MILAN SHOW: 200bhp Yamaha YZF-R1 revealed!
Highlights
• New 998cc crossplane in-line 4-cylinder, 4-valve engine
• 200PS without ram air
• Large capacity 10.5 litre airbox
• Titanium 4-2-1 exhaust
• Lightweight assist and slipper clutch
• Newly designed asymmetric aluminium Deltabox frame
• 1405mm wheelbase
• 199kg wet weight / 179kg dry weight
• Lightweight cast-magnesium wheels
• ABS with Yamaha Unified Brake System
The only thing the new YZF-R1 shares with the outgoing model is the name that has graced Yamaha’s superbikes since the launch of their first game-changer back in 1998 – and the firm is hoping this bike will help them recapture some of that magic.
Redesigned from the ground up, and now packing 200bhp into this new version of their crossplane inline four-cylinder motor, it weaves a host of MotoGP-derived rider aids into the deal, including traction control, anti-wheelie, a quickshifter, launch control, ABS, linked brakes and multiple riding modes. There will even be two versions of the bike for the first time since 2006; a standard R1, and a limited edition higher-spec YZF-R1M, which gets full carbon bodywork and Ohlins suspension, amongst a host of other upgrades.
Shedding weight has clearly been as high on the priority list as gaining power, and the bike now weighs an impressively featherweight 179kg dry, which equates to 199kg when the bike is fully fuelled and ready to ride.
One of the biggest changes to the new bike is going to be the price. The days of £9000 superbikes are well and truly at an end, and while no official price has been announced for the new pair of R1s, MCN understands that the base model will cost between £16,000 and £17,000, while the halo R1-M will be more like £25,000. With such a jump in price, it’s crucial that the new bike lives up to the price tag, and the spec sheet suggests that it can.
The new R1 will be available in dealers in March 2015.
