2 0 2 0 YA M A H A Y Z F - R 1 M
R I D E R E V I E W
P70
Inside that dash sits every adjust-
able electronic parameter—here's
what you can run through (all of
which you can control on your phone
via the integrated Communications
Control Unit (CCU) data-logging and
GPS system): four different power
modes, 10-stage traction control,
three slide-control settings, two-
level launch control, two different
quickshifter settings, three-stage lift
(wheelie) control, three different en-
gine brake settings, the five different
suspension settings, and two-stage
Brake Control. What's Brake Con-
trol, you ask? I hear you ask. Brake
Control is Yamaha's brake-by-wire
system, which allows the ECU to
interpret the amount of speed retar-
dation you need, rather than what
you may ask for. It's electric brakes,
basically. And this goes hand-in-
hand with the new ABS module. The
Advics brakes have always been one
of the Yamaha's weak points. From
what a few colleagues have told me
from the launch at Jerez last year,
the system still isn't up to par on
the track despite the steel lines and
upgraded four-piston calipers.
On the street, however, the sys-
tem works fine. A rather spirited ride
over Palomar Mountain in Southern
California gave a touch of fade at
the lever, but I had no complaints
as to the effectiveness of the Brake
Control system.
I did rather enjoy playing around
with the various engine braking
parameters on the R1M, which have
been revised for this year. Level
One gives you full four-stroke en-
gine braking, but Level Two and
especially Level Three provide such
reduced engine braking it can feel at
times like you've got a finger on the
clutch. I resorted to Level One, as
the extra engine braking helped pull
the bike into the turn without having
to use the rear brake as much. Still,
I liked the fact there were three very
different phases of engine braking
available to the rider.
Bank the R1M into a
corner, and it follows
with almost fluid
precision. It really does
go as good as it looks.
