Yamaha comes out swinging...

By GARY MORELLO

Yamaha has been very busy in the last few months, and while the new R1 made its debut last year, the R6 was at the time still under wraps.

Would it be the same bike with a new look, or perhaps a new look but with the same underpinnings?

Well, neither. The new R6 has both new styling and new innards, which includes a new fuel delivery system.

But also new to the 600cc scene are the Honda and Kawasaki race recplica's, which are firmly aimed at taking market share from banzai bikes like the Suzuki GSX-R600 and the bike profiled here, the Yamaha YZF-R6.

But enough directionless rambling, let's see what makes this cat purr...

Gone are the 37mm carbs from the superceded bike, and in their place a set of rather lovely 38mm throttle-body type suction-piston fuel injectors, which are claimed to improve throttle response.

The new CPU that tells the injectors what to do makes use of throttle positioning and RPM sensors, to help further improve acceleration at a greater range of engine and road speeds.

A new ram air system adds some six extra ponies to peak power at speed, and a much larger and more efficient airbox improves power also.

The engine internals have also been upgraded for 2003, including new bearings, crankshaft and conrods, which together with the one-piece cylinder and case assembly allow it rev harder, with less stress.

Fettled cams (read: lumpy) also contribute to better top-end, resulting in a peak power output of 123bhp @ 13,000rpm, including the effects of ram air.

A new radiator has also been fitted to help keep things cool, one which Yam types reckon improves cooling by a massive 30 per cent.

The 600cc liquid-cooled, 16-valve DOHC engine has a compression ratio of 12.4:1 and together with new ignition and a 162kg dry weight, the new R6 makes a rather tempting proposition...

On the chassis side of things, Yamaha's Deltabox III frame is the first ever to use controlled filling die casting, which we believe has something to do with dentistry. It also looks rather attractive too.

In laymans terms it just means that the frame is now a whole lot stiffer and lighter, which helps in the handling department. While the previous frame had some 16 welds, which were pretty ugly it has to be said, the new one has just two. Much prettier...

Changes to the steering head are supposed to give greater feedback from the front wheel, which - along with the rear - are now lighter and of the five-spoke variety, further reducing unsprung weight.

The R6 gets a 10mm longer swingarm too, yet the wheelbase is still the same 1380mm. Amazing.

Along with the new injected engine and low-calorie chassis comes revised styling, which brings it more into line with bigger brother R1.

Most notably the new front-end has had a once over, with the centrally-mounted ram air intake still there, just a little lower.

The front cowl has had a major nip and tuck, with a new quad (yes, that means four) xenon headlight array that puts most contemporary Italian designs to shame.

The side fairing is pretty minimal, but not quite as exotic as that seem on the R1.

The tail section is also much more Why-Zed-Effy, with sharper lines and a rear hugger to keep that rear shock absorber clear of debris. And how about those fancy LED tail lights, hmmm?

A rather funky red-lighted digital speedometre is flanked by a gear-change light and the large white tacho is also quite easy on the eyes.

To help make riding at high speed much more predictable, the 2003 YZF-R6 gets 43mm forks with the usual adjustable pre-load compression and rebound, while at the rear, a single shock with piggyback reservoir and adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping sits quietly.

The new baby Yam also comes with a handy set of disc brakes, perfect for those who need to stop. Up front are dual 298mm floating discs with four-pot calipers, while at the rear sits a 220mm disc with a single piston caliper.

The R6's fancy new 17-inch 'racing' rims are shod with 120/60-ZRs up front and slightly slimmer profile 180/55-ZR17s at the rear.

At the end of a long hard day, the new R6 would be a very pleasing addition to the garage. Sure, Honda's got its fancy CBR600RR, and the 600cc Ninja RR is pretty dazzling too, but Yamaha isn't taking things lying down.

We'll have reports on the new Kwaka and Honda RR models soon, but as it stands, the new R6 still looks like holding its own in what is an increasingly competitive market segment. Oh, and did we mention those uber-sexy headlights?

Prices for the new YZF-R6 start at about $15,000 on the road and three colour schemes are on offer in Australia: Silver/black, blue/white and black/red.