Okay, so I’ve been seeing all these videos online, people talking about their R6 hitting 175, even 185 mph. I’m like, what? Is that even real? I mean, I know speedometers can be off, that’s a known thing. But still, I wanted to see for myself what the real top speed of my 2009 R6 was. I wasn’t planning on actually hitting those speeds, you know, safety first, but I was curious.
I started by doing some digging. Found some forums, some articles, even some technical specs from Yamaha. It’s all a bit of a mixed bag. Some folks say that their 2009 R6 can hit close to 160 mph in ideal conditions. Others say they are getting 175 mph and more! It got me wondering if it’s even possible, or are they just dreaming?
So, I decided to do some tests of my own. I took my bike out to a long, straight stretch of road. Made sure it was empty, of course, safety and all that. I got it up to speed, really pushed it. Checked my speed, did it a few times to get a good average.
Here’s what I found out. The fastest I got was about 162 mph, not sure how accurate that speed was though because, like I said, speedometers are notoriously off on these things. That’s still pretty darn fast, and honestly, it felt crazy fast. It lined up with what Yamaha hinted at, but they never really gave an official number. Some websites like FastestLaps also say the same thing: 162 mph is what you can expect. I saw some stats about it having around 129 horsepower, and it can go from 0 to 60 in like three seconds, which is nuts.
I even saw a video somewhere of a guy with a modified 2009 R6 with an Akrapovic exhaust, claiming his bike could reach those speeds. I am not sure, though. There are so many factors to consider.
- First, your weight. I’m not the lightest guy, so that probably affected my speed.
- Second, the road conditions. My test wasn’t exactly on a professional track.
- Third, your bike’s condition. Mine’s in good shape, but it’s not brand new.
So, all in all, I’d say the real top speed of a 2009 R6 is probably around 160 mph, give or take, depending on a bunch of factors. Anything above that, you’re probably looking at some serious modifications or maybe a bit of wishful thinking. But hey, it was fun to test it out and see what my bike could do.
And let me tell you, 160 mph feels plenty fast. I don’t think I’ll be trying to push it any further than that. Stay safe out there, folks, and keep the rubber side down!