The Best Used 600cc Crotch Rockets [2024 Edition]

Why We Picked It:

When you think of a supersport motorcycle screaming down the front straight of your local track, the very first image that pops into your mind is likely a Suzuki GSX-R600, the eponymous "Gixxer." Bringing together a generous amount of power from its 599cc inline four at 125 HP and 44.6 lbs-ft of torque, it isn't the most powerful bike on this list by far.

What the GSX-R600 is, however, is a bike that hasn't given in to the modern trend of 17 different rider aids and 20 different ride modes. It's about as pure as you can get, as the only real rider aid you get is ABS, and even then, it's an option!

Because there are no electronic things in between you and the track or road, you feel absolutely everything the bike is doing underneath you, and despite its raw nature, it does communicate when it's getting to the limit without catapulting you off in a high side.

We recommend the 2011 onwards version if you're wanting to buy used, as that was the year that the GSX-R600 gained Showa 41mm front forks, Brembo double front brakes, Nissin single rear brake, and has the biggest fuel tank with the lightest wet weight, at 4.5 US gallons and 412 lbs.

Why We Picked It:

The Yamaha YZF-R6, which was produced from 1999 to 2020, is one of the most beloved supersports of the early 21st century. It is also the holder of an important milestone, that of being the world's first 600cc production four-stroke inline four motorcycle to produce over 100 HP.

It was loved for its stratospheric 14,500 RPM (soft) redline, race-oriented ergonomics, a nearly flawless frame that was light and stiff, and the fact that no matter how hard you twisted the wrist, it just seemed to have more and more power. It wasn't the most comfortable thing on the road, but very few bikes had the track manners or sheer velocity the R6 could generate.

The reason we recommend the 2006 and onwards model is because that is the year that the R6 gained YCC-T, Yamaha's superb throttle by wire system. That same year, it also gained transistor controlled ignition, boosting its already legendary reliability to mythical status.

If you want the most powerful version of the R6, you will need to find a 2008 or 2009 model, as the 599.8cc inline four pumped out near as makes no difference 128 HP and 43.3 lbs-ft of torque.

Why We Picked It:

Make no mistake, the Kawasaki ZX-6R is perfectly capable of ripping up your local track tarmac, but what makes it particularly special is that it has perhaps the best on-road manners and competency of all the supersports on the road right now. It is also, as is almost tradition with Kawasaki, absolutely packed to the brim with technology, electronics, and rider aids, and then put on sale as a frankly bargain basement price.

What gives the ZX-6R its road manners, at least in recent years, is that it has an assist and slipper clutch, dual throttle valves, traction control, a quick shifter, multiple power and ride modes, will connect to your smartphone, and has one of the most advanced ABS systems on the planet, second only to BMW's ABS Pro system. Even going back as far as 2003, it's still unbelievably easy to ride around town without giving you half the aches and pains many other supersports do.

Speaking of which, we recommend that you look at a 2003 or newer ZX-6R, mostly because that was the first year of the famous 636 engine. The best years to look for, if you can afford it, are between 2013 and 2018, as that is when Kawasaki was winning pretty much everything in racing, as well as it being the most powerful version of the ZX-6R's 636cc inline four at 135 HP and 46.4 lbs-ft of torque. Even new today, under the strict Euro5 emissions regulations, it still cranks out 128 HP, making it the most powerful "pure" 600cc supersport on this list.

Why We Picked It:

Let's get straight to the point with this one: If you want to know how a supersport should handle, accelerate, corner, brake, and pretty much exist, the CBR600RR has always been the bike to show you all of that and more. It is at the same time very hardcore and raw, but also perhaps the most forgiving of the 600cc class.

The story of the CBR600RR's coming to be is an interesting one, as it combined lessons learned from the RC211V race bike and the previous CBR600F4i bike into a powerhouse supersport. This is evidenced by it winning pretty much every industry award you could get, such as Bike of the Year, Machine of the Year, Best Sportbike Under 600cc, and the like.

The reason that the 2007 and onward models are preferred is because of the DSFI injection system being upgraded to use 40mm throttle bodies and Denso 12-hole injectors. This gives it only 1 HP more over pre-2007 models, but it injects the fuel much more smoothly and evenly, giving a better burn, and hence some of the best fuel economy in the class.

If you can, looking at a 2009 or newer will give you access to Honda's superb combined ABS system. This system exists so that if you need to toss out the anchor will engage both front and rear brakes before your foot could likely move to stomp on the rear brake. It won't engage the rear brake (or the front brake if you stand on the rear) unless ABS kicks in, so it will still give you separate braking while riding normally.

Why We Picked It:

Yes, the Triumph Daytona 675 has a, surprise surprise, 675cc engine. It is a fairly special engine, though, as it's a triple, and everything else about the bike was designed with the world of supersport riding in mind, so we give it a pass.

Part of its charm is that engine, because instead of the typical howl of an inline four, you get the throaty roar of a triple spinning away up to its 13,250 RPM redline. It also hooks up the powerband much sooner than an inline four, so it accelerates like it's been shot out of a railgun once the needle passes 6,000 RPM.

It is also one of those bikes like the ZX-6R that has simply superb road manners. Very communicative, agile, yet surprisingly comfortable and perfectly happy in freeway traffic. It is also particularly special if you take it to some twisties and get a corner just so, as there is nothing like the way that the 675 hooks up and stands up out of the corner as you roll on the throttle. It really is one of those things that needs to be felt to understand just how much it will tear your face apart with the smile you have under your helmet.

While all years of the bike are great, the best ones to buy if you can are the 2013 to 2016 models, the last three years of production. Triumph made the 675 and 675R, with the difference in the R being loaded up with more track oriented kit. Both still use the 675cc triple, with 128 HP and 55 lbs-ft of torque, so the only real difference is what will you be using the bike for more: track days or general riding?

Why We Picked It:

Now we're really pushing the definition of a supersport here, but the Aprilia RS660 just squeaks in because it's a supertwin.

"But a parallel twin can't be a supersport!" we hear you saying. Tell that to Aprilia and see their response. While it may not be a duck, it certainly quacks like one, especially as it carries a 659cc parallel twin that is one of the most powerful in the 600cc range of parallel twins! The RS660 was probably one of the most hotly anticipated bikes of the last 5 years, as it promised to be the bike that would allow many riders to feel supersport handling and poise, but with a forgiving yet gutsy parallel twin.

The things is, the RS660 is an absolute fiend on the track. In the hands of an experienced rider, this little Italian rocket will shock many riders on inline four machines because it just absolutely loves to get its lean on. It also attacks corners aggressively and can carry hilarious amounts of speed into those corners, but does so with a cubic ton of information before you even get close to the limit.

As it's only been around for a couple of years, you'll most likely find a used RS660 at an Aprilia dealership's pre-owned collection, but they are starting to pop up out in the wild as well.

Why We Picked It:

One of the hardest things to find in Italy is a 600cc sport bike. In fact, the only other bike from any Italian manufacturer is the one we recommended directly above, the Aprilia RS660. Absolutely everyone else is in the 750cc or greater range, and many of the Italians produce superbikes, not supersports.

MV Agusta did make a 600cc class bike for quite a while with the F3 675. The reason we count it as a supersport is because the F3 series came to be initially as homologation models for the 2012 F3 race bike. It proved so popular with customers that it was made into a production series bike, and continued until 2020.

Let's not beat around the bush, MV Agusta to motorcycles is akin to Ferrari to road cars: It's a premium brand, so expect premium prices on the used market. But what a motorcycle you get! Its 675cc triple is built with exotic materials, such as titanium valves, and has a counter-rotating crankshaft, the first road legal supersport to have one as it is ridiculously expensive to produce and was limited to racing bikes.

What puts it over the edge into greatness is that it is hilariously powerful and an absolute howler of an engine. It redlines at 14,500 RPM for a triple, and punches out a gutsy 126 HP. It also handles like a race bike, as it uses the same frame as the racing F3 675 did. There have been two special edition limited models that will attract a higher price tag, but if we had the choice, we'd opt for the 2018 F3 675 Reparto Corse (RC) model, as it has the actual racing engine in it, modified very slightly for road legality, that roars out a stonking 135 HP... and we do mean roar, as MV Agusta gets their stock exhausts made bespoke by Akrapovic!

Also, mild personal opinion here, but we think that the triple exhaust looks awesome!