Thankfully, Yamaha, in their wisdom,
have stuck with the same brilliant package in 2005,
albeit tweaked here and there to help win back the
WSS title. And they’re in with a good chance.
The engine remains unchanged but re-mapping of the
fuel and ignition systems as well as larger throttle
bodies, new injectors and redesigned inlet trumpets
have pulled three-horsepower up top and improved throttle
response.
The conventional forks and calipers are gone, replaced
by a set of 41mm inverted items and Sumitomo radial-mount
monoblock calipers.
Now, there was never anything wrong with the old
front end but, with huge horsepower (in 600 terms)
and extreme forces generated by the grip of modern
WSS tyres Yamaha needed to get that front end rigid
to compete with the rest of the field.
On the street, however, the new front end, with its
70-profile tyre, offers more stability and compliance
in real-world conditions. This is partly due to revised
damping and spring rates and partly due to altered
steering geometry – which leads me to my point. The
new R6 steers slower than the 2004 model, despite
an increase in ride-height to compensate for the lazier
geometry and 10mm taller front end. The old R6 was
nimble, aggressive, nervous and exciting. The new
R6 is, well, a safe compromise.
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But we are talking stock settings here and,
in my experience, most riders will appreciate
the R6s new-found ability to track like it’s
on rails rather than whinge about any lost
adrenaline opportunities offered by the occasional
tank-slapper!
Styling? Take a look for yourself. Apart from
a new mudguard, some colour changes and the
front-end it all looks as good as ever. Like
I said, simply stunning.
With limited time to try and do my usual
one-week-1000km- test I had to incorporate
a photo shoot into the first run on the bike.
Heading south from Sydney towards Wollongong
on the R6, in sweltering 40-degree heat, in
full leathers, was not a good start to our
relationship. But I got along with the 600
just fine and managed to have a ball anyway.
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The first thing I notice as I roll out of my driveway
and roll on the throttle is a huge dead spot at 4000rpm,
followed by a surge in torque that has the tacho launching
to 5000rpm before the throttle can be rolled off!
It almost feels like a turbo spooling up and, as I
soon discovered, is a pain in heavy traffic, where
smooth riding in the flow takes a bit of getting used
to. Still, this is no commuter.
The gearbox is notchy, just like last year, but the
engine spins-up through the rev range faster than
I remember. There is strong upper mid-range available
and the clutch-action is smooth and predictable. Performance-wise,
Yamaha have a hit.
Not quite the road-friendly unit it was in 2004, the
2005 R6 engine nevertheless performs well in the real
world – it is just that lack of bottom end that takes
the niceness off the bike on the street. Get it revving,
though, and it is a whole new world. Not a bike for
the inexperienced, though.
Once the engine passes that surge from 4000rpm to
5000rpm there is a bit of flattening out for 1000rpm
or so before the R6 screams to 8500rpm very swiftly,
with good torque for a supersport machine and instant
throttle response. Things drop off at 8500rpm and,
particularly in the higher gears where there is high
load, the engine hesitates before exploding again
and screeching to its sky-high 15000rpm rev-limiter.
Keep the engine spinning between 9000 and 12000rpm
and you’ll find yourself making progress at a very
rapid rate indeed. Drop-off below that and you’ll
be stuck in the flat area with nowhere to go. The
R6 is either below 8500rpm or above 9000rpm – not
in between.
Throttle response is outstanding in all areas bar
one – cracking the throttle mid-turn is very difficult
to do smoothly and on slippery roads the back stepped
out on me regularly and unpredictably if I didn’t
have the back brake jammed on to take up the snatchy
and abrupt drive to the rear Dunlop D218. I don’t
recall the problem being an issue on the 2004 model
so the new mapping or injectors must be to blame.
All in all I think the average punter will take time
to adapt to the new engine’s characteristics but once
they are familiar the benefits will be obvious.
The chassis changes have given the R6 a completely
different feel to 2004. As I hit some twisties it
is obvious that the steering has been changed and
that the bike sits higher in the front. I hadn’t seen
a spec sheet before I rode the R6 and, until I read
that the ride-height was up by 10mm I had convinced
myself that the back-end was low. The bike took quite
a lot of effort to change direction on, was heavier
feeling and generally more work. Probably just my
95kg lump of a body.
The new set-up did help when I reached a particularly
bumpy section of the road, where the 2004 R6 would
have skipped around like, well, Skippy I guess. But
the ’05 model remained stable, compliant and composed
– head shake is still an issue on stock settings,
only when hard on the throttle off bumpy turns but
I’d still be opting for a steering damper just in
case.
With the extra wheelbase and more conservative
steering the R6 rewards riders who pick their
line, turn-in and roll through a corner rather
than point and fire. For me, I miss the aggression
on the 2004 R6 as I hammer through my local
run but the benefits of tracking and mid-corner
stability – not to mention incredible stability
while squeezing on the brilliant new Sumitomo
brakes – more than compensate for my disappointment.
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Speaking of brakes, my initial impression was that
they are not as strong as the old brakes – but it
all came down to initial bite. The brakes are less
abrupt and instantaneous than last year but once you
start applying pressure to the Brembo master cylinder
they are just incredible. Really good.
Yamaha fitted different pads for the R6, which explains
the initial bite – they’ve taken the edge of for safety
reasons I would say.
Comfort is good for such a physically small bike.
With a tank-bag and a sheepskin you could easily tour
on the R6, although there is a slight vibe at 6000rpm
– right on 110km/h – but it disappears once you hit
120km/h. The speedo on our test bike read 10km/h over
anyway so it kind of works out fine. The mirrors are
a tad shaky, too, and my arms tended to baulk on the
tank if I attempted a full-lock U-turn but apart from
that I found the ergo’s of the R6 just fine.
On the track the R6 really comes to life. My first
session was just as I expected – hard work. The slow
steering was exaggerated ten-fold and the bike was
just way too stable. At first I thought that Yamaha
had lost the plot but any concerns I had about the
longer wheelbase, revised steering geometry and the
new front tyre went out the door as soon as I cranked
up the rear preload, backed off the front compression
and added some rear comp. Enter the new R6!
Pin-sharp accuracy into turns (although it is still
harder work to turn in than in 2004) and brilliant
feel compounded by solid stability on the brakes has
transformed the R6 into one of the most confidence
inspiring bikes I’ve ridden.
The little pocket rocket is exceptional on the brakes
into turns thanks to the extra side-grip of the 70-profile
front Dunlop and the feel on offer from the brakes
is intimate and the ratio offers great control with
even the smallest inputs at the brake lever felt through
the tyre. The lack of initial bite that surprised
me on the street was exaggerated on the track so experimenting
with pad compounds would be worthwhile for those who
prefer instantaneous initial bite followed by controlled
modulation. Then again, you’re probably better off
without that harshness on the street.
Once turned-in the R6 settles very quickly and the
initial throttle snatch is not as bad on the track,
where high corner speeds dampen it somewhat. As soon
as you’re on the throttle the R6 settles and you can
really get some speed off the turns. I found that
the rear Dunlop was great for around eight laps at
a time but would move little after that and need to
cool down for a lap or so. The track was also quite
slippery during our test because the V8 Supercars
had raced there the previous weekend.
On the straight the new characteristics of the engine
shine, with an indicated 260km/h nothing to laugh
at. At the end of the test, and looking through our
notes, there is a clear message there that Yamaha
have built this bike with one thing in mind – winning
the World Supersport title again.
The bike is an absolute weapon on the racetrack and
a handy tool on a twisting road – but don’t be fooled
into thinking the R6 is anything else. This bike is
a performer through and through, so if life on redline
is for you – then so is the 2005 R6.
WAYNE GARDNER ON THE R6
The 2005 R6 is a great little bike. It makes
strong top-end power, has a smooth engine and is easy
to ride. The bike tracks very well and holds a line
well, and the brakes a great – with good feel and
power.
The engine is all high rpm so you have to get the
revs right but if you keep it in the power the R6
accelerates off the turns very well.
The chassis is quite good for a street set-up and
performs well on the track. I think it could do with
tightening up a little but it does steer nicely.
Throttle actuation or initial opening is a little
jerky, which feels like a mapping problem to me, but
that is something that can more than likely be tuned
out and in general I really like the R6. It is a great
bike that performs well on the track.
– Wayne Gardner
ENGINE
Although the 2005 R6 engine remains fundamentally
the same as it did in 2004, some important tweaks
have taken place to refine the mill and improve acceleration.
The old 38mm throttle bodies have been replaced with
40mm items and injectors are now 12-hole units rather
than the previous four-hole units. To maximise mid-range
without compromising top-end, a quartet of staggered
inlet trumpets are used – the inner two 15mm longer
than the outer two.
Re-mapping of both fuel and ignition has helped with
a three-horsepower increase at 3000rpm, while the
combustion chambers have been ceramic-coated.
CHASSIS & STYLING
For 2005 Yamaha went all-out and converted
the R6 to an inverted fork set-up – but it was no
easy task.
The frontal area of the frame has been heavily braced
to cope with the extra rigidity and the swingarm pivot
point plates are a whopping 85 per cent thicker than
in 2004.
Widening the rake angle from 24.5 to 24-degrees and
increasing trail by 11mm to 95mm has slowed steering
geometry down. The front end is also 10mm higher thanks
to the 70-profile front tyre (was a 60-profile) and,
as a result, Yamaha created a new shock linkage to
raise ride-height by 10mm also. Wheelbase is 5mm longer
while weight distribution remains 51/49.
The front rotors have been increased in diameter from
298mm to 310mm but have been reduced in thickness
by 0.5mm to combat the weight gain. Squeezing the
rotors are a pair of the same Sumitomo monoblock radial-mount
calipers with Brembo master-cylinder found on the
R1, only the R6 sports its own compound of brake pads.
Dry weight is up by one kilogram.
SPECIFICATIONS
2005 YAMAHA R6
www.yamaha-motor.com.au
Price: $15,099 (+$200 for black colour) + ORC
Warranty: 2 years unlimited km
Colours: Red Blue Black
Claimed power: 90kW [121hp]@13,000rpm
Claimed torque: 65Nm [48ft-lbs]@12,000rpm
Measured power 83.74kW [112.3hp]@13,200rpm
Measured torque 62.63Nm [46.2ft-lbs]@11,850rpm
Dyno top speed (measured) 263km/h
Dry weight: 163kg
Fuel capacity: N/A
Measured average fuel consumption: 5.8l/100km
ENGINE
Type: liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC 16 valve inline-four
Bore x stroke: 65.5 x 44.5mm
Displacement: 600cc
Compression ratio: 12.4:1
Fuel delivery: Mitsubishi EFI, single injector per
cylinder, 40mm throttle bodies
Exhaust: four-into-one titanium/aluminium
Gearbox: six-speed constant mesh
Ratios: N/A
Final ratio: N/A Clutch: wet multi-plate, cable actuated
Final drive: O’ring chain
CHASSIS
Frame type: Aluminium die-cast Delta-box III
Wheelbase: 1385mm
Rake: 24.5 degrees
Trail: 95mm
Front suspension: 41mm fully adjustable inverted forks
Rear suspension: fully adjustable Monoshock
Front brake: dual 310mm rotors, four-piston radial-mount
monoblock calipers
Rear Brake: single 220mm rotor, single-piston caliper
Front wheel: 3.50 x 17in
Rear wheel: 5.50 x 17in
Front tyre: 120/70 – 17
Rear tyre: 180/50 – 17
Ground clearance: N/A
Seat height: 830mm
Overall height: N/A
Overall width: N/A
Overall length: N/A
INSTRUMENTS Analogue tacho, LCD display with speedo,
dual trip-meters, clock and temp gauge. Shift light,
FI warning, oil, stand, high-beam and neutral indicators
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