With such impressive acceleration, the Yamaha R6 will almost leave you behind. But hang on for a ride that will leave you breathless, writes Geoff Hill
Gentlemen, start your adrenaline.
The R6 is not so much a motorbike as a guided missile. Just point it at the horizon, light the blue touchpaper, and hang on for grim death.
What it boils down to is that the engine redlines at 16,500, and if you put it in first gear, open the throttle and ask yourself: "I wonder how long it takes to get from zero to 100km/h?" you'll only have got as far as "I wonder . . ." before you're there.
As for what happens after that, you're only ever likely to find out on the German autobahn or on your own private racetrack.
In between, let me just say this about the R6: it was far too small for me, and all I could see in the rear view mirrors were my elbows, but I still loved it.
When I say too small, I mean that the average 6ft7ins motorcycling gentleman may find it a bit on the dinky side, to the extent that when I called into the Harley dealers in Antrim, just to say hi, I gave staff a good laugh when they saw what looked like someone coming down the road on a mini-moto.
Even standing still, this bike looks fast and dangerous, to the extent that the rear end behind the pillion is so sharp that anyone falling on it is in severe danger of committing accidental seppuku.
As for the pillion itself, it is so inconsequential, and the footrests so close to it, that it is really only of any practical use to a legless gerbil.
No, this is a bike for climbing aboard on your own on a fine Sunday afternoon, and heading off up your favourite route to that nice little café an hour away which does the best mug of tea and bacon butties in the entire universe.
On this thing, you'll be there in about five minutes.
Put it this way: beign busy working on a book, I'd only planned to take it out for a few hours, but as the sun went down I was still raking around listening to the sound of the engine and wondering what excuses I could make to the publishers.
Ah, that sound. If I had to describe it, I'd say it was like a whole posse of scalded cats being attacked by a hive of angry bees: an unmerciful howl that will be music to the ears of any biker - hardly surprising from a company that makes pianos.
Especially between 8,000 and 9,000 revs, when an engine which is lively at anything over 3,000 becomes utterly sublime in a synergy of acceleration and sound.
The clutch and gearbox, which can often be snatchy on mid-range sports bikes, are entirely sweet once they get nicely warmed up.
Faults? None really, but a couple of things to be wary of.
First of all is that astonishing acceleration, which could well catch out the unwary.
And secondly, the short wheelbase, combined with forks that are pretty much perpendicular, create a potential twitchiness about the central axis which means that it's fairly sensitive to road surface.
You'll also need to have your act together approaching a corner at speed, or you'll find the bike oversteering and you proceeding through the hedge without it.
Take your time getting to know this machine. Get your speed, line and countersteering right. Then just point and shoot and you'll be laughing all the way to the next corner.
Factfile Yamaha R6
Engine specification:liquid-cooled, 16v dohc, in-line four four-stroke, six gears, fuel injection; size: 599cc
Performance:top speed: 165mph; power: 133bhp; torque: 51ftlb
Weight:166kg
Seat height:850mm
Fuel capacity:17 litres
Average fuel consumption:45mpg
Tank range:160 miles
Insurance group:15 Frame: dual beam aluminium
Suspension:front and rear adjustment rebound and high and low speed compression damping with pre-load adjustment
Brakes:front: 2x310mm front discs with four-piston calipers; Rear: 265mm rear disc with one-piston caliper
Tyres:front: 120/70x17;
rear:180/55x17
Price:€12,500
( £7,499 in North)
Test bike supplied by Charles Hurst, Belfast