Demo rode a R6 today...

Don't worry guys, I'm not about to join r6world.com.

I went to the greenville, sc motorcycle show and noticed they have demo rides. So I walked on over there and see that there's a Yamaha R6 available for a ride. What the hell I got all day to waste.

So after a 15 minute demo ride so far I have to say that the R6 makes a great track bike but not a very good street bike. The engine only really comes to life above 9K rpm and below that it's just a wimp. I don't know about you but on the streets I don't like to keep the bike above 9K all the time. It feels like its stuck in turbo lag all the time.

What I really love about the R6 is how it does turns perfectly; it's not just a matter of turning but another matter of staying there. You can just tell it to turn and unless you command otherwise it'll stay planted in that curve like a loyal butler awaiting commands. With the bikes I've ridden I've noticed that most fall on extreme ends of being hard to turn but will stay there and easy to turn but real squirelly and prone to changing its mind. This R6 manages to make the perfect balance. A kudos to its engineers for that.

My VFR, admittedly falls in the end of taking a while to turn but will stay there. Maybe I can rectify this by getting some Pilot Road 2 tires, I've been hearing that they have quicker turns.

Another reason why the R6 is a good track and bad street bike is that the inline 4 engine has as much soul as a kitchen blender. I'm spoiled with my VFR gear driven cams, sometimes I even let it rev when I'm parked just to hear the whine, mmmm. Anyway, to make up for the lack of soul, you just gotta go faster than 100 mph and it's just insane to do that down main street.

Really, I don't know why people buy those repli-racers and just do the speed limit. That's like hiring a hooker just to have dinner.

 

For quicker turn in you would need the more trianglar Pilot Powers, the R2s while brilliant have a rounded profile so are more linear so a lttle slower.

Found that when I took my bike mechanics personal highly tweeked '05 Z750 for a spin...smooth reving but dull, dull, dull, if I couldn't have V4 I'd have a Vtwin or maybe the newly revamped v4 like IL4 '09 R1.

 

i am looking at an 08 CBR600RR. I hear its midrange isnt terrible so I have my fingers crossed. Thanks for the post and info!

 

Thanks for the info, I might just try the Pilot Powers next. And yeah I hear you on the V-Twin bikes, a riding buddy has a SV 1000S what a badass bike!

No problem to return the favor you can let me test out your new bike ha ha!

 

I've had previously run Powers since '04 while quicker turning they wear quicker and carcass wise get very thin and had picked up 3 flats near the end of each of the last 3 Powers life.

Have had R2s back and front now for 6&8 months and they hardly seem to be wearing yet still they have magnificent wet and dry grip so better suited to the ST lifestyle of my VFR so wouldn't return to Powers unless I get a pure Sports bike. :thumbsup:

 

I'm wanting to add another bike to compliment my VFR, considering the CBR600RR or the 1000RR. There are a lot more bikes available in the 600's, but I'm just wondering if this will be big enough? Are the CBR's "that" much different than the VFR's in power? I'm 6' 240lbs, and I do like to ride 2-up from time to time. What made you look at the 600 Neverlos?

 

In addition to the Michelin's, try pulling your forks up in the clamps 10 millimeters. This mod made a great improvement on the handling of my sixth gen.

 

Good call on 10mm.

Tried my Gen 5 at 14mm with Pilot Powers at one end of the scale and while it turned in fast in the tight twisties it made the VFR a little less stable on high speed sweepers, I then dropped it to 6mm and became stable as very stable thing at speed but too slow through the tight stuff, I've since found 10mm is just right with my Pilot R2's. :thumbsup:

 

Wow, I didn't realize it would make a difference pulling the forks up. I think I'll try that when my dreaded 32K mile servicing comes up.

Man I got to say it'll be freaking sweet if I can make my bike handle almost like a R6 but still have soul and mid range power.

 

I rode a friend's 05 R6 a while back. Was fun since the bike was so light, but seemed to fall into the turns, had to work it back up into the straights. My vfr just leans over and stays, then straigtens back out with ease. I'm running the Pilot Road 2 tires. Seem to handle very well all year round. They are wearing very well too. At the moment, 90% of my riding is freeway.

 

You hit the nail right on the head. They buy these replica racers for the looks. Just like the hooker on their arm or at their table.....LOOK AT ME! But like you said, do get anything out of them, you almost have to red line the damn engine all the time.

But, it is a free country and to each their own. And it is their money. If we all rode the same bike, what a boring world we would have. Difference, is the spice of life. It's still a bike.

 

With the front forks up 10mm, any noticeable increase in ride harshness?

Just curious, if you have to sacrifice any other noticeable ride qualities to get the better steering.

 

I found traxxion's website at http://www.traxxion.com/ I see they have complete kits for the low, low price of $999.95! Whoa, that'll have to be a next winter project. They're in woodstock, ga about a half hour drive from me. Thanks for the referral, I'm bookmarking that one!

Truthfully, right now I'm not quite valentino rossi material yet. I've been riding on Continental Road Attacks, which have a round profile. They've been serving me well the past year and half but now that I'm getting more experience and feeling more comfortable with the bike I find myself wanting to go faster. Like Reg71 said, sometimes I get a little frustrated with the delayed response of the tires, I just want to turn NOW, not in a few moments. That can be especially scary going through tight turns and wondering if the tire's gonna make it in time.

BTW, congrats on the R6 duel, I'm sure you'd win if that was an endurance contest, you can't beat the comfort of the VFR!

 

I have stock suspension and I raised my forks a half inch. I run Pilot Powers. Not more harsh than standard, and it does turn in quicker. I have run it this way since last August.

 

Were you using the Pilot Powers before the suspension change? Just want to confirm the improved turning was only from the raised forks.

 

In my very limited dealings with a R6, all I have to say is I simply DO NOT fit on the bike. No ifs, ands or buts, the R6 is way too small for me.

5th Gen VFR's RULE.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2: