VOLUME 56 ISSUE 39 OCTOBER 1, 2019 P91
YA M A H A Y Z F - R1
control on the 2020 R1 was similar in
that where I could feel it working, but
it really didn't slow me down.
I'd had a conversation with Aaron
Bast and Marcus DeMichele from
Yamaha USA about the throttle, how
I like one that is light and easy to
turn, and also how I like a quick-turn
throttle for racing (those two things
do not usually go hand in hand).
As it is, the magnetic sensor
throttle is much easier to turn than
on the 2018 R1, but it's somehow
smoother and is definitely one of the
bike's strong points.
The front brakes and Bridgestone
RS11 tires on the base model YZF-R1
left something to be desired. The
brakes didn't have as much bite as I
would like, though I didn't experience
brake fade, so they were at least
predictable in their performance.
For me, I would throw on a set
of my Vesrah race pads and racing
braided lines before getting serious
on the track. The stock tires should
prove to be fine for the street, but in
the track environment, this bike is
built for slicks—or at least DOT race
tires.
There are a couple things that
won't affect most people riding this
bike, but as a smaller rider, I'd like to
see more adjustability in the brake le-
ver and the shifter. My boots are size
7.5 (womens), and my toes barely
reach the shifter, which doesn't
translate to clean shifts every time.
I was lucky the Pata Yamaha World
Superbike Team had an adjustable
brake lever available, as it had more
adjustability and helped me be more
comfortable on the bike.
If the new R1 or R1M were my bike,
the lever and shifter (or rearsets)
would be first on my list of things to
change.
W
hen Rennie asked me if I'd be in-
terested in filling in for him on the
Yamaha R1 and R1-M launch, riding
the two bikes at the world-class Cir-
cuito de Jerez, I had to pinch myself.
Being one of the first people in the
world to put Yamaha's new liter-bikes
to the test on one of the world's best
racetracks is an unrivaled experience
that I am honored to be a part of.
I was excited to try these bikes in
comparison to my current race bike,
a 2015 Yamaha R1 that I race in the
Stock 1000 class at MotoAmerica as
well as in the AFM.
Learning a bike and a track to-
gether is sometimes challenging, but
the new YZF-R1 made it easy. It was
confidence inspiring, and I could feel
the electronics working in my favor
when I'd push my limits.
There were a lot of things that were
very different from my 2015 R1 race
bike, most notably the electronics
and the ride-by-wire throttle. I felt like
the new R1's electronics were much
smoother than my race bike, espe-
cially the wheelie control.
This new model's wheelie control
is very non-invasive. You can barely
feel the bike cutting out to bring the
wheelie back down, whereas my race
bike is a bit harsh in that department.
It makes me want to go mess with my
electronics immediately! The traction
The base model
R1 is an excellent
steed and would
provide a good
basis for a racer
given you'll
probably not go
for the electronic
suspension
anyway.
