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My 2003 ZX636R, Pros and Cons

4162 Views 50 Replies 26 Participants Last post by  Brucelee, 
T
I got the bike in Silver. Very sweet. I payed $8,300 USD out the door. I could've gotten it for $8,000 out the door if I could wait 2 weeks. But odvously I couldn't! I had a 96 ZX6R and there are some pretty big differances. When I first got on the bike I thought it felt a little flimsy but after riding it for a few days the bike really prooved me wrong. Now I feel it is a very sturdy bike. The biggest cons about the bike is #1 my wrists hurt so much after riding it for anything over an hour. #2 The seating position is almost like a slide. You really need to squeeze tight with your knees just so you dont crush your balls. (I guess over in Japan they have little nuts and its not so much a problem) also my legs get pretty sore because the 2003 riding position is like the fetal position! I'm 6'4" 200lbs so I feel like this bike isn't really ment for me. #3 there is no adjustment for the clutch handle, so my hand getts sore from always squeezing it, especially in trafic, and #4 for weeks my hands were black anytime I would ride because the hand grips rub off on my hands. Now for the Pros! Very smooth and powerful engine. Power always when I wanted it. the storage compartment is actualy a little bigger. The brakes are much better. Nice rear end, very sleek look, and the digital gauges is about freeken time. So far I took off all the stickers, took off all the signals and replaced them with flush mounts. The first thing you should do is go to pepboys and buy a replacement horn called the freewayblaster its 132 db. and runs $15.99. Thats 27 dbs. higher than the stock horn and it sounds much more manly. That horn fits the same bracket as the oem horn. Well all and all it is a super bike and I cant wait to get past this crappy break-in period!
Ride Hard,
Tom
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T
Yes the pros do outweight the cons here. I do feel this is the best bike out there. Butits better for the track than the street in riding position and comfort level. I will post pics up of what my bike looks like now without the signals and stickers. I know most oh you have to wear those gloves and helmets in your state. But I feel gloves and helmets are for pussies. I got into one accident with my 96 ZX6R last year. With nothing more than sneakers and shorts. A woman ran her light. I was out for a while but The same month I finally was all healed I bought my 2003.
My philosophy is Its better to live free and die than to never really live!

With great freedom, comes great responsibility.
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Yeah, sorry about the helmet comment. Its just a completely different feeling to ride with a helmet and without one. When I lived in Jersey I always had to wear one and it really sucked but I didnt know that until I moved to to Miami and stopped wearing one. I will never go back now. I know most states require riders to wear them. Sorry to hear that. But I did take 3 riders courses. I would strongly recomend every rider to take those classes. They saved my life many times over. I put just over 33,000 on my 96. As for my accident I was going about 50MPH when I crashed my 96. I understand the risks of not wearing a helmet and accept them. Hardley anyone down here wears one though. As for the comments about the bike. I had a 96 zx6E I guess I didnt proof read it. But the E model had a clutch lever adjustment knob from 1-5 just like the brakes lever. and the compartment on the E models was smaller than my 2003 R model. As for knowing the power of this bike I had to ride it home form the dealer and go on a major highway I-95 and I had to get onto the highway with big rig trucks coming at me so agaist my better break-in judgement I got her up to about 80 to get out of the way. and it only took me a few seconds to get up there. But at least I didnt become the front emblem of a 16 wheeler.

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First that's a piss poor attitude you have. Yeah shit happens but It does make a HUGE difference how much training you've had. On the road I can tell if another rider has taken these courses or not, just by looking at how they ride. The courses saved my life several times over because they train you reflexes. Sometimes you have to do what doesn't feel right, and they teach that to you. As for helmets I don't think I compared helmets to motocross or racing did I. I think its pretty self explanatory (well, for most people) that its just a given that if you race you wear full gear. I am talking about recreational riding. as for the clutch lever, I was just giving my opinion. My old bike you could change the setting and my 03, you cant. So there's an extra say 5 inches or so of extra tension in my 03 compared to my 96.
Time for somebody to take their horse tranquilizers huh

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Here she is!


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Actually in the classes I took they DO train you for the unexpected. They threw mufflers at our bike when we were riding, we had to go over crap in the road, through water, ect. So go take a course or two. I did and I cant say enough about them.

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ZX6RCHICK wow i never knew about that adjustment. I guess we can tell who read their owners manual and who didn't! :D I emailed you a while back about how you liked the bike but i never heard back from you. But ofcourse I decsided to get it anyway! what other mods are you planning on??
by the way I also put a new LOUD horn in and xenon H.I.D. headlights
Theres not many modifacations we can really do yet because nothing is out yet for this year bike. But I did see a silver tinted windshield but not for our year. But the windshield will look great in the silver tint when it comes out. Its almost like a silver chrome tint. Also I was thinking about a muzzy pipe, or alcapolco pipe I hear our year bike gets a WHOPPING 10 extra horsepower from the FULL alcapolco pipe.

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I finally have 1000 miles on my 03 636. I've been riding it everyday (and night!) Being 80-85 degrees out does help! Well, I really am going to test the bike out tomorrow and I will report what I find. I guess now I need to go have my valves checked. Kinda sucks cause I know its going to be over $200 I wonder how those inverted forkes hold up to wheeles? Guess I'll find out!

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I have been ever so gentel with my 03 636 but every once in awhile I hear a little valve tapping at idal. I have about 1050 miles on it. So I guess it just needs its (after-break-in) valve adjustment. Also one other thing I noticed is that if your cruising in traffic around 5 MPH and your in 1st gear and apply just a touch of throttle and open the cluth a smidge the gears knock. I'll hear thump, thump, thump, thump. But If I give it more gas the thumps stop. Is this normall?

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wantone....you sure thats my fuel injection I never knew F.I. made any knocking noises. It feels more like the gears grabbing. But you could be right if the bikes not getting enough gas when its doing that.

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Also how about the slight tap tap tap of the valve at idol? you think it just need to get its adjustments. I think kawasaki recomends the 03 636 for it's first valve check at 4,000 miles? But I could be wrong. I know your usually supposed to get the valves checked at 500-1000 miles. Also I have not givin it an oil change yet but I should've at 600 miles I think. Im at 1050 miles on it now. So I will do it ASAP. ITs just that I've only had it for 2 weeks or so and the weather has been in the 80's and 90's So the miles just crept up on me.

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No deer in Miami. Sorry I dont live in east bumble with you. The biggest animal we have here is an iguana. And they just go crunch when you ride over them. Would you get off my back already. Some people like to wear helmets and some don't. I don't wear one, you do. Glad we got that all cleared up. Next...

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