Stompin' 600s
Stompin' 600s
Triying on the latest middleweights
DON CANET
BIKES, LIKE SHOES, CAN BE SPECIALIZED IN THEIR USE. WOULDN'T IT BE NICE to have one for every occasion? But unless your garage is as diversely stocked as my wife's shoe closet, then selecting just one motorcycle to fit many an occasion is probably what’s best.
Can we interest you in something both stylish and athletic that can still be worn all day? How about a pair of comfy cross-trainers equally good for a walk, jog or sprint? Or, if you insist on more of a lightweight track shoe, this pair corners like they’re on spiked soles.
So which 600cc shoe fits you best? With the pre-release tech previews, press-launch riding impressions and initial tests in the book, it’s time to see how the latest crop of middleweight sportbikes stack up. Nothing cuts to the heart of the matter like a head-to-head comparison. Testing of each bike on our dyno was followed by a round of sprints at Carlsbad Raceway’s dragstrip. Next, we headed to the newly expanded Streets of Willow road course to get a handle on each bike’s handling, and while in the neighborhood, a new set of top-speed numbers was attained at our favorite remote test site. And of course, a good bit of street riding, including in-town, commuting, backroad blasts and extended freeway droning, rounded out the test regimen.
Honda CBR600F4i Kawasaki ZX-6R Suzuki GSX-R600 Yamaha YZF-R6
Honda CBR600F4i
Honda may have sharpened the sporting edge of its 600, but the CBR remains an extremely well-rounded package. Its sensible ergonomics and super-smooth power delivery serve exceptionally well in daily transportation, while the chassis and suspension are ideal for weekend forays through the canyons.
In the months since _
our full road test of the F4i, the engine has loosened up a bit, showing a gain of 2 horsepower and 1 foot-pound of torque. The engine delivers the most linear spread of power in this group, and its fuel-injection has retained the crisp, responsive perfection of its carbureted predecessor.
Of the four bikes selected, the Kawasaki ZX-6R is the only carryover model unchanged from last year. The ZX won Best Middleweight Streetbike honors in our Ten Best Bikes of 2000 contest, so why mess with success? Yamaha’s YZF-R6 is back, sporting a host of updates in hopes of regaining the class gold it held two years ago. Honda updated its long-running CBR600 with sexy new styling, sharper handling and fuel-injection, while Suzuki stands alone with the one true all-new machine. w-fc
HONDA CBR600F4i
$8199
A~JPS Perfect balance of power and handling Has shift light on the dash &. Ergonomics you can live with `owns v Vibrates more than the others v Pegs scratch that hard cornering itch v Everybody wants one
KAWASAKI ZX-6R
$8099
AIPS Ultra-smooth engine Best wind protection A year under its belt Eric Bostrom wins on one `~ownS Appears less finished than the others Semi-dated styling after just two years (welcome to the 600 class) You're not Eric Bostrom
Noticeable right from the get-go is Honda’s handsfree auto-enriching system.
Simply thumb the starter button and the engine settles into a high idle while warming, no traditional choke (or high idle) lever to fuss with.
This sort of attention to detail runs throughout the bike, establishing the Honda as the fit-and-finish winner here. The F4i is a tightly integrated package with no rough edges, unsightly gaps between bodywork and frame-in the CBR’s case, judging the bike by its cover is truth-telling. Underway, everything functions as good as it looks, with smoothly operating controls and slick shift action.
The sole aesthetic blemish in our eyes is clutch-cable routing that obscures a clean view of the digital
speedometer. The only other nit from testers is that the low-fuel warning display-a bar graph that appears on the LCD instrument panel-depletes from Reserve to Empty quite rapidly, giving a few of us anxious moments while searching for a gas station.
From novice to seasoned sportbike vet, our testers ranked the CBR as the easiest bike here to jump on and immediately feel comfortable. With its clip-ons above the top tripleclamp and relatively low-mounted footpegs, the Honda has roomier feel than either the Yamaha or Suzuki. The tradeoff is pegs that touch down more easily than the other bikes when cornered hard at the track.
Stability was tops in the foursome, and while not as lighthandling as the R6 or GSX-R, the Honda’s ultra-neutral steering and remarkably responsive suspension bestow an immediate sense of confidence in the bike’s handling.
Kawasaki ZX-6R
A year ago, the ZX-6R was the only new 600 from the Big Four; now it's the only bike here that's unchanged. A proven track record, however, may be exactly what you're looking for.
SUZUKI GSX-R600
$7999
Light and powerful Sounds like a racebike More comfortable than previous GSX-Rs owns Racer egros that still take their toll Problem with the brakes Everybody will ask why you didn't get the 1000
YAMAHA YZF-R6
$7999/8499
a Light, compact feel a Excellent brakes a Cool taillights owns v Wham-barn shifting action v Full-lock turns put you in a bind v Limited-edition graphics worth $500? You make the call
The ZX's main strength is its silky-smooth engine, which serves up more low-end performance than any other 600. Being top dog under 8000 rpm has merit since, to be perfectly honest, this is where most of us spend the majority of our street time. This year's testbike would have
benefited from a little carburetion tweaking to eliminate a couple of minor flat spots at low revs. Another power step or two is felt as revs swing through the upper range, but nothing drastic enough to cause any dislike for the motor.
Shifting is very smooth-best of the bikes we tested-adding to the engine’s refined feel.
On the road, the ZX offers the best protection from the elements, with a taller, wider windscreen than the others. Other street amenities include handy passenger grabhandles, thick rubber-topped footrests and a spacious, wellpadded saddle.
Judged on its own, the ZX is a highly capable machine. Seat hopping among its peers, however, shed light in some
darker areas. While tipping the scales within a pocketful of loose change of the Honda, the ZX feels heavier than the numbers would indicate. Steering is hampered by a slight tendency to drop into turns rather than having a nice progressive feel. Working through quick sideto-side transitions at the track
requires more muscle than with the others. The six-piston front calipers deliver more initial bite than the other bikes’ four-pot setups, which requires getting used to. But once we got acclimated, the brakes provided excellent stopping power.
power.
Being the largest bike here, and with the least amount of engine vibration, the ZX is a favorite perch for extended rides-though we wish the cockpit was better finished. That aside, if you’re looking for a 600 sport-tourer, this may be it.
Suzuki GSX-R600
Last year, Suzuki was in the peculiar position of having a 600 that weighed some 20 pounds more than its anorexic new 750cc sister. This is no longer the case as the new GSXR600 is the Weight Watchers poster child of the year, tipping our scale at 391 pounds without fuel.
Keen-eyed readers will note tlüs is 4 pounds more than the weight published in our full test of the GSX-R600 (CW, January). The previous figure I' was obtained at Road Atlanta, where we first rode the bike. Chalk the discrepancy up to different scales on different sides of the country.. . heck, maybe even different phases of the moon.
Even so, the GSX-R clearly pushes the power-toweight ratio benchmark for 600s to a newfound level. Its quick-revving engine delivers an amazing top-end rush with power still on the rise beyond 13,000 rpm, at which point the others have all begun to fizzle. While the Gixxer loves to scream, it’s also surprisingly strong in the lower rev range, only second in power output to the ZX in this street-critical area. It’s also smoother in delivery than the carbureted ZX, but not quite as nice as the Honda. The fuel-injection is well-sorted, thanks to experience gained from the 750. Shifting feel, while not bad, ranks third in this group, as does the amount of engine vibration.
Suzuki has upped the new bike’s ergonomics with a generously padded saddle that’s broad up near the tank to allow scooting closer to the low-mounted clip-ons. Having the lowest bars and tallest saddle height here means the Suzuki places more weight on your wrists and forearms, though.
Handling is ultra-nimble-even borderline twitchy through bumpy comers on the Streets course, making good use of the steering damper that comes as standard equipment. On public roads, we had no issue with stability as the bike always felt extremely planted-when it wasn’t wheelying out of slow comers, that is. One area that could be better is the front brake. The rotors showed leopard-like spotting early on and developed a pronounced shudder-caused by friction inconsistency-felt through the fork when applying the brake.
Otherwise, this lightest, strongest 600 ever does not disappoint.
Yamaha YZF-R6
Yamaha has something the others don’t, a Champion’s Limited Edition model. An extra $500 gets you special paint and graphics, plus a numbered plastic plaque glued on the triple-clamp. The CLE’s engine/chassis tune is identical to the standard model’s, and both get the restyled rear fender and taillight. A few other minor changes have shaved weight to get the R6 under 400 pounds without fuel.
While the YZF produces peak power figures that mount a challenge to the class-leading GSX-R, its low-tomidrange power output is weaker than the others. The engine boasts the highest rev ceiling set at 15,000 rpm, but power tapers off after 12,700 so short-shifting produces the best results. Vibration levels are comparable to the Suzuki, but shifting smoothness ranks last in spite of improvements made in this area.
From the saddle, the R6 feels like the most compact bike here. Its sleek windscreen offers less protection than the oth-
ers, but is also less obtmsive-the nose of the bike seems to vanish from sight, allowing an almost unobstmcted view of the road ahead. Steering, stability and lightness in handling each earned second-place scores, as did the strong and consistent brakes.
There are other items that don’t necessarily help the R6’s case for becoming our street 600 of choice. The underseat storage compartment is hardly spacious enough to hold a pair of gloves, there are no bungee-hook bosses and the sides of the fuel tank interfere with your wrists when making sharp U-tums. Add to this a cold-blooded temperament, requiring a longer warm-up period before low-rev stumbling subsides.
But hey, there’s a lot to like here as well. Check out those cool-looking LED taillights, a motorcycling first. Racers and customizers will appreciate the easily removed fender/taillight/license-plate bracket assembly. The riding position is a nice compromise between street and track. And what’s not to like about the R6’s sexy styling and stilettosharp handling?
Conclusion
Unlike buying footwear, trying a new bike on for size before you lay down your cash is not always an option. Rest easy in knowing there really isn't a bad bike here, just differences-often subtle-that give each its own unique character. The Honda CBR600F4i was the favorite pick among our testers thanks to its almost perfect balance of performance, usability, comfort, refinement and style. Hey, if the shoe fits...
