Fucking hell it feels tiny!
I’ve Just stepped off the new R1 after the first session at a damp and sketchy Eastern Creek Raceway. If ever there was a way to test the drivability of a 200bhp sportsbike, this is it. The track is sat in drizzle one minute and trying to dry the next. That legendary midrange feel and drive that we loved about the outgoing model is still there, but with stronger power than ever. We were told that Yamaha started the development process by running an R1 engine in an R6 chassis and that’s exactly what this feels like.
Apparently it has market leading electronics, I’m guessing they can’t be lying otherwise I’d have been on my ass within a few laps. I could barely feel them. Seamless would be a nice word to drop in here, so I will. The weather is trying to dry out, I’ve got more track to come, check back in the morning for a full and detailed report.
Words: Chris Northover Image: Yamaha