It's an old argument that usually takes as many twists and turns as your favorite stretch of road. On the one hand are the 600 enthusiasts that believe their rides will whip up on bigger bikes through twisty sections, while the literbike crowd emphasizes the idea that they walk away from the cosmic revvers with ease.
Falling steadily in the middle, we opted to let the GPS and our own seat of the pants experience tell the truth. There's a lot to be said about perception of speed, and this test brought out some new ways to interpret a bike's ability.
Is it better to feel fast or actually be fast? Certainly there are advantages to both, but for most of us the ride is all about the experience while clocked lap times are only useful at the track or when cold cash is on the line.
Common sense tells us that straight out of the box there really wouldn't be much competition between the two bikes, but there are some simple, yet highly effective ways to upgrade your 600's performance that we hoped would level the playing field somewhat. Of course, we could've bolted on a turbo, lightweight wheels and an upgraded brake kit to the ZX-6 to offer a thorough spanking on its bigger brother, but those aren't likely mods for most of us, unfortunately.
In the spirit of keeping it simple, the ZX-6 got aftermarket sprockets (one down in front, two up in the rear) and a slip-on exhaust. These are two of the most common upgrades (after oil and tires), so these were the extent of our modifications.
As anticipated, the immediate back-to-back saddle tests of the two stock bikes made it pretty obvious that bigger feels better-the 10's torque from a simple twist replaces revs and numerous gear changes on the 6. But after installing the exhaust and lower gearing the 600 found its spot. Not only is it more usable around town and in tight traffic than the bigger bike, but during our roll-on and drag experiments it would nearly hang onto the ZX-10 through the first three gears.
Take a minute to absorb that information and the 600 doesn't seem like a bad option after all. We're all attracted to the big bikes for various reasons: be it pure horsepower, the deeper exhaust tone or the mystique that comes with a bike capable of 200 mph with minor mods, but if the smaller machine is more usable at "normal" speeds it starts to seem the smarter choice.
Torque is your friend on the street, and the ZX-6's 43.5 lb.-ft. simply can't compete with the 10's impressive 74 lb.-ft. It's all about the tug, and the ZX-6 obviously is at a disadvantage under acceleration. But when it comes time to slow it all back down the smaller bike has it dialed. Not only are its brakes superior in initial bite and feel, but they offer consistent power and will lift the rear wheel under heavy braking-something the 10 wishes it had the ability to do.
The give and take between the two bikes leaves the ultimate decision trickier than we expected. Though initially the larger bike seems like it would be the hands-down winner, after living with them both and considering actual application, it's really a matter of horses for courses. An impromptu office poll saw the decision split down the middle: half of the office riders favored a 600 for its light weight and maneuverability, while the rest leaned towards the 1000 simply because of its power advantage (equaling less revving and gear changes). Interestingly, the less experienced preferred the 600, while veteran riders chose the larger option.
Conclusion
Something else to consider in your quest for ownership is insurance rates. After signing your life away, will you even be able to afford insurance (much less gas)? The rates are significantly different between the two bikes, and it could be the deal breaker.
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