The new R1 takes sportsbiking to a whole new level.
The R1 has always been synonymous with cutting edge technology, blurring speeds and razor sharp handling. But Yamaha being Yamaha, this wasn’t enough — it had to get better.
Ladies and gentlemen, the 2009 YZF-R1 is here. And no, this is not the same bike as last year with just a new sticker job. This is an all-new machine, from the exterior to what's hidden under the body work.
Looks do matter. And with the R1, the looks are functional too. Besides being aerodynamic and offering good wind protection, the styling emphasises the concept of concentrating the mass towards the centre of the motorcycle. The new Yamaha looks aggressive and mean and certainly goes as good as it looks.
But that is all thanks to its new 998cc liquid cooled, 4 cylinder engine. If you think this is one of the usual four pot sportsbike engines, think again. There’s nothing conventional about this powerplant. This R1 employs a crossplane crankshaft, technology that was originally conceived for the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP race bike. But what is it doing in a road machine, you might ask?
Simple. This crossplane crankshaft allows the engine to produce higher linear torque along with more precise throttle control. That means that the engine’s power characteristics provide a one-on-one connection between the rider’s throttle input and the engine’s power delivery to the rear tyre. This allows the R1 to take cornering to a whole new level with exemplary traction when entering into a curve and blasting out of it.
So now you know why. But how? Every sportsbike rider wants precise control over his motorcycle. And that includes the amount of torque produced by the engine. The crossplane allows the rider to do just that. In a conventional four-cylinder engine, the four pistons move up and down in a couple of pairs. However, in the new R1 engine, each piston with its individual connecting rod have their own movement. This causes the inertial torque to be minimised and due to the asymmetric firing order, strong torque at low and mid rpm ranges is obtained, making the R1 fun to ride through the twisties.
No motorcycle is complete with just a high-tech engine. To complement the new motor, the R1 gets an all new aluminium Deltabox frame for improved handling and cornering abilities. Tyres, brakes and suspension have been revamped and fine-tuned.
The 2009 R1 features all-new instrumentation, complete with a shift timing light and a gear position indicator in addition to the usual speedo, tacho and the like.
If the 2009 R1 is this good, we can hardly imagine what the next R1 will be like. Time travel perhaps?
