97, so maybe that makes sense compared to yours. 88-97 are the same bike, so this engine will drop in and hook up perfectly. If you are certain yours is an '88.......