Kawasaki’s Super-Cool Ninja ZX-6R Moto Is Back and Better than Ever

The latest edition of the sporty star beautifully blends good looks, punchy power, modern tech and a nice price.

Close-up of a black Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle engine and frame with red wheels against a red background.

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By Steve Mazzucchi

Published 1 hour ago

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Updated 28 minutes ago

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Fans of Kawasaki’s long-running Ninja nameplate will be stoked to hear its back for the new model year, with four versions just announced.

The Ninja ZX-6R “636” is the headliner, joined by the ZX-4R, the ZX-4RR and the Ninja 500, which also gets a Special Edition variant.

Green Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sport motorcycle on a rear stand at sunset. — One of the coolest Ninjas returns with everything riders love and updated hues, including, of course, Lime Green.

The 636 retains all the performance and tech features that make it such an appealing mid-size super sport.

It also scores arguably the best-looking paint schemes in years.

Go Ninja go

The beating heart of the bike is, of course, its 636cc liquid-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine, whose six speeds are easy to cycle through thanks to the Assist & Slipper Clutch.

Rider in black leather gear on a bright green Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sport motorcycle leaning into a turn on a road. — The bike’s power, torque, suspension and brakes guarantee confidence-inspiring control and loads of thrills.

This little monster produces 126 horsepower at 13,000 rpm and 50.8 Ib-ft of torque at 10,800 rpm, stirring numbers geared toward aggressive riding on the track or street or two-lane twisties.

Outfitted with a Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) and a fully adjustable Showa rear shock, the race-derived chassis offers confidence-inspiring agility.

Matte blue Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sport motorcycle with red wheels on a green background. — Possibly the freshest of the bunch, this Metallic Matte Twilight Blue colorway just might be my first pick.

Meanwhile, dual 310mm front discs deliver responsive stopping power, complemented by Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires that maximize grip in a range of conditions.

From a style standpoint, it takes cues from the Ninja ZX-10R, yet presents its own strong supersport attitude with compact LED headlights, a layered front cowl and a sporty windshield.

Silver and black Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sport motorcycle with blue wheels on a green background. — The Galaxy Silver colorway is only available on the non-ABS version of the bike.

The aesthetics are complemented by three pitch-perfect paint schemes: Lime Green, Metallic Matte Twilight Blue and Metallic Spark Black/Metallic Flat Spark Black. (The non-ABS version gets a fourth, Galaxy Silver.)

I’d be remiss not to mention the bevy of tech under the hood, including a Kawasaki Quick Shifter (KQS), Kawasaki TRaction Control (KTRC) with three performance settings, the Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS), Power Modes and Integrated Riding Modes.

Black Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sport motorcycle with full fairing on a green background. — The new Ninja ZX-6R reminds us that Kawi can deliver a black-on-black scheme with the best of them.

Last but not least, the 4.3-inch color TFT display, pairable with a smartphone via the Rideology App, enables fine-tuning of adjustable features, access to key data and more.

Pricing and availability

The 2027 Kawasaki 2027 Ninja ZX-6R (non-ABS) starts at $11,599, while the ABS version starts at $12,599.

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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