My personal opinion about street bikes runs very deep. As an avid motorcyclist and someone who has worked as a service manager, service advisor, and mechanic in multiple shops with various motorcycle brands, Yamaha has always held a special place for me. Witnessing Yamaha bid farewell to the R6 is disheartening, and the explanation offered is equally unsatisfactory. However, I will share my perspective.
Yamaha claims that the discontinuation is due to emissions regulations in Europe and the US, forcing them to cease production. I hold a different theory. Considering its main rival, Honda, still sells a 600cc bike, I believe Yamaha chose to diversify its offerings with too many versions of naked bikes. Consequently, they ended up creating a 600cc bike that is uncomfortable for extended periods of riding.
The used Yamaha R6 and the Suzuki 600 are all over the Facebook Marketplace for sale, making them the top bikes in the used marketplace. The Yamaha 600 was the first street bike I ever rode, and it pulled me into the sport, leading me away from dirt bike riding. As a track bike, the Yamaha 600 was a winner. It performed well, whether you were an amateur racer or a pro. Additionally, obtaining parts was easy, and any dealership could provide what you needed to get back on the road or track within the day.
On the street, it has enough power to get out of its way, yet it also serves as a great beginner bike that you can keep and modify as you improve your skills
Now enters the R7, its replacement. The bike is based on the MT-07, which is a naked bike. Yamaha has gone through a naked bike phase, walking away from sport bikes. Track and street dominance has become a footnote to Yamaha. Yamaha boasts about how the R7, being so narrow, allows you to glide into corners. Essentially, they have built a bigger version of the R3, which is a starter bike that any new rider would outgrow in six months if ridden consistently.
The overall top speed and power of the R7 aren't enough for me to want one in my garage or even put on the track. If this bike were pitted against, let's say, a 1994 Kawasaki ZX7R (think the movie True Lies, where the bike is featured), the R7 wouldn't have a chance to be competitive on the street or track against this bike. The R7 puts out 73 horsepower, while the ZX7 puts out 110 horsepower. The difference is staggering. The weight of a ZX7 is more, but the stability is there just as much as the R7. When I really look at it, Yamaha is the first motorcycle manufacturer to pull back on the reins and build a bike, in my opinion, that won't put you at risk, due to what I call 'safety stuff': traction control, ABS, and two riding modes. Older bikes like the ZX7 have brakes and throttle control.
Now, I know the R7 wouldn't be a good fit for me. I'm more than okay with that. My issue is choice. If I go to Yamaha's website, the financial spread between the 2024 R1 and R7 is $9,200. That's enough for me to go and look at a different brand. With all the competition out there in the 600cc sport bike market, Yamaha brought a Derringer Pistol to a long-range competitive shooting match. It makes no sense to me. Plus, I am not a fan of naked bikes; they don't carry the same charm or attitude a full fairing bike does. I really hope that in the future, they bring a sport bike worth its salt back into the marketplace where it's needed most.
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