Newbie Here

[Spodiodi]

Hey all hows it going.

Well after many years of drooling and waiting, i have finally decided to buy a bike. It is a 2005 zzr600. I have tried to find the pros and cons of the bike but i can't seem to find anything. a buddie of mine said it is the exact same bike as a 99-02 zx6r but i am not sure. So i ask you all if this bike is good or bad and if you guys have any other advice. i love the looks of it but i want to be sure i am getting a good bike and not somthing everyone will make fun of. lol thanks for all those who can help


Bryan

[QKENUF4U]

all depends on what kinda riding you do, its built as a sport/tourer not a full blown crotch rocket like the zx6r. ive seen them in person and they are VERY nice for a 600. as for being made fun of, learn to ride this bike hard and youll be the one laughing. (if you mean being made fun of by stunters)

[N3GATIVEZER0]

Welcome!

There will always be people with more expensive bikes or with tastes that just plain differ, so if you are going to buy anything, whether it's a motorcycle or a tshirt, I highly suggest you do so based on your own opinion. Btw, I don't have a bike either but it's more of a financial/bike availability thing.

[yagiska]

I happen to ride a 2005 zzr600. Yes it is more or less the 00-02 zx6r, besides the paint job, there are a few minute differences, but it's pretty much the same bike.

It may be billed as a sport/tourer, but it's not, it's a crotch rocket. It's a very comfortable crotch rocket, but it's a crotch rocket, complete with all the speed and handling that entails. My two closest ridding buddies ride a 97 gsx-r600 and a 02 r6, and my bike is just as capable as theirs, plus it looks a whole lot better and is more comfortable in my opinion.

Either way, I don't know why people would laugh at you. People always ask me about my bike. When me and my buddies go riding, people always ignore their bikes and want to check out mine. It's an awsome bike, if you buy one, you won't regret it.

[Spodiodi]

thanks guys i apreciate the feedback. personally i love the bike. i guess the label of sport touring was throwing me off. But one other thing i noticed is that it is carburated(sp?) and i see alot of bikes with Fuel injection now. so when i buy it and get comfortable with it, am i going to be able to get aftermarket parts concerning engine (among other things) for it.

I hate sounding like a rookie here but i guess everyone here was at some point.

thanks
Bryan

[2WheelFun]

Hi Bryan!

It sounds like your destined to be a happy owner/rider. Congrats on getting some wheels under you.

[yagiska]

Yes, it has four carbs (abbr for easy spelling ), and personally I like the way a set of well tuned carbs sounds. I personally don't find fuel injection to be all that and a can of cheez wiz, but it does obviously have some advantages. As far as performance though, I don't believe there is any real difference between well tuned carbs and well mapped fi.

Either way, as far as aftermarket parts, you have a plethora of them, as just about anything that's made for the 00-02 zx6r will work for this bike. The only problem is finding aftermarket body parts that are the right color, but companies are starting to include the 05 zzr600 paint scheme with the rest of the 00-02 zx6r options.

Kris

[kraut]

Bryan,
I have a '00 zx6r and I love it. they're a great bike. I agree with everyone else comfortable and fast. I recomend the first thing you buy is a V2 speedscreen (used to be called double bubble) from lockhart phillips makes a huge difference, and a K&N filter insert helps too.

[Tarrant]

Bryan

Motorcycle Superstore has some parts for it. Check here:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...rtsgarage.aspx Put Kawi ZX6R 2000-2002 in the drop-down menu on the top left of the page. If you look up reviews for the 00-02 zx6r, you'll find more info about the bike. Or, just I could email/post the reviews that I've already found. I'm planning to get the same bike some time this summer.

Tarrant

Admin, please feel free to yank the review if it isn't supposed to be posted.

This review is typical:

"Ian Kerr puts Kawasaki's 600 contender the ZX-6R through its paces on track and road in Spain
The smallest of the Kawasaki ZX range was launched to the world's press at the Ricardo Tormo track in Valencia Spain, at exactly the same time as it hit dealers' showrooms in the UK. The big difference, apart from the weather, was the chance to at least try and push the bike to its limits on the comparative safety of a circuit and then test its road-going manners on some excellent twisty mountain roads devoid of traffic.
The end result, as Kawasaki no doubt knew, was the bike came up smelling of roses on virtually every count, there being little criticism from anyone.
All manufacturers accept that the 600 class is very important with a large number of their overall sales figures coming from it. The reasons are many and complex, but for many riders 160 mph top speed and relatively lightweight and all-round usability is more than enough, not to mention favourable insurance rates.
Kawasaki invented the class back in the early '80s with the GPz 600 R, itself an upgrade on the 550 version and have gradually brought it on through the GPx and ZZR ranges.
The bikes have always stood out as all-rounders, making the designers' job a lot harder, failure not being an option with any up-grades! 'Evolution rather than revolution' is now a phrase that many use, but as you can see it is very apt in Kawasaki's case. With the success of Iain Macpherson in race circles the engineers have had plenty of input into testing of components to improve the bike's performance envelope. The danger is of course that this side of the bike can ruin road manners and make it too tightly focused towards the race track. As the Spanish tests showed, they have resisted and produced probably the best all-round 600 on the roads today, pending the launch of the Triumph!
Considering there was a major redesign of the bike in 1998 to produce a very acceptable piece of machinery, what has taken place is quite staggering and it makes you wonder how much further the engineers can push the boundaries. Losing just 1 gram could theoretically be called a weight loss but in this case they've really shed it - 5 kg!
Old and new engine components were laid out side by side to demonstrate the difference. Just picking up the new cylinder block was enough to convince you, but when you picked up the crankshaft as well as some of the smaller components you could still fell the weight differential, clearly this had been a very serious part of the redesign brief.
In total, the engine has shed 3.5kg from parts such as those already mentioned, but such items as camshafts, sprockets, the clutch and even the ignition pack have all been slimmed down. Magnesium has also been used for some of the engine covers such as the cam box.
Moderate tuning has also taken place, giving an increase in power of 3 bhp and allowing the engine to rev to 14,500, 500 up on the previous model. This has been achieved in a variety of ways so as not to compromise the longevity of the powerplant. The combustion chamber is reshaped, upping the compression to 12.8:1, re-mapping of the ignition and reducing the length of the carb holders for the semi-downdraught Mikunis.
Changes have been made to the ram-air system, which also helps to give the 600 the same distinctive looks as the 900 and 1200 models.
It is not all go, those keen on environmental issues will appreciate the catalyser that comes as standard within the four-into-one exhaust system that exits in one large polished can on the offside of the bike.
Not all the changes are in the engine, styling and graphics are perhaps the most obvious, to ensure the family similarity between the three bikes in the range, but, a lot of work has also gone on elsewhere, some of it minor, but all adding to the overall dramatic effect between this new model and its predecessor.
In the chassis department there have been numerous changes and more weight loss. The swinging arm is now a different cross-section than before for increased rigidity and the suspension linkages get grease nipples for easier maintenance. Obviously those who ride all year will welcome this!
Ball bearings now replace the tapered items previously fitted to the steering head and the fork offset has also changed. Both front and rear springs have been beefed up to match alterations made to the damping characteristics.
Staying with handling, the tyres widths have increased, the front goes up from a 120/60ZR17 to a 120/65ZR17 and likewise the rear goes up from a 170/60ZR to a 180/55ZR17. The bikes tested were all on Dunlop D207 Sportmax tyres developed for this model.
On the braking front the six-pot calipers now feature different sized pistons to spread the load and improve rider feedback. Pad material specification has also changed.
Changes are all very well, providing they have a positive effect and are not there just for the sake of it. My first few laps around the circuit proved they had made a big difference to the bike and in a very positive way.
Having taken the first few steady to allow the tyres to warm up properly and to learn the many corners, I decided it was time to open the throttle in anger along the start finish straight. The speed rose to an impressive 150 mph, but then I misjudged the braking point for the sweeping left hander and I needed lots of braking!
As you squeeze the front hard you need to brace yourself as the twin discs slow things down at a rate that just has to be experienced. At the same time the rear helps keep the back end from jumping, which enabled me to make the corner and not the gravel trap!
As far as the engine's concerned the power was certainly all there without any noticeable steps or surges, it being progressive from any throttle position. Gear changes were very precise with never a missed change up or down, either with or without the re-designed clutch. In the handling department it was never really tested to the full by me, but I had a grandstand view of Kawasaki's new signing, Steve Plater working it hard as he lapped me several times!
It seemed to be an area where even the quick riders were in agreement, little to criticise on standard settings, although a few did play around with both the front and back to test things out in the interests of research.
Another area I found impressive was the aerodynamics and wind protection for the rider. Being well over 6 feet and sitting tall in the saddle, I tend to get something of a buffeting at high speeds from low sports screens.
Despite my size I found the bike comfortable and it offered enough room to get down behind the screen giving considerable protection even when at full chat along the back straight. This feeling of room and comfort was reinforced the following day when out on the road section. Even at legal cruising speeds and sitting normally, the screen was high enough to take the worst of the blast, leaving just enough to take the strain off the wrists.
At the end of the track session it was hard to fault the bike at all and the fact that nobody had dumped one anywhere despite pushing far harder than the average owner, spoke volumes. The following day saw the chance to do some 'real world' riding and test the bike on the sort of going on which the average purchaser will ride the bike. A mixture of motorway type roads, fast A-roads and some tortuous mountainous roads saw the bike cope with them all without complaint.
The lightness of the bike made it easy and stress-free dealing with changes in direction on the tighter going, and the bike proved relatively comfortable and balanced in traffic. The mirrors were as useful as they had been on the track in seeing what was coming up behind and once again the consensus was that it was difficult to make any adverse comments about the bike. The bottom line is that Kawasaki has managed to build a bike that is good at everything, providing of course you want a sports bike.
As far as the opposition is concerned, the Yamaha R6 is probably a better bike for the track, but will not match the ZX-6R on the road in terms of usability. The Honda CBR has lost the edge it once had and the Suzuki is once again a far more track-focused bike.
Having said that the Kawasaki can more than hold its own on the track and it would take a really good rider who can split them up with really accurate and positive comments. On the road though, most will want to go for the Kawasaki.
It has a lot of pedigree, is very rideable and user-friendly, more than competent and even for good riders, is the best choice. Price-wise at £6495 plus on the road charges it is likely to be a real winner!
Ian Kerr"