The Yamaha R9-Rivaling Sports Bike With More Power For Less Money

Let’s face it, if you’re a sports bike fan, you care about horsepower. Yes, torque will get you more tractability and sharp dynamics will help you carry more speed. But both these things get slightly sidelined if you don’t have enough horsepower. And sadly, the new-age middleweight sports bikes focus more on the other two aspects than horsepower.

The Yamaha YZF-R9 is one such example that offers under 120 horsepower from almost a 900cc engine. What do you do if you want more power then? Surely, you can’t just think about adding $5,000 to the budget and jump to a liter bike altogether. Lucky for you, there is a way to get more power without spending any more money. In fact, you’ll save a sizable chunk, too. Let’s dive in.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Offers More Power Than The Yamaha R9 For Less Money

Price: $11,399

Kawasaki

The Yamaha R9 has an aggressive MSRP by new-age middleweight sports bike standards. It undercuts its arch-rival–the Ducati Panigale V2–by a sizable chunk, while also undercutting the less powerful Aprilia RS 660 Factory. So if you want more power for less money than the R9, you have to turn to the old, screaming middleweight Japanese supersports. There are two in particular that satisfy the “more power for less money” requirement, namely the Suzuki GSX-R600 and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.

Between these, it’s the Ninja ZX-6R that takes the cake. Its four-cylinder engine boasts 127 horsepower (with ram air), giving it a sizable 10 horsepower advantage over the YZF-R9. At the same time, the 6R’s base MSRP is set at just $11,399. So you have $1,100 over the Yamaha. Let’s also not forget that the R9 has a new $750 surcharge, which the Kawasaki doesn’t. That means you can opt for the top-of-the-line limited edition 40th anniversary ZX-6R ($12,649) and still save yourself a big sum.

Suzuki

Power-wise, the GSX-600 isn’t a bad alternative, either. You get a 599cc four-pot engine with 124 horsepower, just three down on the ZX-6R. But this is an uber-old platform, unchanged for over a decade. That means everything is ancient here, and you don’t even get ABS as an option. What also hurts its prospects is the $12,199 MSRP. For an age-old bike, you’d expect at least the price to be aggressive.

Yamaha YZF-R9 Alternatives

• Ducati Panigale V2
• Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
• Suzuki GSX-R600

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Promises Class-Leading Performance

Peak Power: 127 HP

Back when it debuted, the Ninja ZX-6R was called a “cheater” bike in the segment. That’s because it had a 636cc displacement, while all of its Japanese contemporaries were under 600cc. That displacement remains the same today, but it’s no longer “cheating”, since all your modern-age middleweight sports bikes breach the 600cc mark. Heck, the R9 and Panigale V2 are closer to a full liter of displacement than 600.

Yet, the ZX-6R trumps all of them, thanks to its inline-four layout. You get 127 horsepower here, which is more than the YZF-R9, Panigale V2, RS 660, and the CBR650R. In its current form, the engine is largely the same as the previous-generation model, but features new camshafts and exhaust to meet Euro 5 emission norms.

Kawasaki

Likewise, all that oomph is at the top of the rev range, although Kawasaki claims the power delivery has been tweaked to improve tractability. Having ridden the new 6R, there’s still very little grunt low down, but things get better as the revs climb. And if you keep it pinned long enough, you’ll see 155 miles per hour on the dash easily. A free-flow exhaust and a flashed ECU will unlock even more HP.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Power And Torque

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Has Track-Specific Underpinnings

Chassis: Aluminum Perimeter

Kawasaki

In a sea of modern-age “practicality” biased middleweights, the 6R remains a true-blue supersport. An aluminum perimeter chassis serves as the centerpiece, complete with an aluminum subframe and swingarm–just like liter-class superbikes. Suspension comes from the specialists at Showa, with 41 mm Separate Function Big Piston Forks and monoshock. Both ends join hands with 17-inch aluminum wheels and offer adjustability for fine-tuning the dynamics. Pirelli Rosso IV tires and triple disc brakes with Nissin calipers round things off.

While at it, you’ll also appreciate the ergonomics. The tank is flat, so your elbow can rest on it while leaning. The pegs are set rearward and upward for cornering clearance. And the clip-ons are low, housed below the triple-tree. At the same time, the ZX-6R tips the scale at 436 pounds (for the ABS version).

2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Underpinnings And Dimensions

Kawasaki Has Equipped The Ninja ZX-6R With A Simple Features Package

Instrument Cluster: TFT

Kawasaki

While you do get more power than the YZF-R9, the electronics package on the 6R is leagues behind the Yamaha. A TFT serves as the centerpiece in the cockpit, which gives you access to smartphone connectivity, traction control, ride modes, and power modes. You might argue this is more than enough for 125-odd horsepower, but a larger safety net is always welcome. The biggest miss, however, seems to be an autoblipper.

Last but not least, you can have the 2025 ZX-6R in several liveries. The base bike comes in Pearl Robotic White and Metallic Matte Dark Gray. A KRT livery–inspired by Kawasaki’s WSBK race bike–is also present. The most expensive option is the 40th anniversary option, although that’s listed as a 2024 model. So you’ll have to check the availability.

2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Features

• TFT instrument cluster
• Traction control
• Ride modes
• Power modes
• Smartphone connectivity
• Dual-channel ABS (optional)
• Quickshifter
• LED lights