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A litre-bike will always be right up in everybody’s face. Here, the BMW S 1000 RR proves that all too literally and to great effect. However, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R isn’t exactly a shrinking (green) violet. Yes, a 1000cc inline-four will soundly thrash a 600cc equivalent almost everywhere — that’s exactly what anyone would expect it to do. However, imagine if the smaller machine got the better of the bigger one. Where would the German hide its aerodynamic face? If not outright power, the Ninja offers you everything you’d need to hone what matters the most — riding skill. And the charm of a rare underdog never loses its appeal, right? This is one of the conflicts we contemplate in this special issue