Have any of you had any experiences, first hand or otherwise, with the
Kawasaki 636?  One came up for sale at work, and it looks like a nice bike: stocker, no drops and well maintained.

I got my GS500  2 years ago, and put in about 8000 miles in that amount of
time.  (BTW if I decide for the Kawi, I will have to get rid of the GS)

Ninja's aren't bad bikes..
My brother had an older ninja 750 and he managed to put 37,000 miles on it before it died.  Keeping the GS might be a good idea, if you want a commuter bike.  
I'd like to keep mine once I get a 600.

I don't know what the maintenance is like on that bike, but I'll bet just changing the sparkplugs will be very difficult. Also, how much is insurance for you on one of those.

its not a 636 its actually a 600 the 636 came after.

Wow!  I don't know that I want to buy this bike anymore, insurance is way up there

Liability only insurance for this bike:  Premium:  $150.00

========================================

Liability & Full coverage, $500 deductible, Premium:  $1,086.00

2002 KAWASAKI ZX-6R        Quote must have at leat one vehicle
Coverages
General Coverages    
Bodily Injury and Property Damage
   $15,000 person/$30,000 accident/$10,000 property damage    $150.00
Uninsured Motorists Coverage
   No coverage    $0.00
Underinsured Motorists Coverage
   No coverage    $0.00
Medical Payments Coverage
   No coverage    $0.00
Transport Trailer Coverage
      $0.00
2002 KAWASAKI ZX-6R    
Comprehensive Coverage
   $500 Deductible (with Disappearing Deductibles)    $294.00
Collision Coverage
   $500 Deductible (with Disappearing Deductibles)    $642.00
Roadside Assistance Coverage
   No coverage    $0.00
Custom Parts and Equipment Coverage
   $3,000    $0.00

It ALL depends on what you want.  If you want a "commuter" only bike that is CHEAP to own, fix, insure, etc. then by all means keep the GS.

If on the other hand you want someting with more BALLS but, is more expensive to own, fix, insure, then by all means, get the Ninja.

I have one and to me it was worth jumping ship for.  10X more bike in EVERY respect.

Can you try/ride it?

You'll be HOOKED!

My neighbor actually use to ride a 92 zx6r until he hit the freeway, got speed wobble, and wrote it off. My opinion is stick to suzuki.

i had a 1996 zx6r, and then the great 2000 model (identical to 2002).  both bikes were great.  the 2000 was my favorite bike i have ever owned- comfy, fast (enough), and good looking.  i never had any problems with it and it was easy to maintain.  only downfall?  expensive insurance and a definate thief magnet (compared to a gs).  

i would say go for it.  kawasaki makes a great bike as do most of their competitors.

they don't call them crapasakis because they make bad sandwiches.

Quote from: jjr_vwWow!  I don't know that I want to buy this bike anymore, insurance is way up there

Liability only insurance for this bike:  Premium:  $150.00

========================================

Liability & Full coverage, $500 deductible, Premium:  $1,086.00

That's too expensive  

Thats less than I pay for insurance on the GS.

I toyed with the idea of getting a cbr600f4i, and my liability ONLY was around $1200/year. I wish I could get insurance rates like that.

Then again, I'm 21, single and male. Hence the friggin insane insurance rates even though I have no accidents on record and no tickets. Heck, I get screwed on car insurance, too. I don't even want to think about what my rates would be if I had tickets or accidents on my record.