Yamaha transformed the world of superbikes in 1998 when they unveiled the R1. Its innovative design integrated cutting-edge technologies while still remaining true to the race bike heritage of a racer’s machine.
2004 saw a major update – wider bores increased revs and peak power to an estimated 172bhp. Furthermore, its new engine benefited from having its airbox slanted to allow ram-air pressurising the intake.
The Engine
Yamaha first unveiled their R1 in 1998, setting new standards of speed and agility among supersport bikes. Over two decades, this model continued to advance while amassing an impressive record that saw Toprak Razgatlioglu and Leon Camier win multiple world and British championships on it.
Miwa-san’s team designed the R1 with one key factor in mind – its engine. Miwa wanted his bike to be fast on twisty roads while still competing against larger and more powerful sportsbikes on racetracks; for this goal to be met required a lightweight chassis; therefore its engine played an instrumental role.
The fourth generation R1 featured a Deltabox V frame and bodywork that housed twin underseat exhausts for the first time; engine features included a ram-air system to reduce wheelies; cross plane crankshaft to provide increased low-rpm torque without compromising high-rpm power; as well as an early six-axis IMU for optimal intervention by systems like traction control and front wheel lift control.
The Frame
Generalizing, when a frame becomes too rigid it may provide good straight-line stability but diminish cornering performance. Conversely, too little rigidity may leave riders feeling unstable or shaky as they ride the R1. Miwa-san envisioned the new R1 being designed with plenty of rigidity so riders feel in control while riding.
He also knew the new R1 needed to be far smaller than either Thunderace or FireBlade in order to match Honda’s lightweight machine’s power-to-weight ratio.
It resulted in the R1 receiving over 150 modifications on its first update; from adjustments to its carb settings to adding a ram-air intake system. One significant decision, though, was ditching its five-valve layout for four – marking the first time any major manufacturer had done this and creating an engine with claimed 172bhp at just 180 kg weight! An excellent power-to-weight ratio had resulted.
The Seat
The fourth generation R1 saw major updates both performance- and visually. The engine received a new shorter stroke with larger bore, higher compression ratio, and an extreme redline; additionally it gained ride-by-wire throttle control, ram air intake system, and underseat exhaust to help reduce wheelies.
Yamaha’s design and development team placed great importance on giving their new bike an aggressive appearance while remaining comfortable for daily riding, reflecting their “Jin-Ki Kanno” philosophy – that all designs begin from seduction of exhilaration provided by sportsbike riding – when creating this motorcycle.
Yamaha’s R1 was once again at the heart of their sportbike lineup, dominating all major superbike championships with Toprak Razgatlioglu dominating World Superbikes (WSB), Tarran Mackenzie winning British Superbikes and Jake Gagne dominating MotoAmerica. Yamaha further improved this version in 2021 by including up and down quickshifters, launch control platform that prevented wheelies as well as quickshifter quickchange. To this day it remains a formidable presence on racetracks across the globe.
The Handling
Yamaha engineers aimed for one goal when designing the YZF-R1. They wanted a supersport bike that offered riders an emotionally engaging riding experience, not simply one with quick acceleration and power. That philosophy can be seen through its use of an inverted fork to deliver direct power directly and reliably to the rear tyre, as well as Yamaha’s innovative variable valve actuation for creating an emotional engine feel.
The chassis built upon this foundation was track-focused, featuring large 320mm front rotors, race-spec KYB suspension and Bridgestone RS11 tires. Furthermore, rider assistance tech such as an inertial measurement unit combined with gyro sensor and accelerometer created an accurate picture of its position every 125 calculations that was then used to adjust power delivery and intervention according to all six axes of movement resulting in a race machine that’s also fun for everyday driving on public streets.