YAMAHA R6 2007
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Going fast(ish).”
Having rounded off last issue with my precious R6 leaking like a sieve, I'm pleased to say the guys at BSD Performance did a great job of getting the 600 back to its best form… just in time to be thrashed silly over two test days and a race meeting at Cadwell Park. This bike's done some serious race mileage, but it keeps plodding along. I think a lot of that is down to its modest state of tune. It makes the same power now as it did at the start of the year – 121bhp – which is a feat in its own right.
By this time of the season it's typical for a motor to start getting a bit too loose and drop off the boil a little. Hell, some of them drop the odd valve while they're at it. With only one round left in the No Limits Racing diary, I'm hoping it will weather the remainder of the storm. As I've said a few times now, I've really grown attached to this bike. A few leaks aside, it's been as reliable as they come. But more importantly, it's proven to be a very usable, very competent package. Compared to the rest of the bikes I race against it's very much a veteran. But here's the thing; the R6 game hasn't moved on exponentially. Come to think of it, the 600 class hasn't either. As I mentioned a few issues back, you can easily retrofit the 2008-onwards throttle bodies, ECU and airbox onto the older R6, which gives you cheap access to more torque and more ponies. There are a few other differences between the two models, such as the longer fork legs on the newer R6, but everything else, such as the wheels, is transferable. And as for the latest generation R6, as much as it ticks the boxes aesthetically, it actually makes less power in a rudimentary state than the two offerings it superseded – cheers Euro 4!
I guess what I'm angling at is there's life in the old dog yet. I did alright on it at Cadwell, clocking mid-34s, which isn't too shabby. The bike's biggest attribute is its handling. I can put the thing anywhere, and the K-tech 25mm cartridge forks I've got up front give off a really planted front end feel. All year I've been running 32psi hot pressures in the Pirelli SC1 tyres I use, but a suggestion from Tim Neave saw that figure rise to 36psi at Cadwell, and that gave the bike more feel and stability around Charlies Exit, for instance, where it's really bumpy.
The flickability of my bike is as good as anything out there, and I'm also in love with the way it drives out of corners. I can easily get the jump on my rivals thanks to its smooth and usable delivery, but it just doesn't have the legs to keep up with anything newer that's had a bit of a tune. I've learned this year that EBC GPFAX pads are also a great pairing for the Yammy's stock calipers. They last a long time, don't over heat and give good feel through the stock master cylinder.
My brakes have braided lines on them, which offers better braking performance and also makes it easier to bleed the lines, which I've done out of habit every couple of rounds. I've done over 600 miles on track this last month which sure takes its toll on all the components, including the fluids. I heard a stat that during a typical race meeting engine oil gets diluted by roughly 20 per cent, so for that reason the oil gets changed every round. Being regular with the maintenance must have played a big role in keeping the old girl going this well for this long, so I can't stress it enough.