600 Shootout

600 Shootout

CW COMPARISON

HOW THE MIDDLEWEIGHTS STACKU UP

WHEN A NEW BIKE IS INTRODUCED, IT CALLS FOR A reassessment of the class pecking order. When you have two all-new bikes, a class veteran with significant updates and a reigning champ that's gone unchanged, the bell tolls for a shootout.

We took the four premier middleweight sportbikes-Yamaha's long-awaited YZF600R, Suzuki's RF600R, Honda's newly suspended CBR600F2 and Kawasaki's powerful ZX-6-and jumped them through the hoops of a multi-phase testing regimen.

The first item checked off our test card was a two-day street ride over a mix of backroads and freeways. A preliminary vote following the ride saw the ZX-6 and CBR600 earning the greatest favor among the test riders. On freeway stints, the ZX-6 and YZF both get the nod for hav ing roomy ergonomics, the best wind protection and very little engine vibration reaching the rider. The RF is also quite smooth, ___________

but its saddle is abit too narrowand thinly padded toward the front; sliding back onto the meat of the seat makes for a lengthy reach to the bars. The Suzuki also has the least leg room of the lot. While the CBR offers an acceptably comfortable seat and riding position, its level of engine vibration at freeway speeds had some riders complaining of numb fingers and feet. When the road narrows to two lanes and the solid dou ble-yellow snakes off into the hills, the CBR proved to be our favorite serpent killer. The solid-handling Honda is easiest to jump on and ride quickly. It offers superb stability when ridden fast or slow, over rough pavement or smooth, delivering a sure-footed feel that greatly reinforces a rider's confidence.

Hopping onto the Kawasaki or Yamaha takes a bit of getting used to by comparison. The ZX has a tendency to stand up more than the others while trail-braking into turns, feeling a bit unnerving as it drops into a corner when you release the brakes. Another concern for very swift or heavy street riders is the ZX’s cornering clearance, which is the least plentiful of the group. While the YZF shows great promise, the inconsistency in its front brake-as described in the YZF600 road test-along with the hint of

wobble at times, relegated the new Yamaha behind the CBR and a tick below the ZX-6 for backroad burning. The RF is the niceststeering bike of the four at a moderate-to-fast street pace and its brakes are top notch in both power and feel, but the Suzuki’s motor lost points due to its soft midrange and poor throttle response.

Our day at the Carlsbad Raceway dragstrip turned up a few surprises. First of all, the RF600’s excellent clutch feel got it out of the hole better than the others-good enough for a run of 11.38 seconds at 118.1 1 mph, just a whisker off the CBR's 11.37-second/1 19.04-

mph pace. The same can’t be said for our YZF testbike. Its clutch was extremely grabby. Combine this with its light flywheel effect and getting a clean launch on the Yamaha was difficult, accounting for the YZF being, at 11.66 seconds, three-tenths off the pace even though it matched the CBR and RF in terminal speed. Just like last year, the super-strong ZX-6 was quickest and fastest of the day, putting in a 11.32 second/120.96-mph showing.

Further flexing its muscles, the ZX-6 streaked past our radar gun at 151 mph, burying the competition. In second place, the CBR wins merit for being rock-solid steady running flat out at 145 mph (the Suzuki’s stability was second best, while the Yamaha and Kawasaki showed a

bit of wobble when approaching their terminal velocity). The YZF was third fastest at 143 mph; the Suzuki went 141.

In preparation for the final phase of testing-timed laps of the 2.5 mile road course at Willow Springs Raceway-we had Cycle Tune Sport Services in Torrance, California, fit each bike with race-compound Dunlop radiais, 120/70ZR17 Sportmax fronts and 160/60ZR17 D364 rears. This same tire combination was used on the Muzzy ZX-6 en route to winning the 600 Supersport Championship in '93.

On the track, the Kawasaki’s horsepower advantage is quickly neutralized by the chassis’ limited cornering clearance. We cranked up the shock preload until we had just over one inch of sack with rider onboard, but cornering clearance still held lap times to a best of 1:34.32. The RF also ground its exhaust can several times per lap. While the Suzuki impressed us as having the best brakes of the bunch, its lack of ground clearance, and a slight hesitation when rolling on the throttle, proved to be a hindrance on the track. Best lap: 1:35.13.

Attention focused on the CBR and YZF. The Yamaha proved to have the better cornering clearance of the two-at one point, the CBR’s brake pedal dug into the asphalt and was curled back into a U. But the CBR's cartridge fork and fully adjustable shock deliver a tight, solid ride with feedback and performance closest to that of a raceprepped bike. The YZF’s fork feels underdamped and its chassis not as composed at speed as the Honda’s. The YZF’s front-brake-pad glitch give ground to the CBR’s binders, which are second only to the Suzuki. Both the CBR and the YZF deliver strong, manageable power up top and have crisp throttle response at any rpm. It was a close match, but the Honda’s more refined suspension with its added adjustability enabled Road Test Editor Don Canet to click off a 1:32.55. We pulled the YZF fork legs up 10mm in the clamps for improved front-end feedback, and messed with preload and rear rebound damping, but couldn’t break in the 32s, ending the day with a best lap of 1:33.06.

So the latest shuffle of the middleweight sportbike deck seems to have dealt a pretty good hand anyway you cut it. All four of these bikes have plenty going for them, and there isn’t an insurmountable shortcoming in the lot. The Suzuki, good-looking and streetbiased, is the bargain of the bunch. The Yamaha, with its repli-racer styling, is the freshest looking of the four-even if it doesn't hold a performance advan-

tage, its looks alone will be enough to win some buyers. The Kawasaki continues as a 750-in-disguise, and is the easy choice if you’re after a road-inhaling, GT-type 600. But if you must have a clear winner, then go with the Honda CBR600F2. With its new suspension, it's the most well-rounded package at a good price. That’s hard to beat.

HONDA

CBR600F2

$6499

KAWASAKI

ZX-6

$6699

SUZUKI

RF600R

$6399