VOL. 50 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 27, 2013
2013 Yamaha YZF-R6
be different. As it stands, the Yamaha doesn't match up on the
bottom end, which hurts it in the
scoring.
"The R6 still needs some rpm
to get out of its own way, but
get the tach needle pointed to
10,000 and the thing takes off in
a hurry," reckons our Road Test
Editor, Adam.
A wailing Four makes for a
thrilling engine howl, but the R6
doesn't stand apart from the inline
four crowd like its cross-plane R1
sibling does. The Japanese bikes
all sound similar compared to the
European Triples and Twin.
Ratings in the drivetrain category are a bitter pill for the
hard-luck Yamaha. Its six-speed
transmission and slipper clutch
are beyond serious fault, but so
are all the Japanese drivetrains
and the flawless Triumph transmission – which rated higher.
That said, the R6 upped class
performance expectations with
its slipper clutch in 2008, and it
remains the best calibrated – to
the point where it's unnoticeable
on the street.
'Race conditions' are where all
these Supersports shine, but the
R6 in particular. At 33.5 inches
it sports the tallest seat, pitching riders forward to the clip-ons.
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It's an aggressive position that
works for the track, but suffers
on the street compared with the
more relaxed Suzuki, Honda
and Kawasaki. The wide tank
and firmer seat also hurt its comfort rating. While the ergonomics are not ideal for commuting
or casual riding, when it comes
time to move around on the bike
and get to work, the Yamaha is
more than ready to play.
Where test riders describe
the Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki as "easy-to-ride" to the point
of ad nauseam, the Yamaha is
more precise and demands
deft hands at the controls. On
our street ride it felt perhaps too
sharp edged, compared to the
forgiving base set-ups on the
Japanese rivals.
"When you first sit on the
bike, the fairings are really, real-
