Guess who's back! Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R makes triumphant return for 2024

Whoever said the traditional supersport class is dead must’ve forgotten to tell Kawasaki because they’ve just reintroduced the ZX-6R to their sportsbike range after it was dropped from the UK market at the advent of Euro5.

• We’ve ridden it: 2024 Kawasaki ZX-6R review

The screaming middleweight departed from the range in 2020 after 25 years of service but will return to showrooms in October fully compliant with the latest emissions regulations – something that did not happen for the Yamaha R6 nor the Honda CBR600RR.

It now follows in the footsteps of the Ninja H2 SX, and Ninja 400 families that both also disappeared at the arrival of Euro5 and have since reappeared in the range.

But with the biking population getting older and road networks becoming less receptive to rev hungry focussed 600s, just why did they decide to bring it back?

Kawasaki UK’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Craig Watson explains: “We are excited to make an early announcement that the Ninja ZX-6R returns to our model line up, after a three year EU regulation forced hiatus.

“A model always popular to UK bikers and consistently being the number seller in its sector, I’m sure the new model with it’s fresh and sharp styling plus improved specifications, including a 4.3inch TFT meter, will be a winner throughout 2024.”

The 2024 version of the inline-four middleweight has adopted the familiar angry styling of its ZX-10R superbike stablemate, and it gets integrated aero features built into the front fairing, too.

Despite making it through the stricter emissions regulations, Kawasaki still claim the ZX-6R’s 636cc, liquid-cooled engine will make around 127.2bhp at 13,000rpm, which should also make it a fabulous trackday companion without feeling too intimidating to the rider.

This performance has been achieved using revised cam profiles, intake funnels and exhaust system, something Kawasaki also claim will aim low to mid-rpm performance.

Just because it’s back from the dead doesn’t mean the ZX-6R is old-fashioned either; the 2024 model gets Showa separate function big piston forks, a quickshifter, and three mode traction control, power modes and riding modes. What’s more, the 4.3” TFT dash comes with smartphone connectivity via Kawasaki’s Rideology app.

The 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R will be available in traditional Kawasaki green or a more low-key black scheme. Prices start from £10,599 – making it only slightly more expensive than an Aprilia RS660 with around 30bhp more.

The new ZX-6R isn’t the only new four-cylinder bike to slot into the Kawasaki range for 2024 either. Back in February of this year the Japanese firm announced that a new ZX-4R will be available in the UK as of next year – producing a claimed 78.9bhp from its 399cc DOHC four pot and marking a return to the rev-tastic 400 class that hordes of sportsbike fans enjoyed across the 1980s and 90s.

A return to supersport and focussed 400 fours in the same year… What’s next? Bringing back the KR-1S?!