P110
CN
III LOWSIDE
T
ucked at the bottom of
Yamaha's new model press
release, dated November
17, 2020, read a tiny paragraph
that has huge implications for
sport bikes.
"With deep consideration of
evolving global market trends
and regulations that limit produc-
tion volumes on certain models,
the following Yamaha models will
be discontinued after model year
2020: YZF-R6, VMAX, WR250R
and SMAX.
"Yamaha understands the
iconic history of these models.
Regarding the future, Yamaha
is continuously looking at new
ideas and concepts to support
and expand the market, as well
as enhance our customers' ex-
periences."
That's it.
That is all Yamaha had to say
about directing one of its most
famous machines to the guil-
lotine. The VMAX I can accept,
and to be honest, it was way past
its prime, regardless of that fact I
still love that brute of a bike. And
the WR250R dual sport and the
SMAX, meh, who cares?
But the YZF-R6? This is one
of the most important sport bikes
ever produced, and for two de-
cades represented a significant
portion of Yamaha's street motor-
cycle bottom line. It populated su-
persport grids for its entirety, often
turning the class into a Yamaha
Cup. Indeed, since MotoAmeri-
ca's introduction in 2015, the R6
has won four of the six Supersport
titles, and provided the backbone
of many a club racing champion-
ship across the globe.
The R6's death is not en-
tirely Yamaha's fault. The Euro
5 emissions laws that have put
a stranglehold on engines like
those of the 600cc class contin-
GOOD NIGHT, SWEET PRINCE
Hard to believe there won't
be a YZF-R6 anymore.
PHOTO: BRIAN J. NELSON
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
