Yamaha confirms the end of the YZF-R6 Race Base Model with final made-to-order production run
Yamaha has confirmed that the YZF-R6 Race Base Model will be built one final time, with production ending after a limited made-to-order run.
After years of keeping the legendary R6 alive as a track-only machine, Yamaha has confirmed the end is finally in sight for its middleweight supersport.
The Japanese brand has announced that the YZF-R6 Race Base Model will return for one final made-to-order production run before production comes to a permanent end. The model will go on sale in Japan on February 26, 2027, but only customers who place an order during a two-month reservation window will be able to secure one.
The move marks the end of the line for one of the most iconic 600cc sports bikes of the modern era.
Although the road-going R6 disappeared from many markets after increasingly tough emissions regulations made it difficult to justify, Yamaha has continued offering the Race Base Model for riders competing in national championships, club racers and track days fans.
Based on the 2020 European-specification YZF-R6, the Race Base Model is built solely for circuit use and cannot be registered for road riding. It retains the bike's 599cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine along with a package of electronics that includes traction control and a quickshifter.
Yamaha also points out that the bike continues to use the same front suspension and braking hardware found on the current YZF-R1 Race Base Model, with no mechanical changes made for this final production run.
Orders will be taken in two stages through Yamaha's authorised competition dealers in Japan. The first reservation period runs from July 1 to July 31, 2026, followed by a second window between August 1 and August 31, 2026.
Once those orders have been fulfilled, production of the YZF-R6 Race Base Model will officially come to an end.
The decision to axe the R6 further underlines the shrinking market for high-revving 600cc supersports. Rivals have already shifted their focus towards larger-capacity middleweights or entirely new performance platforms, leaving machines like the R6 increasingly rare. Indeed, Yamaha already has a successor to the R6 in circulation, with the three-cylinder R9 stepping in for track day enthusiasts and racers in the new-breed supersport class.
Even so, few bikes have earned the reputation of the R6. For more than two decades it has been a benchmark on road and track alike, becoming the weapon of choice for countless racers, track-day regulars and sports bike fans. This final production run gives those wanting a brand-new example one last opportunity before the curtain falls on a genuine modern classic.
The original press release confirming the news has only been published on the Yamaha Japan website, and there is currently no information on the Yamaha Motor Europe website. We have approached Yamaha UK for comment.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
