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R6 Generations

Discussion in 'Tech' started by Kurlon, Oct 30, 2016.

  1. TheGrouchyCat

    TheGrouchyCat Don't let my friends know I'm slow

    Yes but I didn't go through with it because I didn't want to screw anything up too bad/ bike has been hours away from me. If I do it this winter break I'll post a step by step for people to use. Someone else in my thread did it maybe I'll try to get more info from him on it.
     
  2. Kurlon

    Kurlon Well-Known Member

    R6 launched in 1999 as a sharper, sportier mate to the existing YZF600R. Better chassis, lighter, more potent motor.

    In 2003 it was revamped, this is the start of the '2nd Generation R6' that saw the addition of Fuel Injection along with other refinements.

    In 2005 the R6 got upside down forks, a slightly stiffer frame and larger bore throttle bodies and marked the end of the advancements for the 2nd gen series.

    In 2006 the R6 got a hefty refresh, motor overhauled, chassis overhauled, new look to the bodywork, this marked the start of the 3rd gen machines which were sharper still than the 2nd gen they replaced.

    Yamaha kept the 2nd gen alive though, selling essentially the 2004 R6 as a 'milder' cousin to the current R6 under the R6S badge until 2009.

    So, if you want an R6 that is not as sharp / aggressive as the 3rd / 4th gens but sporting USD forks with radial brakes out of the crate, you want to find a 2005 R6, the only year of the 2nd gens that had the USD front end.
     
    sbk25 and emry like this.
  3. Jaketheone46

    Jaketheone46 Well-Known Member

    Now this answered my confusion thanks much.
     
  4. britx303

    britx303 Boomstick Butcher…..

    I just picked up a set of 2nd or 3rd gen r6 fairings for my '99 from a friend to try and mount up to get this project moving along. The air intake is a bit different at the fairing,but looks like if I get the 2nd/3rd gen ram-air intakes,it might work. Anyone gone this route without major hassle?
     
  5. Paddy O

    Paddy O Well-Known Member

    I just did what the OP did and picked up a 2002 R6 to try and help me get faster on my regular SV 650 track bike. The R6 only has 3800 miles and is like new except the carbs(last year on R6) are all gummed up after sitting in ethanol enhanced gas. I would clean them myself but they (Kehin 37m) look complex and searches show mods and jet kits available, but I would love to just send them off to a good shop that knows how these are to be set up for street/track. Anyone still work on carbs?
     
  6. Kurlon

    Kurlon Well-Known Member

    Remove the rack, remove the bowls and jets, carb caps, diaphragms, slides and o-rings if any. From there any shop with a big enough ultrasonic tank can clean them up in short order without further teardown.
     
    Boman Forklift likes this.
  7. Paddy O

    Paddy O Well-Known Member

    Thanks for input, maybe just clean and run carbs stock. Are there any mods or jet kits that improve the fueling of the carbs or is stock set up ok for track? Ike's jet kit gets a lot of forum support for these carbs. The throttle seems especially long, do most track/race bikes shorten this for carbed bikes? My fuel injected SV with an R6 throttle tube seems about half the throttle of the R6.
     
  8. YamRZ350

    YamRZ350 Nicorette Dependent

    Ivans kit for the carbs, if its still available
    Try an 06 R6 throttle tube, pretty sure thats what i ended up with.
     
  9. Paddy O

    Paddy O Well-Known Member

    Thanks, yes Ivan's was what I meant, the web site is still up and they show dyno improvement with their kit but it requires some very fine drilling inside the carbs, not just a jet change. I would screw that up for sure!
     
  10. YamRZ350

    YamRZ350 Nicorette Dependent

    Then pay someone to do it. The results are worth the extra work. Picking up the throttle just off idle was perfect after the change and a little tuning. More HP was just a bonus.
    BTW, no drilling to speak of with the kit, but you do have to tap some threads in the carb bodies to install different air jets.
     
  11. Paddy O

    Paddy O Well-Known Member

    Thanks, that is what I am looking for, a nice clean throttle pick up, obviously sucks now. So, who can I send these carbs to ? Searches didn't show me any shops in the Midwest that advertised performance rebuilds of the Kehin carb.
     
  12. RGV 500

    RGV 500 OLD, but still FAST

    Many thanks to all for posting the good info. I am looking at an R6 as my 'diesel' vintage race bike. Good to know that there is a serious level of support out there and that parts are plenty and still available.

    Any reason to be talked out of an '08........??????
     
  13. Kurlon

    Kurlon Well-Known Member

    I now want to try a newer R6, am I going to hate my 03 if I do?
     
  14. britx303

    britx303 Boomstick Butcher…..

    So had my 1st foray into racing the '99 this past weekend. WHAT A JUMP from an FZR400 to an R6:eek:!!!!I never even test rode the R6 until morning practice.Talk about eye-opener. Sorry Melk-Man for getting in your way.......but I will say you lapped me kindly:D
     
    Kurlon likes this.
  15. MELK-MAN

    MELK-MAN The Dude abides...

    no worries.. don't remember it, musta not been any issue :) have fun
     
  16. JBarx

    JBarx Status: None.

    I have a 2005 that I have ridden on the streets for the last 6-7 years and did a few track days with it. LOVE that bike. Bone stock other than an Akrapovic slip.

    To start racing I got an SV in late 2015. Didn't like it, and it never grew on me. Won a couple novice championships anyway and spent 2 years learning what I could with the thing. Finally sold it and committed to moving on.

    Now I want to get back into 600's and I'm looking at 08-11 models. I've ridden a couple third gens briefly and I don't think they are too radically different. They certainly put your ass higher in the air but there is a Yamaha familiarity about them and that's enough for me. I don't expect to like the third gens better than my 2005... but I have to like it a LOT more than the SV.
     
    emry and MELK-MAN like this.
  17. kenessex

    kenessex unregistered user

    Why not just race the 05? I bet you will go faster on that than you will on an 08+, initially. I wouldn't look for a new bike until you are sure that you are faster than the 05. Spend the money on races not bikes.
     
  18. JBarx

    JBarx Status: None.

    There's nothing wrong with what you just said there. You're too late though. :crackup:

    I ended up buying a '10 with all the Ohlins stuff and the typical SS work last weekend. I'm having some buyers remorse and there are about a half-dozen reasons for that. But that aside - my rationale was this - get the right tool for the job. Get something you can put a couple years on and get decent on it.

    I haven't been able to ride it beyond surface streets which is pretty meaningless. I'll get a chance to do a couple track days over Labor Day and I'll hopefully have some more clarity then. To address your point, part of me thinks I should have done exactly what you said. Time will tell, and worse come to worse I can always flip the 10 and get an 05. I'd rather it not come down to that, but that's not the end of the world.
     
  19. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    At least you bought one with suspension, etc. It is usually less expensive to buy a race bike versus converting your bike.

    If you end up not liking the 10, you can probably sell it and lose less $ than you would spend and lose converting your 05 to a racebike, then just buy an already setup 04. From what @MELK-MAN has said, the 04 feels much better than the 05, because of the 05's stiff front end.
     
  20. JBarx

    JBarx Status: None.

    I've had both an '04 and '05, I liked them both, but I tend to prefer to 05.

    And honestly... I would never convert my street '05. It's pristine and that would just be wrong. I'd buy an '05 that has as many goodies I could find and customize from there. The '10 is sprung at my weight too, which is a nice bonus when you only have the basics in your garage and suspension work has to be sent off.

    After I got some time to think about it - I think I overpaid a little for my '10, and I suppose time will tell for sure. Once I get 60-80 laps under my belt and if I feel like I am going to struggle, I'll take my lumps and try again with a second gen. I learned my lesson from the SV experiment. If you don't like it, don't keep riding it because it's supposedly "the thing to do". I learned some things by sticking it out, but I don't think it was worth it.
     

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