The R6 has a little brother with the same size engine...
Written: Jan 22 '01 (Updated Jan 22 '01)
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Pros: Almost all of the functions of the R6 at a lower price
Cons: Doesn't have quite the power or handling of the R6
The Bottom Line: If you can't get financed for the R6, try the 600R since it is cheaper. If you have the money, go with the R6.
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| jeffs320's Full Review: 2000 Yamaha YZF600R |
Just under a year ago I bought a Yamaha YZFR6 and have been loving it ever since. The handling is unreal, the power is more than I would have ever expected from a 600cc bike, and the looks of envy I get when I ride with people are definitely appreciated.
Well, when I was looking to buy, I also checked out the YZF600R. I was looking for affordability when I checked it out, but then later decided that I would rather finance a little more to get the bike that I will want to keep until at least after it is paid for.
Last weekend I was out for the ritualistic Sunday afternoon ride where someone ALWAYS goes to jail for being stupid, and I noticed one of the new females in the group had the 600R. Naturally since I had never ridden this model before, I had to check it out more thoroughly. After talking to her for a little while, we decided to swap bikes for a little while and see what the differences were.
I will compare it to the R6 first, which will make it sound pretty bad, but then I will tell you what I liked about it.
The first and most obvious thing I noticed as I sat down is that it is a little lower to the ground than my R6. I never thought to ask her if she had just tightened it or replaced the spring or if it was stock, but I THINK it was stock because she had not had the bike for very long. This was kind of nice for me because I am 5'8" and although the R6 isn't too high off the ground, I like to be able to put both feet flat on the ground.
Other than that, I noticed that the tank is not cut in quite as tight, which makes it less comfortable for me when I try to tuck up in it at high speeds. However, the wayt the handlebars and everything were positioned it made it more comfortable for riding around town.
As far as the power goes, there is definitely a difference. When she was riding my R6 she was smoking me like it was her job, and I was not amused. I must say that stock this bike is still better than a Kan-a-Tuna (Suzuki Katana), but not quite up to the level of the Honda CBR F4, which still is a step down from the R6 stock.
Also, the top end was not as high as the R6 - I got it up to about 136 and couldn't get it out any further. But once again, this is based upon this ONE bike, and if it was not broken in correctly it would have an effect on this.
The handling was almost comparable to the F4 (almost), but once again couldn't come close to the R6 in the corners at high speeds. But the cornering was smooth and relatively flawless.
So what DID I like about it? Like I said, I think it was more comfortable than the R6 for riding around town. The R6 is really designed for racing, and thus makes it less comfortable for sitting straight up around town than the 600R.
And then there is the price. The 600R is somewhere in the general vacinity of $1000 less than the R6 to walk out the door, so if you are strapped for cash you might need to sacrifice a little bit for it. Personally I would (and did) go with the R6, because over the course of 6 years of payments, what is an extra grand, right?
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): just rode it
Condition: New
Model Year: 2000
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Epinions.com ID:
jeffs320
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Member: Jeff
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Reviews written: 266
Trusted by: 38 members
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