1994 Kawasaki Ninja Zx6e Specifications
by Christopher Rogers
The 1994 Kawasaki ZX-6E was part of the manufacturer's Ninja series of performance-oriented motorcycles. Alternately referred to as the ZZR600 or Ninja 600, the ZX-6E was a midsized sportbike with a full fairing. Like the slightly larger ZX-7R, a bike that had won Kawasaki the 1993 World Superbike Championship, the ZX-6E Ninja came with more than a few full-race components. Kawasaki ended production of the ZX-6 in 2004, but it remained on sale in America until it was replaced by the Ninja 600R in 2008.
Engine
The 1994 ZX-6 had a DOHC, 599 cc, four-stroke engine that Kawasaki developed through its many years of experience in racing. The four-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine produced 97.2 horsepower at 11,500 rpm and 46.3 foot-pounds of torque. Manufactured with a high 12-to-1 compression ratio requiring high-octane fuel, the 599 cc engine was mated to a manual six-speed transmission. Engine serial numbers began with ZX600DE000001, and went up from there.
Chassis
With a full front fairing, the 1994 ZX-6 weighed 430 pounds. Seat height was 30.7 inches at the lowest setting and 32.3 inches at the standard setting. The bike used a 55.1-inch wheelbase with a nearly vertical 3.7 inches of trail in the front forks, making for an incredibly nimble bike that was a bit twitchy in terms of high-speed stability. It measured 79.9 inches long, 28.7 inches wide and 46.3 inches tall at the windshield. The 1994 ZX-6E had dual-front disc brakes and a single rear disc. Fuel capacity was 4.76 gallons with a 1.11-gallon reserve. In 1994, frame serial numbers began ZX600E-020001.
Performance
Cycle World magazine chose the ZX-6 as the “best 600 cc streetbike” of 1993. The fastest sportbike of the period, the ZX-6 claimed a top speed of 153 mph and could complete a quarter mile in 11.19 seconds at 123.5 mph.
Writer Bio
Based in Boston, Christopher Rogers has been writing arts and technology articles since 1995. His work has appeared in "The Boston Book Review" and on HappyPuppy and Games.com. Rogers was a visiting James Joyce Scholar at Shakespeare & Company's Bloomsday celebrations in Paris. He has studied psychology, comparative literature and philosophy.
