After putting a few thousand miles on my 300, I decided to upgrade to a ZX6R, and about a week ago I made the switch.
I was having a few issues with the 300. Well, more like "preference developments" that the 300 couldn't match. In my commute, I was finding I could use bursts of speed to keep me safe and/or just rocket away from a potential bad situation (like a car that can't seem to figure out what lane it wants to be in, or a driver going SO SLOW that everyone behind me are riding my butt because they are getting antsy).
The 300, while extremely capable at reaching the speeds I wanted, just took far too long to get there for my tastes. Having to fall back even further to be able to react said situations instead of just putting it behind me, I didn't like.
I also wasn't a fan of being able to feel every seam, crack, and rut in the road. Obviously, one of the first upgrades that everyone says is new tires for the bike, but I didn't make it a priority since the tires on my 300 were still well within their lifespan and I had no idea if this would actually fix the issue.
Wind? Obviously, this bike is tossed around in wind. It was getting better as I got used to it, of course, but still, if we're tallying up "gripes", this is still one.
And then I test rode a 2014 ZX6R.
There's a bit of a backstory here which I'm sure no is interested in, but let me just say WHAT A BIKE!!
If you've spent ANYTIME on a 300, you can handle the 636. Seriously. In fact, that's really the "theme" of this bike: confidence inspiring. Everything that the 300 is, the 636 is and better. The bike feels more planted, smoother, and just a joy. Taking the bike out on a test ride, all of my expectations were met. Obviously the bike can get up and go, but it can also stay perfectly docile when you don't need the power. My new favorite thing to do though has been scooting around tractor trailers.
THe extra weight and larger tires absorb most, if not all, of those road blemishes that felt very threatening on a 300(Probably what I love most about this bike). So far, I haven't ridden in strong wind, but opposing traffic doesn't push me around nearly as much. In addition, the seat on this bike is just leaps and bounds more comfortable than the 300's. Even in the more aggressive position, I find I can spend more time in the saddle at a stretch than I could with the 300. After only an hour of commuting on the 300, I was ready to jump off. On this bike, I did 2 hours without realizing and was ready for more.
My 636 happens to be that "stardust" white. Whomever came up with this color/finish over at Kawasaki needs to be given a medal. Not only does this bike look great (I'm not even a fan of white vehicles), but it resists those usual scratches and other issues that normal glossy paint is prone too.
The only drawback I can muster is the fuel requirements. The 300 and its 70+ MPG was awesome for commuting. With the 636, I'm only getting 40-45MPG and needing to put in a higher octane. Obviously, this is pretty minute, but it really is the only draw back I can come up with for this bike.
For me, the 636 was the perfect upgrade. As much as I liked my 300, I've been loving the ZX6R that much more. Just sucks that it's getting close to the end of the season where I won't be able to ride that much and live vicariously through youtube videos.
I was having a few issues with the 300. Well, more like "preference developments" that the 300 couldn't match. In my commute, I was finding I could use bursts of speed to keep me safe and/or just rocket away from a potential bad situation (like a car that can't seem to figure out what lane it wants to be in, or a driver going SO SLOW that everyone behind me are riding my butt because they are getting antsy).
The 300, while extremely capable at reaching the speeds I wanted, just took far too long to get there for my tastes. Having to fall back even further to be able to react said situations instead of just putting it behind me, I didn't like.
I also wasn't a fan of being able to feel every seam, crack, and rut in the road. Obviously, one of the first upgrades that everyone says is new tires for the bike, but I didn't make it a priority since the tires on my 300 were still well within their lifespan and I had no idea if this would actually fix the issue.
Wind? Obviously, this bike is tossed around in wind. It was getting better as I got used to it, of course, but still, if we're tallying up "gripes", this is still one.
And then I test rode a 2014 ZX6R.
There's a bit of a backstory here which I'm sure no is interested in, but let me just say WHAT A BIKE!!
If you've spent ANYTIME on a 300, you can handle the 636. Seriously. In fact, that's really the "theme" of this bike: confidence inspiring. Everything that the 300 is, the 636 is and better. The bike feels more planted, smoother, and just a joy. Taking the bike out on a test ride, all of my expectations were met. Obviously the bike can get up and go, but it can also stay perfectly docile when you don't need the power. My new favorite thing to do though has been scooting around tractor trailers.
THe extra weight and larger tires absorb most, if not all, of those road blemishes that felt very threatening on a 300(Probably what I love most about this bike). So far, I haven't ridden in strong wind, but opposing traffic doesn't push me around nearly as much. In addition, the seat on this bike is just leaps and bounds more comfortable than the 300's. Even in the more aggressive position, I find I can spend more time in the saddle at a stretch than I could with the 300. After only an hour of commuting on the 300, I was ready to jump off. On this bike, I did 2 hours without realizing and was ready for more.
My 636 happens to be that "stardust" white. Whomever came up with this color/finish over at Kawasaki needs to be given a medal. Not only does this bike look great (I'm not even a fan of white vehicles), but it resists those usual scratches and other issues that normal glossy paint is prone too.
The only drawback I can muster is the fuel requirements. The 300 and its 70+ MPG was awesome for commuting. With the 636, I'm only getting 40-45MPG and needing to put in a higher octane. Obviously, this is pretty minute, but it really is the only draw back I can come up with for this bike.
For me, the 636 was the perfect upgrade. As much as I liked my 300, I've been loving the ZX6R that much more. Just sucks that it's getting close to the end of the season where I won't be able to ride that much and live vicariously through youtube videos.
