Compared to the outgoing four-cylinder R6,
the R9 has around 23 lb-ft of torque more but
more importantly than that, it spreads it over a
wider rev range. During our day at Sonoma—in
the pouring rain—this came in very handy as you
didn't have to constantly shift gears to keep the
revs sky-high for dependable performance.
The CP3 still suffers from the dreaded flat
spot between 5000-6500 rpm, which is due to
emissions. Regardless of your position on the
twist grip, the ECU just won't let the throttle
butterflies open as quickly as you're asking them
if you're in this particular point of the rev range.
A quick look at the data confirmed this, but if you
do go and pick up an R9, stick an aftermarket
pipe on and take it to a good tuner, they will
largely be able to eradicate the problem.
The CP3 motor is mated to Yamaha's six-
speed gearbox with quite widely spaced ratios.
This hints to the streetbike nature of the
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