2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Engine is the leading concern among 24 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 6 Ninja ZX-6R model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 24

Of the 2025 reports, 1 involved a crash. 1 person was injured and 1 person died.

Primary concernEngine20 reports · 83% of complaints
Owner complaints24Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship2 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Engine20
  2. Other or unspecified4
  3. Engine and engine cooling1
  4. Power train1

Recalls and investigations

  1. Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalDo not drive until repairedNov 18, 2025

    Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (Kawasaki) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ninja ZX-6R, ZX-6R KRT Edition, ZX-6R KRT 40th Anniversary Edition ABS, ZX-6R ABS, and ZX-6R KRT Edition ABS motorcycles. The motorcycles may lose engine power during operation due to seizure of a metal crankshaft bushing.

    An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Owners are advised not to ride their motorcycles until the repair has been completed. Dealers will re-tighten the metal crankshaft bushing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2025. Motorcycles in this recall that were previously repaired under recall 25V376 will need to have the new remedy performed, once available. Owners may contact Kawasaki customer service at (855) 878-4217.

    Campaign 25V798000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalDo not drive until repairedJun 4, 2025

    Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (Kawasaki) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Ninja ZX-6R motorcycles. The motorcycles may lose engine power during operation due to seizure of a metal crankshaft bushing.

    An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Owners are advised not to ride their motorcycles until the repair has been completed. The #5 metal crankshaft bushing must be inspected on all eligible units already in operation. If there is no abnormality with or damage to the bushing, the bolts holding the crankshaft together in the crank case must be re-tightened with proper torque. If there is any abnormality with or damage to the bushing, the parts must be replaced and the crankshaft properly tightened, or the engine must be otherwise repaired or replaced. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact KMC customer service at 1-866-802-9381. This recall was replaced by 25V798.

    Campaign 25V376000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified

4 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2026

    I am worried about my safety while riding this bike. There has been two different recalls associated with this bike. The first recall my bike passed and was deemed safe to ride. The second recall my bike failed and the dealer was in contact with kawasaki for a week. The dealership is now stating that since so many bikes were being failed, kawasaki had changed the spec numbers for the crank bearing. My bike is now passing the second recall after it already had failed. I do not feel safe getting on this bike. How is the consumer supposed to feel about this?

  2. Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2026

    This motorcycle has been recalled twice. The first recall my bike passed and was good to go. I received another letter about a 2nd recall. Was told it did not pass recall and is out of spec. I am now being told that my bike is passing kawasaki's new spec numbers for the recall. I do not feel safe riding a bike that was deem unsafe to ride and failing a recall. Now all of the sudden new numbers come up and is just aye okay to ride. How would is the consumer supposed to feel about this? A motorcycle is life or death.

  3. Other or unspecified, Dec 29, 2025

    This is a follow-up to my prior complaint regarding my 2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R (VIN [XXX] ). In December 2025 I received another recall notice for Recall 25V798 stating that the prior recall repair may not have properly addressed the crankshaft bushing defect and again instructing that the motorcycle not be ridden. I attempted to schedule the repair but the dealer stated parts are unavailable with no timeline. The motorcycle remains unsafe and unusable despite prior recall remedy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  4. Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 1, 2025

    While riding at normal speed, I heard a loud popping noise from the engine, followed by immediate power loss. The motorcycle shut off without warning and coolant began leaking heavily near the front wheel. There were no warning lights or symptoms beforehand. The bike had fewer than 3,000 miles on it and was well maintained. I had to tow the motorcycle to the dealership, where a teardown revealed catastrophic engine failure—including internal damage to the crankcase, pistons, and transmission holder. The issue was later confirmed to be related to a manufacturer-issued recall, which had never been disclosed to me prior to the failure. Despite the severity of the issue and the recall connection, the dealership was unable to complete the repair for over two months due to parts delays and poor communication. The vehicle was non-operational the entire time. This failure created a serious safety risk and resulted in over $1,900 in financial losses due to towing, alternate transportation, and financing costs.