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Motoracer
30th June 2004, 11:32
Before you ride a bike, you have to stand back and appreciate it. The headlights and ram-air intake, which is a carryon from the 03 model, really gives the whole bike that cutting edge look. The tail section is also designed for that sharp look with the led taillights to give it that final fashionable touch.

As soon as you sit on the bike, you know that the bike means business with its high seat and low clip-on position. You feel like you are in a true race rep sports bike. The dash is very neat and tidy with the popular big tacho and digital speedo on the side setup. I am about 5’8-9 and the foot pegs were in perfect position for my liking. I have ridden the 2002 R6 as well and the 04 model somehow felt a bit more compact.

Well, that’s enough of that. Time to ride this baby! You flick the key over and start the bike but it idles very low and it is very very quiet with the stock exhaust. It hardly feels like the engine is running at all. I had to re-check the tacho just to make sure I hadn't stalled the thing. Now this is the misleading part, you'd think that there is nothing there with the lack of noise but as soon as you pop it in first and go up the revs, there is plenty of juice in there alright! The engine was still very quiet and smooth but this thing hauls from the mid range right up to redline! I had my torso over the fuel tank with my head ducked down low and still the front felt light over the bumps. I shifted through the gears and in no time, the speedo was reading 200kmph+. The power is probably the same as the 1 or 2 year older models but it was never really an issue for the R6s anyway.

When you tip this bike in, it almost feels as good as when you are riding a race bike on the track. The handling is spot on! It feels much lighter and more flickable than the 02 model. That sharp edge theme didn't end in looks alone, this bike has been fine tuned and trimmed to be sharper than a prized samurai sword. Bikes like these virtually eliminate the need to buy a 400 (if money is not an issue) because the R6 is basically as good as almost any 400cc sports bike in terms of handling. Again, I'll mention that nice midrange torque. Bikes like the GSXR are great for the track with the lovely top end grunt but for the road, in the tiwsties, the R6 has an advantage over the GSXR. What it lacks in the topend, it makes up in the midrange. It is very easy to keep the speed up in this bike. You can let the revs drop and not have to worry about keeping it in certain revs for you to be able to hammer it on again on the corner exit.

One thing about the R6 is that the steering is just a bit too light. It makes cornering a dream but it can just as easily end up as a nightmare with a massive tank slapper. I only rode this bike for a short period of time and already I had about 3 minor speed wobbles initiated by the steering. Firefight who owns the bike has had a few nasty moments of tank slappers on the bike as well. It is still not that big of a problem but if you want to eliminate this issue and make your R6 perfect, go and buy yourself a steering damper. :niceone:

Overall, I like the 2004 R6 very much. It isn’t up to date with the latest hi-tech specs from the likes of 2004 Kawasaki ZX6-R or the 2004 Suzuki GSXR-K4 out there. But unless you are participating in a competitive level of racing, you won’t be set back by the R6 at all. For people who are looking for a sports bike packed full of adrenaline and excitement in a very manageable package with a good compromise between road/track riding, the 2004 R6 is one of the best bikes out there.

Thank you for the opportunity to ride your bike Dave.

Cajun
30th June 2004, 11:57
Good write up MR, have to wait and see how it feels myself
what ya think in the end about the k4??

Firefight
30th June 2004, 11:58
Bloody great write up mate, :first: I see a partime Biker Jurno job in your future! :ride: Have to agree about the steering damper thingymabob, will be getting one B4 the race can., Looks like a Young man from Tauranga missed the chance to do a review afterall. :Pokey:


F/F

Cajun
30th June 2004, 12:00
that damn young MR is always to quick for me

and whats things young man business, MR is the youngin i'm not

Motoracer
30th June 2004, 12:20
Good write up MR, have to wait and see how it feels myself
what ya think in the end about the k4??

I absolutly loved it! It's just got more power and better handeling and braking than the R6 still! I have tried them all except for the Kawasaki so based on my current opinion, if I was to go out there and buy a new 600 for myself, it'd be the K4.

The only thing that I didn't like was the instrument pannel. The black background takes away that sporty feel from the bike. There is a shift light but it misses the whole point of being there cause you have to look down to see it go off because its just not bright enough (unless if you were to ride at night).

Cajun
30th June 2004, 14:41
i don't bother using the shift light, use engine sound/feel for shifting, i have tryed the zx6r(636) but not the zx6rr

the instrument panel background is easy changed dc:<

Motoracer
30th June 2004, 14:55
i have tryed the zx6r(636) but not the zx6rr

How does it compaire with your bike?

Two Smoker
30th June 2004, 14:59
Yep i loved the R6.... (be it the biggest and fastest bike i have ridden..) I found it a very easy bike to ride, only took me about 10 k's to get used to the handling of it after jumping of the RG.... The first thing i noticed like MR was that the seat is very high (and im 6 foot), the pegs are also very high.... it pulled away very nicely just in the lower revs.....

After a little while i decided to give it some shit..... AND HOLY SHIT, it flys.... It pulls very hard from 10000 all the way to red line.. In first gear it wheelies of the throttle as the tacho needle touches 11000, 2nd gear will see you doing 168kmh, third a shade under 200, i only got it up to 230 (ran out of room)

I found myself though constantly short shifting at about 10000rpm between the corners in the really twisty stuff, and it still pulled nicely and quickly

The brakes were very impressive, hualing it up from 230-130 very quickly....

Handling was perfect, it felt just like a small bike, very light and quite flickable, getting your knee down is no major problem either.....

I like MR had one problem with it, the twitchy steering at speed, i had one small tank slapper at about 200kmh after hitting a small bump :wacko: so the first mod to it would definately be a steering Damper :niceone:

And sorry Dave, but you did say ride it like you own it hehehe :shifty:

MR awesome write up dude :niceone:

Cajun
30th June 2004, 15:00
what do you think?? which one did i buy?

I could have got a zx6rr with factory race kit cheaper than the cost of my gsxr, but what did i buy?

also the zx6r didn't come in colour i wanted,

Cajun
30th June 2004, 15:01
i havn't had any tank slapper problems with my 600, and thats going farily fast over some rough roads, but thats what ya get comes standard with damper

Motoracer
30th June 2004, 15:20
And sorry Dave, but you did say ride it like you own it hehehe :shifty:

Are you sure he didn't say "ride it like you stole it"?

Two Smoker
30th June 2004, 15:21
Are you sure he didn't say "ride it like you stole it"?
LOL, with the way you rode it, i think he did say that too you :shifty: hehehe

Cajun
30th June 2004, 16:18
i love that saying "ride it like you stole it"