Yamaha Yamaha R6

Last month, the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) provided the first look at  the new “ Supersport Next Generation” models that will redefine middleweight racing class.

Starting with the 2022 season, the World Supersport class (and their equivalents in various national racing series such as MotoAmerica) will add new models such as the Ducati Panigale V2, MV Agusta F3 800, MV Agusta F3 Superveloce, Triumph Street Triple RS, Suzuki GSX-R750, and the 636cc Kawasaki ZX-6R. The primarily 600cc models that previously represented the class will continue for one more season, before the Supersport Next Generation models take over completely in 2023.

It turns out, however, that at least one traditional Supersport model will live on in the Next Generation category: the Yamaha YZF-R6. According to a list of FIM-approved parts eligible for competition, the R6 will be classified as a Next Generation model for the 2023 season, continuing to be eligible to race in the World Supersport class along with the new, larger displacement models.

AMA Supersport racing starring Anthony Gobert and Aaron Yates, laps around Willow Springs… on the 59th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Yamaha dropped the 2001 R6 on the American press and MO. Though the R6 empire did not last 1000 years, many think this was its finest hour. I mean, some people are saying it.

With news of the Yamaha R6 going the way of the dodo bird, we thought it fitting to take a look back through the Motorcycle.com archives to see all the things we’ve written about Yamaha’s mighty little sportbike. Like the R6, Motorcycle.com has gone through a few changes since its inception in 1994, but fortunately for us, we’ve (barely) been around just long enough to see the R6’s journey. What follows is a trip through time with all the R6 stories that haven’t been lost during various server changes in MO’s history.

Don’t you ever get tired of reading track comparisons from guys that are riding at international race-winning levels? From guys who have been racing their entire lives and who drag elbow like it’s their job (literally)? Me neither, but the guys here at MO and I thought there might be someone out there who could appreciate insight from what a novice track rider might experience when comparing some of the latest 600-class supersports. The two most recently updated of which happen to be the Yamaha R6 and Kawasaki ZX-6R.

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There seems to be much doom and gloom in the motorcycle industry surrounding the state of sportbikes these days. We keep hearing about dropping sales and shifting consumer interest, which will combine to turn the sportbike as we know it into a museum piece one day, gone the way of the Dodo bird.

Weird – Yamaha never got the memo. In fact, since the original R1’s introduction in 1998, Yamaha have sold more than 284,000 R-series motorcycles in the U.S. alone. Team Blue is steadfast in its support of sportbikes and the unmatched thrill they provide, offering a ladder system for those wanting to join the fun.

In other markets, the R15 is the first stepping stone to the Yamaha family, but here in the U.S. one can get their feet wet and learn the ropes on an R3. An excellent learning tool no matter how much experience you have, once the R3 is mastered, the next step is the hugely popular R6. Winner of numerous races and championships worldwide, from there, if one is really serious about their sportbikes, the next jump is the R1. The R1 is my personal favorite Japanese literbike on the market, with an excellent exhaust note to boot, but if you absolutely have to have the cream of the Yamaha crop, then the R1M is your final destination, complete with carbon fiber and magnesium goodies, not to mention Öhlins electronic suspension. (MO’s official favorite literbike, as compared to all the others last June, would be the Aprilia RSV4 RR.)

Here’s a quick reminder of what was going on in the world in 2006:

By now fans of the middleweight sportbike class are well aware of Yamaha’s new 2017 YZF-R6. A bike long overdue, the R6 borrows some styling and technology from its R1 big brother. With a fresh new look and a host of electronics that top the middleweight class, I’m really excited to throw a leg over it. And in fact, by the time this list is published, I’ll have just finished riding the new R6 at one of California’s best racetracks, Thunderhill Raceway. My First Ride Review of the bike will be up shortly, but in the meantime, here are eight things you didn’t know about the 2017 Yamaha R6.

At EICMA 2016, Yamaha’s YZF-R6 made its European debut. No big whoop for those of us in the U.S., since we already saw the new Yamaha at the bike’s world debut last month at AIMExpo. Of course, the Europeans had to have the last laugh, and today at EICMA Yamaha announced it would be returning to the World Supersport championship as a factory effort in 2017, and debuted the WSS-spec R6, too.

The biggest news out of this year’s AIMExpo is the world premiere of the 2017 Yamaha YZF-R6. With a proven track record in MotoAmerica and World Supersport racing, the R6 gains new aerodynamic styling inspired by the R1 as well as the superbike’s KYB fork and brakes. The new R6 also receives selectable ride modes, traction control, ABS, a lighter aluminum tank and a magnesium subframe.

Yamaha revealed a new YZF-R6, adding new engine modes, traction control, ABS and a front suspension system derived from the YZF-R1. The most successful 600cc supersport in AMA Road Racing history also receives new styling including an aerodynamic fairing, lighter aluminum fuel tank and all-LED lighting.

The engine remains a 599cc inline-Four with sixteen valves and a 13.1:1 compression ratio. The Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) system manages the fueling with three selectable maps. The new traction control system offers six levels of intervention (plus off). The system manages traction by balancing throttle opening, ignition timing, and fuel volume. Yamaha says the TC is designed to minimize disruption of forward drive while also adapting to changing tire diameter and grip. Yamaha has not released any power numbers but did claim a wet weight of 419 pounds. That’s a two-pound increase over the outgoing model, but that’s also factoring in the new standard ABS.

This morning, Yamaha published a new “R World” teaser video on its website and social media channels. The company’s official press release says it’s “alluding to an upcoming new motorcycle introduction.” Read between the lines – watch the video – and it seems pretty clear to us: this is the new YZF-R6.

That’s the only line of significance in Yamaha’s press release, other than mentioning another video will be released October 4th. Without much to work with, here’s what we can gather so far.

At the unveiling of the remainder of Yamaha’s 2014 lineup, execs boasted of its strong sales over the last two months. They outlined the recently released Star Bolt and the YZF-R6 supersport contender as bright lights in the lineup, and crowed about the strong advance demand for the appealing new FZ-09 we’ll be riding in two weeks . Of note, Yamaha’s returning models suffer no price increase from 2013.

The Yamaha street lineup is highlighted by the FJR1300ES, a $1000 upgrade over the FJR1300A, refurbished last year and proven to be “very successful” for team Y. The ES denotes electronic suspension, a Kayaba system that includes a new inverted fork and rear shock that can be adjusted by simply pushing buttons on handlebar switchgear, with settings displayed on the LCD instrument panel.

Front and rear damping is adjustable to three settings and can be fine-tuned plus or minus three levels from neutral within the Soft, Standard or Hard settings. As in Yamaha’s R1 fork, compression damping is in the left fork leg, while rebound is in the right. The rear shock can be set to four preload settings: One up; One up with Luggage; Two Up; or Two Up with Luggage.