2003 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636
636cc | 161kg | 112bhp | 825mm seat height
Dealer price £2250-£3250
Private £1600
This one £2950, private sale
Kawasaki departed from the script with the 2003 ZX-636. By ignoring the 600cc capacity limit in the supersports class (there was the ZX-6RR for those who wanted to go racing), Kawasaki gave the 6R a massive dollop of midrange and side-stepped the common class criticism of engines with a tiresome appetite for revs and frequent gear changes. Seamless fuel injection only added to the appeal. Clean examples are going up in value now, and topping £3000.
Buyer beware
Stock suspension is a little hard for many riders. On the upside there were new-fangled radial front brake calipers and a lap timer. However, those brake calipers can suffer with binding problems due to corrosion building up in the grooves behind the seals unless they’re carefully maintained. Check gear selection from first to second, as this can sometimes be a little sticky.