2000 YAMAHA YZF-R6
599cc | 169kg | 110bhp | 820mm | seat height
Dealer price £1900-£3000
Private £2000-£2500
This one £2499, dealer sale
It’s tough to pick a top contender in such esteemed company but in terms of sportsbike focus and ability, Yamaha’s YZF-R6 just edges it. Rev-happy and rapid-steering, the R6 of this era is the perfect representation of an old-school analogue supersports 600. The R6 has enough all-round capability to be ridden to your mood.
Buyer beware
The 2000-2001 model was essentially a facelift of the 19981999 bike and shares its lusty engine and sharp chassis. Some found the chassis twitchy but a 70 profile tyre rather than the OE 60 and dropping the yokes a few mm down the forks sorts that. Just beware of the tyre rubbing through the mudguard. A good choice for all sorts of reasons, from year-round commuter to track hack, a 2000 or 2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 might prove to be the best two grand you’ve ever spent.