VOL. 55 ISSUE 20 MAY 22, 2018 P103
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ever have we seen such astounding technology
in the superbike class, and we can primarily
thank Yamaha and BMW for that.
When BMW's S 1000 RR came out in 2010 and
blew everyone into the weeds, it took the Japanese
quite some time to join the electronic arms race. No
one took up the reins as much as Yamaha, who re-
turned serve in 2015 with a true milestone of a super-
bike after what was a seismic shift in company thinking
as to what a superbike can really be.
Focusing primarily on the track aspect of superbike
riding with street riding a definite second, Yamaha's
2015 YZF-R1—read the international launch report
here—redefined the modern superbike.
The first superbike to come with the Bosch Iner-
tial Measurement Unit (IMU) which uses six axes of
measurement, you also got the first production Slide
Control system, lean-angle-sensitive traction control,
wheelie control, launch control, a quick shifter—but no
autoblip on the downshift.
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J. NELSON
GUIDED
MISSILES
THE YAMAHA YZF-R1
AND YZF-R1M
COME IN FOR SOME
SLIGHT TWEAKS FOR
2018 TO HELP YOU
GUIDE YAMAHA'S
MISSILE EVEN MORE
ACCURATELY
THAN BEFORE
