Gearing Up For The Run
Right, so I finally had this itch to check what my old 2004 YZF R6 could really do top speed wise. Everyone talks numbers online, but who knows, right? Felt like actually putting it to the test myself. First things first, grabbed my gear – helmet, jacket, gloves, the whole shebang. Safety first, even doing something dumb.
Checked the bike over real quick before heading out. Tires? Pressure looked okay, no nasty cuts. Chain? Adjusted it snug last week, still seemed fine. Brakes? Squeezed the lever, felt solid. Good enough for me. Didn’t want any nasty surprises when pushing it.
Finding The Spot
Next big headache – finding somewhere kinda safe and long enough. No track nearby, obviously. Settled for this stretch of highway, way out of town, super early on a Sunday morning. Barely any cars, long straight ahead. Not perfect, but best option I had. Parked up halfway down the straight, just chilled for a bit, scoped it out. Needed a clear path both ways, just in case.
Cruised to one end to start. Pulled over onto the shoulder. Took a few deep breaths, made sure my visor was locked down tight. Heart already starting to thump a bit, gotta admit. This felt properly serious.
The Real Deal
Took off steady, letting the engine warm up properly through the gears. Didn’t rush it. Got to a reasonable cruising speed, looked back – still empty! Sweet. Okay, this was the moment.
Wound the throttle open hard. Felt the bike dig in. Engine roared way up. Shifted fast: third, fourth, fifth. Bike started getting light, almost floating. Wind hit me like a wall, trying to push me back. Had to get right down, head tucked way in behind the screen, gripping the tank tight with my knees. Eyes glued straight ahead, quick glance down now and then. The needle climbed slow once I hit sixth.
- 120mph – Okay, cruising territory easily.
- 135mph – Engine still pulling hard, feeling strong.
- 150mph – Getting seriously fast now, wind noise huge. Vibrations shaking everything.
- 155mph – Needle still creeping… slowly.
- 157, 158, 159mph – Felt like it was taking forever! Engine screaming its head off.
Peaked just brushing 160mph on the speedo. Held it for a second, maybe two, max. No way I was keeping that up long. Shut the throttle smoothly but firmly, sat up, let the wind slow me down way before touching the brakes hard. Adrenaline pumping, hands kinda shaky pulling back onto the shoulder.
Got My Answer
Sat there idling for a minute, catching my breath. Well, there it was. Managed to squeeze out 160mph indicated on the clocks. Would I believe that actual speed? Nah, speedos lie a bit, especially at those speeds. Figure real speed was probably closer to 155mph, give or take. But the bike felt planted enough, no scary shakes, engine still pulling. Definitely reached the redline buzz in top gear.
Honestly? Older bike, totally stock except for a pipe, reaching near its claimed numbers felt pretty decent. Satisfied the curiosity big time. But man, it’s intense out there alone. Wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re absolutely sure about the bike, the road, and wear all the gear. Ride safe.
