Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128145
2002 Yamaha YZF-R1 tioned where I wanted it. The new tank just doesn't have deep-enough indents in the sides to grip with your knees on the track. I wasn't able to grip the bike with my legs and keep my arms as loose for steering as I normally do. On the other hand, one thing I did like was the position of the new footpegs, which have been moved upward and back significantly for '02. In addition, the handlebars have been moved forward 10mm, which allows you to get your body up and over the front wheel of the bike, making the front feel really planted in the corners. The new R1, just like the previous generation, likes to be flicked from side to side, and in the fast chicane at the end of the front straight and in a little esses section before the back straight, you could whip it in as fast as you dared. Midcorner stability is very good for a bike that transitions so well, and altering lines while cranked over never seems that difficult. We did have a fairly decent amount of wind to deal with all day, but it was only bothering me in a few places, such as the fast turn-three right where the air was trying to get under the bike and make me run wide. Midcorner corrections were frequent and tedious, but drama-free on theR1. In the afternoon, I was able to concentrate on the bike's motor. As I said, the front straight is long, just enough to stick it up into sixth gear about twothirds of the way down, with speeds hitting an indicated 275 kph (170 mph). One nice touch is the Rl's new En ine Tech braking and a few tight carousel turns. It's the perfect place to get a feel for an Open-class sportbike like theR1. I spent the first session refamiliarizing myself with the circuit, and getting used to the bike. Obviously, the biggest news this year is the addition of fuel injection. I'll have to admit I was apprehensive about the change at first, because the previous-generation R1 had arguably the best stock carburetion of any bike out there. The fuel injection was something that I was planning to be very cognizant of throughout the two days of testing, because, in my opinion, it was going to make or break the bike. Although I was riding like a wuss in the first session, one thing that was clear was that the new fuel-injection system, at least on the track, was really smooth and responsive (see technical sidebar). And so far it seemed to be working brilliantly. In the second session, I got into a rhythm and was able start thinking about what was going on with the motorcycle. The one thing that was blindingly obvious was that the bike felt like, well, an R1. As I told Mr. Koike, the Rl project leader, later in the day, that's a huge compliment, because the bike's tried-and-true character is still intact. The R1 is one of the best bikes you could ever ride on a racetrack, period. By the time our third session came around, I was feeling confident on the bike and was starting to push 18 MARCH 13,2002' c u e • • my braking markers to where they should be. As has been the case recently, Yamaha brought 47-time AMA 250 Grand Prix winner Rich Oliver along to help out and show us the proper way around the racetrack. Having someone as experienced as Rich along is really nice, because he can follow you for one lap and tell you all the silly things that you need to work on, or pass you and show you a better line. The single most frustrating thing about the track day was that the tires on the bike were completely inadequate for the racetrack. Yamaha Europe insisted that we ride on the OEM tires, because that's what the consumer will get. But, hello, isn't that why we were planning to ride the bike on the street the next day anyway? The OEM Dunlop D208 Sportmax tires just couldn't handle the speeds and heat generated at the track. At one point I was in turn three, a very long, sweeping right on a neutral throttle - just sailing around, when the tire just started to let go. I got into a decent slide - nothing dramatic, but enough to make you think about it the next time around, especially in such a fast corner. Oliver was following me at the time and said that he watched it happen and that I didn't do anything wrong, the tire was just beyond its capability at that point. Once I really got going on the bike, I discovered that I was having a difficult time getting my body posin __ s The R1 motor has some significant changes from last year's bike beyond the fuel-injection system. The 998cc, DOHC, five-valve-per-cylinder, liquid-cooled, in-line four features the same 74 x 58·mm bore-and-stroke dimensions as last year. The cylinder block's only real change is that the cylinders have a new coating that has higher silicon content for reduced frictJon. The crankshaft remains the same, but the carburized connecting rods feature new bolts on the big ends to improve durability at high revolutions. The forgedaluminum pistons are the same as last year's, except that the ring material has been changed to complement the new cylinder coating, but the compression ratio is the same at 11.8: I. Oil capacity has been increased from 3.1 to 3.3 quarts and runs through a larger, five-row oil cooler up from four, which increases cooling capacity by 25 percent. The new oil sump also features a new low-oil waming system that has been redesigned to distinguish between high-rpm or cold-oil situations and true low-oil situations. In addition the oil-sight glass is now larger to make visual checks easier. One other addition to improve cooling is the new ring-style fan that improves cooling by 20 percent. FueJ-1JIjection System The big news is the addition of fuel injection for '02. The system that Yamaha has developed is unique because the throttle bodies use diaphragm slides, similar to a CV (constant velocity) carburetor's - the first-ever such system on a productJon motorcycle. h works in the same manner as a CV carb, operating off of engine vacuum to open the slides and keeping air velocity consistent mechllnklllly, regllrdless of how quickly you open the throttle. This in tum helps the response to be smoother thlln II system Without, or a system with a computer-controlled secondllry butterfly. The throttle bodies themselves are 40mm units, with the injectors delivering fuel at II pressure-regulllted 41.2 psi. The fuel pump is IOCllted inSide the fuel tank. The system's ECU (Electronic Control Unit) monitors intake air temperllture and pressure, atmospheric pressure, coolant temperllture, crankshllft position, and rpm in addition to throttle position to lldjust the injection accordingly. CyHnder Head The cylinder heed is all new to accommodate the new throttle bodies. The combustion-chamber volume remains the same as last year's, but the intake tracts hllve been shortened by 30mm and the shape has been changed. The iridium spark plugs are new for '02 and sit underneath new redesigned direct-ignition coils for a hotter, more consistent spark. The valvetrain remains virtually unchanged, the only real difference being new 2gram-lighter exhaust valves. which was accomplished by increasing the nickel content. Cam profiles are exactly the same for '02. Intake and Exhaust The airbox has been redesigned and now faces forward instead of backward, which reduces the temperature of the incoming air. Spent gases first pass through the redesigned, compact, all-titanium head pipes, whJch are stacked for '02. The number-one and number-four pipes are stacked on top of the number-two and number-three pipes for improved ground clearance. This then runs into an all· new EXUP (Exhaust Ultimate Power valve) system, which now features two separate valves, one for each pair of stacked pipes. The redesigned EXUP control servo is controlled by the ECU based on throttle position and engine rpm. The spent gases then pass into a titanium silencer that features a threeway catalyzer to meet emission standards. The motor also features an air-induction system to help reduce unburned gases from making their way into the atmosphere. Transmission The tranny is largely unchanged for '02, other than improvement of the mating sur- The throttle body on the left ha. the the faces on the sixth-gear engagement dog. The vacuum .... removed to only other change is that the shift cam has ~ wive, which IIOnNIII)' been shot-blasted to help reduce friction of relIIcIes below It, _ Mown _ the the fork-pin guide. Lottie body to the right. ,.._1