Kawasaki Zx-6 Vs Honda Cbr600 Vs Suzuki Katana 600 Vs Yamaha Fzr600

KAWASAKI ZX-6 VS HONDA CBR600 VS SUZUKI KATANA 600 VS YAMAHA FZR600

CW COMPARISON

JUST HOW GOOD IS KAWASAKI'S NEW ZX-6?

ONE OF DOROTHY'S FIRST REACTIONS TO THE LAND OF Oz was that people came and went so quickly there. Well, Dorothy, that was nothing compared to how quickly the rankings shuffle in the 600cc sportbike class.

We had barely—and narrowly—anointed the 1989 Yamaha FZR600 as the best 600 of last year, when the 1990 models began to appear. Yamaha was not content to enter the new year with an untouched FZR, and announced an updated 600, which once again mates a blue-blooded racing pedigree to a street-tough attitude spoiling to whip anything on two wheels.

That’s going to be tougher than ever this year, for several reasons. One of those reasons is the just-introduced Kawasaki ZX-6, which has already elevated the performance standards for the class to new highs. Another reason is the Flonda CBR600, because it enters the Nineties with 10 more horsepower than before. And even though Suzuki did not introduce its rumored GSX-R600 repli-racer, the 600 Katana returns, with its wonderful balance of comfort and handling.

With so many significant changes made to these sportintensive 600s, we felt compelled once again to determine how the four contenders in motorcycling’s most-popular class stacked up. So, we rounded up all four middleweight blasters and packed them off to Willow Springs Raceway, where we could hammer them from sun-up to sun-down. We followed that with several days of intense street riding and a trip to the dragstrip. After the performance times had been tabulated and the notes from the road had been condensed, two things became clear: The current crop of 600-class sportbikes is the best ever, and coming up with a clear-cut winner is a prickly task.

That’s not hard to understand when you consider that the motorcycles themselves are remarkably similar. Each bike is powered by a dohc, inline-Four with four valves per cylinder. Liquid-cooling is prevalent, though the Suzuki is air-and-oil-cooled. Each bike rides on 17-inch wheels, with the exception of the Yamaha’s rear 18-incher. Three of the bikes use perimeter-style steel frames; only the Kawasaki features an all-aluminum frame and swingarm.

While the four machines have many similarities, there is no confusing them after a short ride. A quick spin on the ZX-6 turns riders into zealous disciples of speed, shouting about cheater engines and rocket fuel. To back up rider histrionics, the Kawasaki barreled to a 147-mile-per-hour top speed, and posted an 11.36-second quarter-mile. Those numbers would have been impressive for a strongrunning 750 of several years ago. For a 600, they’re almost unbelievable. But even better than the amount of power is the kind of power the Kawasaki’s motor produces. This is no high-strung, narrow-powerband engine; the ZX comes on strong at low rpm, and pulls like a mule all the way to its 14,000-rpm redline.

At the opposite end of the power scale is the Katana, which is simply overshadowed in terms of outright engine performance. It’s down 13 miles an hour to the ZX in top speed, and is seven-tenths-of-a-second slower at the dragstrip. That showing came as no surprise, because its 599cc engine has been virtually untouched since introduced in 1988 as a sleeved-down version of the first-generation GSX-R750 engine. Even then, it was a tad off the pace, and given the rapidly escalating performance levels in the 600 class, the Katana has fallen even farther behind.

Off the bottom, the Katana’s engine revs softly, causing nothing exciting to happen until the tach needle swings past 9000 rpm. From there to the 12,000-rpm redline, things begin to liven up, with most of the engine’s power hiding right at the top. That means to ride quickly on the bike, a rider has to keep the tach wavering near redline. Paradoxically, though, the Katana’s soft power delivery sometimes aids its rider in fast going, as he can get on the gas earlier in a corner without having to worry about sliding the rear tire.

Honda’s CBR engine has been around even longer than the Katana’s, but gets some needed modifications for 1990. Honda claims the engine now produces 10 more horsepower, for a total of 93, with the increase gained by way of top-end work that includes new pistons and reshaped combustion chambers. There indeed is a noticeable increase in power over last year’s machine, especially around 8000 rpm, where the engine hits hard. In the range between 8000 and its 12,000-rpm red zone, the CBR pulls as hard as anything in the class. That additional top-end power helps explain the new CBR’s 5-mph top-speed increase, to 143 miles per hour, only a click back of the FZR’s 144.

Other than having a more-powerful top-end punch, the Honda retains its characteristic smooth, broad powerband. It doesn’t lug as well as the Kawasaki, but it is much stronger than the Katana and nearly equal to the newest FZR.

Fast year’s FZR600 engine was far and away the tops in the class, and returns virtually unchanged for 1990, though the bike’s chassis has been revised, with radial tires, a wider rear rim and better front brakes. Our bike last year was a California model equipped with the EXUP exhaustcontrol system, and it recorded slightly quicker and faster quarter-mile times than this year’s test bike, a non-EXUP, 49-state model. Nonetheless, our 1990 test bike, like the Honda, has a broad powerband, though it comes on harder in the mid-range than does the CBR, before zinging up to its l l,500-rpm redline.

As exciting as the engine is on the FZR, the bike’s greatest attribute is its handling, which once again marks the pinnacle of 600cc corner-carving. On the track, the FZR feels firmly planted and more secure in high-speed corners than any of the other machines. In slower corners, especially through tight, twisting sections, it flicks back-andforth more easily and responsively. The only handicaps for full-on racetrack assaults were our test bike’s Michelin A59/M59 radial tires, which heated up quickly, then turned slippery. On the street, however, the tires performed flawlessly. Still, some 1990 FZR600s will arrive wearing Pirelli radiais, which we’ve also tried on an FZR at Willow Springs: If you’ve got a choice, opt for a Pirellishod FZR600.

Because the FZR has a built-in proclivity for the racetrack, it responds almost too quickly on the street; it is so sensitive, any rider input translates into right-now bike movement. Also, its high footpegs and low, far-forward handlebars force the rider into an almost-full-on racing crouch that is uncomfortable for anything but all-out sport riding. This is a bike that rewards aggressive riding with levels of performance street riders hardly ever get to experience. Back off to, say, a seven-tenths pace, however, and the Yamaha simply isn’t a very enjoyable mount.

While the FZR sets the standards for 600-class handling, the ZX-6 proves surprisingly close. Even though it is larger and weighs more than the Yamaha, and even though it has heavier steering, requiring more rider input to initiate a turn, the ZX is only slightly more resistant to quick directional changes. But with its potent engine, it has the ability to make up in straightaway velocities what it loses in cornering speeds.

Better yet, the Kawasaki doesn’t extract the same toll on street riders that the FZR does. It exhibits as much stability at speed, and is not nearly as sensitive to rider input as is the Yamaha. It’s also a much more-comfortable motorcycle than the FZR, with more room and a great seat. The riding position is more relaxed and spread-out, thanks to higher handlebars and slightly lower footpegs than those on the FZR.

But all is not perfect with the ZX. Most obvious is its hair-trigger throttle response combined with excessive driveline lash (see ZX-6 test, page 26). That combination can make the ZX difficult to ride quickly and smoothly, especially on unfamiliar twisty roads. Regardless of this, and despite its larger size, however, the ZX can be made to go blazingly fast, with a portion of the credit going to its new-style Dunlop Sport Radiais, which worked great on

the street, though we did notice some irregular wear patterns on the front after a day at the racetrack.

The Katana is, by far, the easiest bike of the bunch to ride quickly on the track due to its neutral steering and nicely balanced suspension. It responds quickly to light rider inputs, though not with the hyper, instantaneous reaction of the FZR. In any type of corner, from slow to wide-open, bumpy to glass-smooth, the Katana tracks with stability, always staying on line, aided by its Dunlop K655 bias-ply tires.

While the Katana is a blast on the track, it’s even better on the street, especially when the rider tries to go fast on unaccustomed roads. There, the Suzuki’s turning ease and stability combine to provide a level of rider confidence that the other bikes cannot. A significant benefit of the Katana’s predictable, forgiving chassis is that its handling helps the rider compensate for the engine’s lackluster performance.

On the other hand, the Honda’s chassis has no need to make up for any horsepower shortcomings. The CBR doesn’t match the FZR for flat-out cornering ability, but does come close to equalling the Katana for stability and overall rider-confidence—even though it has slightly heavier steering. The handling would benefit from better tires, however, because the stock, bias-ply Bridgestone Exedras are not up to on-track demands, or even to aggressive street riding, with the rear tire prone to slides during hard cornering.

The CBR could also benefit from a more-expansive riding position. Its footpeg-to-seat relationship is as cramped

as that of the Yamaha. The seat-to-handlebar reach is not bad, though it is just a tad less livable than either the Katana’s or the Kawasaki’s. Still, it is much roomier than the FZR’s.

Not surprisingly, then, the FZR ranks last in comfort, just as it did last year. Yet, the bike almost seems to brag about it, with a thinly padded seat and low handlebars that make few concessions to the street rider. But that seating position makes sense the first time you push the FZR hard into a corner, hang off the saddle and lean the bike over as far as you dare. Then, the handlebar position feels right, and the tiny seat becomes an ally. This bike is for noholds-barred racetrack and canyon assaults, and everything from its taut suspension to its hemmed-in riding position backs that up.

Conversely, the Katana and the ZX-6 finish in a dead heat for class comfort honors. They are the two largest motorcycles, and provide the most spread-out riding positions. The Kawasaki has a thick, wide seat that’s comfortable enough for a full day’s ride. It also has the softest suspension of the bunch, which gives a good ride on the street, though it allows the undercarriage to touch down on the track. The Suzuki’s seat is every bit a match for the Kawasaki’s, and the Katana’s suspension is also on par, if anything, providing a slightly firmer ride than the ZX-6’s.

What all this adds up to is four exceptional motorcycles, each with its own character and style. And as we said in the beginning, coming up with a clear-cut winner is difficult because each machine has its own charms and strengths. In the end, the decision comes down to you, the buyer, because you and you alone know what kind of riding you’ll do with the bike. Given that, here are some guidelines:

Someone looking for a versatile, easy-to-ride motorcycle, regardless of the kind of road, or speed, will find the Suzuki hard to beat. Ironically, the low-intensity Katana, with its bottom-of-the-heap engine performance, is the hero-maker here, allowing its rider to blast along with little effort, making fast riding easier than it has a right to be. It’s a streetbike only a hop-up kit away from stealing the whole show—though it may well do that anyway with its lowestin-class, $4599 price. Its styling still evokes criticism, but can take nothing away from the bike’s high degree of competence.

The Honda, on the other hand, looks as up-to-date today as it did when first introduced in 1987. Now, with its power increase, the CBR becomes an even more-attractive package than before, with good, solid handling and reasonable comfort. It’s nearly as versatile as the Suzuki, and with the same price as the 1989 model, $4998, may well be the performance bargain of the class.

Riders in search of a no-compromise sportbike will find only one bike to fit their needs: the FZR. This is not a repli-racer, this is a real racer with lights. The FZR, priced at $5199 (with the EXUP model $200 more), is not a happy motorcycle unless it is ridden hard and fast, so it’s unfortunate only a small percentage of FZR owners will ever get to experience it on the track. But given a deserted stretch of twisting asphalt, and a ruthless right hand, talented riders will be able to make the FZR600—and themselves—smile.

Finally, there’s the ZX-6, our pick as the best 600cc sportbike of the year, even if it is the most expensive at $5497. It’s best because it performs like no 600 that has come before. It has a balance of muscle, handling, comfort and style few other motorcycles ever have achieved. Someone once said that to get the right answer, you have to ask the right question. The ZX-6 is proof that Kawasaki knew what to ask. SI

Honda CBR600 $4998

Kawasaki ZX-6 $5499

Suzuki 600 Katana $4599

Yamaha FZR600 $5199