hi all...new guy here..i am looking at possibly buying a 03 or 04 R6 ( 30- 40 km)and could use a little help. although i have been riding for about 40 years it has been mostly vintage bikes, i currently own 2... not to sure about what to look for with the Yamaha i want.. .any specific problems with this year of bike(s) ?any pointers would be great. I have my sights set on 2 at present and they look great in the pictures. I have done some home work on the Yamaha but like i said any pointers from the experts would be terrific.
thanks...Ed
i would suggest lookin at an 05... same body style, fuel injection, most components but a few choice upgrades like new inverted forks and better brakes.
other than that same bike. and not much goes wrong with gen2 seems like.
The 2005 is a slightly better bike because of what oizarod115 mentioned, but can also be a little harder to find/more expensive for that very reason. If you find a deal on an '05, go for it, but otherwise, the '03 and '04 are good bikes as well.
The '05 has beefier radial brakes and upside-down forks, and I believe it also has a slightly bigger front tire (120/70) which has a slightly bigger contact patch and raises the front of the motorcycle by a few millimeters to improve the balance of the bike.
Radial brakes (vs standard) do virtually nothing, but the '05 brakes themselves are definitely better because of the slightly bigger size. Upside-down forks don't do much vs standard either, but once again the development on the forks is a little bit ahead of the standard '04 ones. The bigger front tire from the '05 fits on the '03 and the '04 without any problems, so it's no issue; if you go with the '03/'04 just buy the 120/70 when you need new tires.
The '05 has beefier radial brakes and upside-down forks, and I believe it also has a slightly bigger front tire (120/70) which has a slightly bigger contact patch and raises the front of the motorcycle by a few millimeters to improve the balance of the bike.
Yes, the '05 does go to the slightly larger front tire...which does offer a bit better grip.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2004R6Rider
Radial brakes (vs standard) do virtually nothing, but the '05 brakes themselves are definitely better because of the slightly bigger size.
Radial brakes do make a difference in the force applied to the forks during heavy braking. This force can change the structural integrity of the fork (basically bending them slightly) causing a reduced angle of the rake of the forks and thus slightly less braking. It's all relative and in very small amounts, but enough that all (respectable) sport bikes now have radial mounted brakes vs. the "old" way.
__________________
-2003 Yamaha R6 (R.I.P.)
-2007 Yamaha R6 Charcoal
-2007 Yamaha R6 Blue (Track Bike)
-2008 Ducati S2R1000 (Hooligan Bike)
-2009 Yamaha TTR-110e (For the Kiddo)
-2012 Aprilia RSV4 (Soon to be For Sale)
Yes, the '05 does go to the slightly larger front tire...which does offer a bit better grip.
Radial brakes do make a difference in the force applied to the forks during heavy braking. This force can change the structural integrity of the fork (basically bending them slightly) causing a reduced angle of the rake of the forks and thus slightly less braking. It's all relative and in very small amounts, but enough that all (respectable) sport bikes now have radial mounted brakes vs. the "old" way.
I've never heard it explained like that before.. thanks! Looks like I stand corrected..
^^^ Wasn't trying to "correct" anyone, but all Technical B.S. aside, the '05 has the better Front End than the '03 - '04 and all the new R6s Models. If you can find one for a good price....GRAB IT!
__________________
-2003 Yamaha R6 (R.I.P.)
-2007 Yamaha R6 Charcoal
-2007 Yamaha R6 Blue (Track Bike)
-2008 Ducati S2R1000 (Hooligan Bike)
-2009 Yamaha TTR-110e (For the Kiddo)
-2012 Aprilia RSV4 (Soon to be For Sale)