3019 yamaha r1 tft display free sample

The Yamaha YZF-R1, or simply R1, is a 1,000 cc (61 cu in)-class sports motorcycle made by Yamaha. It was first released in 1998, undergoing significant updates in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015,

Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 in 1998 after redesigning the Genesis engine to create a more compact engine by raising the gearbox input shaft and allowing the gearbox output shaft to be placed beneath it. This "stacked gearbox" was followed by other manufacturers. Compacting the engine made it much shorter, allowing the wheelbase to be shortened as well and the center of gravity to be optimized. The swingarm could be made longer without compromising the overall wheelbase, which was a short 1,385 mm (54.5 in). Four 40 mm Keihin CV carburetors fed fuel to the engine.

The R1 was also equipped with a 41 mm KYB upside-down front fork and 300 mm semi-floating disc brakes. The instrument panel was electronic, with a self diagnosis system and digital speed readout. The exhaust used Yamaha"s Exhaust Ultimate Power Valve (EXUP) system,

The 1999 R1 saw only minor changes, apart from paint and graphics. Improvements included a redesigned gear change linkage and an increase in gear change shaft length. Fuel tank reserve capacity was reduced from 5.5 to 4.0 L (1.21 to 0.88 imp gal; 1.5 to 1.1 US gal), while total fuel tank capacity was unchanged at 18 L (4.0 imp gal; 4.8 US gal).

In 2000, Yamaha introduced a series of changes to improve the R1, and minor changes to the bodywork to allow for better long-duration ride handling. Yamaha"s main design goal was to sharpen the pre-existing bike and not to redesign it. The dry weight was reduced five pounds to 414 lb (188 kg).

Also in 2002, Yamaha released the newly developed Deltabox frame,hydro-formed construction reduced the total number of frame welds and improved the frame"s rigidity by 30%. The cooling system was redesigned for better performance and compactness. The rear end of the motorcycle was updated and streamlined with an LED taillight, allowing for cleaner rear body lines when choosing one of several common aftermarket modifications. These modifications included removal of the turn signal stalks and stock license plate bracket, and replacing them with replacements that "hugged" the body or frame. The 2002 model also saw front lighting improvements in the form of sharper headlights and the addition of side "parking" lights within the twin-headlight panel, giving a more angular appearance. This also provided additional aftermarket possibilities, such as the removal of the front turn signals and the repurposing of the parking lights as directional or hazard markers while stopped.

With the competition advancing, Yamaha made some major changes to the R1. This included style updates, like an underseat dual exhaust, and performance upgrades including radial brakes, and, for the first time, a ram-air intake. Furthermore, earlier models" tendency for wheelies was reduced by changing the geometry of the frame and weight distribution. The all-new engine was no longer used as a stressed member of the chassis, and had a separate top crankcase and cylinder block.

The 2004 R1 weighs 172 kg (379 lb) dry. The conventional front brake calipers were replaced by radially mounted calipers, activated by a radial master cylinder. A factory-installed steering damper was also added in 2004. Combined with the changes to the frame, this helped to eliminate the tendency of the handlebars to shake violently during rapid acceleration or deceleration on less-than-perfect surfaces, a phenomenon known as speed wobble or a tank slapper.

Motorcycle Consumer News tests of the 2004 model year YZF-R1S yielded a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) time of 3.04 seconds and 0 to 100 mph (0 to 161 km/h) of 5.42 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 9.90 seconds at 144.98 mph (233.32 km/h), and a top speed of 189 mph (304 km/h).

That year, Yamaha also released a limited edition version, the LE, in original Yamaha racing colors to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The LE and SP models had custom Öhlins front and rear suspension units developed by the same team as the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike. Custom forged aluminum Marchesini wheels specifically designed for the LE shaved nearly a pound off the bike"s unsprung weight. A back torque-limiting slipper clutch and an integrated lap timer rounded out the package, essentially making the LE a production racer. Only 500 units were made for the United States, with another 500 units for Europe.

An all-new YZF-R1 for the 2007 model year was announced on 8 October 2006. It had an all-new inline-four engine, going back to a more conventional four-valve-per-cylinder design rather than Yamaha"s trademark five-valve Genesis layout. It also had the Yamaha Chip Control Intake (YCC-I) electronic variable-length intake funnel system, Yamaha Chip Control Throttle (YCC-T) fly-by-wire throttle system, slipper clutch, all-new aluminum Deltabox frame and swingarm, six-piston radial-mount front brake calipers with 310 mm discs, a wider radiator, and M1 styling on the new large ram-air intakes in the front fairing. There were no major changes for 2008.

In late 2008, Yamaha announced they would release an all new R1 for 2009. The new R1 took engine technology from the M1 MotoGP bike with its crossplane crankshaft, making the 2009 R1 the first production sports bike to use a crossplane crankshaft.V4 with a 180° crank (such as the Honda VFR800, and similar to the 65° V4 in the Yamaha V-Max

Another advancement included on the 2009 model was D-Mode Throttle Control Valve Mapping, which allows a rider to choose between three distinct maps depending on the rider"s environment. Each mode of operation controls YCC-T characteristics, changing how the R1 reacts to rider input. The first mode is Standard Mode, which delivers performance for a wide variety of driving conditions. The second mode is "A" mode, which will give a rider more available power in the lower to mid RPM range. The third mode is "B" mode, a dialling back of the previous mode designed to soften throttle response in inclement weather and heavy traffic. D-Mode throttle control is controlled by the rider through a forward mode button near the throttle. The instrument panel was more comprehensive than previous models, and the 2009/2010 Yamaha YZF-R1 model had a gear indicator as standard.

Overall handling of the R1 was improved through changes to frame and suspension. A new cast magnesium subframe was designed for the 2009 R1, resulting in lower weight and aiding mass centralisation. The rear shock absorber on the 2009 offers variable speed damping, as well as easy-to-tweak screw-adjustable preload. The rear shock absorber connected underneath the swing arm via a linkage, a change from previous models. To improve overall handling and safety, Yamaha included an electronic steering damper.

The front had the same classic R1 design cues, though the air intake location and headlamp design were revamped on the 2009 model. This new design used only projector lamps in the headlights and used the newfound design space on the nose to position ram-air intakes next to the lights.

In 2012, the Yamaha YZF-R1 received traction control and a redesigned nose, and a special edition 50th Anniversary R1 was released. The special edition commemorates the participation of Yamaha in MotoGP, and its colours are inspired by the Assen TT-winning MotoGP bike. Only 2000 units of this edition were made.

At the centennial EICMA motorcycle show, Yamaha officially unveiled a new generation of R1,bore-to-stroke ratio, a larger airbox, a finger-follower valve system, and fracture split titanium conrods.

The new bike has an electronics package that includes a sophisticated Traction Control System (TCS), a Slide Control System (SCS), an anti-wheelie Lift Control System (LIF), linked antilock brakes, a Launch Control System (LCS), a Quick Shift System (QSS), and selectable power modes. The Slide Control System on the R1 is the first on a production motorcycle.inertial measurement unit and other sensors over 100 times a second.

A second higher-spec, limited production model called the R1M is also produced, and is differentiated from the standard model by having more expensive components, such as electronic semi-active Öhlins suspension, carbon fiber bodywork, Yamaha"s Communication Control Unit (CCU), a Y-TRAC data logging system, and grippier Bridgestone tires with a larger rear 200/55 size.

At EICMA 2017 Yahama presented the next generation of R1 and R1M. They have a better Quick Shift System, an updated Lift (wheelie) Control System and fulfill Euro 4 requirements. The R1M got a new Öhlins Electronic Racing Suspension.

The R1 achieved five victories in the Macau Grand Prix between 1999 and 2013. Lorenzo Alfonsi won the 2004 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, followed by Didier Van Keymeulen in 2005.

Yamaha World Superbike rider Ben Spies won the 2009 Superbike World Championship season title, recording 14 wins and 11 poles in his one season in WSBK.

Anderson, Steve (December 1997), "YZF R1; Something wicked this way comes", Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., vol. 36, no. 12, pp. 34–39, ISSN 0011-4286

I have a confession to make: I go crazy for the Yamaha R1. This is why you should, too: Why — and how — to buy a Yamaha R1, formally known as the Yamaha YZF-R1.

The Yamaha YZF-R1 is one of those rare motorcycles that even non-bikers (who are still into motorsports) know about. It has an air of mystique about it. There are a few other bikes like this — “Road King”, “Hayabusa”, “FireBlade”, “Panigale”, and “Daytona” are just a few models people mention without having to say which manufacturer they come from. Saying you have an “R1” is another one of those.

But aside from branding, there’s a lot about the Yamaha R1 that gets me going. There’s the physical design, firstly — it has always looked great and unique, from the first model to the present day. There’s the sound, whether of the 5-valve engine or of the “crossplane crank” iterations since 2009. And of course, there’s that power and torque, which doesn’t stop until you want it to.

Buying a Yamaha YZF-R1 as your one bike is not a rational choice, with its high insurance cost, high-rpm power delivery, aggressive stance, and lack of luggage options.

So this isn’t just a review or a buyer’s guide: it’s a love letter to the Yamaha R1, one of those motorcycles that is iconic enough to be known to anyone who loves fast cars or great engineering. Looking at one, owning one and having the pleasure to work on one are almost as nice as riding them… well, not really. These are built to be ridden!

The older I get, the more people there are who are younger than me. So some people might not know just how we got to the YZF-R1, and I think it’s an interesting bit of historical context

The result was a bike that was very powerful and light for its time, and known for being an excellent handler. It was far, far lighter than the other litre-class bikes of the day, like the Yamaha FZR1000 Genesis, and much more agile.

Yamaha tried to catch up with the Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace, which used a similar playbook to the FireBlade — Yamaha took the motor from its FZR1000 Genesis and shoehorned it into a lighter chassis.

But the YZF1000R was neither here nor there, and in retrospect, is thought of as more of a “sport touring” motorcycle. Which is fine, but it wasn’t enough to compete with the superbikes. Yamaha had to re-invent itself again.

And Yamaha launched the first-generation YZF-R1 to do just that. It succeeded, and Yamaha stole the limelight in the litre-bike category for many years – one could say until 2009, when BMW released the S 1000 RR.

The Yamaha R1 is one of the most iconic motorcycles of all time. It’s many people’s “dream” motorcycle if you’re into sport bikes. And even if you are not, it’s hard to argue with the striking design and incredible power-to-weight ratio that R1s embody, and hard to acknowledge the things that make it unique.

While the original first-generation R1 was quite raw to ride, it became progressively easier to ride over time, until arguably in 2015 when it became a more track-focused bike. Generally, the Yamaha R1’s model history is:

The Yamaha YZF-R1 project, along with those for the Yamaha R6 and the limited edition (early) YZF-R7, was led by Kunihiko Miwa, an engineering pioneer who is now one of Yamaha’s senior executives.

Unlike Honda’s FireBlade, which was designed to give everyday riders a feeling of “total control”, Miwa-san wanted to give the R1 and the R6 a feeling of “excitement”.

It’s amazing how this differing ethos bled into the R1 vs the FireBlade; the former was always known for being raw, and the latter always for being easy to ride. (Pick your poison, they’re both lightning-fast, and you’ll be measuring lap time and quarter-mile differences in fractions of a second.)

But Yamaha changed a lot. They increased the stroke of the motor, upped the compression ratio, and gave the Thunderace a much-requested sixth gear. In the process, they managed to shave off over 20 kg (45 lb) of weight!

With ~150bhp (at the flywheel) and a low weight, the original R1 was like nothing that had gone beforehand. It was more powerful, lighter and more aggressively positioned than any other road motorcycle, especially the Thunderace, but also compared with the competition of the time.

(The first YZF-R1 is what relegated the Thunderace to the history books as a “sport touring” bike, something it was never intended to be. But it makes it a great choice for everyday riding, and an affordable one, too!)

“Stacked gearbox What’s that” This was the major innovation of the original R1. By placing the gearbox above the crankshaft, Yamaha made the engine lighter and more compact than any similarly-sized engine previously. It was good for performance as well as handling.

These early R1s are bona fide modern classics, with the red and white liveried bikes in particular being very collectable by the right buyers. But blue ones are cool, too.

Motorcycle buyers tend to ride motorcycles rather than just store them and look at them, so the original R1 is more a classic in sellers’ minds than in the mind of most buyers. Yes, it’s an awesome motorcycle, but one you want to ride. Sellers think you should probably just keep it in a showroom, and the over-inflated prices for them reflect this.

Besides pricing, the original first-generation R1 was quite hard to ride compared to later models. With a short wheelbase and power delivery not as refined as later models, it’s easy to wheelie and generally quite wild.

Yamaha didn’t drastically change the 2nd generation R1, but it’s noticeably different due to the visual overhaul. It’s fundamentally the same bike — but looks different, is tuned differently, and is slightly lighter.

For the second-generation Yamaha R1, Yamaha tuned the carburettors to give it a smooth, flat torque delivery, with a corresponding linear power curve.

It tamed the wild, animal nature of the original R1. When you ride one of these, you’ll notice that it pulls from 3000 rpm and then pulls, and pulls and pulls. When you ride one back-to-back with the first model you’ll notice no “flat” spots, something hard to achieve through tweaking carburettors, unless you’re a pro.

If you get a 1998-2001 YZF-R1, just be prepared to deal with carburettors. Yes, they’re easier to service, tune (with home tools), and even understand (though carburettors themselves can be a kind of wizardry). But carburettors do tend to need cleaning, de-icing, and all kinds of things most motorcyclists have forgotten about.

You also can leave an injector-fuelled bike for longer without worrying about it. On carburettor-equipped bikes, you should drain the carbs if leaving them parked for a while (e.g., if you’re buying an R1 as your track bike).

This was the first real update for the Yamaha R1. The aim was to make it more refined, but that just made the competition’s offerings more attractive (as they were more “bonkers”).

The 2002 YZF-R1 is still based on the same engine block as the 1998-2001 models, with the same bore and stroke, capacity, compression ratio, and still based on a 5-valve-per-cylinder design.

For the 2004-2005 YZF-R1, Yamaha created an entirely new engine. They shortened the stroke and increased the compression ratio, and let the 2004+ models breathe through ram air (see the intakes at the front of the bike). Thus, Yamaha squeezed out a healthy 20 hp increase in peak power, bringing it to 172 hp at 12500 rpm — or 180 hp with ram air. This is partly because the shorter-stroke engine could rev much higher — the previous engine peaked in power at 10500 rpm and had a cut-off at 11500.

Yamaha lightened a lot of parts of the internals of the engine to help it rev higher. It’s not just the shorter-stroke / larger bore pistons. Yamaha also lightened the crank (where a large part of a bike’s angular momentum is stored) by 16% and the clutch by 5%.

Yamah also shaved off a few kilograms (or a few more pounds) of weight off the 2004 R1, giving it a 172 kg / 379 lb of dry weight. This means it has a magical 1:1 power:weight ratio — provided you measure it in metric horsepower and kilograms!

Aside from that, Yamaha gave the 2004 model radial-mounted brake calipers on bigger discs, under-seat exhausts, and an adjusted geometry, reducing the tendency to wheelie.

Maybe most surprisingly, bucking the trend of how superbikes develop, the 2004 YZF-R1 is slightly more comfortable than its predecessor, with the foot pegs 7.5mm lower and 2.5mm forwards, and the bars 10mm higher.

I kid. The 2006 Yamaha YZF-R1 has a host of changes aside from the colour scheme. But the yellow and black limited edition 50th anniversary R1 does look awesome, with its gold fork legs to boot.

Yamaha didn’t change much for the 2006 models, only shortening the intake valve guides to reduce friction and boost airflow, raising the peak power by 3 bhp to 175 bhp at 12500 rpm.

In 2006, Yamaha also released a limited edition YZF-R1 SP (also known as the LE in some markets), a special model built for superstock racing. It had the same engine, but custom Öhlins (pronounced “euh-LINS”) suspension, developed by the same team as the M1 MotoGP bike, and lightweight Marchesini wheels.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Ducati did the same thing with their SP/LE models — Öhlins and Marchesini. Yamaha was just taking a page out of their book.

Year model2004-2005 YZF-R12006 YZF-R1 (Standard)2006 YZF-R1 SP / LEPeak power126 kW / 172 hp @ 12500 rpm128 kW / 175 hp @ 12500 rpm128 kW / 175 hp @ 12500 rpm

The context for the Yamaha YZF-R1 SP / LE is that Yamaha was starting to lose a little bit of glory to the competition. Suzuki had released the 2005 GSX-R1000, known these days affectionately as the “K5”, and Kawasaki had upped the ante with its ZX-10R again. So Yamaha was feeling pressure, and thus released the high-spec SP / LE.

The 2006 50th Anniversary Edition (whether SP or not) of the Yamaha YZF-R1 used to be an affordable great-looking bike. But it has shot up in price as people have decided they’re collector’s items, too, especially since the R1M drew attention to the earlier limited editions. These days, I’ve seen 2006 models advertised for the similar prices to R1 models of just a few years ago.

The 2007-2008 YZF-R1 is a special period in R1 history, because they ditched the five-valve-per-cylinder layout, but it was before the crossplane crankshaft revision to come in two years in 2009. Yamaha says that with the five-valve layout they were constricted in how they shaped the combustion chamber.

The engine bore and stroke is the same as the 2004-2006 engine, though Yamaha did up the compression ratio to help extract more power while also meeting emissions regulations.

This was also the first year that Yamaha introduced two kinds of engine management tech: YCC-T fly-by-wire throttle (which came on the R6 earlier in 2006), and YCC-I variable length intake funnels, designed to improve performance as revs increase. In both of these, YCC stands for “Yamaha Chip-Controlled”. Ooh, chips. Fancy!

YCC-I (Yamaha Chip-Controlled Intake) is more unusual. In this system, Yamaha added electronically controlled velocity stacks above the throttle bodies. The engine management system decides what length velocity stack suits the motor’s present needs (higher torque or higher peak power), and modifies the velocity stacks between two positions (just two), 65 mm to 140mm.

Yamaha kept the under-seat exhaust for the 2007-2008 model as well, though would eventually ditch it for weight savings. Oh, and the dry weight of this generation did creep up to 178 kg (390 lb), but Yamaha managed to increase power to 178 hp to keep the 1:1 ratio. Anyway, it’s 186 hp at peak with ram air at speed!

Peak torque107 Nm / 81 ft-lb @ 10500 rpm107 Nm / 81 ft-lb @ 10500 rpm118.3 Nm / 87.3 ft-lb @ 10000 rpmYamaha spec changes 2004-2005, 2006, and 2007-2008

Yamaha revised the suspension on the 2007-2008 model, too, giving the forks thinner slider tube walls, larger diameter pistons, and increased bracket rigidity, and increasing the progressive damping rate of the shock from 8-14%, also adding high- and low-speed compression damping adjustability.

One caveat with the 2007-2008 generation is the fuelling. The fact that Yamaha corporate mentioned the challenge of meeting emissions regulations is a tell-tale sign: some riders complain that this gen of R1 suffers from poor low-rpm fuelling, some delays in throttle response, and hesitation under 4000 rpm. You can solve this by either getting it tuned (which a lot of R1 owners do with other mods) or by opening the throttle more.

The crossplane crankshaft was a defining moment for Yamaha. Yamaha brought the technology over from their MotoGP motorcycle, and thus became one of few manufacturers to have such a close tie between their road-going superbike’s engine and the MotoGP special. Over a decade later, it’s still unique in the motorcycling world, shared only by the MT-10, which got it a number of years later (once the FZ-1 had its run).

More on the crossplane crank below. But still on the motor, Yamaha increased the bore by 1mm and decreased the stroke by 1.4mm, keeping displacement at 998 cc but giving the motor a bit more rev, also increasing the rev ceiling to a hard limiter at 14200 rpm. Yamaha also gave the 2009 model a secondary shower head-type fuel injectors.

Controversially, Performance Bikes magazine’s back-to-back test of the 2007 vs 2009 R1 show that the 2009 R1 made less peak power AND less midrange than the 2007. On top of that, the R1 weighed 9 lbs (4 kg) more dry, per their tests. (Yamaha didn’t claim a dry weight figure for the 2009 R1.

Yamaha changed out the KYB suspension for a Soqi fork, which isolates compression and rebound-damping functions. The Soqi shock also has high and low-speed compression damping, and has an easier-to-adjust preload adjuster that can be adjusted with an Allen wrench instead of a wrench.

Oh, and quietly, the 2009 model is the first R1 to not have an EXUP valve, a mainstay of Yamaha superbikes since the 1990’s FZR1000. Instead, it has a three-way catalytic converter (which many people promptly remove… for track purposes, obviously.) But don’t worry. They’ll come back, stay tuned!

Rear suspensionKYB shock, piggyback reservoir, adjustable high/low-speed comp dampingSoqi shock, piggyback reservoir, adjustable high/low-speed comp damping. More easily adjustable preload2007/08 to 2009/11 Yamaha YZF-R1 changes

A typical inline four, like that found on the Yamaha R6 or any other inline-four liter-class sport bike (like the CBR1000RR) for example, has a 180-degree 1-2-4-3 firing interval. It’s 1-pause-2-pause-4-pause-3-pause.

The R1’s motor is designed so that this never happens. It fires one cylinder, then there’s a long pause, then a second cylinder, then a medium pause, then the last two cylinders in quick succession. 1 – – 2 – 3 4 – 1 – – 2 – 3 4 – 1. The goal of this is to turn the crankshaft turns at a steadier speed over the course of each revolution.

I don’t pretend to fully understand the mechanics, but I know the effect is awesome, the technology is unique to Yamaha in motorcycles, and the sound is amazing.

The 2012 Yamaha R1 was mostly the same as the 2009-2011 (see, the code barely changed, from 14B to 14BE), but added electronics to compete with what BMW was offering with the S 1000 RR.

In theory, adding traction control to the R1 would be a relatively simple affair. I don’t want to gloss over the many rounds of engineering work that Yamaha engineers put into every round of the R1! But the Yamaha R1 did already have ride-by-wire (which they call Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle, or YCC-T).

Yamaha also released the Pearl White / Rapid Red livery for the 50th anniversary of Yamaha’s racing (in the 2012 model year). Only 2000 of these were made worldwide.

The 2015-2019 Yamaha YZF-R1 is a complete re-invention of the R1 again. And the R1M takes things to the next level with electronically-controlled suspension.

Many people describe the 2015-onward YZF-R1 models as being primarily for the track. The R1 has always been a bike, but people see the earlier ones as rideable on the street… less so the latest generations.

Firstly, Yamaha re-designed the engine. It has a wider bore and shorter stroke again, a higher compression ratio, and a higher redline, with the engine cut-off now at 14300 rpm, up from 13750.

Yamaha brought back the EXUP valve for the 2015+ gen. It opens up at 7500 rpm (when certain other conditions are met) and you can feel the bike kick into next year.

The 2015 R1 added a bunch of rider aids to tame the horsepower into a package that probably won’t kill you as easily with its 200hp. And yes, it’s still 1:1 in power:weight, with 443 pounds of weight (200kg exactly).

Primarily, Yamaha added a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that constantly senses chassis motion in 3D, creating controllability over traction, slides, front wheel lift, braking and launches. This is what gives the YZF-R1 “cornering ABS”, which is now de rigueur on superbikes (and is trickling down to many other motorcycles).

One nod to track-only spec is the “Circuit ECU” you could get for the 2015 YZF-R1. This lets you a) remove unified braking, and b) apply a tune for a custom exhaust to get more peak power.

Using excellent coding and multiple means to control power output, including fuel, throttle-butterfly angle, and ignition retard, Yamaha has made interventions incredibly hard to detect and therefore amazingly smooth and non-intrusive.

If you’re curious about the YZF-R1’s IMU but want to look at other, maybe cheaper alternatives, here’s our guide to motorcycles with an IMU / Cornering ABS.

The latest generation R1 is an incredible motorcycle to ride. Like most of its predecessors, it’s more set up for racing and fast riding rather than pottering around town. They’re doing as much as possible to remain faithful to MotoGP bikes, while being practical (enough) to be street legal.

If you’re wondering “Can I commute on the R1?”… Well, if you have to. It’s going to get hot and cantankerous and you’ll be champing at the bit to wind out the throttle.

And “Can I do long-distance touring?”… Well, only if you’re a diehard R1-nut who would get more joy out of that unconventional idea than out of a comfortable ride.

If you want to get an R1 and can drop US$10K plus, I’d get one of these for the collector value. Ride it gently, do only some modifications (exhaust, ECU, braided lines) and own a piece of history.

In 2018, Yamaha revised the R1 slightly, giving it an up and down quickshifter (previously just up), meaning the ECU matches engine speed for instantaneous downshifts. Yamaha also revised the launch control platform, and the wheelie control algorithm.

Yamaha refined the body work in the 2020+ YZF-R1 and R1M, as you can see in the image. They also made a bunch of changes to the engine, suspension, and ride aids:

If you’re really into electronics and can make the most of customising EBM and BC in addition to all the other rider aids, then the 2020+ R1 / R1M may be for you. But even mere mortals would like the down quickshifter of the 2018+ R1. After using it on many less-awesome bikes, it’s hard to go back!

The YZF-R1M is, to be reductionist, the same as the YZF-R1 but with electronic active suspension. There are a few more differences, but that’s by far the biggest!

In 2015, Yamaha only made 500 units of the YZF-R1M available. But in future years they didn’t cap it, and I’m not sure how many were made. Enough to not put individual numbering badges on them, anyway.

Yamaha’s Communication Control Unit, to communicate with the bike through tablet or smartphone app and upload your settings for the various rider aids.

Yamaha’s Y-TRAC data-logging program, for analysing things like throttle opening, speed, lean angle, brake pressure, engine rpm, and more, letting you overlay multiple laps or compare with your buddy.

If you’re wondering whether you should plonk down for the R1 or the R1M… Obviously, you want the R1M! Just kidding, not everyone needs it or wants it (it’s ~30% more expensive after all). And it’s really just an R1 plus electronic suspension and a data logger. So, most would wonder: Who exactly would benefit from dynamic electronic suspension?

If you really do want dynamic suspension, the R1M is actually one of the cheaper options, especially when placed next to the Panigale V4. So really, you’re making a smart economic choice here.

Yamaha has steadily improved the R1M as well, over the years. The engine’s the same but they’ve optimised the electronics, as well as keeping it compliant with emissions laws.

2018: Revised Öhlins electronic suspension — Smart EC 2.0, same as on the Ducati Panigale V4. The new system uses the Öhlins “Objective Based Tuning Interface”, which adapts to your riding style (e.g. riding hard vs slow). Also the same updates as on the R1: Up and down quickshifter, a launch control system, and a revised wheelie control algorithm.

2020: New electronic suspension — a Öhlins NPX pressurised chamber fork, and an Öhlins ERS shock, both fully adjustable via the dash. Yamaha also reduced the gas pressure in the fork to stop cavitation. Plus the same changes to the YZF-R1, including the revised cylinder head, air box, and adding customisable BC and EBM to the repository of ride aids (See the above section)

When buying any Yamaha R1, you do want to make sure all the standard checks have been done. Basics like tires, last major service, charging system and so on. I’ve put together a comprehensive motorcycle inspection checklist here which can save you thousands of dollars.

Gearbox. This is mostly for older models but would apply to any R1 ridden hard. Check that it stays in gear under high revs, especially second and third gear. This is going to be quite hard with your test drive around the block, so maybe take it to a mechanic.

Fairings. The fairings were thin on the earlier models, much thinner than most motorcycles (or modern ones). It’s OK if they’re cracked, it will happen, as long as it’s not from a big crash. On all R1s, make sure they’re the original fairings. It’ll make it easier to on-sell.

Another 2006 Yamaha R1 Anniversary Edition in Australia, this one listed for US$6.2K. It’s in better condition, never crashed and has more tasteful mods.

There isn’t much difference between buying an R1 and buying any other 600-1000cc sport bike. They’re powerful and they’ve likely been wheelied, raced and beaten to a pulp if they’ve lasted this long. And if they haven’t got many miles on them, the owner probably considers them a classic.

Aside from the track-only YZF-R1 GYTR (for 2023), Yamaha hasn’t made any updates to the YZF-R1 since 2020. In fact, the engine now dates back to 2015, since which point a few other manufacturers have debuted new engines, so an update from Yamaha is due.

If you’re looking at buying one — well, I haven’t met anyone who’s regretted getting a Yamaha YZF-R1. Yes, there are alternatives — The Ducati Panigale V4, the Suzuki GSX-R1000R, the Kawasaki ZX-10R, the Honda CBR1000RR, the BMW S 1000 RR, and the Aprilia RSV4 — we’re spoiled for choice.

RIDE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM: The R1 features a ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T®) system built around the Accelerator Position Sensor with Grip (APSG), which eliminates the throttle cables. As before, YCC-T precisely senses throttle input by the rider and actuates the throttle valves to actively control intake volume, allowing for cutting-edge computerized engine management but in a lighter package.

VARIABLE INTAKE SYSTEM: The YZF-R1 features Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I®), a variable intake system that broadens the spread of power across the entire rpm range. By actively adjusting the length of the intake based on engine speed, the CP4 engine is able to provide a broad spread of power across the rpm range.

MOTOGP®-LEVEL CONTROLLABILITY: Yamaha’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) combines a gyro sensor and G-sensor accelerometer that measures all six axes of movement in 3-D space at a rate of 125 calculations per second. This information is fed into the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to create a detailed picture of the motorcycle’s position, which then powers the R1’s rider-assisting technology package, Yamaha Ride Control (YRC).

ENGINE BRAKE MANAGEMENT (EBM): The YZF-R1 features an Engine Brake Management (EBM) system that allows the rider to adjust engine braking to suit personal preferences and track conditions. The EBM system offers three levels of engine brake force to allow smoother corner entry.

LEAN ANGLE-SENSITIVE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS): The R1’s Traction Control System (TCS) calculates the differences in front and rear wheel speeds to monitor and reduce unwanted wheel spin during hard acceleration. Unlike many simplified TC systems, the R1 also uses the IMU to calculate lean angle, then adjusts the amount of TCS intervention to best suit the rider’s demands. The TCS offers ten separate settings enabling the rider to dial in the exact level of control needed.

MOTOGP®-DEVELOPED SLIDE CONTROL SYSTEM (SCS): Yamaha’s Slide Control System (SCS) comes directly from the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP® race bike. By using the IMU to detect lateral slides under hard cornering acceleration, the ECU intervenes to regulate power delivery and seamlessly control the motorcycle’s cornering attitude. The SCS features four settings to suit rider preferences and track conditions.

LAUNCH CONTROL SYSTEM (LCS): Built to deliver an optimum racetrack start every time, the R1’s Launch Control System (LCS) limits maximum engine rpm and throttle plate opening with input from the TCS and LIF systems to maximize acceleration from a standing start. The LCS offers three setting levels to adjust engine control and output.