Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996-2004) - Review & Buying Guide

Many riders have a great deal of affection for the Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat. The firm’s entry into the supersport class before the full-on YZF-R6 was released in 1999, the Thundercat managed to walk the line between sporting ability and practicality really well and as such was a big seller for Yamaha. Common in the used market, the Thundercat may only have been the firm’s headline act for three short years but such was the demand for a do-it-all as a foil to the all-or-nothing R6 (especially in America), the Thundercat actually stayed in production until 2008, although it wasn’t officially imported into the UK. Solidly built and with an excellent reputation for reliability, the Thundercat is a cheap entry into the supersport world that is perfectly happy to be used as a commuting hack, B-road toy or even lightweight sports tourer. And should you wish, after a few modern upgrades it’s also pretty competent on track. If you want an all-rounder but aren’t keen on Honda’s CBR600F (the Yamaha is much better handling than older steel frame CBR models), try a Thundercat out for size. With prices starting at just £950, you can’t really go wrong.

Pros & Cons

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Prices

The Thundercat cost £5999 back in the day, which was about the same as rivals such as the CBR. Nowadays it costs considerably less – although you get what you pay for... There are lots of ‘projects’ out there for around £500 but taking on one of these is never a great idea. While used parts are common, the bills can quite quickly start to add up should it require lots of new seals, bearings or even electrical parts. Ideally, buy a running bike with an MOT because at least then you know where you stand should things start to go wrong. Picking up a reasonable bike for £1500 is easy with low-mileage examples costing £2500. There is no appetite for the Thundercat as a ‘modern classic’ so it is priced as you would expect a near thirty-year-old machine to be! If you are happy with your purchase, then consider buying a ‘project’ to strip for spare parts and learn how to look after the Thundercat’s mechanicals yourself to save costs.

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Engine & Performance

The Thundercat might make a claimed 100bhp but realistically, a used one will struggle to top 90bhp at the rear wheel. However this isn’t such an issue as the liquid-cooled inline four has a lovely spread of torque (claimed 48.7lb.ft) and that’s what you want for road riding. If you are happy to stay at the legal limits, the Thundercat is more than brisk enough and aside from a bit of a clunky gearbox, it’s a delight to ride on the road with few vibrations and a light clutch action. And should you feel the need to rev it a bit, it’s more than happy to pick up its skirt and top 100mph. And it is also a reliable unit – which it needs to be!

The big issue with bikes of this age is the fact that few are properly serviced and most suffer from neglect. When buying used, you need to assume that the Thundercat has been ignored and as such check out the state of its screw-in oil filter for a clue as to when it was last changed. If it is rusty and the oil is black, that probably means it has been ignored. Check the oil level and also look for an oil light on a test ride. The Thundercat has an oil level warning, not a pressure light, and the sensor gets clogged up by dirty oil, causing the light to go on. Inspect the sump area to see of the drain plug has been over-tightened and cracked the sump and also ask when the valve-clearances were last checked, it should be every 24,000 miles but this is seldom adhered to. Look for any smoke on start-up that hints at issues with the valves and also see if it starts from cold with no choke as that hints at the carbs running rich, meaning they are worn and probably need a rebuild. And when it is ticking over, see if it does so smoothly as that is a clue if the carbs are balanced. After checking the radiator isn’t damaged and leaking, inspect the exhaust for cracks and any oil and water hoses for leaks. The only real Achilles Heel of the Thundercat (and FZS600 Fazer) is the front sprocket nut, which is known to work loose. There is a deeper threaded version that helps prevent this but it is also a good idea to use a dab of thread lock. Inspect the cases around the front sprocket for damage as if the sprocket comes off, the drive chain can cause havoc.

Ideally, when you have bought the bike treat it to a proper service and regrease, which is simple to do at home (aside from the valve-clearances unless you are pretty experienced).

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The Thundercat has the potential to be a really good handling bike, however a lot of used examples suffer from tired suspension, square tyres, worn bearings and a lack of grease, all things that mute its abilities. If you are handy with a set of spanners, you can quite easily give the Yamaha’s chassis a bit of love and swapping wheel and head bearings and stripping the suspension linkages (they might well be seized up, so it could involve buying a used replacement) is cheap in parts and not too hard to complete with a basic set of tools and paddock stands. If you remove them yourself, getting the forks rebuilt will be around £200 and an aftermarket shock can be found for less than £400 if the OE unit is past its best. Next up is a set of braided lines (a safety issue so do this anyway), some new brake pads (the pistons often seize in the caliper so they might require a rebuild) and some fresh tyres and you will be amazed at the results.

Thanks to its Deltabox frame, the Thundercat handles far better than many contemporary supersport bikes and it also stops pretty impressively thanks to R1-derived ‘blue spot’ brake calipers (which are technically monoblock in their design). Not only that, there is something very pleasing about getting the spanners out and with a workshop manual, rolling back the years and making a tired bike feel far more contemporary. Don’t be afraid to do it yourself, the Thundercat is a very easy bike to work on.

As on any older used bike, before you buy give it an HPI check to see if it has been written-off and take into account the state of consumable parts such as tyres when you make your offer. On a £1000 bike, a £200 set of new tyres is quite a percentage. And check for crash damage. The rear brake caliper will also almost certainly be seized – they all do that and freeing them off isn’t too tricky. Oddly, it has two bleed nipples and is a two-piston design.

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Comfort & Economy

The Thundercat is a very practical bike and as well as a relaxed riding position with a comfortable seat offers decent weather protection. Owners enhance its practical side through a taller screen or heated grips but overall, there is little to complain about. If you want something more relaxed, buy the Fazer...

Economy-wise, you can expect to record around 50mpg and thanks to the Thundercat’s large 19L tank, that equates to a range of around 200 miles. There is no reserve tap but you do get a low fuel warning light – only the Fazer has a fuel gauge.

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Equipment

The Thundercat is a bike built and designed in the 1990s and that means there are no flashy electronics – not even a fuel gauge. Does this matter? Not really, it means that there is less to go wrong! Which means you need to be wary of any aftermarket additions...

Heated grips are common on Thundercats and so are things like alarms, 12v outputs, top box racks etc. Old alarms can be a real pain, so ideally get it removed asap (no one will steal a Thundercat nowadays), and watch out for bodged wiring if the bike has any things like heated grips fitted. Top box racks can crack the subframe brackets where they mount, so inspect this area, and give the rack a wobble to see if it moves.

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Rivals

Supersport bikes were all the rage in the 1990s and there are some great rivals to choose from. Thundercat owners tend to go for the more practical and reliable options, so that’s usually the CBR however the TT600 is a bargain.

Honda CBR600F (2001-2006) | Price: £1500-£4000

Read more

Power/Torque

110bhp / 48lb-ft

Weight

168kg

Suzuki GSX-R600 SRAD (1996-1999) | Price: £1500-£4000

Read more

Power/Torque

92bhp / 44lb-ft

Weight

174kg

Triumph TT600 (2000-2003) | Price: £1000-£2500

Read more

Power/Torque

108bhp / 50lb-ft

Weight

187kg

Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Verdict

The Thundercat is very much a supersport bike built in an era when they were day-to-day machines with an emphasis more on practicality than track ability. That’s not to say a Cat with sorted suspension and sticky tyres isn’t able to lap a circuit, it’s just that it is far more at home on the road – which is no bad thing at all. If you want a cheap supersport bike that is comfortable, reliable and just as happy to slog out a daily commute as it is to blast along a B-road on a sunny Sunday, the Thundercat is a good option that has (arguably...) a bit more sex appeal than a Honda CBR600F. As long as you can put up with your mates chanting ‘thunder, thunder, thunder, thundercats – ho!’ at you in memory of the 1980s cartoon.

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Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (1996 - 2004) - Technical Specification

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