2015 Yamaha R1 unveiled
It is arguable that 2015 is fast becoming one of the most exciting and pioneering periods of recent motorcycle production history. With the likes of the BMW S1000RR, Kawasaki Ninja H2 and Ducati 1299 Panigale already creating waves in the motorcycle community, the question has to be asked what have Yamaha done to re-establish one of the most iconic sports bikes of all time?
It has been claimed that the 2015 R1 can generate 200bhp, combine that with the fact that the bike is 15 pounds lighter than the previous model, it is clear to see that Yamaha are still aiming to be a big player in the high end sports bike leagues. With Kawasaki's 300bhp H2R being tailored down to a comparable 200-220bhp road-friendly H2 model the two bikes are undoubtedly going to be compared. However with the Kawasaki weighing in at a monstrous 524lb, just over 80 pounds heavier than the R1, it could be argued that the Yamaha will be a more user friendly bike when it comes to cornering and overall handling.
Aaron Bast, Senior Product Planner at Yamaha has claimed the Yamaha YZF-R1 and newly introduced higher-spec model the R1M are "a level of motorcycle that, up until now, only factory riders could experience." This is partially due to the electronics system on board that is evidently MotoGP inspired. The Yamaha Ride Control feature uses the Yamaha Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to customise the riding style to an unprecedented level, from the adaptive slide controls to a quick shift feature the YZF-R1 certainly does appear to be a High-Tec next generation bike.
The definitive answer will come early on in 2015 when we see the general release of these awe-inspiring bikes and not just numbers on pages. However, with the likes of Kawasaki currently generating heaps of interest with their H2 model, this truly is a vital time for Yamaha.
Roll on 2015!
Quote taken from Rideapart.com
20.11.2014 - MCE Insurance
