Motorcycle.com Test RideTeam has conducted performance testing of the best 600 cc motorcycle. Testing is done on the Yamaha YZF-R6, Honda CBR600RR, Honda CBR600RR, Kawasaki zx-6R. This test was conducted in the environs in the everyday - streets, freeways, canyons, parking lots places where most race-bred middleweights will spend the majority of their life after exiting dealer showrooms in the following test results.


Fourth Place: Yamaha YZF-R6

The Revvy R6 feels right at home on the racetrack, much more than it does on the street, as the racetrack environment makes it possible to keep the tach up high where the R6 motor likes it. But there’s no getting around the fact that the Yamamotor feels softer than its rivals. In lower revs the mill simply seems flaccid next to the others. However, once the tach needle hits the 10.5K mark, power comes on with a fairly healthy wallop. Too bad the fun arrives so late, as it’s only good for about another 2 or 3K rpm before the exhaust valve stifles its breathing.

Fueling is flawless and super-easy to manage. YCC-T and YCC-I are a potent pair; their collective smooth performance translates into confidence, the rider knowing exactly what to expect when twisting the grip. In the early part of the day guest tester Mark Gardiner felt he was much more aware of the track’s surface while aboard the R6, adding that he had a disquieting sense that he was putting too much faith in the front tire. “I got the feeling that, in this crop of bike, the R6 is the most dependent on setup,” he said, not knowing at first how right he was.

After some expert suspension fiddling - lowered fork tubes and reduced compression damping - by Yamaha professional tech Mike Ulrich, all of us felt the R6’s now-lighter steering effort was on par with GSX-R. Kev also believed it tracked much better over The Street’s bumpy surfaces.

Third Place: Honda CBR600RR

On the plus side, the CBR feels solid, as of one piece from axle to axle, and it made all our testers immediately confident. It also garnered kudos for its best-in-class agility, boasting a racy rake and the lightest weight. Yet the RR isn’t the least bit squirrely with much of its stability credited to the high-tech electronic steering damper.

New-for-’09 calipers sourced from the CBR1000RR provide plenty of power, but are just a couple ticks behind the ZX in terms of making the rider feel directly connected to the brakes like the ZX’s binders do so incredibly well. Fueling is abrupt from closed to open throttle, and it had the heaviest throttle return spring. The combination of those two nits can cause a rider to divert attention from other important duties.

The CBR’s muted top-end power this year hurt it on the two longest straights at the Streets. Kevin went so far as to say he could feel it being choked up on top. There’s no denying the peak power deficit. Still, where grunt is needed most - like the first or second gear final turn before the front straight - the Honda pulls with authority. Its mid-range power is neck and neck with the ZX, aided by short overall gearing.

But it’s missing a slipper clutch, gear-position indicator and shift light, plus it could use a half-dozen more ponies. In this photo-finish class, any check mark in the N/A column can really hurt a supersport’s chance at top-honors. Yet, the Honda is so darn good in so many other ways, it’s easy to see how we had such a difficult time ranking it any lower than spot #2.

Second Place: Suzuki GSX-R600

For real racer or trackday addict, recommending the Gixxer makes perfect sense. Aftermarket support is abundant, and the bike has a knack for getting around a racetrack without drama. Its powerband comes second only to the Ninja, plus it has the slipper clutch and comprehensive gauges the CBR lacks. The Gixxer gets extra brownie points for being the only bike to come with adjustable footpegs.

Along with the Gixxer’s competitive and user-friendly engine, its front end is adept at constantly telegraphing all the data your mind can handle, yet the neutral steering chassis is ever-composed, happily taking orders and doing exactly what you ask of it. In fact, it’s almost uncanny how accommodating the Suzuki can be. Need more lean angle at mid-corner? Just give the bars a shove and the bike responds instantly without any hint or suggestion that what you just did may have been a less-than-bright move on other bikes.

Using turns that are crucial to a good lap on The Streets as his barometer, Mark sensed he wasn’t circulating quite as well on the Suzuki as on the Honda. But he promptly added that he felt if had a little more track familiarity he could’ve gone just a quickly as he did on the CBR.

The Winner: Kawasaki ZX-6R

The ZX first proved it had the goods when we rode it on the street, then backed up those impressions with the best dyno chart of the group. This power surplus of the 6R is readily apparent on the racetrack. The Streets of Willow has two areas in which a rider can accelerate at full throttle through a couple of gears, and the ZX consistently achieved higher speeds than the others. But just as impressive is the Ninja’s pull throughout the rev range.

An example of how closely matched this group was revealed in our first sessions on the 6R. Its suspension, including the new technology of its Showa Big Piston Fork, was unable to suck up The Streets numerous bumps as well as the CBR and Gixxer, and a few of our testers weren’t confident lapping the track quickly. But thanks to the seasoned skill set of pro Kawi tech (and caterer extraordinaire), Joey Lombardo, the ZX tracked much better over uneven surfaces. A few carefully chosen clicks resulted in Duke’s lap times dropping by nearly 2 seconds!

Add to the Ninja’s best-in-class mill a transparent transmission/slipper-clutch combo, excellent Showa BPF sticks, a responsive chassis and Nissin radial-mount brakes that rival many Brembo units we’ve tested, and we arrive at a total-package supersport - the overall winner of our 2009 Supersport Shootout.

Test results is not a standard parameter of motorcycle performance strength. Test carried out on the road, the area where the hills and dense, so many factors that determine the benefits of a motorcycle, one of which is the driver is an important factor that determines the motorcycle strength. However, at least this test results can be a guide to buy 600 CC motorcycle for daily use.