Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Yamaha R6
This is the bike that revolutionized the 600cc supersport bike segment. Twice. When it was launched in 1998, it was the first ever bike in its segment to have a power output higher than a 100 bhp. It sold like hotcakes and left the competition eat its dust. Yamaha had somehow brought back the feel of the screaming two-strokers of yore. It even had the characteristic thirst for fuel like a 2-stroke rocket.
Then, in 2006, when the original R6 had been left behind by the ever aggressive competition, Yamaha gave it a new lease of life. Overnight, the R6 transformed into a track demon, slashing lap times and winning the hearts of enthusiasts and journos alike. Like its bigger brother, the Yamaha R1, it has inline four cylinder engine, tuned for a massive thirst for revs and peaky power delivery.
It competes with other 600 cc super sport machines such as the Triumph Daytona 675, the Ducati 848, Kawasaki ZX-6R, Suzuki GSX-R600/750, and the Honda CBR600RR.
History
The Yamaha YZF-R6 was introduced in 1999 as the super sport version of Yamahas Yamaha YZF-R1 super bike, and as a companion to the more street-oriented Yamaha YZF600R sport bike which continued to be sold alongside the R6. The motorcycle featured Yamahas completely new engine design capable of producing over 108 hp (81 kW) while stationary. The R6 was the worlds first 600cc production four-stroke motorcycle producing over 100 hp (75 kW) in stock form.
The YZF-R6 has been revised several times since its introduction. Starting with the 2003 model, the R6 became fuel-injected. The 2006 model year was a significant upgrade with a new engine management system featuring the YCC-T ride by wire throttle and a multi-plate slipper clutch. The 2008 model incorporated the YCC-I variable-length intake system to optimize power at high engine rpm and an improved Deltabox frame design.
Specifications
All specifications are manufacturer claimed.
| 2001/2002 | 2003/2004 | 2005 | 2006/2007 | 2008/2009 | 2010–2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | ||||||
| Type | 599.8 cc (36.6 cu in), DOHC, 16-Valve, Liquid-Cooled, In-Line Four-Cylinder | 599.8 cc (36.6 cu in), Liquid cooled, 4-stroke, forward inclined inline 4 cylinder, DOHC, 16 valves | 599.4 cc (36.6 cu in), liquid cooled, 4-stroke, forward inclined inline 4 cylinder, DOHC, 16-titanium valves | |||
| Bore x Stroke | 65.5 × 44.5 mm (2.58 × 1.75 in) | 65.5 × 44.5 mm (2.58 × 1.75 in) | 67.0 × 42.5 mm (2.64 × 1.67 in) | |||
| Compression Ratio | 12.4:1 | 12.8:1 | 13.1:1 | |||
| Power (crank) | 88.2 kW (118.3 hp) @ 13,000 rpm | With direct air induction 90.5 kW (121.4 hp) @ 13,000 rpm / Without direct air induction 86.0 kW (115.3 hp) @ 13,000 rpm | 92.7 kW (124.3 hp) @ 13,000 rpm with direct air induction / 88.2 kW (118.3 hp) @ 13,000 rpm without direct air induction | 97.8 kW (131.2 hp) @ 14,500 rpm with direct air induction / 93.4 kW (125.3 hp) @ 14,500 rpm without direct air induction | 99.6 kW (133.6 hp) @ 14,500 rpm with direct air induction / 94.9 kW (127.3 hp) @ 14,500 rpm without direct air induction | 91.0 kW (122.0 hp) @ 14,500 rpm |
| Carburetion | 37 mm Keihin CV Downdraft w/Throttle Position Sensor | Fuel injection | Fuel injection w/ YCC-T | Fuel Injection w/ YCC-T and YCC-I | ||
| Ignition | Digital DC-CDI | TCI | ||||
| Transmission | 6-speed w/multi-plate clutch | 6-speed w/multi-plate slipper clutch | ||||
| Final Drive | #530 O-ring chain | #525 O-ring chain | ||||
| Chassis | ||||||
| Suspension/Front | Fully Adjustable 43 mm (1.7 in) Telescopic Fork, 5.3 in (135 mm) of Travel | 43 mm (1.7 in) telescopic fork w/adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping; 4.7 in (119 mm) travel | 41 mm (1.6 in) inverted telescopic fork w/adjustable preload, separate high & low-speed compression damping, rebound damping; 4.7 in (119 mm) travel | |||
| Tires/Front | 120/60-ZR17 | 120/70-ZR17 | ||||
| Tires/Rear | 180/55-ZR17 | |||||
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Length | 81 in (2,057 mm) | 79.7 in (2,024 mm) | 80.3 in (2,040 mm) | |||
| Width | 27.6 in (701 mm) | 27.2 in (691 mm) | 27.6 in (701 mm) | |||
| Height | 44.2 in (1,123 mm) | 42.9 in (1,090 mm) | 43.1 in (1,090 mm), 2011: 43.3 in (1,100 mm) | |||
| Seat Height | 32.8 in (833 mm) | 32.3 in (820 mm) | 33.5 in (851 mm) | |||
| Wheelbase | 54.4 in (1,382 mm) | 54.3 in (1,379 mm) | ||||
| Rake | 24 ° | |||||
| Trail | 3.4 in (86 mm) | 3.8 in (97 mm) | ||||
| Fuel Capacity | 4.5 US gallons (17 l; 3.7 imp gal) | 4.6 US gallons (17 l; 3.8 imp gal) | ||||
| Oil Capacity | 2.85 US quarts (2.70 l) | 3.59 US quarts (3.40 l) | ||||
| Dry Weight | 399 lb (181 kg) (01) | 388 lb (176 kg) (03) 392 lb (178 kg) (04) | 397 lb (180 kg) (05) 396 lb (180 kg) (06) | 354.9 lb (161.0 kg) | 366 lb (166 kg) | |
| Wet Weight | 426 lb (193 kg) (01) | 415 lb (188 kg) (03) 419 lb (190 kg) (04) | 424 lb (192 kg) (05) 423 lb (192 kg) (06) | 417 lb (189 kg) | 417 lb (189 kg) | |
Controversy
In 2006, Yamaha advertised that the R6 had a redline of 17,500 rpm. This is 2,000 rpm higher than the previous R6 model and was the highest tachometer redline of any 2006 production four-stroke motorcycle engine. It was widely reported that the 2006 YZF-R6s motor did not actually have this engine rpm redline level and was closer to around 16,200 rpm, but because of a deliberate tachometer error of about 8%, it read 17,500 rpm on the tachometer. In February 2006, Yamaha admitted the bikes true engine redline was more than 1,000 rpm lower than what was indicated on the tachometer and had been advertised, and offered to buy back any R6 if the customer was unhappy.
