![]() It sounds brutal – most bikes redline at 10,000rpm or below, but the R6 really needs to be hammered for a fast lap, all the way to its 16,500rpm redline. The gain is impressive, but man maths would be the reason to justify the purchase. More importantly, midrange power is now increased too, however it is £323 for the titanium silencer and £685 for the stainless downpipes. Previously kicking out 114bhp, the R6 is now capable of a healthy 121bhp, with more to come. To unleash the full potential, we would suggest adding a free breathing Akrapovic exhaust system - something we did to our 2017 long-term test bike. The Euro4 engine feels strangled, it revs freely but couldn’t open its lungs to show what it could do – the famous R6 top-end rush is sadly lacking. There’s crisp new fuelling but the engine remains virtually unchanged apart from the addition of a gear position sensor, which both informs the rider of the gear selected but also allows different maps for each gear. Yamaha are quoting just 116bhp 14,500rpm and 45.5ftlb at 10,500rpm, which compares to 122bhp and 49.93ftlb of the old bike. The new R6 has had to meet Euro4 emissions regs and its peak power and torque are down compared to the old model. It still allowed small controllable wheelies over Cadwell’s famous Mountain and only kicked in when the rear tyre started to spin when the bike went light.Īgain, if I was really trying for a fast race lap I’d want the traction control switching off, but like the ABS, for normal trackdays it’s perfect. The same can be said of the standard traction control. The ABS can’t be switched off though, however it doesn't feel like it's hindering a fast lap. It’s agility and accuracy on track is first class, it hits every apex with ease. The new 43mm forks offer excellent feel and give you the confidence to break late and deep into corners. The ABS brakes are a step forward over the old bike, with improved stability. I’m more accustomed to road bikes not race bikes with very little feel and prefer the softer set up and increased feedback. We could have reduced the sag a little more to 10mm but I actually preferred the soft compliant feel of the rear end. I’d previously reduced the preload for the road, from 5mm to 13mm of unladen sag. I added a little more preload as the forks were bottoming out on the run into the Mountain, causing the R6 to understeer a little, but otherwise the front was perfect. The R6 steers beautifully, it’s accurate and easy. Its agility and accuracy on track are stunning it hits every apex with ease. Once turned the R6 craves even more corner speed than before. The new forks deliver first class feel, and give you the confidence to brakes late and deep into corners. The ABS brakes are a step forward over the old model’s, as is stability under hard stopping. The calipers and radial master cylinder are new, again borrowed from the R1, and ABS comes as standard. The front wheel comes from the MT-10, which now accommodates a larger 320mm front disc (up from 310mm). The aluminium frame is lifted from the old bike – with the rake and trail remaining the same – but the fully adjustable forks have been stolen form the R1 and now have a 2mm wider 43mm diameter. Unfortunately, the Yamaha R6 wouldn't be updated to meet Euro5 emmissions regulations and so became a track-only machine called the R6 Race from 2021. Covering around 15,000 miles in all weather conditions, it became a trackday-busting, B-road blasting all-rounder, capable of huge distances and surving the winter grit. Despite this restrained nature, the R6 remained - after 20 years of production - in a class of one, being the only supersport updated for Euro4 regulations.Īlthough seemingly a stiff, track-focussed weapon, after a year of service at the hands of Senior Road Tester Adam Child as a long-term test bike, the R6 proved to be so much more. However, it’s an expensive 600, especially for one with reduced peak power due to Euro4 constraints. The updated looks are stunning while the front end and brakes help make this a truly brilliant-handling middleweight. The Yamaha R6 features a breath-taking chassis that outshines a rather breathless motor, but there are many positives.
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