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Yamaha ups Supersport ante with new R6 By, Trevor Hedge |
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The battle of the Supersport contenders both on the racetrack
and in the showrooms has never been hotter. Ten Kate Honda have long dominated World Supersport with the CBR600RR. Honda continues to lead on the world stage but on Australian soil the tables have turned and Yamaha now dominates local racetracks with the YZF-R6. Currently Honda are still winning the showroom sales war but Yamaha are keen to add a victory in that turf war. To help in that quest Yamaha will deliver a Christmas present to dealers in the shape of an all new YZF-R6 for 2008.  Yamaha engineers have fitted the YZF-R6 with the same variable length throttle bodies first introduced on the 2007 YZF-R1. In simple terms the Yamaha system, dubbed YCCI for Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake, adjusts the length of the intake runners throughout the rev range to give the engine optimum air flow characteristics to boost torque from lower rpm and maximise top end power when spinning up near the stratospheric 16000rpm redline that the YZF-R6 is famous for. Rounding out the technology fest is the fly by wire throttle system which adds to the acronyms its own moniker, YCC-T. The exhaust system isn’t left out of the acronym fest either as Yamaha’s trade mark EXUP valve also scores a guernsey. The compression ratio has been raised thanks to new domed pistons. Yamaha claim a shift to wider crank bearings along with a myriad of other internal changes have resulted in significant improvements in reducing frictional losses which should further boost engine efficiency. Top end power is never something the YZF-R6 has been short on. Mid range torque is what provides drive off the turns and this is where Yamaha engineers have been concentrating their efforts. The chassis department has also been busy with a ground up redesign of all components. A new frame features thicker spars which has allowed for the removal of a frame cross member to further centralise mass. A weight saving magnesium subframe supports the rider. A new internally ribbed swingarm features extruded and forged sections designed to work in harmony with the new frame. Up front new fork tubes and a revised lower triple clamp combine with increased fork offset to offer improved feel. The changes for 2008 also allow more latitude in the set-up changes in regards to ride height at both ends. This combines with the preload, high and low speed compression and rebound damping adjustments to provide bench racers with plenty of scope to tune themselves to a standstill… Yamaha Australia is expecting first stocks of the 2008 YZF-R6 to arrive in December. |
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