Yamaha YZF-R6

Overview

The Yamaha YZF-R6 is that friend that’s always the first one up for the adrenaline fueled activity; you just have to be ready to keep them in check. Even if you’re not very into sportbikes, you’ve got the R6 on your radar. This bike has a reputation, and rightly so. The chassis feels fast, it is sleek, and it always looks race ready whether you’re zipping to the grocery store or flew over the finish line at 200 mph. It is what it is, and we are real, we can not do it without looking cool.

I’ll break it down for you. The R6 isn’t here to play. Styled around its 599cc inline-four engine, it’s built to rev high and get on very fast. It’s not your Sunday cruiser. Have you been playing a video game and everything goes by at top speed? Riding the R6 feels that way. It’s not just taking you from point A to point B, the ride is the whole point. Every ride is an event with this bike.

The R6 is one of the things that is always lives on this one, always feels alive. The bike almost seems to be doing your thoughts for you. You can be there with it, lean into a corner, no awkward pauses, no second guessing. It’s not like a dance in fancy ballroom, no, more like breakdancing at 100mph. It’s fluid, it’s fast, it’s demanding. Is it tricky to manage? Yeah, no doubt about it. This isn’t a beginner’s bike, but if you’ve got a fair bit of knowledge to your name it’s a total dream. Riding it every time makes me remember just how razor sharp the R6 really is.

Here’s something you should know, though: Yamaha retired the R6 for street use. If you’re looking at one, you’ll be seeing track only versions from here on out. And honestly, it makes sense. The R6 is on the track was meant to be. It seems to have been built for it. It’s cracked throttle you get it on a straightaway, the bike says, 'is that all you’ve got'? What does it sound like when it gets to those RPMs? Any gearhead’s ears sounds like absolute music. Trust me, you’ll want to turn it just to hear the sound alone.

And hey, nice article, I won’t sugar coat it. The R6 isn’t a bike you choose to make a long, comfortable ride with. It puts you huddled over the tank ready to fend off MotoGP. Not exactly the kind of relaxing that I’d have in mind. If your casual Sunday cruise is anything, it’s protest inducing. The cost for performance, at least. You don’t buy an R6 to feel safe. You buy it because you want speed and precision. They do not disappoint in either regard, and boy do they deliver on both score.

If you’re thinking about hitting the track with this beast now, you are going to have fun. With its lightweight aluminium frame, adjustable suspension and top tier brakes, it’s a dagger in the corner. It doesn’t turn; it carves through curves, point for point. The bike feels almost like an extension of your hands, you are in control of every ounce of it. The intuitive thing to do just seems to make it work, feel responsive and downright makes your blood pump. You’ll end the session with your face grinning and maybe some sore muscles from bracing yourself on that learning windmill. But trust me, it’s worth it.

Is the Yamaha YZF-R6 worth it then? Absolutely. This is a no brainer if you’re a speed junkie who lives for sharp corners and how that accelerates your kid’s stomach when you hit the throttle. It’s about the experience, not just a machine. All you have to be is just ready to keep up. R6 is not the sort of bike that you jump on and ride without exerting effort. And when you do? It’s like flying without wings, well.