Recommendations for a 4th Gen R6 Racebike

I am putting together a 2019 R6 as a race bike and as of yet have no experience with this machine.

I've been racing on and off and doing track days for the past 20 some odd years so this isn't a "how to set up a bike for the track" type of question, but one specific to the 4th Gen R6.

I'm certain that there are a number of people on this forum with experience with this machine that could help get me pointed in the right direction. I thought about just using this one thread to ask all of my questions, but I figured that having posts specific to a topic might be a better approach. So, I apologize in advance if I end up posting a number of different threads that all end up leading back to this one.

Here is the overall plan:

• Traxxion Dynamics AK-20 Cartridge Kit
  
• Penske 8987 Triple clicker
• Sharkskinz bodywork kit
• Woodcraft axle sliders (both ends)
• Woodcraft case guards
• Woodcraft clipons and lever guards
  
• Vortex V3 2.0 rearsets (I'm short so I need something adjustable)
  
• Some sort of frame sliders (not sure yet)
• Toe guard
• Spiegler brake line kit
  
• Hindle Evo exhaust full system
• Dynojet Powercommander V

Anyway, if outside of the specific qustions/threads that I post if anyone has any helpful advice, I am all ears and thank you in advance for your help.

 

u are missing a big part of going fast - an ECU flash. new throttle maps, new engine braking maps, quickshifter & autoblipper. plus u can probably not buy a PCV.

 

@stangmx13 thanks for the feedback.

Ultimately, I plan to also add a quickshifter and autoblipper and other goodies, but right now those are outside of my budget for this season. The goal for this machine is to put the first round of investment into suspension and chassis along with an aftermarket pipe and induction mods for a decent baseline tune. I don't have any plans to build the motor at all.

Regarding your comment about not being able to buy a PCV, it looks like a number of vendors sell them:

• https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dynojet-power-commander-v-yamaha-r6-2017
• https://www.sportbiketrackgear.com/dynojet-yamaha-yzf-r6-2017-power-commander-v/

I should add as well, that up until now this is the first fuel injected bike that I have owned so I know that I have a lot to learn about how to tune the electronics. What are some good sites/articles to read to get me started down the right road?

 

The search function [emoji38] Also, I think he means that if you do an ECU flash, etc then you won't have to buy a PCV. Good luck with the build!

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

@sill'r B sill'd LOL, yeah Google pulled up a number of good resources to get me started. So right now I'm trying to figure out which direction to go. It sounds like I'll have much more control if I go the ECU flash route. I am a software engineer so I know a few things about computers . . . it's just a matter of me coming up to speed on the tools and figuring out what makes sense for my needs.

As I mentioned, the plan is just to go with an air filter (I guess I didn't mention that specifically, but figured that was assumed) and a full race exhaust of some sort.

One question I have is whether or not I will need to dyno tune it with those mods or if I can make the changes to it in my shop on my own with the right sensors, control modules and software.

 

doubt the stock pads are ideal, sell em as new to a street guy.
EBC brake pads.. EPFA if you like a soft initial bite with good progression (what i prefer) or the GPFAX if you want harder initial bite. They are not cheap, but no good pad is.

and you can buy fancy shmancy suspension bits, but if they aren't set up for YOU, they won't be dramatically better than stock, unless by some stroke of luck, the initial valving and spring rates suit you. I suggest getting your stuff to Thermosman or other long time well known suspension guy

 

Unless you're planning on retaining the OEM ABS system (you shouldn't) you're also going to need an ABS delete plug to go along with the new brake lines.

Also, in my experience, the Hindle pipes don't make great power on the R6. Kawis and GSXRs, yes. An Akrapovic or Graves pipe would be a better choice, among others.

An ECU flash really is a necessary item for track use. For a little more than what you'll spend on the Power Commander, you can get all the benefits of the flash as well as clutchless up and downshifts and most reputable ECU guys will give you good maps with the flash.

 

FYI, the OEM ECU for the 08-16 R6 starts to close the throttlebody butterflies around 13k rpm, so u never get 100% throttle. at 15.5k, u are limited to 87%. I cant confirm if the same is true for the 17+ R6, but I wouldn't be surprised. this is why a flash is all but necessary for racing. even the cheapest FlashTune flash comes with a locked Graves map that will be far better than stock.

its a waste of time for you to tune a flash from scratch. u dont know what a good setup should feel like, what will make you faster, or how to adjust parameters to cause that change. itll take you years and years of learning and gaining experience to match what you can get for a few hundred $$ from a quality tuner. yes, u should dyno tune the bike after adding a pipe, air filter, and flashing it. ull get more HP and better throttle response. but I said "should", not "must". oh, I race with the OEM air filter - just cut the snorkel off and run it.

the same is true of suspension and reputable tuners, which is why you should already be talking to a tuner. ask them what brand/model of suspension they suggest and let them talk you out of the AKs and Penske . when you buy from a quality suspension tuner, theyll likely valve and spring it to a known-good baseline without you paying (much) extra. more faster people race on other brands, so you can get a better setting. the tuner will probably also give you ride-heights to solidify your base setup. as MELK said, the out-of-the-box settings on aftermarket suspension dont always won't work well.

2 other things missing from your list: Ohlins damper with Graves mount & cutting 2 of the 3 stock slipper clutch springs. the damper will reduce rider fatigue and make the whole bike more stable. cutting the slipper springs allows the slipper clutch to work properly, which will allow you to dramatically increase your corner entry speed.

 

@MELK-MAN , the plan was to use the stock pads to get the motor broken in and the suspension dialed in running it at a couple of track days early in the season. I hadn't considered that I'd be able to sell OEM the pads to anyone, I'll check to see what I might be able to get for them. Regarding the suspension bits, the guys at Traxxion Dynamics are building them for me specifically and will be providing me with an initial setup and follow-up tuning track-side.

@metricdevilmoto thank you for chiming in about the ABS; I was going to ask about that. So, I assume that the general consensus to delete the ABS? Afterwhich, just buy a dual banjo at the master cylinder and two lines direct to the calipers? Also, thanks for the info about the pipe. I figured Graves and Akrapovic might be better for that bike, although more expensive. I guess you get what you pay for.

After doing more research I'm going to postpone any exhaust and engine control mods until I break in the motor, get a baseline chassis setup and get some experience on the bike. Plus, it'll give me time to recoup in the bank account department and be able to do that part of it right. @stangmx13, I think you are right about not trying to tune a flash myself . . . way too steep a learning curve. Even with my old NT650 I put it on the dyno with a reputable tuner and got much better results than trying to tune the carbs myself.

Interesting about running with the OEM filter (no K&N?) and the airbox mod. Does that make it ineligible for supersport classes with that mod?

@stangmx13 thanks for pointing out the damper; I forgot to add that to the initial post, but one is definitely going on the bike. Used to be the hot damper to get was a Scotts rotary damper. I'm guessing that you've got an Ohlins on your bike and recommend it and I am open to suggestions. I did not know about the slipper clutch spring mod and would like more info about that for sure.

Thanks everyone for chiming in on this thread and helping me out with this machine

 

I tried the stock Yam pads at a trackday. They are garbage. No feel and no power.

You don’t want that Scotts damper feature where there is some angle w no damping. No one else does it for good reason. Another popular choice is GPR, but they aren’t spring pressurized and will leak when they heat up. Ohlins work great and are bulletproof. The Graves mount is added convenience.

Cutting off the snorkel is an air filter mod, not an air box mod. You’ll c when u pull your filter. You should be fine with any ruleset.

IIRC, there are plenty of threads about the R6 slipper mod with pictures. They should show up w a search. Plus, freeing up the clutch is even more important if your don’t have a good flash w a good engine braking map.

it’s possible the Sharkskinz lower won’t fit over the stock exhaust. So you might need to buy the exhaust anyway... unless u want to cut some holes in your new lower.

 

I prefer a single banjo at the master for less gaps and washers and more real estate and options when it comes to configuring switches, levers, throttle, etc.

And @stangmx13 is right about the pipe and race bodywork. I don't know of any race plastic that fits over the catalytic converter.

Graves updated the damper mount for the new R6. It bolts to the bottom of the upper triple clamp (requiring the bike to be made keyless as it uses the space currently occupied by the ignition tumbler). The walls of the outer fork tubes are really thin (relatively) on the new R6 and R1 (basically, the same forks) and are prone to distortion, making proper torque specs on triple clamps mandatory (not like it isn't on any other motorcycle) and tube clamps ill advised.

 

Pulling the snorkel on the OEM filter is not legal for CCS Supersport.

 

OK, pads are now on the shopping list, thanks. Duly noted on the damper as well. Ohlins also on the list. And I'll do some searches for the slipper mod.

Acknowledged on the air filter mod, as you mentioned should be obvious when I see it.

I talked to the Sharkskinz guys yesterday and they confirmed that the lower works with the stock exhaust. Worst case scenario is that I either trim it a bit or just run the first couple of track days without the lower altogether so I don't have to hack it up.

Does anyone know if a good tuner who could do the ECU work in the Baltimore Washington area?

 

Get the Yosh exhaust. They spent a bunch of time on it, for the latest gen R6, comparing it against the other top brands that have been R6-dominant for awhile. It's very formidable.

 

2nd vote for Yosh; made the most torque on mine.

 

send the ECU to bauce racing..
After you get the ecu flashed, start with cutting the fingers off of ONE of the three "Y" springs.. Way easier to cut some off of a 2nd spring than start with 2 fully cut, and find you don't have ENOUGH engine braking to finish corners.
(this is also why i won't ever have a race bike without ability to change engine braking at the track, but totally get this is a track day project)

 

I'm in the same area and still mailed my stuff out to Bauce racing...he's done a bajillion of them at this point. There's always MRP Motorsports if you wanted to stay local

 

Weird. Are aftermarket filters also illegal?

good to know about the thin tubes and the Graves mount

 

unless the snorkel is the exact size and design as the snorkel for that YEAR r6 (they changed a bunch from 06-current) it will be deemed illegal. I never found hp increases of any significance with the aftermarket filters (but removing a snorkel DOES make power), so i just use OEM filters. One good thing about the 08, it has the least restrictive snorkel. It was changed a few years later from just an opening (like a bowl with the bottom cut out) to adding a tunnel to the opening that comes back right to the pleated filter material.

 

2 other things I couldn't race without:

tank grip pads - I buy surfboard tail pad foam in sheets and cut it to the shape I want.
quick turn throttle - Ive run stock, Graves progressive, and MotionPro Revolver Red & Yellow. Im currently using Yellow as the rest weren't short enough for me.

thats good to know should I ever race out there. nice to hear that rule is consistent.