Motorcycle News
07-01-2008, 06:09 AM
2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636
http://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_02_z+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+front_vie w.jpgKawasaki knew many owners of its popular ZX-6R Ninja series wanted more horsepower, but hands were tied by racing rules. Until, that is, the idea of building a slightly bigger, 636cc engine for the street version while leaving the racier ZX-RR in its traditional 600cc designation. The results are a revolutionary middleweight sportbike that's become a favorite of stunters and cornering junkies alike.
When first introduced in 2003, the 636 was instantly applauded for something heretofore missing among in-line, four-cylinder 600s-a midrange. Twist the throttle on your average 600 and nothing much happens until the tachometer winds its way above the 10,000 mark, but while the 636 doesn't offer the thundering, immediate shunt of a big twin-cylinder sportbike, it does have a surprisingly broad spread of power from as little as 6000 rpm.
Rack that up to a vastly different set of specs over previous models, including lighter pistons that rev higher and offer more top-end power, a redesigned cylinder head and even racier cam profiles. This makes for a sportbike that will wheelie without too much right-wrist acrobatics and the bugger even sports a slipper clutch to eliminate rear-wheel hop when banging down several gears at once. The extra cubes also help the 636 cut a quick line in any stoplight Grand Prix as its rear tire will be biting for traction while your buddy on his traditional 600 is still waiting for the wick to light.
The 636 is a fine all-around sporting package, made even better when the crew at Kawasaki blessed the middle Ninja with a stiffer new twin-spar aluminum frame for the 2005 model year painted sinister black (which resists the worst you and Ma Nature can throw at it) and with a slightly longer swingarm than before for added stability. Down the front straight of most racetracks, the 636 had a good 8 to 10 mph over its 600cc competitors in many cases, and testers raved about how this thing loved being flung into corners more than anything this side of a roller-derby princess.
The power is no joke-the 108 rear-wheel horses can help you reach the far side of 160 mph and can catch the inexperienced off-guard if they're not careful.
The 636 comes with a wonderful, buzzy roar from its airbox whenever the juice is let loose, and the quotient of spine chills can be increased with a slip-on exhaust for a few hundred bucks-which seems to be the hands-down most popular mod, according to our readers.
Ryan Edmiston
"I have owned my 2006 636 for about six months. When I bought the bike it was not in perfect shape (wrecked). But since this was a second bike that was going to be a dedicated track bike I figured it would be a great deal.
"After doing a lot of research on the Web I found that the 636 is a great all-around bike. Great midrange and high-end power (for a 600) and the ability to initiate turns with little effort helps.
"When it comes to the track there is very little this bike needs, since it comes stock with a lap timer and a slipper clutch. I did do the ECU "jumper" mod-this helps with the higher end of the power band. I also changed the brake pads for more stopping power to the EBC double H's. The stock pads left a little to be desired. Also, I changed the rearsets to Vortex to help with clearance in the turns.
"The only real problem with the bike is the stock tires. The Bridgestone Battlax's are like riding on PVC pipe. I switched to the Pirelli Supercorsas. I use them for track riding and street riding-great feedback and are good with heat cycles. But this is an easy fix.
"I have enjoyed this bike very much and it inspires confidence in turns and on the straights."
Year: 2006
Age: 22
Miles Done: 3000 (track)
Mods: Vortex rearsets, Vortex mirror block-offs, Vortex fairing stay, E-Racing fairings, Pirelli Supercorsa tires
Best Upgrade: Pirelli Supercorsa tiresFavorite Aspect Of Bike: "Lap timer and inverted forks."
Riding Style: "Aggressive (track riding)."
Adam Khan
"I saw this '03 for sale on eBay and immediately listed my F4i. It sold within a couple of days and I immediately bid and won the 636. I flew up to Minnesota and rode it 17 hours back. The bike had only 51 miles on it and it looked and smelled brand new!
"It already had a Yoshimura S/S TRS pipe when I picked it up. Since then I have installed four different exhausts and finally settled on a shortened Carbon TRS.
"I installed an '05 swingarm, shock, forks, wheels and brakes. Performance mods include a BMC air filter, race-kit cams, cam-chain tensioner and race-kit ECU. The cam-chain tensioner was the only problem I found on it.
"The bike looks and handles great. I have done a couple of trackdays, ridden from Texas to Arkansas with my wife and used it mostly to commute with. Every couple of months I go on organized country rides where we hit a few curves. I love my bike!"
Year: 2003
Age: 41
Miles Done: 16,000
Mods: Race-kit ECU, cams, cam-chain tensioner, Power Commander III, BMC air filter, 2005 636 wheels, swingarm, brakes and suspension, HyperPro RSC damper, Yoshimura slip-on exhaust, dual-headlight kit, LED turn signals, Zero Gravity Double Bubble windscreen, Scorpio SRi500 alarm, carbon-fiber heel and chain guards, rear hugger Best Upgrade: Dual-headlight kit
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Handling due to the suspension upgrades."
Riding Style: "Street, trackdays, touring and commuting."
Simeon Patton
"I love to take the bike to the canyons and the mountains around here. I live right outside of Yellowstone, so I always get the pleasure of riding there.
"I tried a few bikes before I got it right with the ZX-6-there was nothing that felt more natural than the Kawi! I will bleed green forever!"
Year: 2006
Age: 23
Miles Done: 7200
Mods: Vortex Frame Sliders, Clear Alternatives Front And Rear Integrated Lights, Leo Vince Slip-On, Custom Undertail
Best Upgrade: Leo Vince Slip-On
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: N/A
Riding Style: "Street And Touring."
Michael
"You can play with liter bikes and not have to worry about getting left behind. It's a great stunt, drag and track bike."
Year: 2003
Age: 25
Miles Done: 14,000
Mods: Two Brothers Slip-On, Power Commander Iii Usb, Flush-Mount Blinkers, Zero Gravity Double-Bubble Windscreen
Best Upgrade: Two Brothers Slip-On, Power Commander
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "All-Around Performance That's Second To None."
Riding Style: "Backroad Twisties."
Chris Capshaw
Year: 2006
Age: 30
Miles Done: 8100
Mods: Akrapovic Exhaust, "Jumper" Mod, Vortex Rearsets, Pit Bull Front And Rear Sprockets (-1/+2), Did 520 X-Ring Chain, Speedohealer, Pazzo Shorty Levers, K&N Air And Oil Filter, Clear Alternatives Flush-Mount Front Signals And Integrated Taillight, Puig Windscreen, Kawasaki Seat Cowl, Fender Eliminator, Ninja Tank Pad, Sylvania Silverstar Headlight Bulbs, Frame Sliders
Best Upgrade: Akrapovic Exhaust
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Style. It Is One Sexy 636."
Riding Style: "Street Riding For Now, Trackdays Soon."
Adam Snider
"I bought a new '06 636 from the 'stealership' last spring. By fall, I had over 6000 miles on it!
"Shortly after I finished the break-in period (I think this is the worst part of the bike, and the digi tach too), I took it from Oregon to Idaho with two friends. On the way there, we rode the Upper Spiral Highway and Rattlesnake Canyon. Both of these roads are truly awesome and a great place to test out a new toy.
"The 636 was a dream come true through the twisties, and mine is hardly modified. Plenty of power exiting corners (so long as you don't let the rpms go too low, which is hard to do considering you have 14,500 to work with!).
"The suspension was great, although I have set it a little stiffer since the trip. The bike is light, and the brakes seem to be more than ample.
"I have always called it the little bike that could. It is way less stressful and way easier to control than a bigger bike, yet it is almost as fast until you hit around 120.
"Two of the things I like most about it over a 2003-'04 636 are the ergonomics and the undertail exhaust. The '05-'06 is a little more upright, which makes it way more comfortable to get some miles in, and the undertail allows endless possibilities for custom additions (like the dual ammo cans I made to tour with).
"All in all, I find the '06 636 to be a dream come true. It's a perfect cross between a gutless tourer and a back-killing track machine. If I could get my money back I wouldn't buy anything else!"
Year: 2006
Age: 27
Miles Done: 6000
Mods: turn signals, ammo cans, k&n air filter, yanked lower fairing off, heated grips
Best upgrade: Heated grips
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "How easy it is to ride."
Riding Style: "Street and commuting."
Kylie Enright
"I'm in Australia!"
Year: 2004
Age: 21
Miles done: 16,000
Mods: Scorpion high-mount exhaust, Gilles rearsets, hlins rear shock, Sportech windscreen, HEL brake lines, Power Commander III, Pazzo shorty levers, Hyperpro steering damper, Oggy Knobs crash protectors, Acumen gear and rpm meter, lowered 1.5 inches front/rear, Geelong tank pad, Michelin Pilot Power tires, LED gauges
Best Upgrade: Steering damper
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Owning 1000cc bikes in the twisties."
Riding Style: "Street, but soon trackdays too."
Nick Carter
Year: 2006
Age: 23
Miles Done: 5000
Mods: K&N air filter, "jumper" mod, Clear Alternatives taillight, Puig windscreen, -1 and +3 Vortex sprockets, Yoshimura RS-5 slip-on exhaust
Best Upgrade: Yoshimura exhaust
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "The freedom to get away from everything right away."
Riding Style: "Daily rider in the summer, hopefully trackdays in the future."
Pedro Perez
"I've done several long hauls on her already with no problems. She is also easy to maintain and has given me no hassle, being my first bike."
Year: 2006
Age: 31
Miles done: 16,000
Mods: K&N air filter, "jumper" mod, .38 caliber levers, debadged, custom Kanji (my tattoo), EK chain, spike rear spools, brass bar ends, pinstriping, Michelin Pilot Power tires, painted accessories
Best Upgrade: "I painted the accessories myself."Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Being the smallest of supersports, she still can hang with the big dogs. Also, I consider her to be drop-dead gorgeous and a quick handler."Riding Style: "Street, touring and commuting."
2003-2004 Kawasaki ZX-636
The groundbreaking styling and high-end components set the industry on fire with the intro of the 2003 ZX-636. The first production sportbike with radial-mounted calipers complemented the gold upside-down forks.
The radical body styling was well received, though the dash raised some brows with its hard-to-read digital tachometer.
Average used price: $3100-4700.
2005-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636
There was a total overhaul of the amazing 2003 model, which included an all-new black frame, beefier swingarm, new bodywork, underseat exhaust and petal disc brakes. Further appearance enhancements were incorporated with smaller indicators, while performance received a mild boost from internal engine tweaks.
Average used price: $4800-$6000.
Coming Soon
Do you own a Honda CBR900RR (1993-1999) or a Yamaha R1 (1998-2008)? Fill in the chart below and send some pics to ssbmail@sourceinterlink.com.
Year:
Age:
Miles done:
Mods:
Best upgrade:
Riding style:
Favorite aspect of bike:
Problems:
Anything else:
Photo Gallery: 2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636 - Super Streetbike Magazine (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636)
http://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_02_s+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+front_vie w.jpghttp://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_05_s+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+tracking. jpg
Read More (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636) | Digg It (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636&title=2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636) | Add to del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us/post?url=2&url=http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636&title=2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636)
More... (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636)
http://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_02_z+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+front_vie w.jpgKawasaki knew many owners of its popular ZX-6R Ninja series wanted more horsepower, but hands were tied by racing rules. Until, that is, the idea of building a slightly bigger, 636cc engine for the street version while leaving the racier ZX-RR in its traditional 600cc designation. The results are a revolutionary middleweight sportbike that's become a favorite of stunters and cornering junkies alike.
When first introduced in 2003, the 636 was instantly applauded for something heretofore missing among in-line, four-cylinder 600s-a midrange. Twist the throttle on your average 600 and nothing much happens until the tachometer winds its way above the 10,000 mark, but while the 636 doesn't offer the thundering, immediate shunt of a big twin-cylinder sportbike, it does have a surprisingly broad spread of power from as little as 6000 rpm.
Rack that up to a vastly different set of specs over previous models, including lighter pistons that rev higher and offer more top-end power, a redesigned cylinder head and even racier cam profiles. This makes for a sportbike that will wheelie without too much right-wrist acrobatics and the bugger even sports a slipper clutch to eliminate rear-wheel hop when banging down several gears at once. The extra cubes also help the 636 cut a quick line in any stoplight Grand Prix as its rear tire will be biting for traction while your buddy on his traditional 600 is still waiting for the wick to light.
The 636 is a fine all-around sporting package, made even better when the crew at Kawasaki blessed the middle Ninja with a stiffer new twin-spar aluminum frame for the 2005 model year painted sinister black (which resists the worst you and Ma Nature can throw at it) and with a slightly longer swingarm than before for added stability. Down the front straight of most racetracks, the 636 had a good 8 to 10 mph over its 600cc competitors in many cases, and testers raved about how this thing loved being flung into corners more than anything this side of a roller-derby princess.
The power is no joke-the 108 rear-wheel horses can help you reach the far side of 160 mph and can catch the inexperienced off-guard if they're not careful.
The 636 comes with a wonderful, buzzy roar from its airbox whenever the juice is let loose, and the quotient of spine chills can be increased with a slip-on exhaust for a few hundred bucks-which seems to be the hands-down most popular mod, according to our readers.
Ryan Edmiston
"I have owned my 2006 636 for about six months. When I bought the bike it was not in perfect shape (wrecked). But since this was a second bike that was going to be a dedicated track bike I figured it would be a great deal.
"After doing a lot of research on the Web I found that the 636 is a great all-around bike. Great midrange and high-end power (for a 600) and the ability to initiate turns with little effort helps.
"When it comes to the track there is very little this bike needs, since it comes stock with a lap timer and a slipper clutch. I did do the ECU "jumper" mod-this helps with the higher end of the power band. I also changed the brake pads for more stopping power to the EBC double H's. The stock pads left a little to be desired. Also, I changed the rearsets to Vortex to help with clearance in the turns.
"The only real problem with the bike is the stock tires. The Bridgestone Battlax's are like riding on PVC pipe. I switched to the Pirelli Supercorsas. I use them for track riding and street riding-great feedback and are good with heat cycles. But this is an easy fix.
"I have enjoyed this bike very much and it inspires confidence in turns and on the straights."
Year: 2006
Age: 22
Miles Done: 3000 (track)
Mods: Vortex rearsets, Vortex mirror block-offs, Vortex fairing stay, E-Racing fairings, Pirelli Supercorsa tires
Best Upgrade: Pirelli Supercorsa tiresFavorite Aspect Of Bike: "Lap timer and inverted forks."
Riding Style: "Aggressive (track riding)."
Adam Khan
"I saw this '03 for sale on eBay and immediately listed my F4i. It sold within a couple of days and I immediately bid and won the 636. I flew up to Minnesota and rode it 17 hours back. The bike had only 51 miles on it and it looked and smelled brand new!
"It already had a Yoshimura S/S TRS pipe when I picked it up. Since then I have installed four different exhausts and finally settled on a shortened Carbon TRS.
"I installed an '05 swingarm, shock, forks, wheels and brakes. Performance mods include a BMC air filter, race-kit cams, cam-chain tensioner and race-kit ECU. The cam-chain tensioner was the only problem I found on it.
"The bike looks and handles great. I have done a couple of trackdays, ridden from Texas to Arkansas with my wife and used it mostly to commute with. Every couple of months I go on organized country rides where we hit a few curves. I love my bike!"
Year: 2003
Age: 41
Miles Done: 16,000
Mods: Race-kit ECU, cams, cam-chain tensioner, Power Commander III, BMC air filter, 2005 636 wheels, swingarm, brakes and suspension, HyperPro RSC damper, Yoshimura slip-on exhaust, dual-headlight kit, LED turn signals, Zero Gravity Double Bubble windscreen, Scorpio SRi500 alarm, carbon-fiber heel and chain guards, rear hugger Best Upgrade: Dual-headlight kit
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Handling due to the suspension upgrades."
Riding Style: "Street, trackdays, touring and commuting."
Simeon Patton
"I love to take the bike to the canyons and the mountains around here. I live right outside of Yellowstone, so I always get the pleasure of riding there.
"I tried a few bikes before I got it right with the ZX-6-there was nothing that felt more natural than the Kawi! I will bleed green forever!"
Year: 2006
Age: 23
Miles Done: 7200
Mods: Vortex Frame Sliders, Clear Alternatives Front And Rear Integrated Lights, Leo Vince Slip-On, Custom Undertail
Best Upgrade: Leo Vince Slip-On
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: N/A
Riding Style: "Street And Touring."
Michael
"You can play with liter bikes and not have to worry about getting left behind. It's a great stunt, drag and track bike."
Year: 2003
Age: 25
Miles Done: 14,000
Mods: Two Brothers Slip-On, Power Commander Iii Usb, Flush-Mount Blinkers, Zero Gravity Double-Bubble Windscreen
Best Upgrade: Two Brothers Slip-On, Power Commander
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "All-Around Performance That's Second To None."
Riding Style: "Backroad Twisties."
Chris Capshaw
Year: 2006
Age: 30
Miles Done: 8100
Mods: Akrapovic Exhaust, "Jumper" Mod, Vortex Rearsets, Pit Bull Front And Rear Sprockets (-1/+2), Did 520 X-Ring Chain, Speedohealer, Pazzo Shorty Levers, K&N Air And Oil Filter, Clear Alternatives Flush-Mount Front Signals And Integrated Taillight, Puig Windscreen, Kawasaki Seat Cowl, Fender Eliminator, Ninja Tank Pad, Sylvania Silverstar Headlight Bulbs, Frame Sliders
Best Upgrade: Akrapovic Exhaust
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Style. It Is One Sexy 636."
Riding Style: "Street Riding For Now, Trackdays Soon."
Adam Snider
"I bought a new '06 636 from the 'stealership' last spring. By fall, I had over 6000 miles on it!
"Shortly after I finished the break-in period (I think this is the worst part of the bike, and the digi tach too), I took it from Oregon to Idaho with two friends. On the way there, we rode the Upper Spiral Highway and Rattlesnake Canyon. Both of these roads are truly awesome and a great place to test out a new toy.
"The 636 was a dream come true through the twisties, and mine is hardly modified. Plenty of power exiting corners (so long as you don't let the rpms go too low, which is hard to do considering you have 14,500 to work with!).
"The suspension was great, although I have set it a little stiffer since the trip. The bike is light, and the brakes seem to be more than ample.
"I have always called it the little bike that could. It is way less stressful and way easier to control than a bigger bike, yet it is almost as fast until you hit around 120.
"Two of the things I like most about it over a 2003-'04 636 are the ergonomics and the undertail exhaust. The '05-'06 is a little more upright, which makes it way more comfortable to get some miles in, and the undertail allows endless possibilities for custom additions (like the dual ammo cans I made to tour with).
"All in all, I find the '06 636 to be a dream come true. It's a perfect cross between a gutless tourer and a back-killing track machine. If I could get my money back I wouldn't buy anything else!"
Year: 2006
Age: 27
Miles Done: 6000
Mods: turn signals, ammo cans, k&n air filter, yanked lower fairing off, heated grips
Best upgrade: Heated grips
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "How easy it is to ride."
Riding Style: "Street and commuting."
Kylie Enright
"I'm in Australia!"
Year: 2004
Age: 21
Miles done: 16,000
Mods: Scorpion high-mount exhaust, Gilles rearsets, hlins rear shock, Sportech windscreen, HEL brake lines, Power Commander III, Pazzo shorty levers, Hyperpro steering damper, Oggy Knobs crash protectors, Acumen gear and rpm meter, lowered 1.5 inches front/rear, Geelong tank pad, Michelin Pilot Power tires, LED gauges
Best Upgrade: Steering damper
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Owning 1000cc bikes in the twisties."
Riding Style: "Street, but soon trackdays too."
Nick Carter
Year: 2006
Age: 23
Miles Done: 5000
Mods: K&N air filter, "jumper" mod, Clear Alternatives taillight, Puig windscreen, -1 and +3 Vortex sprockets, Yoshimura RS-5 slip-on exhaust
Best Upgrade: Yoshimura exhaust
Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "The freedom to get away from everything right away."
Riding Style: "Daily rider in the summer, hopefully trackdays in the future."
Pedro Perez
"I've done several long hauls on her already with no problems. She is also easy to maintain and has given me no hassle, being my first bike."
Year: 2006
Age: 31
Miles done: 16,000
Mods: K&N air filter, "jumper" mod, .38 caliber levers, debadged, custom Kanji (my tattoo), EK chain, spike rear spools, brass bar ends, pinstriping, Michelin Pilot Power tires, painted accessories
Best Upgrade: "I painted the accessories myself."Favorite Aspect Of Bike: "Being the smallest of supersports, she still can hang with the big dogs. Also, I consider her to be drop-dead gorgeous and a quick handler."Riding Style: "Street, touring and commuting."
2003-2004 Kawasaki ZX-636
The groundbreaking styling and high-end components set the industry on fire with the intro of the 2003 ZX-636. The first production sportbike with radial-mounted calipers complemented the gold upside-down forks.
The radical body styling was well received, though the dash raised some brows with its hard-to-read digital tachometer.
Average used price: $3100-4700.
2005-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636
There was a total overhaul of the amazing 2003 model, which included an all-new black frame, beefier swingarm, new bodywork, underseat exhaust and petal disc brakes. Further appearance enhancements were incorporated with smaller indicators, while performance received a mild boost from internal engine tweaks.
Average used price: $4800-$6000.
Coming Soon
Do you own a Honda CBR900RR (1993-1999) or a Yamaha R1 (1998-2008)? Fill in the chart below and send some pics to ssbmail@sourceinterlink.com.
Year:
Age:
Miles done:
Mods:
Best upgrade:
Riding style:
Favorite aspect of bike:
Problems:
Anything else:
Photo Gallery: 2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636 - Super Streetbike Magazine (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636)
http://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_02_s+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+front_vie w.jpghttp://images.superstreetbike.com/images/0805_sbkp_05_s+2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636+tracking. jpg
Read More (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636) | Digg It (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636&title=2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636) | Add to del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us/post?url=2&url=http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636&title=2003-2006 Kawasaki ZX-636)
More... (http://www.superstreetbike.com/tested/0805_sbkp_2003_2006_kawasaki_zx_636)