Yamaha YZF- R6 history

The first R6 joined the Yamaha stable in 1999 as the sharper, hardcore, race- ready answer to the then- dominant Honda CBR600, and gave birth to the supersport class we recognise today. The formula was simple. Take a 600cc sports bike and inject it with some madness. While other bikes of the same class have since swapped categories to sports tourers as tastes have changed, the original R6 is still recognisable as a track- ready sports machine.

Powered by a 120hp ( 89kW) water- cooled inline four- cylinder engine — capable of revving out to a staggering 15,500rpm — the R6 was unlike anything else at the time.

Brakes were the same as the R1 of the time, providing plenty of stopping grunt while it tipped the scales at a 169kg dry.

Not a lot changed until the 2003 model year, when the R6 was overhauled with a new chassis, engine, and updated styling.

Along with the obvious changes, one of the biggest was the addition of electronic fuel injection, which sent the carburettor to the scrap heap. Weight was dropped by 7kg through the new chassis as well as five- spoke wheels.

More evolutionary changes came in 2005, with the now commonplace upside- down front forks ( USD) and radial brakes further tuning the abilities of the bike.

The next major update came in the 2006 model year, when a completely new machine that was even

Shocks in the R6 are adjustable 41mm forks up front and an adjustable shock in the rear. I didn’t bother to touch the settings as the bike handled near on perfectly for the road- based riding I was doing.

Out of the handful of bikes in the class I’ve ridden recently, the more race- oriented with new, ultra- sharp bodywork debuted. The 2006 bike featured the ‘ fly by wire' YCC- T throttle control system taken directly from Yamaha's MotoGP bikes.

Power increased to127 horsepower and, thanks to an ultra- short stroke and titanium valves, can rev up to 16,500 rpm.

Further refinements continued until 2010 when development of the chassis seemingly stopped, but Yamaha had something epic in the works . . . So as it turns out, not long after penning this original story, Yamaha finally pulled the covers off the longrumoured 2017 YZF- R6.

The suspense was worth it as the machine is the most insanely refined R6 yet.

Taking more than a few pages from the 2015 R1’ s book ( including styling that is now aligned with the 1000cc machine for the first time in years), the 2017 machine takes the already sharpas- a- knife R6 and turns it up to 11. Yamaha felt the most stable and predictable in the twisties, which was something I didn’t expect going by the R6’ s reputation as a race bike for the road.

The ergonomics of the R6 are the typical head down, bum up cannonball position of the class. The seat sits at 850mm so it is on Yamaha 2017 YZF- R6. the tall side, though the lack of any real width under the tank because of the forward- leaning cylinders means you have no real issues getting a foot down.

If the R6 is missing out anywhere, it is in the electronics department.