symphony of yamaha's latest instrument

For a moment, I wish this were some sort of audio recordings blog. I might've then had the foresight to record the eyes-roll-back-into-head experience of a chorus of 600cc motors singing at 15k rpm around a track...


Keys in the ignition...



Power Rangers check out their new rides


Despite my predilection for 4 wheels and cornering/braking performance, I was pretty eager to tag along with a couple buddies (I will temporarily suspend my usual jabs about the ratio of a biker's brain size to his... other sizes.) to check out the 2008 update of the Yamaha R6. Any pistonhead would geek out at bikes like this... I don't need to actually like bikes to soak in all the engineering. Whereas in cars, most of the interesting bits are hidden under hoods and body panels, the ruthless minimalism and focus of bikes mean that all these mechanical details lay exposed. There's a sort of architectural beauty here that, at least for me, is rather exquisite when one can appreciate it for the ingenuity and refinement of engineering as well as the purely aesthetic qualities.


I just love the patterns and shapes in those two-piece rotors. And look at the detail on the caliper pistons...


I found this visually interesting as well... I like the contoured surfaces separating the busier details like the chain drive peeking through at the bottom. I like the combination of angular and curved features, of the dark colors against the bright yellow or the brushed metal finish. I'm also still geeking out about that awesome monoshock with what appears to be an adjustable spring perch and an external reservoir. Suh-wheet.


I wish I redlined at 16.5. I don't care how little torque that is. The sound alone when it comes on cam makes up for it.

I wonder how my guitar (also a yamaha) would look next to this bike. They have a similar aesthetic... complex surfaces, lots of attention paid to mechanical details, fantastic blue paintjob, etc