Just four years after Yamaha reinvented the 600cc class with the first generation R6, it upped the ante to another level. In the spring of 2003 the R6 was reintroduced with a ram-air assisted 123 HP engine, a sturdy Deltabox chassis and competent suspension.
While performance was class leading, its groundbreaking style was equally riveting. Simply put, nothing on the market could turn heads like the R6 thanks to the split headlights and the large center-mounted ram-air duct. Out back the clear LED taillights were equally inventive and the five-spoke lightweight wheels were a vast change from the three-spoke industry norm. If you were a kid during the second generation R6's reign, you definitely had a poster of it on your wall.
But sexy lines aside, the second gen R6 took the industry by storm with 750-like top-end power and good (for a 600) midrange thanks to the "longish" stroke motor fortified with a Yamaha first-fuel injection. Gone were the 37mm carbs, and in place of the old-pumpers were a quartet of 38mm throttle bodies fed by a giant pressurized airbox. Along with the added injection, Yamaha bumped power by cutting frictional losses and adding higher-lift cams. Other noteworthy motor upgrades also included a linerless direct-plated cylinder that was much stronger than the unit it replaced and a catalyzer that cut emissions without killing power.
Cradling the wonderful motor was a Deltabox III frame that featured Yamaha's Controlled Filling die-casting process that made for a chassis that was 50-percent stiffer than the older version. A fresh swingarm and rear shock were called into play as were a pair of standard forks and new four-pot brakes up front.
The R6 received accolades out of the gate, but the 600cc scene moves quickly and Yamaha revamped the aging vet in '05 with a host of improvements. Most notably larger front discs with radial calipers and upside-down forks found their way into the mix. New 12-hole injectors were implemented, as were 40mm throttle bodies that resulted in a 3 HP bump.
But the revamped Six was to be short-lived, as the third generation replacement (the current model) came a year later. However, instead of putting the well-heeled package out to pasture, Yamaha gave the second-generation bike a new moniker, the R6S.
While the new S model looked identical to the '05 bike, it was more of a blend between it and the '03/'04. The R6S received the budget conventional forks, smaller throttle bodies and downsized brakes from the '03/'04 with the chassis tweaks of the '05. These cuts in the performance department softened the bike's character but kept the sticker price low.
Even though the new crop of super 600s are leaner and meaner than the second gen R6 and the R6S, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better streetbike. Most owners have nothing but good things to say about their bikes and many have logged well over 30,000 miles with nothing more than basic maintenance. Where some claim the high-RPM power of the motor is their favorite attribute, others boast that few bikes can keep pace with the Six on a tight road.
In a day and age of $10,000 600s it's comforting to know you can still get a lot of play for a just a little dough.