Yamaha YZF R1

The new YZF R1 is the flagship model of Yamaha in India. The bike has been developed on the racing DNA offering brute power of nearly 200bhp and a strong linear torque. The bike’s design is similar to what we have seen on the predecessor, with the front cowl giving it an ideal race bike silhouette, centrally-placed air intakes, low headlight position and all-LED lighting. The sharp bodywork over the sides looks tempting while the aggressive front makes it for its stunning appeal. On the engine front, titanium alloy has been used to manufacture the connecting rods which make them 60% lighter than the steel- making the bike more responsive even at high rpms. A lightweight titanium exhaust system is in place for extracting linear torque. The aluminium Deltabox lightweight frame accounts for the bike’s high level of agility and responsiveness. The fitted suspension assembly features 43mm inverted front forks and fully-adjustable rear mono shock absorbers. On the braking front, it gets ABS and Unified Braking System for maximum braking performance. However, its electronics package is what makes it standout. The package includes Quick Shift System (QSS), Wheel Lift Control (LIF), Slide Control System (SCS), Traction Control System (TCS), Power Delivery Mode (PWR), Launch Control System (LCS), ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) system and the Yamaha’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which after communicating with the ECU activates all the technologies in the Yamaha Ride Control (YRC). The Yamaha’s exclusive Communication Control Unit (CCU) is also available as an option that allows riders to communicate with the bike via Wi-Fi through Yamaha’s exclusive Y-TRAC smartphone and tablet app. The running data can thus be recorded via a data logger, downloaded to the app (Android and iOS) and analyzed to make necessary changes to the settings.

The Yamaha YZF R1 sports a sharp design language that’s depicted by its unique face. It features a centrally-placed air intake column that has compact LED headlight units on either side with twin LED DRLs as well. The front is aggressive and looks race ready. There is a high screen, low headlight position, large fuel tank with a sculpted look for the rider to sit comfortably and manoeuvre it with ease. The fully-faired look of the bike is pleasing to watch. The sharp edges and cuts along with its panels’ fits and finishes look at par. There is a full-color, thin-film transistor (TFT) meter with basic and advanced readings for the rider to gain from the machine. The front brake pressure and fore/aft G-force readouts are even more useful for the rider to learn from the sports roadster. It features both street mode and a track mode that focuses on performance information like the tachometer for rpm range, a lap timer, gear position indicator, speed and YRC settings. There are new colors for buyers to consider including Yamaha Blue and Tech Black of which the former please us the more. The lightweight titanium exhaust and midship muffler not only add ticks to the performance meter but also enhance the overall appeal of the sports bike. The bike has it all to turn heads as it cruises along the road.

Dimensionally, it measures 2055mm long, 691mm wide and 1150mm high. The ground clearance of the bike sits at 130mm and the wheelbase at 1404mm.

The new Yamaha YZF R1 underpins a liquid-cooled inline 4 cylinder DOHC crossplane crankshaft 998cc engine that delivers extremely high power and a strong linear torque. The bike produces a whopping power output of 197bhp at 13,500rpm and a peak torque of 112.4Nm at 11,500rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission system with multiplate assist and slipper clutch. For maximum performance, the bike comes with titanium connecting rods and forged aluminium pistons that also make the bike lighter than previous. It can clock 0-100Kmph in just 2.70 seconds before touching the top speed of 299Kmph. It comes with a combined (city and highway) fuel efficiency of 13Kmpl.

Built on the Deltabox frame, Yamaha YZF R1 rides on the 43mm inverted front forks and fully-adjustable rear mono shock absorbers.  The aluminium Deltabox lightweight frame accounts for the bike’s high level of agility and responsiveness. On the braking front, there is a dual 320mm hydraulic disc at the front and 220mm disc at the rear, accompanied by features like ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and Unified Braking System. The bike sports 17-inch alloy wheels with tubeless tyres of specification 120/70 and 190/55 at the front and rear respectively.

Taking care of the safety duties are the discs in combination with ABS and Unified Braking System that give it excellent stopping power and distribute the brake force evenly. Further, there is an electronic package with life-saving features like Quick Shift System (QSS), Wheel Lift Control (LIF), Slide Control System (SCS), Traction Control System (TCS), Power Delivery Mode (PWR) and Launch Control System (LCS).