Yamaha YZF-R1
Best Lap: 1:22:19
Let's be clear: The numbers do not favor the R1. Wet weight really is 477 pounds--no misprint. The new, 146.2-bhp Crossplane powerplant, with its crank pins located just 90 degrees apart, makes nearly 10 peak horsepower less than last year's conventional, 180-degree inline-four. Maybe it's not surprising that our fastest tester turned his slowest laps on the R1.
Like Honda's CBR600RR, however, hard numbers only give a soft-focus picture of what the R1 is really like. You feel the added pounds in an edge-to-edge chicane, but on the street it's less detectable. Peak power is undeniably down, but the Crossplane torque curve is so broad, and the bike pulls so absofockinglutely hard through every gear, you'd never call it limp. And we're confident that further set-up effort would let the R1 rule the racetrack. Witness Ben Spies' success in his freshman World Superbike season.
The Crossplane R1 is as charismatic as any big twin from Bologna, and the irregular, long-bang firing order (270-180-90-180 degrees) produces the horniest exhaust note this side of the MotoGP paddock. Astonishing acceleration is as addictive--the R1 pulls through fifth gear as urgently as first. Crossplane power seems to be everywhere and endless. You can lap the Streets of Willow--or most canyons--almost as effectively in one gear as the entire gearbox.
The most appreciable benefit of the Crossplane engine is improved communication with the rear contact patch, letting the rider more ably convert traction (or lack thereof) into rapid forward motion. No bike spins the rear tire as readily, or is as easy to ride with the rear lit, as the '09 R1. The flat torque curve, paired with an effective, YZR-M1 MotoGP-inspired bottom-link rear suspension that keeps the rear from squatting or springing back, makes rear-wheel steering almost effortless. Too bad the front isn't as stiff or stable--excessive brake dive and too much rebound compromised front-end feedback at speed.
Like the GSX-R, the R1 also offers adjustable power mapping, albeit confusingly labeled--the full-power "A" mode is almost unusable if the bike is leaned over (where's the traction control!), and even the "Standard" mode is a bit rowdy. Some of our testers lapped the Streets of Willow as quickly, and with less drama, in "B" mode, which is intended for low-traction environs.
Adjustable power delivery is managed by the R1's fly-by-wire electronic throttle control, and hampered somewhat by a slight hesitation off closed throttle. This made tight corners on the street pretty sketchy, but was less problematic at the track where the throttle was seldom closed.
The R1 feels put-together, with no rattles, unwanted vibration or cheap clatter. With the smoothest engine of this bunch, excellent control feel, a slick-shifting gearbox and sharp, effective brakes, it rivals the Honda in terms of function and finish--and with a roomier cockpit, it fits adult-sized riders, too. For long street sessions, this is the bike we all wanted.
Never mind the numbers: The '09 R1 is the closest thing to a street-legal MotoGP bike this side of a Ducati Desmosedici RR, both in terms of specification and application. And at roughly 20 percent the cost, it's a relative bargain.
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