Kawasaki ZX-6R 2024 By Ben Purvis
Until a couple of decades ago, the 600 cc four-cylinder sports bike was a towering presence in the sales charts in Europe and elsewhere, but the rise of the adventure bike and an ever-greater focus on track supremacy rather than all-rounder appeal has seen sales dwindle to the point that none of the Japanese 'big four' saw fit to upgrade their supersports models to meet Euro 5 emissions rules.
That means Europe has been without a four-cylinder 600 cc supersport bike option since Euro 5 came into force in 2021, but for 2024, Kawasaki has made the surprise decision to revamp its ZX-6R and bring it into line with the latest emissions limits.
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Although restyled and reengineered, Kawasaki doesn't expect a huge resurgence in supersport sales, so the updates to the ZX-6R are moderate. The engine is the same four-cylinder as before - using the slightly-too-large 636 cc capacity of the previous model - but features new cam profiles, revised intakes and a new exhaust header, collector and catalyst to sneak under the Euro 5 emissions limits.
The result is a slight dip in peak power, dropping from 95.4 kW (128 hp) to 91 kW (122 hp), arriving 500 rpm lower in the rev range than before at 13,000 rpm. At high speed, Kawasaki reckons its ram-air system claws back most of that reduction, bringing power up to 95.2 kW. Peak torque is now 69 Nm, arriving at 10,800 rpm.
The Showa SFF-BP forks and Uni-Trak rear suspension are the same as the last generation of ZX-6R, as is the rest of the chassis and the brakes, although the old model's petal-style 310 mm discs are switched for conventional round ones.
There are styling changes for the 2024 model, with a new front fairing and LED headlights, while the on-board tech also gets an overdue rethink, finally gaining a colour TFT dashboard - albeit a small 4.3-inch one - with phone connectivity via Kawasaki's Rideology app. There are four power modes - Sport, Rain, Road and Rider (a customisable setting) - but the ZX-6R's essential age still shows in the lack of modern rider aids like cornering traction control or lean-sensitive ABS.
The bike's reintroduction to Europe, and its styling revamp, piles new pressure onto its rivals. Will the likes of Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki react with their own Euro 5-compliant 600s? They're sure to be watching the ZX-6R's sales figures with interest.
