I am going to take a fairly different approach with my review of the all-new Yamaha YZF-R6
I don’t want to completely send you to sleep with boring specs that you’ve probably already researched on the internet, instead I’d like to paint the full picture of my time spent on the bike.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Yamaha and having raced for them in the past I know the R6 and the R1 like the back of my hands. Most recently, I raced the new Yamaha R1 and so jumping from that onto the younger brother, the R6, I wasn’t actually expecting it to blow my mind. Oh boy was I wrong; I’ve forgotten what these middleweight sport bikes are capable of! Let me not get ahead of myself here and let’s go back to the local reveal of the bike which was done at the South Africa Bike Festival at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit earlier this year in May. Covers pulled off and it’s easy to see the MotoGP inspired design which, in my opinion, stands out more on the R6 than the R1. This bike is seriously easy to look at!
I took a slow walk around the bike and saw that the R6 shares quite a few parts with its bigger brother and the two most noticeable would be the main headlights and the suspension, this is a very clever move by Yamaha. The suspension that comes out on the standard R1 is definitely something Yamaha should brag about so, in the real world, bolting the same setup to a lighter and more nimble frame would equate to absolute perfection!
On the road, the R6 is on rails; like a rollercoaster, you know exactly where it is going to go. Compared to the outgoing model, the bike is so much more stable over the bumps and irons them out as if they aren’t even there which promotes loads of confidence for the rider and you don’t need to purchase any aftermarket steering dampers. The bike also has plenty of power! Like a lot! For a middleweight sport bike to reach a top speed of 285km/h in complete stock trim that ain’t bad going! So add that with perfect handling and lightweight feel, on bends the litre super bikes don’t stand a chance.
On the track, the bike felt like an extension of by body; riding a bike fast on track is like a high speed waltz. That may sound strange but let me explain: To string a good lap you need to tie each turn together properly and, once you do that, life starts to move in slow motion as you dance with the bike. The clutch on the R6 is still something very special, sliding the rear into turns while on the anchor is so easy and this is most likely the easiest bike to do this on. The new suspension allows you to trail brake so deep into the turns which means faster lap times! The gearing for track is not ideal so, if I were to own one and mainly do trackdays, I’d drop a tooth or two on the front. The bike does have traction control but, on a bike like this, I don’t understand the need for it but maybe, as a safety tool for wet weather, it could be justified.
The team that designed this bike have really done a sterling job. As said before I think the design of the R6 is closer to the MotoGP Yamaha M1. The front of the bike is quite similar to the R1 but is a little more rounded for better aerodynamics. The tail section is also very close to the R1 but it is a little shorter and stubbier. The overall aerodynamics on the bike has improved dramatically from the outgoing model allowing the rider to tuck in a little more. You also now sit in the bike as opposed to on top of it; this was one of the major issues of the outgoing model for the rider but now the bike is a lot more comfy for road riding.
The dash display looks similar to that of the 2014 Yamaha R1. It has a really big rev counter with loads of information for the rider to take in. It displays the three different rider modes, traction control level, gear indicator and the rest of the standard information that we don’t ever use, like a speedometer!
I think I may sound like a Yamaha salesman in this review but every now and then we do test bikes that we don’t expect much from and then they completely ‘wow’ us and this one has done just that! It’s been about 4 years since I last raced a season in National Supersport 600s and, after riding this bike, the wheels inside my head are turning seriously fast thinking about a return to the middleweight class, banging ‘bars with riders half my age!
Retail on the bike does comes in at a hefty R189,950 but, and it’s a big BUT, the bike is worth every cent! If you take into consideration the amount of development and technology that has gone into making the new bike and that Yamaha is the only manufacturer developing a super sport bike, then it all adds up. The new Yamaha R6 is already on Yamaha dealer showroom floors countrywide so pop down to your nearest dealer and check it out. Warning though, make sure you take a cloth along to wipe the drool from your mouth!
For more info logo to: www.yamaha.co.za
