All the Duels – YZF-R6 Vs GSX-R 600: the two extremes of Supersport – On the road: decibels against watts!

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YZF-R6 Vs GSX-R 600: the two extremes of Supersport

All Duels - YZF-R6 Vs GSX-R 600: the two extremes of Supersport - On the road: decibels against watts!

If we only base ourselves on the specs and race results, the Yamaha YZF-R6 eclipses the Suzuki GSX-R 600. But for standard use (a lot of road and little track), the Yamaha justifies- does her extra € 1400 ? Duel !

On the road: decibels against watts !

Eclipsed in terms of sound, the Suz ‘takes its revenge during recovery tests: despite the alluring sensations delivered by the Yamaha four-cylinder from 8000 to 13000 rpm, the 600 GSX-R dislocates the YZF-R6 with panache. ! Whatever the speed or the gear engaged, the injected block with double Suzuki butterfly mate its rival without any possible dispute. !

In this flanged version of the R6, neither the variable admission YCC-I, nor the electronic accelerator YCC-T, nor the new injection mapping supposed to bring "outstanding engine response from idle to the red zone"and improve"the torque at low and mid-range clearly and accentuates the feeling of power at high speed"are not enough to counter the Suzuki !

With 125 hp (without forced air) and 68.6 Nm of torque everywhere except in France, the 600 GSX-R is certainly less demonstrative in the revs, but it tows remarkably stronger from 6,500 rpm. Anemic under 4000 rpm, hardly more convincing then, the YZF-R6 only wakes up at 8000 rpm when the cavalry rings – finally! – the charge with conviction … before being stopped in its tracks by a clamping making unnecessary the use of the last three graduations of the superb tachometer…

With its titanium valves and aluminum alloy pistons, the block of the Gex quickly forges a solid lead, especially as its soaring in the towers, even less impressive than the handlebars of the R6, allow to take advantage of a good draw and go at a speed indecent enough to make the headlines !

Intoxicated by this beautiful passion and even if it means provoking the wrath of the police to the end – at the risk of ending up in a cell in the company of dealers, robbers and other happy little comrades! -, the Suzuki pilot approaches the first curves with his nose in the enveloping bubble, determined to show it off to the reigning world champion !

But the R6 quickly caught up: lively without being nervous, stable without becoming heavy, it benefits from a chassis with flawless rigidity and a suspension tuning superior to that of the GSX-R 600.

Comfortable, the Showa fork and the adjustable mono-shock absorber up to the compression speed (slow or fast) of the Suzuki are insufficiently braked in hydraulic: the GSX-R is less precise when entering curves on the brakes where its front axle stiffens, while its shock absorber crashes too noticeably during violent overshoots.

Result: the Gex requires more mobility from its rider who struggles at the time of the arsouille facing an imperial Yamaha in all circumstances, including on bumpy roads where the absence of a steering damper does not occur – surprisingly – never feel. Despite its more substantial wheelbase (1390 mm against 1380) and its electronically controlled steering damper, the GSX-R displays slight parasitic movements which force the hand to be carefully returned when exiting a vicious curve….

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