The 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R breathes fresh life into the almost barren 600cc segment, not just in India but around the world. For context, the ZX-6R was on sale in India until the Euro5/BS6 emission norms kicked in. Now that the engine is updated to meet said norms, it is back on the market, with a new look and more equipment. The Japanese supersport, however, finds itself going head-to-head with the gorgeous and impressive Aprilia RS660. This is how these two motorcycles stack up on paper.
Design
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R receives a new fairing, sleeker LED headlights, a new set of colours and overall it looks sharper and more aggressive than ever. That said, some may find the design to be polarising like the Ninja ZX-10R. The Aprilia RS660, on the other hand, flaunts its Italian design with bold colours adding to the bike's captivating looks. Call it a scaled-down RSV4 if you will, but there’s no getting away from the fact that the RS660 looks as beautiful as an Italian motorcycle ought to.
Features
Both motorcycles are closely matched with each other when you look at the features list. They’ve both got all-LED illumination, TFT display, ride modes, traction-control system and dual-channel ABS. Where the RS660 scores an extra point is that it gets cornering ABS with three-step adjustability.
Engine
The Kawasaki has a 636cc, inline-four engine that makes 129bhp at 13,000rpm and 69Nm at 11,000rpm. The Aprilia’s 659cc twin-cylinder engine, on the other hand, makes 100bhp at 10,500rpm and 67Nm at 8,500rpm. On paper, the Aprilia is at a slight disadvantage but let’s not forget that the RS660’s peak power and torque arrive at a much lower rpm than that of the Ninja. This should give it better mid-range grunt and rideability in the city. The Ninja’s engine offers decent flexibility in the city but when you crack the whip on a fast road/ racetrack, this engine shines. Not to mention that the inline-four sound that it produces is something that most sport bike enthusiasts love.
Hardware
The Ninja ZX-6R gets a fully- adjustable Showa BFF-BP fork and a link-type monoshock. Braking duties are taken care of by twin 310mm discs with radially mounted callipers at the front and a 220mm disc at the rear. The Aprilia RS660, on the other hand, only gets a rebound and preload adjustable KYB fork and monoshock. That’s a tad lower-spec in comparison to the Ninja as far as adjustability is concerned. The Aprilia does manage to pull a point by offering bigger, 320mm discs at the front and a 220mm disc at the back.
Price
Kawasaki’s decision to price the ZX-6R at Rs 11.09 lakh, ex-showroom is commendable considering it costs only Rs 60,000 more than its predecessor while offering modern-day features like the TFT display. The RS660 is priced at Rs 13.39 lakh, ex-showroom, making it expensive by over Rs 2 lakh.
Which one to buy?
Choosing between the Kawasaki and the Aprilia is going to be like choosing between the head and the heart. The Kawasaki offers an exciting engine that’s more powerful, the suspension has a wider range of suspension adjustability and in many ways among the last of the true blue, road-legal, four-cylinder Japanese supersport bikes that exist. Especially after the Yamaha R6 was resigned to being a track-only motorcycle. For these reasons and considering Kawasaki’s relatively wider sales and service network, the Ninja makes for a sensible purchase, especially with the lower price tag that it sports.
But, if money is no object and an Italian supersport is what you want, the RS660 is what you can look at. It is loaded with a more comprehensive electronics suite, the twin-cylinder engine is completely different in feel and character while the design is one of its bigger strong points. Ultimately, the decision should boil down to which bike appeals to you the most.
