I have always liked Kawasaki ZX6s and had often dreamt of owning one. The usual problems called money and ability had stopped me from buying one. When the new year 2000 model was launched it had exceptionally good reviews from the notoriously fickle biking press. I still had the Bandit 600 alongside the VFR800 and thought it was time to step over the dark side of sports bike ownership. I had visited Lloyd Cooper Motorcycles at Watford (all hail Lloyd Coopers) and made tentative enquiries about prices etc. The deals on offer were very good but I decided to check against other dealers who were grudgingly able to match the prices but their attitudes stank. Therefore Lloyd Coopers it was and goodbye to the Bandit.

I ordered a red ZX6 J1 and collected it in June 2000. Having shed a small tear from parting with the Bandit I started up the ZX6 and took it very gently on the way home down the A41 not wishing to alert the police to my presence. Anyone who has or does a Kawasaki will know how difficult this is. The temptation to twist the throttle and get the old growl from the engine is immense. It didn't take too long to get the machine run in courtesy of summer evenings and holidays. This was just as well because it is so hard to keep to low amounts of revs that equal about 68 mph. The ZX6 just begs to be revved and to be ridden hard. Its preferred territory is definitely fast A roads and country roads. While it can do the typical commute it has a flat spot at about 3,500 revs which is a pain in the arse for town work. You are either screaming the engine to death in first or second or sitting in the flat spot in third. This is not good in the more noise sensitive town environment. Once past this flat spot the power just builds and builds and you are soon riding at very fast speeds indeed. Mine has seen 3 digit speeds but not those attained by the loonier end of the Kawasaki owners' spectrum. It is, however, early days!

Handling wise the bike is truly excellent. It has much more of an "edge" to it than the VFR, which is only to be expected, but is none the worse for it. I have only started to explore the handling capabilities but can tell that this is a bike that loves corners and delights in being pushed towards its limits. I had intended to discover more of its abilities at Cadwell Park last year but the petrol blockade put paid to that. At least we are now heading for finer days in 2001 when hopefully I can learn more about the bike.

The brakes are good although I've had to learn a different technique from the VFR with its linked brakes. The rear brake on the ZX6 is next to useless and only really of use to steady the bike in commuting conditions. The front brake is where the action is and it is plenty powerful enough to get the back end going light. The gearbox is also excellent and almost on a par with Suzukis for smoothness. Bit of a clunk into first - particularly if the bike is still cold - but once on the move the box is slick with a distinct click into each gear. Just don't rely on the engine breaking too much as this can cause the back end to lock but this is really down to riding style and I'm still adjusting mine to be in line with the bike's character.

For a sports bike it is remarkably comfortable for a big lardy chap like me. The reach to the bars is not too extreme and not too much weight is placed on the wrists. Leg room and seat comfort are also good and the bike is perfectly tolerable for trips of a long duration. No "feet up by your arse" riding position on this bike. The only downside for me concerns the fuel tap and lack of a fuel gauge. Having been spoilt by the VFR with its digital display I find the lack of a fuel gauge and the typical Kawasaki "drop like a stone" fuelling system unacceptable. The fuel tap is in a very awkward position and I have had the bike cut out on me in the outside lane of a motorway because of needing to go to reserve. I now pay far too much attention to the fuel tank to try to avoid a repeat. Mr Kawasaki - if you're reading this please fit a decent fuel gauge / display to your bikes!

To summarise the ZX6 - excellent engine, great grunt, sharp handling, good comfort, crap fuel tap. Perhaps not as extreme as some of its 600cc class brethren but frankly who cares. I'm looking forward to exploring more its abilities.