Yamaha YZF-R6

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Promotional image of the 2006 YFZ-R6

Yamaha's YZF-R6 is a 600 cc sport bike, first introduced in 1998, updated in 2001, 2003, 2006 and revised in the years in between. The current version (model year 2006) has a 161 kg (357 lb) dry weight, which delivers 133 hp (97.8 kW). The R6 is usually considered visually appealing and has been described as looking like "a sinister cross between Samurai armor and 21-century motorcycle tech".

Competition

The R6 is seen as a direct competitor to the 16500 rpm ZX-6RR by Kawasaki which comes equipped with a close-ratio transmission and a slipper clutch. The R6 addresses this competition with the higher horsepower and higher-revving engine on a vehicle that has a lower dry weight. As well as this improved engine performance, Yamaha also added a slipper clutch and significantly upgraded the suspension.

Retailing for $9199 in the United States, the new R6 is currently the most expensive middleweight superbike on the U.S. market. It also competes with the Suzuki GSX-R 600, the Honda CBR600RR, the Ducati 749 or the Triumph Daytona 675.

Specifications

Engine
4-stroke liquid-cooled DOHC 600 cc in-line 4-cylinder 16-valve producing up to 97.8 kW (133 hp) @ 14,500 rpm
Tires
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier (120/70 ZR17 on the front and 180/55 ZR17 on the rear)
Front brakes
Dual 310 mm discs with hydraulic calipers
Rear brakes
220 mm disc with hydraulic caliper
Front suspension
Fully adjustable 41 mm inverted cartridge fork with separately adjustable high-speed, low-speed, and rebound damping
Rear suspension
Fully adjustable link Monocross with separately adjustable high-speed, low-speed, and rebound damping
Transmission
6-speed close-ratio with slipper clutch

Engine Specifications

Configuration
4-stroke liquid-cooled DOHC 600 cc in-line 4-cylinder 16-valve
Cylinders
67 mm bore × 42.5 mm stroke (from 65.5 × 44.5 mm), 37.5 mm height piston skirts
Head
11.5° intake and 12° exhaust valve angles (down from 14° both), aluminium valve retainers, two 27 mm diameter titanium inlet valves (from 25 mm), two 23 mm titanium exhaust valves (from 22 mm), 12.8:1 compression ratio (from 12.4:1), semi-hydraulic camchain tensioner
Fuel
chip controlled throttle, fuel injection system with secondary injector
Aspiration
straight induction,
Exhaust
titanium exhaust powervalve, triple three-way catalyser
Output
static : 93.4 kW (127 hp) @ 14,500 rpm, 66 Nm (MEP 14,3 bars) @ 12,000 rpm
Dynamic : 97.8 kW (133 hp) @ 14,500 rpm, 68 Nm @ 12,000 rpm
Redline
16,200 rpm resulting in a 23 m/s piston speed

Controversy

Yamaha advertised the R6 as capable to running at up to 17,500 rpm. This is 2500 rpm higher than the previous R6 model and it is the highest redline of a widely distributed production four-stroke engine (the Honda CBR250RR had a reputed redline of 18,500 rpm but was originally distributed only in the Japanese market). Such a high speed is near to levels known only in Formula One engines, where valve springs stress problems led to the adoption of pneumatic return at more than 19,000 rpm.

But it was widely reported that the new 2006 YZF-R6's motor did not have this redline level and was closer to around 16,200 rpm. In February 2006, Yamaha admitted the bike's true redline was more than 1,000 rpm lower than advertised and offered to buy back any R6 if the customer was unhappy.

This is not the first time a sportbike's true redline has differed from it's redline shown on the tachometer. The 2005 Kawasaki ZX6RR has an indicated redline of 16,500 rpm on its tachometer. However, during a SportRider magazine test in the fall of 2005 when testing the ZX6RR on a dynamometer it wasn't possible to get the motor to rev past 15,000 rpm. The tachometer on most sportbikes is off by a certain percentage. New 600 cc motorcycles are revving up higher and higher, and while the percentage of tachometer error might not change, the error in number of RPMs increases.

1999

1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 right profile
1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 front
1999 Yamaha R6
1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 in White/Red
1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 in White/Red
1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 in White/Red


2000

2000 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue
2000 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue


2001

2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue
2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue
2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue
2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue
2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Blue


2002

2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red
2002 Yamaha YZF-R6 in Red



2003

2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black
2003 Yamaha YZF R6 in Black


2004

2004 Yamaha YZF-R6 Limited Edition in Silver
2004 Yamaha YZF-R6 Limited Edition in Silver
2004 Yamaha YZF-R6 Limited Edition in Silver



2005

2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition


2006

2006 Yamaha R6 in Blue
2006 Yamaha R6 LE
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 right profile
2006 Yamaha R6 Raven
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 Raven Edition
2006 Yamaha R6 Raven Edition
2006 Yamaha R6 Raven Edition



The YZF-R6 becomes the first production motorcycle to use a “fly-by-wire” throttle control system rather than traditional cables: Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T).

2007

2007 Yamaha R6 in Blue right side
2007 Yamaha R6 in Blue left side
2007 Yamaha R6 in Charcoal Silver left side
2007 Yamaha R6 in Charcoal Silver left side
2007 Yamaha R6 in Candy Red right side
2007 Yamaha R6 in Candy Red left side


See Also

External links

  • Official site : 2006 YZF-R6 Yamaha USA
  • Technical details : 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 : First look, Motards-Online, 2005-10-10, accessed 2005-12-28
  1. Traditional Valve Springs and Higher Redlines, Motorcycle Daily, Dirck Edge, 2005-09-28, accessed 2005-12-28
  2. New Yamaha R6 Does Not Rev To 17,500 rpm After All Motorcycle Daily, Alex Edge, 2006-02-01, accessed 2006-02-15
  3. Yamaha Offers Buyback Option For 2006 R6 Owners Motorcycle Daily, Alex Edge, 2006-02-14, accessed 2006-02-15