Part of the charm and appeal of Pikes Peak IHC is the wide array of different classes of vehicles that are permitted to take part in the competition. Just about anything you can imagine on two or four wheels races up the iconic Colorado mountain with everything from factory sponsored racers with dozens of support staff and crew, to individuals on something of a budget. The Ninja 650R might not be most people’s first choice when looking for a bike to race to the summit with, but after a couple grand in upgrades, the Kawa seemingly becomes a much more competent machine.
According to the seller, over $9k was dropped into this bike (not sure if that’s including the cost of the bike itself) to get it ready for competing in PPIHC middle-weight class. Some of the highlights of the build include a Power Commander 5 with Autotuner, a trick YoYoDyne slipper clutch, and K-Tech rear suspension with a 2008 636 front end. Not only is this machine ready to once again take on Pikes Peak, but it also meets requirements to take part in CCS Super Twins.
[Editor’s Note: I was able to determine that this bike competed in 2015. It placed 73rd with a time of 13:36.424]
The current seller – who happens to be the person who built this bike for Pikes Peak – says this example runs strong. He also points out that this is a great machine for anyone looking to get into track riding. While the ad fails to mention this, the front and rear stands and tire warmers seen in the ad’s photos are likely part of the sale, or at the least available for an additional price.
Photo by Boulder Moto
Unfortunately this ’08 EX650 has a salvage title, but depending on what you plan to do with it, that may not matter. The EX650, also known as the Ninja 650R (or ER-6F depending on the market) was first introduced in 2006 and has seen a handful of changes made since then. Powered by a liquid-cooled parallel twin with digital fuel injection, the middle weight Kawa weighs in at just 410lbs dry (465lbs wet). Its 6-speed cassette-style is incredibly smooth, albeit I’ve never personally attempted to race one of these, much less
even push one that hard.
You can find this 2008 Kawasaki EX650 Racer for sale here on Craigslist in Queens, New York with a price of $5,000.