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2003 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

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  • 2003 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

    If you are remotely considering buying a ZX6R, I highly suggest that you find one to ride. I have thought about how I came to own mine every time I push the start button. I found it on craigslist, called the guy up, and drove around the corner to see it. Ever since I have followed sportbikes, I've been a moth to the 636's light. Something about it has just always appealed to me in that special way a man's bike should I bought it on sight and drove it home, and I would have paid twice what I did for it. This bike fits me, period. I'm 5'10" ~115lbs, and I love the seating position. Yes, it's kinda cramped but what SS race bike isn't less comfy than a Katana? Get on the bike, turn the key and watch the rev counter circle the gauge to 15,500 RPM as you hear the whirr of the injectors getting ready. Hit the start button and you immediately realize that you are sitting on a missile. These things are angry, ferocious, downright NASTY. There is something of a higher being, an ethereal feeling in your gut that this thing was spat back out of hell. Oh wait, we aren't even moving yet. Reach for the clutch and grab it, with a pull so light it takes only one finger to fully grasp. Click down into first and you hear the idle smooth out a bit as the monster is ready to come out and play. Slip the clutch out and take off, brimming with anticipation of getting to an open road. As you ride over the small bumps in your neighborhood, you will realize that this bike is set up to grasp traction in every little crevice of the road, yes it hurts your wrists if you have too much weight on them. Shift your weight to your legs, this machine is telling you that you should feel blessed to even look at it. You make it to the light and hit your signal as you sit and wait. The engine is now sitting at a deadlock idle and purring, goading you to even think about touching the razor quick throttle with anything but the utmost care and reserve...you wait for wait seems like hours, but the light turns. Perfect, it's time to play.

    Come around the corner in first at about 5k rpms, and the engine is practically foaming at the mouth. It's a full bred rottweiler with its teeth bared, straining against the thickest chain you've ever seen. Hit 7k rpms, slam into second with nothing more than a click and an almost imperceptible clutch pull, grab a handful of throttle and feel the proverbial teeth destroying the pavement beneath. The sensation of raw thrust from a symphony of cylinders singing the most beautiful exhaust note you've ever heard is blown into the puddle in the rear of your skull that was your brain...

    You want more...

    At 9k rpms in second gear the real work is just getting started. You grab 75% throttle, and as you hit 12k the front end goes weightless. You are now mounted on a SCUD missile, bent on destroying anything in sight. The bike is tugging at the reins, wishing you had installed wings so it could fly with the other raptors circling their prey. You are predatory, you ARE the food chain.

    A hard shift into third and you are nowhere near even the mere memory of what the speed limit is on this road. And you have curves coming up...no problem.

    You give a slight blip of the throttle and downshift to second on the brakes as the speed absolutely disappears, with no sign of a wiggle or anything that communicates the chassis is anything less than completely composed. You maintain throttle as you practically PLUMMET into the turn, the asphalt shooting towards you as the genius of a 355lb dry motorcycle sinks in. You nail your apex and see the exit of the curve, a smile on your face as you realize your exit line is completely clear. You accelerate out with a vicious guttural howl emanating from under the tank the hounds of hell would bow to.

    To me, this bike is my Buddha. This bike is my spirituality. It connects to me in a way that is primal, basic, and instills the fear of god in me at the same time. I know at any point this magnificent silver stallion could buck me forty feet in the air if it so chose, but there is the amazing trust between bike and rider that it won't. That to me, is what riding is all about. The almost religious indescribable bond between man (or woman) and machine that feels powerful enough to rend the heavens.

    To me, THAT is what my ZX6R makes me feel EVERY SINGLE TIME I get on it. Absolute prowess.

    </gush>

    So...if you're still reading, I'll throw some pro's and con's.

    Pro's
    -amazing engine with 600 stomping midrange
    -incredibly light, 354lbs dry and trust me, it feels it
    -looks that blow any other SS away (imo, yeah yeah)

    Con's
    -when the rear tire starts to get to the end of its life, it will let you know on a hard launch straight from a light
    -yes, it's a bit cramped, but you find ways to make it comfortable for you, although hardcore commuting pretty much rules this beast out
    -runs a bit hot in stop and go (I've seen 235 degrees in 60 degree weather)
    -underseat storage fits the stock toolkit, a baseball hat, and two gauntlet gloves, thats it.




    90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.

    Originally posted by Badfaerie
    I love how the most ignorant people I have met are the ones that fling the word "ignorant" around like it's an insult, or poo. Maybe they think it means poo
    Originally posted by soulless kaos
    but personaly I dont see a point in a 1000 you can get the same power from a properly tuned 600 with less weight and better handeling.

  • #2
    Originally posted by scottynoface View Post
    If you are remotely considering buying a ZX6R, I highly suggest that you find one to ride.
    I'm not , but now I wanna ride it .
    I am a fluffy lil cuddly lovable bunny , dammit !



    Katrider's rally 2011 - md86

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by scottynoface View Post
      I'm 5'10" ~115lbs...
      Crimony! That's Russian supermodel proportions. -Female Russian supermodels, that is.


      Great write-up.
      =USAF= Retired




      "If you can be convinced of an absurdity, you can be made to commit an atrocity." -Voltaire

      Comment


      • #4
        You should try the big brother, the ZX-14.

        It would blow your mind
        2007 Honda CBR600rr
        2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14




        visit the Twisted Assassins
        sigpic

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        • #5
          A lady down here in florida won a 03 in a divorce and put it out there for 2,800 the thing didnt last 1/2 hour

          Comment


          • #6
            Nice write up! I have the ZZR6, is doesnt look as nice, but it also feels real good to me as well.
            Godspeed
            CSBA #1167
            Renew your mind with God's Word and His Spirit today! Let others see you walking and living by faith! Let yesterday go! God Bless!

            Comment


            • #7
              Very nice bike!!!! Sounds like you're really enjoying it
              2007 Honda CBR600rr
              2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14




              visit the Twisted Assassins
              sigpic

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              • #8
                I commuted quite a bit after trading in the kat for the R6s and it isn't too bad. I have gone on long rides like doing about 300 miles or so in a day on the R6 and I just about wanted to die after that. On my Katana I rode it from Fort campbell, Ky to Joliet, IL which is 457 miles away one way during a 4 day weekends. You will miss the ergos of the kat but once you go through twisties you will affirm your purchase. The 636 is a great bike my friend had a black one and it is a real quick bike.

                If you want some bar risers or anything do a search for GENMAR they make bar risers for just about any sports bike. This is the product I am using on my street fighter though.


                Plus if you want to add a moto GP style exhaust to your bike check out these guys.


                These guys make these in the next town over from where I currently live and their custom tune for the exhaust for PC3 brings a night and day difference to the bike. PC3 really smooths out and at the same time wakes these bikes up. The exhaust is really high quality for the cost and they are great guys to deal with. I have the carbon fiber 10.25 by 3.5 slip on, the midpipe and everything mounts similar to how the two brothers does. It uses the high tension springs at one end and has screws and adapters that work real well. The springs have high temp rubber covers and the pipes are ceramic coated mandrel bends. The bike has a REALLY deep tone to it and is pretty loud.

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                • #9
                  That thing is gorgeous!


                  By the way.....You should probably eat more if you don't wanna fly off the bike at speed. 5' 10" and 115lbs.!.! that's rediculous
                  Some people carry on
                  Some just stay right where they are
                  Our worlds divide

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                  • #10
                    I've done 6 hours in the saddle and had no problems.

                    Originally posted by Zepp View Post
                    You should try the big brother, the ZX-14.
                    I dropped the bike off for tires this morning, my dad sat on a black 08 hayabusa and I found a black and red 08 ZX-14 and loved it. He said we might be able to make it happen...so we'll see.

                    Originally posted by Nero View Post
                    Crimony! That's Russian supermodel proportions
                    Originally posted by Rothman View Post
                    That thing is gorgeous!
                    You should probably eat more if you don't wanna fly off the bike at speed. 5' 10" and 115lbs.!.! that's rediculous




                    I've always just been scrawny. Makes the bike faster!
                    90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.

                    Originally posted by Badfaerie
                    I love how the most ignorant people I have met are the ones that fling the word "ignorant" around like it's an insult, or poo. Maybe they think it means poo
                    Originally posted by soulless kaos
                    but personaly I dont see a point in a 1000 you can get the same power from a properly tuned 600 with less weight and better handeling.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Looks like your pants are about to fall off. Do you duck-tape them to your hips?
                      =USAF= Retired




                      "If you can be convinced of an absurdity, you can be made to commit an atrocity." -Voltaire

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                      • #12
                        Nope, normally my hipbones poke through the denim and the jeans just kinda hang there I'm tellin you a 26" waist is really hard to find when you're almost six feet tall

                        And I've had more than a couple moments where it felt like the wind was going to actually blow me off the bike. Im like a toothpick in the breeze!
                        90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.

                        Originally posted by Badfaerie
                        I love how the most ignorant people I have met are the ones that fling the word "ignorant" around like it's an insult, or poo. Maybe they think it means poo
                        Originally posted by soulless kaos
                        but personaly I dont see a point in a 1000 you can get the same power from a properly tuned 600 with less weight and better handeling.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          It's ok kid . I was almost 6' and 125lbs when I graduated high school . Got my first "real" job , ate like a horse , and made it up to 140 in NO time . Then got an even MORE physical job and got up to 150-ish . I'm getting fat .
                          I am a fluffy lil cuddly lovable bunny , dammit !



                          Katrider's rally 2011 - md86

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Not to TOTALLY jack your thread, scotty, but many years ago when I had a more physically demanding job in the Air Force, I struggled to maintain a weight of 150, and I'm 6'2. Now I weigh about a buck more than that. -Combination of sitting on me arse all week and heavy weight-lifting...

                            Count your blessings. It's just as hard to find proper-fitting clothes when you've 19' calves.
                            =USAF= Retired




                            "If you can be convinced of an absurdity, you can be made to commit an atrocity." -Voltaire

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I am with you on being big and finding clothes that fit. My proportions paid hell on me ever since I left fort benning for AIT and that. I always had to be taped after the PT tests because I am a stocky boy. I am 5'10 215 LBS due to the same thing as you lifting heavy weight, natural build, and no matter what I do I cannot lose weight. Its weird I lose inches off my waist whenever I diet I never lose weight.

                              I used to mess with my First Sergeant all the time who would tape us. I would say things like.

                              "First Sergeant I don't know why I am in here again I really love cheese cake"

                              "First Sergeant I am afraid of vegitables and allergic to salad forks"

                              "First Sergeant I eat whole sticks of butter when I get depressed"

                              He would just laugh it off and give me hell back. I never busted tape nor have I failed a PT test while I was in. I was always better at pushups and situps then I was running. I was really fast at ruck marching(timed event every month at Ft Campbell) and distance running not for speed though. I ran mid to high 14minute 2 miles most of the time and only ran a 15minute once since I was in. I ran a 13 minute 2mile once and I don't know how I managed that. I was determined to catch up to a friend of mine and the sergeant timing us screamed cornwell 13.45 I went to him im like are you seriouS? I have been out for 3 months and know I still have it but I don't have the will to run outside since there isn't really a good place to run by me. So I settle for running 30 minutes on a treadmill 3 days a week just chillin to keep the bacon off my back.

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