2002 Kawasaki ZX-6R

Make Model	Kawasaki ZX-6R
Year	2002
Engine	Four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Capacity	636 cc / 38.8 cub in
Bore x Stroke	68 x 43.8 mm
Compression Ratio	12.8:1
Cooling System	Liquid cooled
Exhaust System	4-2-1
Induction	4 x Mikuni BDSR36R carbs
Lubrication	Wet sump
Ignition	Digital
Starting	Electric
Spark Plug	NGK, CR 9 E
Motor Oil	Synthetic, 10W/40
Max Power	86 kW / 118 hp @ 12500 rpm
Max Torque	68.8Nm / 7.02 kgf-m / 50.7 lb-ft @ 12000 rpm
Clutch	Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Transmission	6 Speed
Final Drive	Chain
Frame	Aluminium, twin spar
Front Suspension	46 mm cartridge fork with 12-way rebound, 12-way compression damping and spring preload adjustability
Front Wheel Travel	119 mm / 4.7 in
Rear Suspension	Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with gas-charged shock, 18-way rebound, 20-way compression damping and spring preload adjustability
Rear Wheel Travel	132 mm / 5.2 in
Front Brakes	2 x 300mm discs, 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes	Single 220mm disc, 1 piston caliper
Front Tyre	120/65 ZR17
Rear Tyre	180/55 ZR17
Rake	24.5°
Trail	95 mm / 3.7 in
Dimensions	Length 2065 mm / 81.3 in Width 715 mm / 28.1 in Height 1110 mm / 43.7 in
Wheelbase	1400 mm / 54.7 in.
Ground Clearance	145 mm / 5.7 in
Seat Height	820 mm / 32.3 in
Dry Weight	174 kg / 377 lbs
Fuel Capacity	18 Litres / 4.8 gal
Reserve	3 Litres / 0.8 US gal
Consumption Average	5.3 L/100 km / 18.9 km/l / 40 US mpg
Standing ¼ Mile	11.0 sec / 203.0 km/h / 127 mph
Standing 0 - 1000 m	20.1 sec / 249.9 km/h / 155 mph
Top Speed	262 km/h / 163 mph

Kawasaki's ZX-6R was first introduced in 1994 and has been a source of much success for Kawasaki, both in the sales charts and on the race track. The race track efforts culminated in Australia's Andrew Pitt winning the 2001 World SuperSport Championship for Kawasaki.

In a surprising move though Kawasaki has gone over the traditional 600cc SuperSport capacity limit to produce a new 636cc ZX-6R for the road going public. Obviously this capacity increase will bring a small boost in both power and torque.

The increase to 636cc was achieved by the use of a 2mm larger bore, now out to 68mm. BDSR36R carburettors with a throttle position sensor deliver the fuel/air mixture through a new cylinder head.

The 4-2-1 exhaust system appears externally as a 4-1, but features internal baffles for improved mid-range. The main collector pipe has a full-diameter, unobstructed path to the silencer for maximum high-speed exhaust flow. The Stainless muffler uses a lightweight aluminium cover, the muffler bolts are treated to resist corrosion.

Like a lot of the 2002 Kawasaki range the ZX-6R scores a larger shift shaft for improved durability.

Magnesium covers for the head, sump, clutch, generator and sprocket help to reduce engine weight.

46mm cartridge front forks control the front end and are fully adjustable for preload, 10-step compression and 12-step rebound damping. The interior finish of the fork sliders is improve and along with new damping rates delivers a more responsive action.

A nitrogen charged rear piggyback reservoir shock is fully adjustable and provides the facility to change the ride height.

Differential bore, 6-piston Tokico front brake calipers deliver superb braking performance with one 24mm and two 27mm diameter pistons. The semi-floating, radially drilled 300mm stainless steel front disc rotors are 5mm thick to resist heat induced warpage. The rear brake caliper assembly comes directly from the ZX-9R.

An aggressive new ZX-9R style upper fairing gives the 636 a racy appearance.

For 2002, Kawasaki took a novel approach to the highly competitive 600cc sports class - it simply bored-out its ZX-6R engine by 2mm (0.07in) to 68mm (2.7in), making the capacity 37cc bigger. This was made possible by an earlier change - the 2000-model update had replaced the old engine's steel liners with a plated aluminium bore.

The new design gave extra space round the cylinders, which allowed the larger bore. The engine cases had to be modified to provide more gasket area around the larger cylinders, and the cylinder head was modified to provide the optimum combustion chamber shape for the new bore size. The rest of the ZX-636R is largely unchanged from the 2001-model ZX-6R.

Stronger. Quicker. Lighter.

Every sportbike rider wants a clear “advantage” — a technological edge the competition can’t touch. Well, the all-new Ninja® ZX-6R has it. More displacement equals more muscle, so we gave the ZX-6R’s compact new DOHC In-Line Four a displacement bump to 636cc. Next, we added wild 12.8:1 lightweight pistons, electronic fuel injection, a stratospheric redline for peak power, and a close-ratio gearbox to maximize performance. And the ZX-6R reflects Kawasaki’s passion for turning low mass into precise handling. We started with a new pressed-aluminum perimeter frame and extruded aluminum swingarm, then added a class-leading inverted 41mm front fork and Bottom-Link UNI-TRAK® rear suspension with piggy-back shock. Super-wide 17-inch rims, Z-rated radial rubber, and Moto-GP inspired bodywork complete this rather tantalizing picture. So let ’em cry foul. You and your advantage will be long gone by then.

"All-out sportbike performance and aggressive styling" is the best way to sum up the all-new 2003 Kawasaki NINJA® ZX-6R sportbike. Based on the limited edition NINJA® ZX-6RR, the radical new ZX-6R boasts a redesigned engine and crankcase with 37 extra cubic centimeters of displacement, an electronic fuel injection system and an all-new chassis. These new features, plus a host of additional design changes, are sure to leave the competition hung out to dry.

Features:

• All-new engine displaces 636cc due to a 2mm larger bore. Composite chrome-plated cylinders with 5mm shorter skirts reduce weight. The result is more mid-range punch than the competition.

• New cooling passages, new front cylinder head frame mount and oil routing moved to inside the engine help improve efficiency and reduce weight.

• New camshaft profiles with smaller slotted sprockets, 10mm shorter valve stems and single intake valve springs help reduce engine height and weight, and improve power.

• Bottom-Link UNI-TRAK® rear suspension features remote piggy-back style reservoir, stepless compression and rebound damping adjustment, threaded rear ride height adjustment and a special top-out spring for more precise control under heavy braking.

• Lighter, more compact radiator with new ring-style cooling fan.

• All-new Ram Air intake system routes the incoming air through a central intake. Design of the front cowling directs air into the intake for improved efficiency.

• Transmission features closer ratios for third through sixth gears. Revised shift drum cam profile for improved shifting.

• Digital instrumentation in the cockpit includes a compact central instrument for the following functions: radial tachometer, speedometer, temperature, odometer, tripmeter, clock and stopwatch. Shift indicator lamp adjustable for engine rpm and brightness.

• All-new aluminum perimeter frame is lighter, more compact. Rake is 25 degrees. Moving the swingarm pivot forward helps shift weight bias onto the front wheel.

• New front 41mm inverted Kayaba cartridge fork features stepless adjustment for compression and rebound damping. New top-out springs offer improved fork action under hard acceleration.

• Bottom-Link UNI-TRAK® rear suspension features remote piggy-back style reservoir, stepless compression and rebound damping adjustment, threaded rear ride height adjustment and a special top-out spring for more precise control under heavy braking.

• New tail section with lightweight LED taillights and aerodynamic inner rear fender.
Rear disc brake measures 220mm and improved master cylinder ratios improve both feel and performance.

• First for a production bike, radially mounted 4-piston front disc brakes position the lighter yet larger calliper further away from the axle for improved braking efficiency.

• Individual brake pads for each piston distribute heat more evenly and offer more bite under hard braking.

• All-new Moto-GP styling and aerodynamic fairing are products of the research in building the new GP four-stroke race machine.