Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126634
.... t . ,i G(") 00 O"l )i J '1 :> J J -: - Mini impression: Yamaha TT600 (Above) Note the TT 's long seat. compact, but quiet muffler and new cylinder head design. (Below ) Note engine case and knuckle protectors. Yamaha TT600K the return of the Phoenix? Yamaha 's first offerings in big-bore thumper market were th e 1976 T T SODs, the red and white ones. Yamaha tuner extrordinaire Ed Scheidler met th e elite of the motorcycling press corps at southern California 's Saddleback Park to unveil the newest red and white Yamaha thumper. In the legend of th e etern al. Phoenix, the Phoen ix had a long and full life, th en burned itself and rose from th e ashes wiser , more beautifu l and a little different in appearance than before. It is ina rguable that the TT500, whi le at times not the fin est ava ila ble off-road thumper, lived a long a Cull life. Bul letproo f reliability kept them th e favorites of many after the ir chas- si s h ad outlived i ts . best yea rs . Phoenix-like, th e new TT600 rises from the ashes with a bigger-bo red a nd lighter engine th an th e XT5 50, wh ich heralded th e 600's irnrnenem a rr ival. Su spen sion th at h a s IT-like numbers in the rear a nd YZ·i sh travel numbers in th e front gu arantees th at the ressurection will be more trailwise. Th is newest thumper is light Cor a big thumper, but still heavy for a din bike. even though it is more in every way th an its forerunner and relative of yore. Specifications ENGINE Type Four-Stroke, SOHC, f our-valve, Single w ith Balancer. Displacement 595cc. Bore stroke 95 x 84mm. Compression ratio 8 .5:1 . Maximum torque (claimed 34.0 ft-Ib. (4.7 m-kg) @ 5,500 rpm. Carburetion TK Y27PV. COl. Ignition Starter Primary kick. Lubricatio Dry S ump. 1.9 qts, Oi l capacity Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Five -spee d. 32 I A chrome alloy steel fram e glistenin g in red paint and white, with red and black hi ghlights. pl asti cwork adorn all-new components. Up front a double-leading shoe braked. co n ical hubbed, IRe·shod 21·inch wheel spins in th e Iirrn grasp oC a 43mm· tubed Kayaba Cork. We didn' t have specs on th e exac t rak e, bu t it is in the 28 degree neighborhood. IT-issu e co nt ro ls and headligh t/nurnberplat fill in th e blanks ab ove th e600's Cork. The fuel tank is pl asti c, short, wid e and holds nearly three gall on s of hi' i CHASSIS Overall length : 87.0 in. • . 34.6 in. Overall width 48.8 in. Overall height Seat height 36.6 in . 58.5 in. Whee lbase 1 1.8 in. Ground clearance ' . . : Dry weight 271 lb . 2 .9 ga l. Fuel tank capacity Suspension /travel Front Telescopic fork, air adjustable lead ing axle 11 .8 in. MXS, adjustable 10.6 in. Rear Double lead ing shoe drum. Brakes Front Rear Drum. TIres Front 3.00-21. Rear 140/ 19-18. Color Whit e. I t