Yamaha YZF600R
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Yamaha introduced the YZF600R several years ago, it was Yamaha’s cutting-edge 600cc sportbike, featuring fully adjustable suspension, front and rear, (preload, compression and rebound), good tires, thorough instrumentation, and very streetable ergonomics and wind protection. Shortly thereafter, Yamaha introduced the R6 — a bike much lighter and much more aggressive from a sportbike perspective. The R6 was the “no compromises” sportbike.
Yamaha continues to manufacture and sell the YZF600R, because it offers a very comfortable and practical alternative to the R6. What you get with the YZF is a 600 that is heavier and less focused on hard core sport riding, but with trade offs that make it a much more practical mount.
The YZF600R has excellent mid-range power for a 600 — even compared with more current designs. The carbureted engine has good throttle response after it warms up (like a lot of carbureted bikes, it is a bit cold blooded). It might lack the top end rush of some of the other 600s available, but the motor works extremely well at sane rpm levels, and is very flexible.
The ergonomics and wind protection, simply put, are the best in the 600 class. The bar/seat/peg triangle is far less severe than most other 600s, with the exception of Kawasaki’s ZX-6R. The Kawasaki also offers excellent real world comfort, but the YZF has it beat in this regard.
The fully adjustable suspension is outstanding. Indeed, we were a bit surprised at how well it worked, both on the street and on the track (yes, we took the YZF to a track day at California Speedway). Its standard settings are very plush, yet reasonably controlled on the street. The added weight the bike carries is actually a plus in most street riding situations, reducing the unsprung weight of the machine as a percentage of its overall weight. The YZF600R proved to be an excellent freeway mount here in Southern California, where high speed travel can unsettle many bikes. The bike felt completely planted at elevated speeds.
Moreover, the 600R has a balanced feel cornering on the street. It changes directions easily, holds its line through corners well, and is largely unaffected by mid-corner bumps. Excellent.
The YZF600R has a very large, comfortable seat, both for rider and passenger. We took some long trips with a passenger, and, once again, passenger comfort easily surpasses that offered by most modern sportbikes.Ground clearance is more than you would typically need on the street, and adequate for the track, as well.
Where the YZF600R really shines, however, is on the street as an all-around, every day, do-it-all machine. With large capacity gas tank (5 gallons), good touring range, low vibration, and the comfort discussed above, the YZF600R offers a very strong package to the person who uses their bike for more than Saturday morning blasts through the canyons, but still wants high handling limits.
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