Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

}'OU're IooIdng for a close fight. you've just found it. There's a reason why the AMA 600cc !iapeJsporl class is one of the most hotly contested series in road racing, and iI's because stock motorcycles thai provide Ihe foundation for the class are arguably the most"c1oseDaldled machines on Ihe market. And lhis tesl proved ii, Suzuki's GSX-R6OO is the only true replica racer of the bunch, and it has won repeatedly in ~tion. But check out the points standings in the first three AMA 600cc races of this year. That's Doug Chandler out front on a :Kawasaki ZX-6R. And last year's champion? Miguel DuHamel on a Honda CBR600F3. On Ihe box at Brainerd lasl year? Rich Oliver and a Yamaha YZF600. Every one of' these riders has a different style, as do the machines they race. In the hands of Ihe right rider, anyone of these four brands can place in the top three at a Supersport event. ThaI's the most important lhing to remember when considering one of iliese 6005. The bike you buy has to fit into your riding style, so don't buy based solely on lap limes. The Suzuki is the closest you'll gel to feeling like you're on a race bike. It has a precision front end, stellar chassis and a fun motor if the revs are kept over 9500 rpm. Bul will you want to put up with that same motor leaving stoplights on your way to work, with your body weight on your wrists? ThaI's something to consider. If you're planning on sport-touring, and spending long hours in the saddle - buy a ZX-11. Or the Yamaha. Its chassis behaves decently when faced with the speeds dealt by the race track, and only faltered when compared to the competition. This year Yamaha blew away the liter-class competition with the YZF-Rl. So come on, guys, what will it be - an R6? II's hard for me to make a choice between the Kawasaki and the Honda since they're so evenly matched. The fact that the Honda can still hold its own against brand-new designs is boggling, though both its engine and c1,assis are ready for the next-generation 'P-senes evolution. Not one of us could deny the ZX-6R's ability to put a big grin across our faces as soon as the throttle was yanked open, pumping out enough seamless horsepower to scare most 750s. I didn't feel the same confidence in the front end as I felt with the Honda, but on the street the difference is negligible. And I'd like to h.ear what Doug Chandler would say if I told him the ZX-6R's front end doesn't give me as much confidence at speed. He'd probably choke on his tobacco from laughing so hard. So if I looked to go racing, I! d buy the Suzuki without hesitation. If I were planning a trip, I'd take the Yamaha. But if I wanted to do a little of both, the Kawasaki and the Honda are the only way to go. I guess it would all come down to which dealer could give me the best price. The Honda, for all its aging technology, is still hard to beat. But if money be damned, send me a ZX-6R. I just can'l refuse a 600 that power-wheelies. eaving Las Vegas, I was a bit undecided. After all, more than once throughout the 0lUl'Se of the day at the speedway, I came off either the Kawasaki, Suzuki or Honda and declared it as the best bike on the track. Even the Yamaha, in its own way, wasn't far off pace. Talk about four extremely fine motorcycles. At the track, I couldn't help but be impressed by the Kawasaki's throaty growl, its power- ful motor and broad powerband - and nimble handling. I was also impressed by the Suzuki's super-quick steering, light feel, strong fronl brake, lind its pipey but strong motor. The Honda inspired my confidence with its stable chassis, linear powerband, fairly powerful motor and body-friendly ergonomics. And the Yamaha? Yeah, it might suffer a bit in the horsepower department, is a slow revver and might not cut through the comers quite as well as the others, but the Yamaha is still downright fun to ride and is by far the mo t comfortable bike of the four. it has a lot of things going for it, but horsepower isItt one of them. But the bike of choice for me at the track would have to be the Suzuki, the clincher being the exhilaration factor. The GSXR600 is simply an exciting motorcycle to ride - it does everything qUickly, even if I can't. The bike revs, makes awesome power, goes where it's pointed, and you can't help but have a huge grin on your face after putting in a few good, hard laps on the Suzuki. For me, it was a tough decision between it and the Kawasaki at the track. Unfortunately, 1 don't have a Las Vegas Motor Speedway in my backyard, so everyday ridability plays an importanl role for me, and this is where the Yamaha looks reaJ good. I could commute on this motorcycle just fine, and the slower-revving engine becomes less of a nuisance. The Honda reminds me a lot of the Yamaha but with slightly less comfort - and more power. The Suzuki, meanwhile, was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting this bike to be far more street "unfriendly" than it was. My 6-foot-l-inch frame was pretty cramped on the GSXR, but I adapted quickly to the high-mounted footpegs, low-mounted handlebars and flat and thinly padded seat. But a full day "touring" on the Kawasaki convinced me that the ZX-6R is the best a11around bike for me. The Kawasaki is remarkably comfortable, has the best, most user-friendly motor of the four bikes, and has tl,e chassis and suspension to match. I'm sold on the ZX-6R. Kit Palmer T he intesity of riding on a race track tends to cloud a man' judgment. It was fairly clear to me at the end of om day at the fast and fun Las Vegas Motor Speedway that there was only one 600cc bike in this test that could possibly fit into my garage - GSX-R. Even being the largest of our group of testers by a wide... well, leI's say tall margin, nothing else Mattered execept the brilliant front-end feedback and killer brakes. ever mind that my knees were up by my elbows - the bike makes you feel like a hero. Don't get me wrong, I had my fun on the other three bikes. 1 was seduced by the power of the ZX, the immediacy and predictability of the Honda's chassis, and the Yamaha's... I even found a place in my heart for the YZF600R, it just happened to be at the back of the pack. But absolutely nothing beat railing on the GSX-R, and I was sure that I'd stick with my decision all the way to the end of this test. Unfortunately for the Gixxer, the end of this test was a 300-or-so-rnile street ride, and I spent the last 80 of it on the freeway. The GSX-R's performance advantage is so far out at the edge of the envelope you'd be an idiot to explore it on the street, and what the Kawasaki gave up in terms of outright kneedragging performance on the track was more than made up for by the refined-yet-powerful, ram-air-inducted, short-stroke, four-cylinder powerplant and taut, controlled chassis behavior on the street. Th" riding position is the best compromise between control and comfort in this group - it just feels good to ride. My head was clear, my butt sore, and the point was finally driven home: The Kawaski .... the bike I wished t'd driven home. W hen we departed from Las Vegas Motor Speedway after some eight hours of track riding. there was absolutely no doubt in my mind as to which was the best of the four 600cc Supersport machines. The Suzuki GSXR-600 did everything just a little bit better On the race track. Its high-reVVing engine is perfect for race conditions and its stiff chassis gives plenty of feedback. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see why this motorcycle has been SO successful in Supersport racing. Then we went on a 300-somlNTtile ride through the countryside of Southern California's Riverside County, a ride that consisted of plenty of twists and a bit of freeway droning. ThaI's when the other bikes started to catch up. Jn fact, they not only !l,ained on the Suzuki, but they passed it, meshing together into a tightly knit group that made picking a favorite somewhat difficult. Call it the Sorority Girl Syndrome - the last one you were with was usually your favorite. The Suzuki lost ground mainly because of comfort, or its lack thereof. When you throw a leg over the GSX-R, you fall into a racing position - hands low, feet high, naturally tucked in and ready for action. At Ihat race track, this was ideal. After 30 minutes on regular roads, however, you realize that you're not very comfortable. In fact, you notice that your hands and wrists ache a bit. I can't inlagine the feeling if you're over 5 feet 8 inches tall. l:n defense of the GSX-R, you rarely ever hear the pilot of an F-16 complain about how hard the seat is. Simply put, the Suzuki is built for speed, not for comfort. The others make much better street bikes than the Suzuki, and after much haggling with myself, I had to put the Kawasaki at the top of the heap. Why? Because it was a close second on the race track, and rates right at the top in every otller application. It has the best powerplant. Period. II's comfortable and it handles well. With the ZX-6R set up correctly, you could hang with the Suz.uki on the track (just ask Doug Chandler). And it looks the part. While the Honda was clearly better than the Yamaha at themce track, "Old Bh.1e" is a pretty damn good street bike. It has a bigger feel than the others, but this isn't a bad thing when it comes 10 spending a day out riding 01) public roads. The Honda CBR600, meanwhile, is a classic. The Honda has always been one of my favorites, and that didn't change after this comparison. II may have dropped down a notch against the competition in this highly competitive segment of the. sporlbike market, but I stiJl wouldn't mind owning one. l:n fact, when Honda introduces its fast, light and uncomfortable new 600 in 1999, I'll be the first guy in line to gel a good deal on an outdated CBR6OO. But if I go shopping at my local motorcycle dealer later today, I'll ride home on a KaWllSllki ZX-6R. My GSX-R600, you see, is in the back of the truck - ready to go to the rare track. rjust ain't riding it there. PnlC-II*es· n 600cc Supersport division has always been my favorite, ever since my days racing a productiDn-category Suzuki RG500 square four. When the first CBR600 came out and WlI5 able.to keep up with my trick two-stroke, I knew that middleWeight riders would enjoy the besle1ilsd the oncoming class war. 1be batIIe for 600cc supremacy has only intensified in the ensuing 10 years. Ever since my Gamma was challenged by that four~troke, the CBR has been among the pacesetters, more .... than lUll ranked number one. Heading into this comparison, [anticipated that the CBR6OOF3 would finally lose its enviable status as the most balanced middleweight. The good news is that if you have an F3, you don't necessarily have to get a bank loan yet. In fact, the only all-new bike in the test, the Kawasaki ZX-6R, seems much like the CBR when ridden hard at the track. And I mean that as a compliment to the Ninja! Both the Honda and the Kawasaki offer good feedback when pushed, seeming to relish any demands a rider provides. The new Ninja has a much-improved front end, including superior brakes, and performs wilh the confidence these parts allow. On the other hand, while the Hooda's specifications are no longer that impressive on paper, in use, the F3 still offers surprisi~g confidence. . . The one category in which the Kawasaki. clearly leads in is an important one, however. The ZX-6R's motor is a delight, from its throaty, big-bike roar, even with a stock exhaust, to its abundant midrange and serious top end. The fleXibility of the Ninja's powerplant is the greatest strength of a solid package. No amount of dyno-chart study can replace the seat-of-the-pants thrill of charging out of a tight turn in Chandler-mode. The Honda's midrange doesn't quite measure up to the Kawasaki's, although the CBR may be a bit more forgiving at thera'gged edge. Although comfortable, the CBR offers the least wind protection of the group, and doesn't have as much room for my largish frame as the Kawasaki. The updated GSX-R6OO is in its element at the track, with taunt suspension, flex-free frame and running gear that can't be faulted. Jason Black's setup efforts proved Ihe "tunability" of the GSXR. This isn't a replica racer, iI's the real deal. The Honda and Kawi gave the impres ion of .having the front end right at your fingertips, but only the Suzuki gives you the sense that both ends are plugged directly into your traction sensors. While my head wants to Jove the Suzuki, my heart just isn't convinced. Why? Poor midrange performance and an occasional, disturbing flat spot in power delivery when easing back on the throttle into tight turns. While I admire many aspects of the GSXR, I had more full on tl,e other bikes, plus the Suzuki is just a little too cramped for people my size. The Yamaha is the most distinctive bike in the group. The YZF has a larger physical presence. II's in a league of its own in terms of ergonomics, wind protection and luggage space. The Yamaha feels bigger than the rest, too, and thaI's okay - iI's tl,e heavier part thaI's disturbing. Ridden at a brisk pace, the Yamaha is plenty of fun. But when you start to charge, running at speeds the Kawasaki and Honda enjoy and the Suzuki almost demands, the Yamaha starts to fade. literally. The suspension gets overworked, the great brakes begin to bake, and hot laps with Honda-mounted lunatic Carruthers glued to your tail become serious work. Enter a turn wide and try to lighten your line, and the Yamaha doesn't want to cooperate. The othl!'J' bikes relish this kind of action. it isn't that the Yamaha isn't capable, but if you like to push that last little bit, ifs lUll the right. choice. With great torque, a slower-revving power delivery and superior comfort, the Yamaha is probably the best choice from a strictly street point of view. All the 6005 were great fun, making for one of my best-ever days at the track. None wouJd restrict a good rider on his favorite twisty road. But if r had to vole with my wallet, I

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