Yamaha's Pussycat
Written: Jan 02 '01 (Updated Jul 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Reliable, Comfortable, Easy to ride
Cons: Unstable, Brakes, Performance
The Bottom Line: Yamaha's YZF-600, a very reliable and comfortable all-rounder for street use, is one of the best bargains around, but it isn't perfect.
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| jptoo's Full Review: 2000 Yamaha YZF600R |
My wife and I bought a Yamaha YZF600R in '97, in order to replace our old Suzuki GS550L. The new bike proved to be a very reliable and comfortable all-rounder for street use, but we soon found out the limits this bike had.
In all, we put over 15,000 miles on the little 600 in two years. For every mile ridden, it gave us immense satisfaction. Very easy to ride, it made us smile on each and every ride. My wife's shorter height (5'5) was never a problem for her, the YZF being short enough even for her. She was the main user, taking it almost every day to work. I rode it mostly on weekends, for short outings. I must give a special note to the seating position and wind protection which are almost perfect.
I'd say the YZF600R is without a doubt one of the most reliable motorcycles out there. Easy to start even on freezing mornings, and not a trace of oil leak to be found anywhere on the engine. Performance wise the engine is fun to rev, giving the rider a neet powerburst around 7000RPM up to the red line. The clutch is excellent in feel and motion.
On the negative side, we realized that the YZF600R was not the safest of all machines. Brakes were a bit too grabby; and handling and stability were not all that great compared to bigger bikes like the YZF1000, which was one of the most stable and safest bikes available 5 years back. Most of the time, bigger bikes are more stable, but they are also less nimble than bikes with smaller displacement engines. Also, the YZF600 wasn't powerful enough for two-ups.
If you're in the market for a good all-round sport bike, why not consider the new 600's out there, like the Ninja ZX-6R or even Yamaha's new R6. More powerful, stable and with better brakes, you would get better value for your dollar. If you absolutely want a YZF600R, try to find a used one, because reliabilty shouldn't be a concern.
PS: Please don't forget to rate my opinion!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jptoo
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Member: Yanick
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Loves life and everything it has to offer.
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