Yamaha discontinues R6

Andz

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Yamaha has announced that the R6 is to be discontinued after the 2020 model year.

Other bikes to get the chop are the VMAX, WR250R and SMAX.

The end of an era.

This is going to leave a big hole in the SBK World Supersport field as well as other 600cc race classes all over the world and potentially see medium class sportbike road riders desert Yamaha for other manufacturers.
 

bigborer

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Expect more and more models to be discontinued.

"Men" these days don't ride motorcycles anymore, they ride electric scooters.

And also taking into account that those electric car fuckers (such as Elon Musk & his "lobby" devils) are making it more and more difficult for combustion engines to exist by constantly increasing the so called pollution requirements, the R&D needed to fulfill those requirements would probably cost much more than they'd ever get back.
 

meadeam

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I've always been a fan of the R6. I've ridden a few, but never had a good reason to own one. I'm not in favor of supersports for street use, and I haven't developed a track habit.

Middleweight sports bikes in general, at least the 4 cylinder variety don't make a ton of sense on the street. Even the FZ6 is too peaky and hasn't enough low end. It's faster the the MT07, but in real world applications the MT is a much better bike for most people. Eventually they'll have to change the SBK rules as people move away from track bikes on the street and the manufacturers can't sell enough of them. In a sense, the supersports and superbikes are killing themselves. They've become too specialized for normal people.
 

Gary in NJ

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In the last 20 years, 600cc super sports have become unbearable torture contraptions on the road. You've got to turn them up to 10k+ rpm to get any usable power out of them, making street bikes with 75-80% of the total HP actually faster on the street. The last 600SS I truely enjoyed riding was the CBR600F4. Great fun on the road and very comfortable.
 

meadeam

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Even in naked/sport standards, only Honda still makes a 600cc I4. Suzuki has a 750, which kind of surprises me since it is a relic of the old WSBK rules. There's really no reason for a 750 I4 anymore. I wonder if we'll see supersport bikes going to twins and triples in that weight class since that is what is selling on the street. Triumph is already there, Ducati was. Yamaha could be.
 

spine

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Are Yamaha actually producing bikes anymore? Every time I look, they're discontinuing decent models. What few street/naked bikes they seem to continue with are cyber-looking models that are indistinguishable from other manufacturers.
 

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The MT series have been hugely successful for them, although I don't like the style at all. I much prefer the XSR series, but I'd change a few things there as well. Either way, the motors are excellent. The T7 is becoming a modern classic in the ADV world.

For my taste, Honda and Ducati make the best looking bikes currently. Of course they're the most expensive.
 

MattR302

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Yamaha just revised their 900’s and upgraded the engine. The MT09 has a model with ohlins suspension and cruise control, the Tracer 9 gets active suspension and electronics.

Apparently the WR250R is “discontinued” because they will be releasing a WR300R (just like Kawasaki did with the KLX250/KLX300, and how Honda is rumored with the CRF250L)
 

Andz

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The MT series have been hugely successful for them, although I don't like the style at all. I much prefer the XSR series, but I'd change a few things there as well. Either way, the motors are excellent. The T7 is becoming a modern classic in the ADV world.

For my taste, Honda and Ducati make the best looking bikes currently. Of course they're the most expensive.
I switched from a Fazer to an MT-09 Tracer in 2017 and I love the styling, it is not your everyday looking bike and I get lots of comments about it, all positive.

I looked at the XSR900 at the time but my wife didn't feel comfortable on that short seat (we ride 99% two-up) and I couldn't understand why the XSR was so much more expensive than the Tracer.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Apparently the WR250R is “discontinued” because they will be releasing a WR300R (just like Kawasaki did with the KLX250/KLX300, and how Honda is rumored with the CRF250L)

I'd love another on/off road bike again but they make them so damn tall. Got to be 6'6" tall o touch the ground.

If they lowered it (similar height to my last KLR 250), I'd have a second bike again..
(Wish I kept that bike).... The FZ is still my overall fav.


.
 

Gary in NJ

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Apparently the WR250R is “discontinued” because they will be releasing a WR300R (just like Kawasaki did with the KLX250/KLX300, and how Honda is rumored with the CRF250L)

Hopefully it remains street legal. Those lightweight singles are a hoot on street rubber.

On topic, the street focused ~650 class is becoming very interesting. We are now starting to see some bikes with decent suspension, brakes and electronics. I’m sure the Yamaha -07 outsells the R6 by a significant margin. I’m hoping that the bikes from Triumph and Aprilia move the entire market towards better components.
 

MattR302

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I'd love another on/off road bike again but they make them so damn tall. Got to be 6'6" tall o touch the ground.

If they lowered it (similar height to my last KLR 250), I'd have a second bike again..
(Wish I kept that bike).... The FZ is still my overall fav.


.
The Kawasaki KLX250 (and assuming the new 300) is a couple inches lower seat height than the WR250R. The 2018+ models are fuel injected. The CRF250L is similar but not quite as capable of a bike.

If you wanted a larger-displacement dual sport, the DR650 is the lowest seat height. I’m 5’8 with a 30” inseam and comfortable on mine (I do have the Sargent Low model seat). There’s also a factory low suspension position option for the real vertically challenged.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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The Kawasaki KLX250 (and assuming the new 300) is a couple inches lower seat height than the WR250R. The 2018+ models are fuel injected. The CRF250L is similar but not quite as capable of a bike.

If you wanted a larger-displacement dual sport, the DR650 is the lowest seat height. I’m 5’8 with a 30” inseam and comfortable on mine (I do have the Sargent Low model seat). There’s also a factory low suspension position option for the real vertically challenged.

Thanks, great info.

My last prior bike to the '05 KLR 250 was a '04 KLR 650. I hated that 650, way too tall, vibration, wasn't much faster. (Last year of no frame mounted fairing-which I did like, nothing to bend in a drop)

I've sat on both the KLX 250, again way too tall and the Suzuki 400, which was better but still too tall(not really a Suzuki guy).

They (Kawi)had had a semi moto KL? with 18" wheels (street tires) all around but still a tall seat height.

You'd think manufacturers would ask, who the heck can ride this friggin "ladder" W/O stopping. Make a 250 single that the masses could actually ride (and much cheaper to purchase & sell).

I love my FZ (my only bike by choice) and really don't "need" another so maybe it's a good thing-One less thing to maintain...

*That DR 400 water cooled bike looks pretty slick. Doesn't post seat height or anything about lowering kits un-like the 650....
 
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Gary in NJ

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You can always raise the fork tubes in the triple clamps to lower the bike. If you need to go more than 13-15mm you can add spacers internally (both the forks and shock) to lower the bike. On my custom TSZ400 build I didn’t want 11” of fork travel because it just looked wrong on the bike. So I added a 2” spacer to the forks and 0.75” spacer to the shock (the linkage ratio is 2.75:1) to lower the bike to 9” of travel. When lowering internally the spring rate has to be increased proportional to the travel reduction.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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Thanks but what Yammy and Kawi offer are like 6-8" (seat height) way too tall so modding would be extreme.

The only main draw back with the Suzuki 650 is it's air cooled, but very similar to the older KLR.

I prefer the smaller 250's as handling lighter weight, slightly taller peg height, etc is better than the FZ. Easier to "dodge" cars in heavy traffic too...

And if you drop it (un-like the FZ), your not dropping $1,000 to fix it..

My last '05 250 with 28,000 miles on it:
 

MattR302

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Thanks, great info.

My last prior bike to the '05 KLR 250 was a '04 KLR 650. I hated that 650, way too tall, vibration, wasn't much faster. (Last year of no frame mounted fairing-which I did like, nothing to bend in a drop)

I've sat on both the KLX 250, again way too tall and the Suzuki 400, which was better but still too tall(not really a Suzuki guy).

They (Kawi)had had a semi moto KL? with 18" wheels (street tires) all around but still a tall seat height.

You'd think manufacturers would ask, who the heck can ride this friggin "ladder" W/O stopping. Make a 250 single that the masses could actually ride (and much cheaper to purchase & sell).

I love my FZ (my only bike by choice) and really don't "need" another so maybe it's a good thing-One less thing to maintain...

*That DR 400 water cooled bike looks pretty slick. Doesn't post seat height or anything about lowering kits un-like the 650....
The DRZ400S (the dualsport version with 21/18 wheels) the seat height is actually about 2” taller than the DR650 (in the tall suspension position). Compared to your old KLR650, the DR650 is a bit better off-road, being about 50-60 lbs lighter.

If you want a 250 with a low seat height, check out the Yamaha XT250. The 2013+ models got fuel injection. On paper, the suspension and ground clearance isn’t as capable off-road as the WR250 or KLX250, but there’s a lady local to me that rides the hell out of hers everywhere.
 

meadeam

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The XT250 is super appealing as a second bike for running around town, and non-highway trips into the countryside including some trails. There are enough of them out there that they should be around for awhile and probably getting cheaper.
 
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