Yamaha YZF 600 R6 20th Anniversary Edition

In 2019, the IvataSupersport,the company responsible for its first design, GC Dynamics / GC Design, launched an exclusive 20th anniversary decoration of the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R6, which resembles its predecessor of 1999.

The decoration is not official by Yamaha.A simple but striking design that perfectly combines the passion and speed with which red transmits with the purity of white, always in contrast to the black of the cool and the lower part of the fairing.

Also there are no changes from technical point of view. 118.4 hp and 61.7 Nm of torque comes from a four-cylinder inline engine with a total weight of 190kg, with all its full design, plus the first-class electronics and the front wheel that succeeded the latest Yamaha YZF-R1.

It was 1999, when Yamaha decided to release its YZF-600R Thundercat to put on the market supersport reference, the YZF-R6, a model that is clearly inspired by the 1000KC version. The bike was able to deliver 108 hp of power to move 200 kilos of weight with all the liquids. A year after its presentation, Jörg Teuchert won the Supersport 600 World Championship at the Yamaha R6 controls.

That first model will always be remembered for its color schemes derived from the R1. On the one hand, a blue and white combination, and on the other, an attractive mix of white, red and black that Yamaha has been modernizing over the years. However, this color scheme has disappeared with the latest generation of the R6 presented in the end of 2017.

The R6 was a groundbreaking motorcycle when it was launched. It was the first production motorcycle to utilize ride-by-wire throttle, which Yamaha calls YCC-T for Yamaha Computer Controlled Throttle. It was from here that the technology was soon adopted throughout the industry. Additionally, it marked the beginning of rider selectable ride and power modes.

Yamaha had introduced the R6 to challenge the Honda CBR600F and later CBR600RR’s supremacy in the middleweight class. Unlike the Honda, the R6 had an alloy frame. The engine was claimed to produce 120 hp at 13,000 RPM. While it didn’t sound a lot, it translated to the first production bike to measure 200 hp per litre. Besides that, it had the shortest wheelbase and lightest weight of 169kg dry in its segment.