2017 Yamaha YZF-R6 launch review

Way back in 1999 Yamaha decided to jump into the supersport ring big time with its very first YZF-R6, based on the Thundercat and with the Japanese giant claiming the bike was the first production four-stroke with more than 200hp per litre.

There was no hiding its intentions as a razor-sharp tool to hurtle around racetracks at a seriously just-below-a-superbike pace, and at the time probably had most in common with Suzuki's GSX-R600. The major focus for both was outright performance, with just a dash of practical thrown into the mix.

Subsequent YZF-R6s played to pretty much to the same race track tune, starting with the revamped 2003 model (new chassis, fuel injection, 7kg weight reduction), the 2005 update (upside-down forks, radial brakes), the completely new 2006 version (fly-by-wire throttle, slipper clutch, updated suspension) and then minor tweaks in 2008 (magnesium subframe, YCC-I intake system) and 2010 (new muffler, more mid-range).

Over that period, the ultra-compact YZF-R6 has won numerous local and world supersport titles, thanks to riders like Kevin Curtain, Jamie Stauffer, Jason O'Halloran, Bryan Staring, Chaz Davies and current MotoGP campaigners Sam Lowes and Cal Crutchlow.

New horizons
The appetite for supersport machinery has waned in recent years, but Yamaha has decided there's still some life left in the category and has taken a unilateral reinvigoration route. In October 2016 it announced the updated YZF-R6, complete with YZF-R1 KYB 43mm upside-down forks, ABS, seven-way traction control (including off), three riding modes, YZF-R1-type front brakes, a one-way (up) quickshifter, slimmer subframe, new seat, lighter aluminium fuel tank and new aerodynamic fairing.

That new fairing, claimed to be eight per cent more aerodynamic, and the tank are the obvious standouts – it really is a sensational looking motorcycle.

The 599cc engine now meets Euro 4 standards as well, but in essence it's the same donk that's been around since 2006 – but after some digging we've discovered it has less horsepower. There's about 116hp (87.1kW) at 14,500rpm lurking in the 2017 model, and the outgoing model produces a claimed 125hp (93.4kW) at the same rev ceiling. Torque is 67.1Nm at 10,500rpm on the 2017 model, but that's certainly not where the excitement comes from on a four-cylinder supersport bike.

2017 YZF-R6 IN BIKE SHOWROOM

The Deltabox frame also remains unchanged – so the two items (engine and frame) that traditionally swallow up large chunks of R&D moolah haven’t really been a factor this time.

Instead, the focus has been on 'bolt-ons' and the electronic tweaks, and the bike is now on sale in Australia for $17,499 (plus on-road costs) in three liveries: Tech Black, Intensity White/Matt Silver or Team Yamaha Blue.

Commitment equals enjoyment
All three paint schemes were recently on hand in Sydney for the official Australian media launch of the 2017 YZF-R6, which included a road ride and then a half-day fang around Sydney Motorsport Park.

When I say road ride, it was a very truncated affair after a ridiculous wall of heavy rain brought about a very premature end to proceedings. Well, it was predominantly a track test anyway… Well, that's how we justified it.

I have ridden a YZF-R6 on the road many times though, and like any supersport machine it does require a level of commitment to derive the full enjoyment. The 2017 R6 is no different, and to get it to work well you have to be able to ride it hard and know what you're doing. The bike isn't for everyone and that's why Yamaha is aiming it at track day enthusiasts and "everyday riding sports bike fans".

However, like all modern bikes the new R6 is very easy to get on and just ride, and that was the overall first impression on the soggy road ride as I selected the standard D-mode (there are softer B and sharper A modes) and put traction control on four (six is maximum intervention).

But it would all be about the next day at Sydney Motorsport Park, and it was a hoot to ride a supersport bike on a racetrack for the first time in many years. In a nutshell, the YZF-R6 loves – and kinda expects – to be ridden hard, and if you can make it work it still provides one of motorcycling's best experiences, all in a package where the steering is magnificently quick, light and responsive.

Super stable
Everything just feels feather light and super stable, and the updated R1 forks and brakes (including 320mm rotors) really help to shape a new personality for the 2017 YZF-R6 – and ultimately make it both a better track and road bike.

Thanks to the beautifully compliant ABS and slipper clutch, really hard braking and backshifts on the R6 didn't provide any nerve-jangling moments – for me or the chassis – and the inability to switch off the ABS wasn't an issue.

A measure of the R6's dexterity is that you can still alter your course with tiny changes of body weight or bar pressure, even when the bike is still well on its side.

The only time the steering-damper less R6 got a little flighty was coming onto the front straight at Sydney Motorsport Park, but that was under fierce acceleration and with the excellent quickshifter working overtime.

The traction control, unlike ABS, can be turned off, but to do that and also change the settings you have to pull the clutch in. It's certainly not the most intuitive system on the market, but it does work well and intervention is subtle, even at the higher settings.

I set traction control on three for most of the track outing, and I didn't see the indicator light illuminate once – so there's obviously plenty of rear grip, which is not only testament to the Bridgestone Battlax tyres, but the excellent chassis as well.

Same triangle, enhanced feel
The seating triangle on the R6 hasn't changed, but with that reshaped tank there's a feeling the ergos are a little different. It's really easy to tuck into the R6, and that 50mm higher screen really makes it feel like you are in something of a bubble.

The updated seat is now narrower at the front, so that also may have something do with the bike feeling a little different on a race track – and it's also wider at the rear as well, which is better for road riding. The seat is a slippery bugger, though.

It doesn't take too much to realise the DOHC four-cylinder engine is 'race ready'. Sure, there's a smooth and linear power delivery at lower revs, but the real hit comes from around the 10,000rpm mark as it makes its way to the 16,500rpm redline. Riding a bike in that zone does take some aptitude, and if you don't have what it takes then it will be less than a complete experience. That's just the nature off narrow-focussed supersport bikes and, if you're after a bike for the weekly slog, you're better off with Yamaha's excellent MT-07 triple.

But as I said earlier, if you can make the R6 work the way you really want to, you're in for a treat.

Speaking of indulgence, I was also able to sneak three laps on a Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) R6 track bike at the launch, and what an experience that was. Updates included braided steel brake lines, a Power Commander, an Öhlins FKR102 gas cartridge fork kit and springs, an Öhlins TTX shock absorber, an Öhlins across-the-top steering damper kit, GYTR air filter, Dunlop supersport tyres and YRT crash knobs – not to mention a host of genuine accessories such as a rearset, titanium levers, guards galore and an Akrapovic racing system.

So sharp and precise – a chassis that my skills simply couldn't do justice to. However, it was a quick spin I won't forget in a hurry.

Summing up
The 2017 Yamaha YZF-R6 was never going to break new ground – the economics aren’t there in the supersport class any more. However, by enhancing the electronics package, making it look better and fine-tuning the chassis, the end result is impressive.

If you're a devoted sportsbike fan or a potent road rider, the YZF-R6 won't let you down.

SPECS: 2017 YAMAHA YZF-R6
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC four-stroke
Capacity: 599cc
Bore x stroke: 67.0mm x 42.5mm
Compression ratio: 13.1:1
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 116hp (87.1kW) at 14,500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 67.1Nm at 10,500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, slipper

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Aluminium Deltabox
Front suspension: KYB 43mm upside-down, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: Monoshock, fully adjustable
Front brake: 320mm discs with radial-mount calipers
Rear brake: 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Tyres: Bridgestone Battlax – front 120/70-17, rear 180/55-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 24 degrees
Claimed dry weight: 176kg
Seat height: 850mm
Ground clearance: 130mm
Wheelbase: 1375mm
Fuel capacity: 17 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $17,499 plus on-road costs
Colour: Tech Black, Intensity White/Matt Silver or Team Yamaha Blue
Test bike supplied by: Yamaha Motor Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres