Motorcycle specifications YamahaYZF-R6 600 2003 Born to win

More beautiful, lighter, more powerful, more agile... the new R6 promises to be even more enchanting. Let's take a look! With a lot of preconceptions, hope and emotion, because the old one was a hell of a machine. A pocket-sized ballerina, a pure, uncompromising sportbike that only lived up to the 10,000 rpm mark. Nothing before, big watts after!
From the outside, the new YZF doesn't confuse. It's sharpened up, seems to have taken on R1 genes, and the finish leaves the competition far behind. Its new frame, both lighter and stiffer, benefits from Yamaha's latest manufacturing technologies. A superb piece of engineering, with virtually no welds. The swingarm has been treated in the same way, becoming an element of rare purity.

The R1 's dashboard has also been stolen from the pistarde. A programmable shiflight is also available. Virtually complete, all that's missing from the instrumentation is the fuel gauge. Engineers claim that the riding position has been significantly revised. Yeah, right! Sure, on paper, but for the rider, it's all the same. The saddle provides a modicum of comfort but otherwise, it's sporty with all that goes with it. strenuous in the absolute, the position becomes the handle of the sword when this fine blade performs on the circuit. But before we get to that, we're surprised by the change in engine behavior. Formerly "on-off", the boiler is more deliberate in the lower 5-digit zone. The gearbox has also made progress. Getting out of town is now (almost) a thing of the past.
Well, we're not here to watch the grass grow... An energetic rotation of the right hand will unleash the potential of the new 4-cylinder block. As the needle approaches 10, the mechanics give their all, then unleash the cavalry. Power is copious, but more available than on theprevious generation. It's less brutal, less impressive, but still substantial. It has to be said that the engine's willingness to deliver at lower revs diminishes the "boost" effect as you climb the revs. The machine doesn't lose efficiency; on the contrary. You're less busy taming the machine's fieriness, and can concentrate more on driving. As incisive as ever, the chassis has been refined. Agility excels, as does handling. It even becomes more accommodating on dubious tarmac, a terrain where the GSX-R 600 dominates the supersports clan. Slightly tricky to modulate on the racetrack, the brakes deserve nothing but praise when called upon on the road.
In its new livery, the R6 has gained fuel injection, lost weight and also an ounce of its character. It remains a weapon, further refining its sporting potential. Even more seductive, its beauty could make you forget its minimalist protection and Spartan comfort.

M.B
(inspired by the article by T. Baujard - Moto-journal n° 1 547
manufacturer's photos)