Whats the difference between an 01 and an 03 r6?

[GiftedOne]

Now im sure this question has been brought up before and it probably can be found within the search feature, but Im wondering what is the difference between the 01 and 03 r6. I have an 01 r6 and im pleased with it but I honestly wanted a black 03 limited edition with red flames but I was beat to the punch from another buyer that bought it first because at the time I wasnt able to ride it home on the freeway. At first sight you notice the front facsia of the bike is different and the 03 looks a bit more agressive with the headlights and all. I also know that the 03 is fuel injected and mine is carbureted. Are there any drawbacks of being carbuerated? What about the difference in hp and torque, would one assume the 03 is faster out the box. Dont get me wrong I like my bike considering its got a custom paint job, micron high mount, aftermarket chain and sprockets, and a scotts stabilizer, while his bike is mainly stock. And I must admit that I am a bit envious of his bike and I was actually considering selling mine to get an 03. Just wondering if I can get others OPINIONS and Suggestions.

[TreAdidas]

I have a 2003 R6. I love it. I have made no power upgrades, I quite honestly don't care. It has enough power and so does your 2001. The only custom body work I've done to it is the scratches I've added from crashing.

The most fun I've ever had was riding a 2002 R6 that was setup correctly.

So since you asked for opinion here goes. Just a guess but it seems that you're more infatuated with the aesthetics of the 2003 over the 2001 as opposed to performance upgrades. In that regard, I agree. On the whole, the 2003 is definitely a bit more of a looker than the 01. Well except for the tail. The tail is way cooler on the 01-02 bikes. So that being said... is how cool your bike looks worth the extra change for you? If the answer is yes, then sell you bike and go get the 2003. If you go this route, keep the Scotts damper and use it on the 2003. If the answer is no, keep your 2001.

There are performance gains to be had by transitioning from the 2001 to 2003, namely suspension, frame, transmission, fuel system, and motor. Are these worth the extra money? Ummm sure, I guess so.

Are the gains from the 2003 going to make you a better, more proficient rider than the 2001? Nah.

Is the improved aesthetics on the 2003 going to get you more azz at the bars on Friday ngihts?
Nah... I can say DEFINITELY NOT.

Are the performance gains going to be something you notice, not really. Both bikes feel very similar when you are on them and like I said, the most fun I've ever had was on a 2002 that was setup properly. It felt way better than my 2003.

So Chuckie what did you do?
I bought a brand new 2003 R6 because it looked better and I was certain I would get more azz at the bars on Friday night.... freaking duh!

[cbrsmurf]

So Chuckie what did you do?
I bought a brand new 2003 R6 because it looked better and I was certain I would get more azz at the bars on Friday night.... freaking duh!

That's the most important thing! :cheers:


The 03+ is a completely different bikes than the 99-02 bikes. They almost completely share no parts.

The FI is much easier to map and tune. Carbs are not as easy to tune but all my carb-ed bikes have had great throttle response -- carbs have been around for a very long time after all.

I've also heard the stock suspension of the 03-04 bikes are fantastic

[GixxerDemon55]

+1 :thumbsup:

[powerban]

a lightly modded first gen r6 can easily keep up with the 2nd gens. The feeling of raw power on carbed bikes is awesome, while FI feels smoother. I say keep what you got. I got to give the black w red flames scheme some props since it looks sweet though.

[shaggy]

I will disagree with everyone and say that the 01-02' looks WAAAAAYYYYY better than the newer bikes, just my humble opinion...

As far as performance, you will not notice any difference between the two unless your extremely fast (I mean top guys in racing...) I can attest that my old 45,000+ mile 02' has made more than a few 03'-06' R6's look bad. And my bike doesn't have much done to it, a slip-on pipe, jet kit, steering damper and R1 fork swap.

[bex]

I'm not sure, but the windscreens are most definitely different. :nerd:

[GiftedOne]

ISo Chuckie what did you do?
I bought a brand new 2003 R6 because it looked better and I was certain I would get more azz at the bars on Friday night.... freaking duh!

LOL! The Azz Factor is definately important!:cheers: I was finally able to ride my buddies 03 r6 and I agree with Chuckie by saying that I did not "feel" any suitable differences in performance, instead my pipe sounded alot better than I "think" his 2 bros. and was a bit more stable at high speeds, (not sure if this is because of my scotts dampner or what). However the suspension wasnt as stiff as mine neither, I guess that depends on the rider's preference. But the most interesting factor that made me want to slap my friend is because before I got mine I told him I wanted to find an R6 around $5K and the dude laughed at me and said "well I dont know where your going to find one for that price I paid $6700." :rolleyes:

Well anyways Poweban +1. I love the power of the carbed bikes and indeed there's no point in getting greedy by this being my first bike. lol.

And Bex, Yes the windscreens are WAAAY different. Speaking of screens, has mine came in yet?


Hey guys please keep the comments/suggestions/opinions coming, I'd like to continune to hear the advice of others. :thumbsup:

[cbrsmurf]

It's very hard to find a 03+ R6 in good condition for $5k