Motorcycle and inexpensive are two words that are rarely found in the same sentence. The economic downturn we’ve seen these past few years hasn’t helped the motorcycle industry much; people simply aren’t willing to part with their hard-earned money. Heaven forbid they empty their wallets to build a proper track bike. LeoVince recognizes the problem and has countered with its Track Pack Performance Kit.
Truth be told, the Track Pack Performance Kit we installed on our 2011 ZX-6R test mule still costs a pretty penny. The $2549 kit is what you would consider the Cadillac of LeoVince’s offerings however, complete with the company’s Factory R Corsa titanium full-system exhaust and new FAST II electronic control unit. Purchasing the items as a kit saves you five percent — roughly $135 in our case.
When forfeiting more than $2000 on an exhaust and fuel controller, you’d expect impeccable results. We saw an increase of nearly seven horsepower, with our ZX-6R now putting out an impressive 116 ponies. The bump in power is not mind-blowing, but admirable for a 600 with a stock engine. The other advantage of the higher-end titanium system is reduced weight; LeoVince claims the Corsa exhaust is 13 pounds lighter than the stock Kawasaki unit.
A quick glance at the accompanied dyno chart shows that the kit adequately cured the dip in the ZX-6R’s midrange (between 5000 and 7000 rpm), while also adding some power up top. The torque curve has seen a healthy increase in that same range. Important to mention is that we also fitted the Kawasaki with K&N’s race-spec filter, which uses a two-ply cotton construction and special pleat pattern for improved airflow. Fit and finish of the filter was as we’ve come to expect from K&N.
The programmable LeoVince FAST II requires some diligence when it comes time to install, but is no more challenging to fit than any other FI controller. The unit comes with three pre-loaded maps, and you can select the most suitable map when the box is plugged into your laptop or via the optional $99 handlebar switch, which we of course had to have. When mounted, the handlebar switch is easy to reach with your thumb, allowing you to flip through maps with ease. The carbon fiber bracket gives the bike a superbike-esque feel to boot. Frugal folks will realize the switch isn’t really needed though, since you seldom need to switch maps on the fly. The LED indicator light that comes with the switch and indicates which map is being used is hard to distinguish when a glare hits it anyways. With the box installed, we noticed the primary benefit was a crisper, more direct throttle response.
There are more options yet, including a LeoVince quickshifter which retails for $219. This also requires you purchase the $49 shift-rod kit, but hey, if you’re going to spend the money on this kit, why not go the whole nine yards? The quickshifter works absolutely flawless past minute throttle openings, with near perfect ignition interruptions that provide extremely smooth open-throttle upshifts. To compare, the Leo Vince quickshifter is as smooth — if not better — than the OE quickshifter on the Triumph 675R and BMW S 1000 RR we’ve become accustomed to.
When equipped with the Corsa full-system exhaust and FAST II, our ZX-6R really belongs on the track. With 116 horsepower in fact, the bike would be damn competitive in any race series, with only suspension upgrades and bodywork separating it from an impressive supersport machine. Racers or serious track-day enthusiasts who are looking for bolt-on performance and have some money to spend will likely find the kit as attractive.
If your wallet isn’t up to the beating the $2549 kit delivers, LeoVince offers cheaper kits, including an $869 option that comes with the FAST II and GP Style Evo II slip-on exhaust. You don’t have to purchase the optional quickshifter and handlebar switch as we did either. Plus, the FAST II can be purchased as a standalone piece for $499.