Ninja ZX-6R

The 636cc four is a supersport engine with a road-friendly bump in capacity, revving to 15,000 rpm and making 124 hp. The 2024 update brought new cam profiles for Euro 5, a 4.3-inch TFT, ride modes, traction control, and a quickshifter. The Showa SFF-BP fork and Uni-Trak shock are fully adjustable, and Nissin monobloc calipers grip 310 mm discs.

The aluminium perimeter frame is a proven track chassis, and the geometry is unchanged because it did not need changing.

The ZX-6R does not really wake up until 9,000 rpm, and from there to 15,000 it is a proper supersport: frantic, precise, and utterly addictive. On the road it is a bike you ride in two gears lower than you think you should. On the track it is the fastest bike in this price range by a distance.

The ergonomics are full race crouch and the seat is thin. It is not a commuter and does not pretend to be.

Sixteen valves at 24,000 km intervals are a long job, and the fairing must come off. That said, the engine has been in production for decades in various forms and is very well understood. Oil and filter are straightforward once the lower fairing is removed.

Track riders will replace pads, tyres, and fork oil far more often than the schedule suggests.

The rider who has done a season on an R7 or a 400 and wants a real supersport for track days. Also the enthusiast who loves inline fours and knows this is the last of them at this size.