Tire sliding by Brad Puetz

Portraiture by Brad Puetz

Having just finished our showdown at high noon with the Honda CBR600RR and Suzuki GSX-R600 I now had a chance to take a crack at Yamaha's latest middleweight weapon, the 2008 Yamaha R6. With impressions of the other middleweights fresh in my helmet I took the pilgrimage to see how the R6 stacks up on both street and track.

Yamaha is building quite a tradition for creating sportbikes that exude style previously only associated with Italian sportbikes and the R6 is a stunning motorcycle that I have been wanting to swing a leg over for a long time now. Just one look at the Yamaha has me dreaming up ideas of what it will be capable of on the track. The R6 has always been a fairly focused tool with performance on the track at the forefront of the R6 design. If races were won by how fast a bike looks while parked on it's side stand the R6 would win hands down every time, it's sharp angles and tiny size oozing the look of speed.

For 2008 the Yamaha R6 has numerous changes starting with the Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) which is the variable-length intake trumpet stack first introduced on the 2007 R1. The YCC-I is used to vary intake tract length for excellent cylinder filling and a broader powerband. On the higher-revving R6, its benefits are even more pronounced than on the R1. Twin-injection fuel injection is utilized to improve fueling at high rpm and Yamaha claims there were also over 50 friction-reducing strategies used inside the engine to help increase mid-range power.

The R6 receives a new frame with thicker headpipe-headstock and swingarm pivot area walls with the removal of the frame crossmember, changes aimed at improving feedback and quick handling response. There is also a new magnesium-alloy subframe, new swingarm, revised forks and brakes and new bodywork for greater aerodynamic efficiency.

Pulling up to Yamaha for the R6 pick-up I was expecting to take delivery of the customary blue and white R6 I have become accustomed to seeing on the street as well as at the track in the hands of the Graves race team. To my surprise out rolled a bright yellow R6 with enough flames running down the bodywork to make Jesse James proud. This would prove to not be the only surprise the Yamaha would give me in our time together.

The R6 sits very high in the saddle with a fairly tight cockpit. The Yamaha is very small and had me feeling like I was all knees and elbows. While this position would surely pay dividends on the track it took some getting used to the first few miles on the street. The gauges were a fairly easy read with everything you need in easy view. The R6 does not come equipped with a gear indicator.

Fire up the R6 and you will hear a healthy growl from the motor and intake, making it sound like there is much more than 600cc's beneath the fairing. In fact tests have shown that just revving the new R6 causes enhanced libido, increased energy, increased production of red blood cells and if you hold it all the way to redline, may even protect against osteoporosis. Now that is an impressive sounding motorcycle! Initial throttle response is a little abrupt from on-off throttle and the clutch is slightly grabby making low speed maneuvers a little tricky. Once up to speed the motor has a strong pull and the midrange seems much improved over the previous R6. The top end is still strong as well and there is a big surge of power when you reach the upper revs. The R6 motor definitely has the most substantial hit of any of the current crop of 600's, there is no mistaking when the Yamaha is getting into it's power curve. It's a motor that can be heaps of fun on the street with the excellent kick of power the R6 delivers to keep things from getting humdrum.