The year 2014 is coming to an end like every other year in the calendar has, but some motorbike manufacturers( Especially the Japanese) want it to end differently. After Kawasaki came out with H2R & H2, Yamaha has now joined the club with its latest offering to the market. Presenting to you the all new Yamaha YZF-R1 2015 and its steroid-ed big brother R1M 😀 .
It all started in 1998 when Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 in the market and since then it has been a phenomenal journey for the company and the R1 owners as well. The bike has evolved over time. With not so major changes in its successor, the R1 kept evolving slowly and gradually. But what Yamaha has showcased is a drastic change in the previous year R1 and the new one is COMPLETELY different. Scroll down and have a look at it . ( Will definitely keep you drooling over it 😛 😛 )
A look at this beauty and you’ll keep looking at it - all the more. It wont be incorrect to term the R1 as a beauty with brains( and lots of muscle too :P). Over the years Yamaha had been fiddling with this power figure . The power range it used to play within was 130-160 hp . But the case with the new r1 is different. It is expected to churn out 200hp. After Kawasaki , its Yamaha that’s joining the 200bhp club. With that much power, the bike weighs 199kg. Now that’s some real good power to weight . But things are a bit different with Yamaha. Unlike Kawasaki which has different power figures for the H2R and H2, both the R1 and R1M will have same engine specification. Lets find out then , where they differ. R1 vs R1m Before pointing out the differences in the duo, let me introduce the new bad boy from Yamaha- The R1M. We all know what Yamaha does on track and the street as well. Inspired by the great M1, Yamaha blended the street bike genes and the track bike genes and came up with the R1m ( You could say that for the new R1 too ) Both the r1 and r1m are expected to have the same basic engine configuration with Yamaha’s 1000cc cross plane Inline 4 engines churning out 200bhp at 13500rpm and 83ft-lbs of torque at 10000rpm. Major differences between the R1 and the R1m are the carbon fiber body in the latter. Also the R1m uses Öhlins electronically adjustable suspension. It also differs in the loads of electronics that Yamaha has put in the R1M. Yamaha has used its own MotoGP race technology in the r1m, which is why it can be called the street version of the great M1. Adaptive Slide Control Straight from Yamaha’s race technology , it will prevent low slides by cutting down power to the wheel, when you are busy taking down corners. Adaptive Lift Control Going bang on the throttle after the signal turns green or while exiting a corner and want your nose to stay on the ground ??? Well, adaptive lift control is here [ For all you wheelie enthusiasts out there, don’t be disheartened. This feature can be turned off 😉 ] Adaptive Launch Control This will keep the rpm fixed while launching preventing tire spins ( You should have for sure seen a Lamborghini Aventador or a BMW S1000 launch control video?? ) Quick Shift With quick shift, you don’t need to go light on the gas when shifting, just keep shifting, save time and eventually break your own track records! Track Developed ABS This is here to transfer braking appropriately to both the front and the rear wheels no matter which brake you apply thus helping you to brake hard. If we talk about looks, the European bike makers ( BMW, Ducati, Aprillia to name a few) have been successful in making beautiful bikes and cars as well. Its not that other manufacturers don’t make such artistic products, however compared to the Europeans, they are bit down rated. But Yamaha is keen to change it and has changed this mentality with its duo. If you compare the new R1 with the previous R1, it has had a complete makeover. Firstly Yamaha changed the headlights in the R1 which it had been using since the first model,maybe R1’s signature head lamps. Its nose somewhat resembles an M1.It dropped the indicators in the front and got them fitted in the mirrors As quoted by none other than Mr Valentino Rossi – “It is just like my M1 but with wing mirrors and a number plate”.
Yamaha has always been rolling out motorbikes that have been loved by all. The same thing goes with its fellow Japanese motorbike giants, However there has been a stereotype that the European sports bikes are premium class and the Japanese are low budget bikes. But if you put them on the track, both go neck to neck (at times the Japanese outruns the European). Maybe it is because how the bike looks from the outside that has made this stereotype to come up. Nonetheless, the Japs seem to be very keen to kill this stereotype With Kawasaki launching H2/H2R , Yamaha launching R1/R1M and Honda following them with its MotoGP RC213V ( Next article 😉 ) in its prototype stage.
So now the real competition to watch out for is between the H2R and the R1M. When we put H2 and R1 against each other, the h2 is heavier than the r1 with nearby same power figures. The final judgement will come when these mean machines are actually put against each other on road. Yamaha is going to launch the 2015 R1 at Sydney in February 2015 and Kawasaki has not yet disclosed its launch date. So what we can do is wait till these giants go head to head with each other. Stay tuned to Turbozens for updates on these speed monsters 🙂