2017 Yamaha YZF-R6 Teased?
With the international motorcycle trade show season kicking into high-gear, so too are the marketing machines within some of the most prevalent manufacturers in the motorcycle industry. Last week Yamaha released the above teaser video, entitled “R-World,” and perhaps our first glimpse at a new Yamaha YZF-R6.
Few things are certain in modern times, but the high-pitched whine of an inline-four motor, combined with a seemingly track focused machine, all alludes to one thing: A new Yamaha YZF-R6 could be on the horizon.
Details are slim, but what we know for certain is that the date at the end of the video coincides with INTERMOT, in Cologne, Germany.
For now, all we can do is let the wheels of speculation turn, and gamble on what Yamaha might be offering. From the audio sampled, we’d be hard pressed to believe that the new YZF-R6 will be using the much lauded “crossplane” engine platform found in the venerable R1. Will Yamaha stick with the inline-four configuration? Based on audio alone, I’d put my money there – however Yamaha could surprise us, and make use of something along the inline-triple-engine configuration lines of the FZ-09.
The Yamaha YZF-R6 hasn’t seen a significant update since 2008, and in the fast moving technology driven motorcycle industry that we live in today, that’s an eternity. But it did need an update? If we look at look at many racing leagues throughout the world, some would answer no. It’s still extremely competitive, and with middleweight supersport sales waning, it could be argued that the brand didn’t see a worthy return of investment. On the other hand, perhaps we’re seeing poor sales because the motorcycle industry has ignored that segment in terms of updates, and that can be a tough sell for the consumer.
Here’s to hoping that this will be the first shot across the bow of the motorcycle industry, and that the (fingers crossed) new YZF-R6 will reinvigorate that market segment. My street riding career started on middleweight sport machines, so I’m certainly excited to see one of the most well-known lines get some attention. For now, let’s turn it over to the readers – what are your hopes for the new YZF-R6?
Yamaha R-World Video Photos
