Yamaha YZF-1000 R1

When the Yamaha YZF-R1 debuted in 1998, it was called a “game-changer.” The term “R1” entered the motorcycle lexicon and became synonymous with the pinnacle of Superbike performance and racing success.

For 2015, Yamaha introduces two all-new R1 models that promise to make as big of an impact in sportbike and road racing circles as the original R1 did nearly two decades ago. The 2015 R1 and limited-edition R1M are both highly advanced, distinctive, and paradigm-shifting motorcycles. 

YZF-R1: THE SUPREME EXPRESSION OF “SUPERBIKE”

The all-new 2015 R1 was conceived, designed, and built to showcase Yamaha’s engineering and performance prowess, and the advanced features of the bike are destined to make it not only a success on the racetrack, but also a superior performer on the street.

A New Dimension In Controllability And Performance

Featuring the first six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) ever featured on a street-going motorcycle, the 2015 R1 represents the dawn of a new digital era where all riders can experience total 3D controllability. 

Fully equipped with banking-sensitive Traction Control, as well as Slide Control, Anti-Wheelie Control, Quickshifter, Launch Control, ABS, a Unified Braking System, and much more, the all-new R1 gives street riders, track day participants, and full-on racers an unmatched and unprecedented level of rider-adaptive performance. For the first time, all riders have the opportunity to experience MotoGP-winning YZR-M1 technology previously only available to Yamaha Factory Riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

An Engine Designed To Fully Fuel Your Superbike Passion

The 2015 R1 features a completely new, lightweight and compact, crossplane-concept, inline-four-cylinder, 998cc engine that delivers high horsepower and a strong pulse of linear torque for outstanding performance.

The R1 has twin injectors fueling each cylinder. A bi-directional spray in the lower injectors directs fuel toward the back of the intake valves to maximize the number of droplets that go directly into the combustion chamber and, at high RPMs, the secondary injectors add a boost in fuel delivery.

Among the many innovative, breakthrough features on the new R1 engine are titanium fracture-split connecting rods, which are an industry first for a production motorcycle. The specific titanium alloy used to manufacture the new con rods is around 60% lighter than steel, and this major reduction in weight gives the new R1 engine an extremely responsive and potent character at high rpm.

And, speaking of titanium, the 2015 R1 is equipped with a newly designed exhaust system manufactured mainly from titanium. Plus, a compact, midship muffler contributes towards the mass centralization that is a key feature on the R1.

A brand-new Deltabox aluminum frame was designed and developed for the 2015 R1. The engine is incorporated as a fully stressed member and is mounted rigidly to the frame at four points. Also, an upward-truss-type aluminum swingarm create an immensely strong and lightweight structure.

The new short-wheelbase chassis benefits from weight-reducing features such as a magnesium subframe and–another first on a production motorcycle–magnesium wheels. Also, an aluminum fuel tank is 3.5 pounds lighter than if it were made from steel.

The M1-inspired fairing on the new R1 is equipped with LED headlights and position lights, which not only provide weight savings but also deliver high luminosity and style. Two small-diameter LED headlights are positioned on either side of the central air intake and, because of their compact design, they appear to be virtually hidden in the new fairing.

In addition, twin-LED linear position lights located within the front fairing give the R1 a truly unique frontal expression. And, for added style, when the ignition is turned off, the LED position lights gradually lose their luminosity as if the bike is gently going to sleep.

The all-new 2015 YZF-R1 will be available in three distinctive color options–Team Yamaha Blue/Matte Silver, Rapid Red/Pearl White, and Raven–and will retail for $16,490, with bikes available in dealerships beginning in late February 2015.

It was bound to happen, after falling behind European manufacturers like BMW, Ducati, and KTM in applying advanced electronics to motorcycles, Japan has finally hit back, and hit back hard. When the world’s economies went south, Japanese motorcycle companies were hit hardest and have waited longest to reinvest in the sportbike class. But the wait is over. Yamaha has picked up where those others left off and introduced MotoGP technologies to the new YZF-R1 just a few short years after Lorenzo and company first utilized some of them. This has brought a whole new level of sophistication and refinement to the superbike-buying customer.

Make no mistake, the 2015 R1 is a game changer. Instead of making a great streetbike that was also capable of race-winning track performances, these brand-new machines were designed to excel on the track first, while also maintaining good street manners. What makes the R1 stand out isn’t the brand-new engine, chassis or styling, which we’ll talk more about later, but the outstanding electronics suite controlled by Yamaha’s proprietary six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit that allows the rider to get the most out of the bike’s performance.

Our first ride on the R1 took place at Sydney Motorsports Park (aka: Eastern Creek) in Australia. This track absolutely has it all, a banzai fifth-gear Turn 1, mixed in with tight esses, fast sweepers, and plenty of hard braking followed by hard acceleration zones; off-cambers and blind crests only add to the track’s challenges.

With so many electronic adjustments available, the combinations are practically endless. In order to get the most out of the six sessions planned for the day (three on the base model and three on the R1M), I focused on the basics: Traction Control System (TCS), Slide Control System (SCS), and Lift Control System (LIF), while leaving ABS and the Quick Shift System (QSS) in defaults for most of the sessions, and never getting a chance to try the Launch Control System.

Our first sessions were spent aboard the standard bike, but fitted with Bridgestone’s new RS10R supersport-spec rubber in place of the bike’s OEM RS10 fitment. To get a feel for the track, I toggled the bike’s power mode to the second of four output settings. This mode allows full power with a slightly less abrupt throttle response. In my first session I selected TCS 4 of 9, LIF 3 (most intervention), and the SCS with the most intervention. In that first session while learning the track, the extra intervention from the systems provided a great mental safety net, but the level of refinement from all of the R1’s electronic systems means that at a less-than-flat-out pace the systems are difficult to detect.

By my third session on the standard bike, I had dialed back TCS to 1, LIF to 1, SCS to 2, and set power to mode 1 (full power, lively delivery). The effectiveness of traction control and slide control were much more apparent when dialed back, the electronics now allowing the power to be far more aggressively laid to the track. On cold tires early in the session, I pitched the bike into a corner on a neutral throttle and was able to inadvertently feel the SCS react as the rear tire slid. It was definitely a slightly different reaction than TC, as I wasn’t on the throttle that aggressively. The wheelie control works so effectively, that dialing it back to allow a better drive onto the front straight and out of tight corners tamed the front end enough to keep the tire from going sky-high, but not killing too much drive. Unlike the Ducati Superleggera’s wheelie control that I first experienced a year ago, the R1 system is incredibly smooth and never abruptly cuts power to tame wheelies; it simply doesn’t allow the wheelie to float up too high in the first place, which means that it doesn’t disrupt chassis stability by slamming it down. According to Yamaha’s engineers, TCS, LIF, and SCS utilize fuel cuts, ignition retard and throttle butterfly manipulation to achieve the desired result, which makes it’s intervention feel precise and smooth.

crossplane-crank engine display

With the confidence of knowing the layout of the track, I was able to pick up the pace and get a great feel for how potent the new engine is. With a more aggressive and revvy nature, the crossplane-crank engine feels far more racy than the previous generation bike. But what impressed me the most is how well the entire package works together. The engine on its own, provides ample and usable midrange to top-end power, allowing you to carry a gear taller through tight corners that might otherwise require an additional downshift. Combine the engine’s usable nature and smooth delivery with the excellent lean-angle-sensing electronics, and I had the confidence to get on the throttle much earlier and more assertively than my brain would typically allow. So seamless and refined are the TCS and SCS that it only took a few sessions to put total faith in them. There is no question that the combined effect of this engine and the electronics allows you to ride far faster, lap after lap than most riders would be able to achieve without their presence.

This bike is all about speed, which it delivers in huge doses, but the level of composure it has is amazing. A perfect example is how relaxed I felt behind the windscreen at the top of fifth gear on the main straight. The combination of a roomier new ergonomic layout (including a flatter seat and lower tank), great aerodynamics, and taller more protective windscreen creates a calm cockpit even at 180 mph.

YZF-R1 nose section close-up

As amazing as the engine and electronics are, they are backed up by a chassis that is far more track ready than any previous R1. The standard model’s new KYB fork and shock provide excellent damping characteristics and the fork’s cockpit accessible clickers and preload adjusters make quick work of refining your setup. On track, I was impressed with how light the bike felt and how flickable it was transitioning through the esses and into a ridiculously tight hairpin. This is no doubt significantly aided by the new ultralight cast-magnesium wheels and a claimed 439-pound wet weight. Front-end feel and midcorner stability were excellent whether I was in a hairpin or wide open through Turn 1.

To give you an idea of how serious Yamaha is with this new R1, just take a look at the new braking system. Yamaha has always equipped R1s with excellent brakes, but this new system takes it to another level. Not only is the braking hardware itself upgraded with a new Nissin radial master cylinder, stainless steel braided lines and larger 320mm front discs, but it also features Yamaha’s Unified Brake System (UBS) and ABS. For street riding the linked, bank-angle-sensing system applies additional rear brake when the front is applied but not vice versa. At Eastern Creek we rode with the optional Circuit ECU accessory that deactivates UBS and applies a very aggressive track ABS setting, which I found impossible to invoke on track. That same Circuit ECU also eliminates the top-speed limiter and gives the slightly detuned-for-sound-emissions (190 vs 200 hp claimed) US models their mojo back.

Our last three sessions of the day were spent on the R1M. After convincing myself that the standard model could possibly be the best supersport bike currently available, I was in for a shocking surprise. It got better! For our sessions on the R1M, Bridgestone equipped our bikes with its V02 slick tires, which also required adding two teeth (43) to the rear sprocket to compensate for the rear slick’s different rolling radius.

After familiarizing myself with the available settings of the Öhlins Electronic Racing Suspension, I headed out for the first of three 25-minute sessions. What I quickly discovered is that the M takes the base R1’s performance to a completely new level. With more grip than I could ever fully utilize, and Öhlins suspension that can do all the thinking for me, all I had to do was concentrate on riding as fast as possible. After just a few laps, I felt totally confident in the “decisions” the Öhlins system makes in mere milliseconds. In my first session on the R1M, I selected the most aggressive and sporty (stiff) A-1 setting from the menu, but for my second session I tried out the slightly softer A-2. Both worked excellent, but for track use, on slicks, the A-1 provided better damping characteristics than I could have come up with on my own, even if I spent a day out testing. Amazing.

The R1 and R1M are amazingly complicated machines, but somehow they keep the rider from feeling overwhelmed by all the decision making. A intuitive rider interface allows all systems to be controlled via handlebar mounted switches, while the informative TFT display lets you see exactly what modes you are in at all times. For all of its complexity and sophistication, the R1 does an amazing job of not making a big production out of it all. All of these systems work quietly in the background, allowing the rider to get on with the program and simply ride faster and safer than they ever ridden before.

That is perhaps what makes the R1 and R1M instant contenders for shootout wins: amazing performance, transparent electronic intervention, amazing comfort, great styling, all without being complicated or requiring too much time reading the owner’s manual. Yes, Japan is back in the sportbike game, and Yamaha intends to remind the Europeans that it knows a thing or two about class-leading technology.

Source Cycle World