Your thoughts on the 2006 R6!!

Whos complaining I for one love it.
As far as top end.
Darn a 600 will top 160 now!
My friend has an 05 R6
My GSXR6 is an 04, I can outrun him all the way thru the gears. (not by much)
But never held it long enough together to see which tops out more.


04 GSXR 600 vs 05 YZF R6 60 MPH Roll on  

You're right on the RPMs (hey i'd like to see a 250 too).  The 400s were redlining at 14.5K when the 600s were at 13k, now the R6 is at 17.5K could an "R4" be at 19k, maybe...theres a helluva lot of new technology out there since they tried it last.  Recouping the sizable investment in R&D and tooling would be easy if they sold it in non-us markets.  They could even make a 250 and a 400 out of a very similar bike like Suzuki has done for quite a while with their GSXR600/GSXR750.  Also it's not like they have to be priced at $5k-$6k, the SV650S has a MSRP of $6,449 and the '05 CBR600RR had a MSRP of $8,999, $8700 for the ZX6R and the '06 R6 is rumored to be priced close to, if not, $9k.  Theres room underneath the new $9k price tags for the latest and greatest 600s for a well equiped 400.

If a 1989 FZR600 made 75rwhp with an exhaust and jet kit and todays R6 is making 105+rwhp, and a FZR400 made mid 50s rwhp back in the day, what could an "R4" make today?  75/105=.71   55/.71=77rwhp.  If all that were to be true that'd be 5-7 more rwhp than a SV, and the 400 would probably weigh less.  An FZR400 site I was on said they weighed about 410lbs fully wet, R6s seem to weigh around 415-420lbs wet in the mags, but 600s back in the FZR400s day weighed how much, alot more than they do now.  So figure they can get it down to right around 400lbs wet atleast.  I mean come on, lot of speculation here but I'm not reaching very far.

Yeah Americans didn't buy the 55rwhp 400s of the late 80s and wanted the 75rwhp 600s, but now a 400 could make atleast 75rwhp...and with insurance rates skyrocketing on mid-large sportbikes and gasoline costs going higher and higher, its time to give it another shot.  Maybe I'll just have to settle for a 450cc v-twin sportbike from Aprilia if they ever get off their ass and do something useful with that new motor of theirs.  

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 Recouping the sizable investment in R&D and tooling would be easy if they sold it in non-us markets.  They could even make a 250 and a 400 out of a very similar bike like Suzuki has done for quite a while with their GSXR600/GSXR750.

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Also it's not like they have to be priced at $5k-$6k, the SV650S has a MSRP of $6,449...

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If a 1989 FZR600 made 75rwhp with an exhaust and jet kit and todays R6 is making 105+rwhp, and a FZR400 made mid 50s rwhp back in the day, what could an "R4" make today?  75/105=.71   55/.71=77rwhp.  If all that were to be true that'd be 5-7 more rwhp than a SV, and the 400 would probably weigh less.  An FZR400 site I was on said they weighed about 410lbs fully wet, R6s seem to weigh around 415-420lbs wet in the mags, but 600s back in the FZR400s day weighed how much, alot more than they do now.  So figure they can get it down to right around 400lbs wet atleast.  I mean come on, lot of speculation here but I'm not reaching very far.

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Yeah Americans didn't buy the 55rwhp 400s of the late 80s and wanted the 75rwhp 600s, but now a 400 could make atleast 75rwhp...and with insurance rates skyrocketing on mid-large sportbikes and gasoline costs going higher and higher, its time to give it another shot.  Maybe I'll just have to settle for a 450cc v-twin sportbike from Aprilia if they ever get off their ass and do something useful with that new motor of theirs.

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 Recouping the sizable investment in R&D and tooling would be easy if they sold it in non-us markets.  They could even make a 250 and a 400 out of a very similar bike like Suzuki has done for quite a while with their GSXR600/GSXR750.

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Problem is, sellling those 250s and 400s would be a lot tougher than you think. And you have to remember that the 600 already uses the same basic chassis structure as the 750; a 400 would need a smaller unit, requiring new tooling. Even then, the comparison between actual performance and price with the current 600s would make them unacceptable to a lot of markets.

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Also it's not like they have to be priced at $5k-$6k, the SV650S has a MSRP of $6,449...

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Actually, they wouldn't even be priced at "$5K-$6K"; they'd probably be close to the $8K+ of the 600s due to the additional R&D required since it would be a mostly new model, plus the more precise casting/machining techniques involved. As I stated before, Suzuki is able to sell the SV650 for so cheap because it's basically the same 400cc domestic model they've made for years, just with a larger version of the motor that uses the same cases, cylinders, heads, etc.-- so the tooling and much of the R&D is already done.

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If a 1989 FZR600 made 75rwhp with an exhaust and jet kit and todays R6 is making 105+rwhp, and a FZR400 made mid 50s rwhp back in the day, what could an "R4" make today?  75/105=.71   55/.71=77rwhp.  If all that were to be true that'd be 5-7 more rwhp than a SV, and the 400 would probably weigh less.  An FZR400 site I was on said they weighed about 410lbs fully wet, R6s seem to weigh around 415-420lbs wet in the mags, but 600s back in the FZR400s day weighed how much, alot more than they do now.  So figure they can get it down to right around 400lbs wet atleast.  I mean come on, lot of speculation here but I'm not reaching very far.

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All this speculation is fine, but you're forgetting that all this power and technology doesn't come out of thin air. This requires testing and R&D, and that costs money-- money that has to be passed on to the consumer.

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Yeah Americans didn't buy the 55rwhp 400s of the late 80s and wanted the 75rwhp 600s, but now a 400 could make atleast 75rwhp...and with insurance rates skyrocketing on mid-large sportbikes and gasoline costs going higher and higher, its time to give it another shot.  Maybe I'll just have to settle for a 450cc v-twin sportbike from Aprilia if they ever get off their ass and do something useful with that new motor of theirs.

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You might have to settle for the Aprilia (which would be a great bike...). Problem is, Americans are too focused on "bigger is better". Sure, your theoretical 400 will have 75hp, but for a few dollars more they could have 105+ hp with a 600. It's basically the same performance gap that doomed the FZR400.

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Problem is, you misunderstood what I said.  I never said make them using the same basic chassis stucture as a 600 or 750.  I said they could make two "different" bikes (a 250 and a 400) out of the same basic chassis structure LIKE Suzuki did with their 600/750.

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Actually I never said they would be priced at $5-$6k. I said "it's not like they have to be priced at $5k-$6k (as you can see).  They would be cheaper than a 600 because the 400 would weigh less and put down less power, so you don't need as much strength in all the different pieces, you don't need USD forks and radial mounted calipers on a lightweight 400.

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And you're not realizing that all this technology has already been developed, theres no need to reinvent the wheel...it's already invented.

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I don't think it would be a few dollars or a few hundred dollars more for a 600 as the '05 CBR600RR was already priced at $9k and the '06 R6 is rumored to cost $9k too.  As 600s have become more powerful and more expensive theres greater room beneath them for models of smaller displacement...Skyrocketing insurance prices and gas prices (along with 15+ years of technological improvements) will bring more and more people into the sub 600 market.  Not saying it'll be bigger than the 600 market, or even that the market is big enough to have a CBR400RR, ZX4R, GSXR400 and a R4...but definately one or two could be made worthwhile for their respective manufacturer.

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i wouldnt mind a 400 cc bike. it would probably get 50-60+ miles per gallon. it just wouldnt be too sporty. but itd be great for commuting and stuff. if they could make a bike that looked like a sportbike like the aprilla rs250. make it have comforatable ergos i think itd be a decent seller. it wouldnt apeal to everyone but itd probably be a hit with all the beginers. they wouldnt have to settle for the boxy looking ninjas. manufacturers need to remember that looks are the deciding factor for most people when they buy first bikes. which is why people want to start on r1s and stuff, they look alot better than ninja 250s or 500s. and id love to get my hands on a cbr250r. i like the little gixxers too. but it does take money to build a bike from the ground up. it may not cost much to build A chasis but they have to test it. and then make changes and the same goes for engines. maybe if kawasaki was smart theyd redo there ninja 500.  

I have seen guys at the dealerships who didnt have enough credit for 9k settle for a Katana or a Bandit that they didnt really want. If the price price was right. Would be an option for riders who wanted a race replica bike but didnt have the funds
No offence to anyone. I had a Katana.
Personally I would like to see a more sporty 250.  

yea they dont realize that if they but like zx6r fairings on the 250 or 500 that itd out sell any bike in that class. i dont mind the low performance. cause they get you to point b just fine. but people dont like how out dated and boxy they look. which is why if i had a choice between a gs500f or a ex500 id go with the gs500 even though the ex500 has better performance. it just doesnt so odd like the ex500. which reminds me sunday i saw a 50 year old guy chillin at the river sitting on a brand new ex500. he had that look on his face like he thought he was the [censored]. it was pretty cool/funny though. he was just parked in the parking lot sitting on his bike with one foot on the peg the other on the ground and his arms crossed. its how i expected a kid to act on an r6 hanging outside of a shop or something trying to act cool.  

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Actually, the late 80s 400cc sportbikes you speak of only revved to 14,500 rpm; it was the four-cylinder 250s like the CBR250RR that revved to 18,000 rpm (actual redline was 17,500).


i've had an '89 ZXR400 redline start at 14500rpm & hits the limiter at 15000rpm, as far as i know the FZR250 & ZXR250's revved the highest among the 250cc 4stroke/4cyl sportbikes, i remeber riding a stock FZR250 i let it rip to 21000rpm before i shift to next gear, the ZXR250 is a bit less though but i know a guy who has one i'll check to see when the limiter hits at what rpm.

i've been thinking of building a CBR400RR (NC29) as a race bike but it's hard to find one nowadays, it's easier to race a 400 budgetwise but it's just as fun as racing a 600.  

Redline 17,500 whats not to like, good job Yamaha !  

want to be inpressed look at this?. 14k w/oval piston's but at $90.000 a pop new in 1992web page  

Man I wish Honda would put a V4 into a sportbike....  

you should wait until 2007 when motogp switches to 800cc's.  then you might actually get to see the a variation of the v-5 they use in the RC211v in production.  that would be freakin awsome.  probably be a little expensive to do.  It would be bad a$$ though if they did it.  

Honda could make a V5 sportbike and sell it for $20-25k, people lay down that kind of loot (plus maintaince costs) for a Ducati 999.  No they wouldn't sell nearly as many as "V5s" as they do 1000RRs, but I think if they dumbed it down enough yet still used quality components and some tech the regular sportbikes don't have they could be successful.  I wish Honda/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Yamaha would get more into that, selling even higher tech sportbikes at higher cost put in limited production...we could see some neat stuff.

But more realisticly, Honda already has a V4 in the VFR800 interceptor.  I wish they'd bore it out to 1000cc and put it in a more sporty bike.  

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Honda could make a V5 sportbike and sell it for $20-25k, people lay down that kind of loot (plus maintaince costs) for a Ducati 999.  No they wouldn't sell nearly as many as "V5s" as they do 1000RRs, but I think if they dumbed it down enough yet still used quality components and some tech the regular sportbikes don't have they could be successful.  I wish Honda/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Yamaha would get more into that, selling even higher tech sportbikes at higher cost put in limited production...we could see some neat stuff.

But more realisticly, Honda already has a V4 in the VFR800 interceptor.  I wish they'd bore it out to 1000cc and put it in a more sporty bike.

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